On This Day in History – September 20

Major Events

• 1519 – Ferdinand Magellan sets sail from Spain with a fleet to circumnavigate the globe.
• 1697 – The Treaty of Ryswick is signed, ending the Nine Years’ War between France and the Grand Alliance.
• 1792 – The French National Convention votes to abolish the monarchy.
• 1854 – The Battle of Alma takes place during the Crimean War, marking the first major battle of the conflict.
• 1870 – Italian troops capture Rome, completing the unification of Italy.
• 1946 – The first Cannes Film Festival opens in France after being delayed by World War II.
• 1973 – Billie Jean King defeats Bobby Riggs in the “Battle of the Sexes” tennis match.
• 1977 – The Socialist Republic of Vietnam joins the United Nations.
• 1984 – A suicide bombing at the U.S. Embassy annex in Beirut kills more than 20 people.
• 2001 – The U.S. stock market reopens after the September 11 attacks, with the Dow Jones falling 684 points.
• 2011 – The military-led government of Yemen agrees to a peace deal amid the Arab Spring protests.
• 2017 – Hurricane Maria devastates Puerto Rico, causing widespread destruction and a humanitarian crisis.

Famous Birthdays

• 356 BCE – Alexander the Great, King of Macedonia (d. 323 BCE)
• 1842 – James Dewar, Scottish chemist and physicist (d. 1923)
• 1887 – Erich von Stroheim, Austrian-American film director and actor (d. 1957)
• 1902 – J. B. Priestley, English novelist and playwright (d. 1984)
• 1917 – Red Auerbach, American basketball coach and executive (d. 2006)
• 1924 – Kenneth More, English actor (d. 1982)
• 1934 – Sophia Loren, Italian actress and film icon
• 1948 – George R. R. Martin, American author, creator of A Song of Ice and Fire series
• 1951 – Guy Lafleur, Canadian ice hockey player (d. 2022)
• 1956 – Gary Cole, American actor
• 1960 – Kristen Johnston, American actress
• 1975 – Asia Argento, Italian actress and director
• 1981 – Luke Wilson, American actor
• 1984 – Brian Joubert, French figure skater

Notable Deaths

• 1384 – Louis I, Duke of Anjou (b. 1339)
• 1898 – Theophilus Van Kannel, American inventor of the revolving door (b. 1841)
• 1946 – Fiorello H. La Guardia, American politician, Mayor of New York City (b. 1882)
• 1971 – Giorgos Seferis, Greek poet and Nobel laureate (b. 1900)
• 1978 – Saint Pio of Pietrelcina (Padre Pio), Italian priest and mystic (b. 1887)
• 1984 – Steve Goodman, American folk music singer-songwriter (b. 1948)
• 1990 – Alberto Moravia, Italian writer (b. 1907)
• 2004 – Brian Clough, English football manager (b. 1935)
• 2010 – Leonard Skinner, American gym teacher and namesake of the band Lynyrd Skynyrd (b. 1933)
• 2015 – Jagmohan Dalmiya, Indian cricket administrator (b. 1940)
• 2020 – Lee Kerslake, English rock drummer (b. 1947)

Holidays

• Independence Day in Bangladesh (observed)
• National Youth Day in Thailand
• Freedom Day in Portugal (Azores and Madeira regions)
• Feast of Saint Eustace (Christianity)

Fun Facts

1. Magellan’s 1519 voyage marked the start of the first successful circumnavigation of the Earth.
2. The “Battle of the Sexes” tennis match in 1973 drew over 90 million viewers worldwide.
3. Sophia Loren is one of the last surviving icons from Hollywood’s Golden Age.
4. Hurricane Maria in 2017 caused the longest blackout in U.S. history, lasting several months in parts of Puerto Rico.