World History

  • September 18, 1931: The Mukden Incident (or Manchurian Incident) took place when a section of railway owned by Japan’s South Manchuria Railway near Mukden (modern-day Shenyang, China) was blown up. This event was used as a pretext by the Japanese military to invade and occupy Manchuria.
  • September 19, 1985: A devastating earthquake struck Mexico City, killing thousands and destroying many buildings. The magnitude of the quake was 8.1, and it left a significant part of the city in ruins.
  • September 20, 1519: Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan set out from Spain on a voyage that would become the first successful circumnavigation of the Earth. Though Magellan himself did not complete the journey (he was killed in the Philippines), one of his ships, the Victoria, and 18 of his original crew members did return to Spain in 1522.
  • September 21, 1937: “The Hobbit,” a children’s fantasy novel written by J.R.R. Tolkien, was first published in the United Kingdom. This book introduced readers to a richly crafted world that would be further expanded in Tolkien’s later work, “The Lord of the Rings.”
  • September 24, 622 AD: The Islamic prophet Muhammad and his followers migrated from Mecca to Medina in an event known as the Hijra. This migration is so significant in Islamic history that it marks the beginning of the Islamic calendar.

Cleveland History

  • September 19, 1948: The Cleveland Indians, led by player-manager Lou Boudreau, clinched the American League pennant. The team would later win the World Series that year against the Boston Braves.
  • September 20, 1964: The Beatles played a concert at the Public Auditorium in Cleveland during their first North American Tour. The performance was memorable due to fans breaking through barriers, which caused the concert to be temporarily halted.
  • September 23, 1986: The Cleveland Health Museum, now known as the HealthSpace Cleveland, was accredited by the American Association of Museums. The institution has since provided health education to countless visitors.
  • September 18, 1972: Municipal Stadium, known for hosting both the Cleveland Indians and the Cleveland Browns, saw one of its largest baseball crowds. The game featured Gaylord Perry pitching for the Indians, who were in a rare late-season pennant race.
  • September 22, 1976: The Cleveland Cultural Gardens, a collection of public gardens commemorating different cultural groups in Cleveland, dedicated its Hungarian Garden during this year.