On This Day: January 9

Updated January 8, 2012, 1:28 pm

On Jan. 9, 1968, the Surveyor 7 space probe made a soft landing on the moon, marking the end of the American series of unmanned explorations of the lunar surface.

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On Jan. 9, 1913, Richard Milhous Nixon, the first American president to resign from office following his involvement in the Watergate scandal, was born. Following his death on April 22, 1994, his obituary appeared in The Times.

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On This Date By The Associated Press

1788 Connecticut became the fifth state to ratify the U.S. Constitution.

1861 Mississippi seceded from the Union.

1968 The Surveyor 7 space probe made a soft landing on the moon. It was the last of America’s unmanned explorations of the lunar surface.

1972 Reclusive billionaire Howard Hughes said a purported authorized biography of him by Clifford Irving was a fake.

1987 The White House released a memorandum prepared for President Ronald Reagan in January 1986 that showed a definite link between U.S. arms sales to Iran and the release of American hostages in Lebanon.

2001 Apple Computer Inc. introduced its iTunes music management software at the MacWorld Expo in San Francisco.

2005 Mahmoud Abbas was elected Palestinian Authority president by a landslide.

2006 “The Phantom of the Opera” became the longest-running show in Broadway history, surpassing “Cats,” which ran for 7,485 performances.

2007 Apple CEO Steve Jobs unveiled the iPhone.

2009 The Illinois House voted to impeach Gov. Rod Blagojevich. (The Democratic governor was removed from office by the state Senate later in the month.)

Current Birthdays By The Associated Press

Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, the wife of Britain’s Prince William, turns 30 years old today.

AP Photo/Mike Nelson

Actor J.K. Simmons turns 57 years old today.

AP Photo/Matt Sayles

1928 Judith Krantz, Author, turns 84

1934 Bart Starr, Football Hall of Famer, turns 78

1935 Dick Enberg, Sportscaster, turns 77

1941 Joan Baez, Folk singer, turns 71

1944 Jimmy Page, Rock musician (Led Zeppelin), turns 68

1950 David Johansen, Rock singer (New York Dolls, “Buster Poindexter”), turns 62

1951 Crystal Gayle, Country singer, turns 61

1965 Joely Richardson, Actress, turns 47

1978 Chad Ochocinco, Football player, turns 34

1978 A.J. Mclean, Singer (Backstreet Boys), turns 34

Historic Birthdays

Richard M. Nixon 1/9/1913 – 4/22/1994 37th president of the United States (1969-74).Go to obituary »

80 Lemuel Shaw 1/9/1781 – 3/30/1861
American jurist

88 Carrie Chapman Catt 1/9/1859 – 3/9/1947
American feminist leader

68 Joseph B Strauss 1/9/1870 – 5/16/1938
American civil engineer; designed the Golden Gate Bridge

67 Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney 1/9/1875 – 4/18/1942
American sculptor and arts patron

75 Giovanni Papini 1/9/1881 – 7/8/1956
Italian journalist and novelist

81 Dame Gracie Fields 1/9/1898 – 9/27/1979
English entertainer

39 Richard Halliburton 1/9/1900 – 3/23/1939
American travel writer

72 Chic Young 1/9/1901 – 3/14/1973
American cartoonist

78 Simone de Beauvoir 1/9/1908 – 4/14/1986
French feminist writer

71 Kenny Clarke 1/9/1914 – 1/25/1985
American drummer

56 Gypsy Rose Lee 1/9/1914 – 4/26/1970
American striptease artist

1788	Connecticut became the fifth state to ratify the U.S. Constitution.
1861	Mississippi seceded from the Union.
1968	The Surveyor 7 space probe made a soft landing on the moon. It was the last of America’s unmanned explorations of the lunar surface.
1972	Reclusive billionaire Howard Hughes said a purported authorized biography of him by Clifford Irving was a fake.
1987	The White House released a memorandum prepared for President Ronald Reagan in January 1986 that showed a definite link between U.S. arms sales to Iran and the release of American hostages in Lebanon.
2001	Apple Computer Inc. introduced its iTunes music management software at the MacWorld Expo in San Francisco.
2005	Mahmoud Abbas was elected Palestinian Authority president by a landslide.
2006	“The Phantom of the Opera” became the longest-running show in Broadway history, surpassing “Cats,” which ran for 7,485 performances.
2007	Apple CEO Steve Jobs unveiled the iPhone.
2009	The Illinois House voted to impeach Gov. Rod Blagojevich. (The Democratic governor was removed from office by the state Senate later in the month.)

1928	Judith Krantz, Author, turns 84
1934	Bart Starr, Football Hall of Famer, turns 78
1935	Dick Enberg, Sportscaster, turns 77
1941	Joan Baez, Folk singer, turns 71
1944	Jimmy Page, Rock musician (Led Zeppelin), turns 68
1950	David Johansen, Rock singer (New York Dolls, “Buster Poindexter”), turns 62
1951	Crystal Gayle, Country singer, turns 61
1965	Joely Richardson, Actress, turns 47
1978	Chad Ochocinco, Football player, turns 34
1978	A.J. Mclean, Singer (Backstreet Boys), turns 34

80	Lemuel Shaw 1/9/1781 – 3/30/1861 American jurist
88	Carrie Chapman Catt 1/9/1859 – 3/9/1947 American feminist leader
68	Joseph B Strauss 1/9/1870 – 5/16/1938 American civil engineer; designed the Golden Gate Bridge
67	Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney 1/9/1875 – 4/18/1942 American sculptor and arts patron
75	Giovanni Papini 1/9/1881 – 7/8/1956 Italian journalist and novelist
81	Dame Gracie Fields 1/9/1898 – 9/27/1979 English entertainer
39	Richard Halliburton 1/9/1900 – 3/23/1939 American travel writer
72	Chic Young 1/9/1901 – 3/14/1973 American cartoonist
78	Simone de Beauvoir 1/9/1908 – 4/14/1986 French feminist writer
71	Kenny Clarke 1/9/1914 – 1/25/1985 American drummer
56	Gypsy Rose Lee 1/9/1914 – 4/26/1970 American striptease artist