October 9th "2024" Daily Prep
Welcome to day 283 of the “leap” year! Known as World Post Day, International Beer and Pizza Day, National Moldy Cheese Day. Your star sign is Libra and your birthstone is Pink Tourmaline.
1990 – One thousand radio stations from over 100 countries around the world simultaneously broadcast John Lennon’s “Imagine” in honour of what would have been his 50th birthday.
Todays birthdays
1952 – Sharon Osbourne (72), British-American television personality (The Osbournes), music manager, and author, born in Brixton, London.
1955 – Steve Ovett (69), retired British track athlete (Gold medalist in the 800 metres at the 1980 Olympic Games in Moscow), born in Brighton, Brighton and Hove.
1957 – Ini Kamoze, born Cecil Campbell (67), Jamaican reggae singer (“Here Comes the Hotstepper”), born in Saint Mary’s, Jamaica.
1978 – Nicky Byrne (46), Irish musician (Westlife – “You Raise Me Up”, “Seasons in the Sun”), born in Dublin, Ireland.
1996 – Bella Hadid (28), American fashion model (29 appearances on international Vogue covers), born in Los Angeles, California, United States.
Famous deaths
2006 – Paul Hunter (b. 1978), English snooker player (three-time Masters champion, winning the event at the 2001, 2002, and 2004 tournaments).
The day today
1948 – English football legend Billy Wright first captained the England international team (aged 24), against Northern Ireland.
1976 – The listing of the art-deco Midland Hotel in Morecambe, Lancashire. The hotel was built in 1933, by the London, Midland and Scottish Railway (LMS). In its heyday it was ‘the place’ to stay and quickly attracted the wealthy middle classes. From 1988 the hotel stood derelict, but after major refurbishment the Midland re-opened its doors to the public in the summer of 2008.
1986 – The musical “The Phantom of the Opera” had its first performance at Her Majesty’s Theatre in London.
1997 – The campaign to ban landmines, a cause made popular by Diana, Princess of Wales was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.
2014 – A report from the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) found that populations of mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians and fish had declined on average by 52 per cent in the last 40 years. Almost the entire decline was down to human activity, through habitat loss, deforestation, climate change, over-fishing and hunting.
Today in music
1971 – Rod Stewart was at No.1 on the UK singles chart with ‘Maggie May’, (first released as a B side to ‘Reason To Believe’). The first of six UK No.1’s for Stewart, spent five weeks at the top of the chart.
1976 – The Sex Pistols signed to EMI records for £40,000. The contract was terminated three months later with the label stopping production of the ‘Anarchy In The UK’ single and deleting it from its catalogue. EMI later issued a statement saying it felt unable to promote The Sex Pistols records in view of the adverse publicity generated over the last few months.
1981 – During a North American tour The Rolling Stones played the first of two nights at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles, California. Support act was Prince, who dressed in his controversial bikini briefs and trench coat ran off stage after 15 minutes due to the crowd booing and throwing beer cans at him.
1993 – Take That had their second UK No.1 single with ‘Relight My Fire’. The song which was written and released by Dan Hartman in 1979, where it topped the US dance charts for six weeks. The Take That version featured Scottish singer Lulu and gave her a No.1 hit nearly 30 years after her first hit in 1964.
1999 – Eurythmics, George Michael, David Bowie, Robbie Williams and Bono all appeared at ‘Netaid’ an event to raise money for global poverty. The concerts in London, New York and Geneva were all broadcast live on the internet.
Today in history
1470 – Henry VI of England was restored to the throne after being deposed in 1461. Six months later he was deposed again and then murdered in the Tower of London.
1779 – The first ‘Luddite’ riots broke out in a lace factory in Loughborough as workers protested against labour-saving machinery which was likely to make them redundant. Similar riots begin at a spinning cotton factory in Manchester.
1799 – The sinking of HMS Lutine off the coast of Holland, with the loss of 240 men. The ship’s bell was salvaged from the wreck and was later presented to shipping insurers Lloyds of London. The Lutine Bell has been rung ever since to mark a marine disaster.
1897 – Henry Stumey set off in his 4.5hp Daimler from Land’s End, and became the first person to drive to John o’ Groats. His 929 mile journey took him 10 days.
1834 – The Cook Islands become a territory of the United Kingdom. They comprise 15 islands split between two island groups and named after British Captain James Cook, who visited during the 1770s.