Updated September 16, 2012, 2:28 pm
On Sept. 17, 1862, Union forces hurled back a Confederate invasion of Maryland in the Civil War battle of Antietam. With 23,100 killed, wounded or captured, it remains the bloodiest day in U.S. military history.
On Sept. 17, 1934, Maureen Connolly, the first woman to win the tennis Grand Slam, was born. Following her death on June 21, 1969, her obituary appeared in The Times.
Go to obituary » | Other birthdays »
On This Date
By The Associated Press
1787 The U.S. Constitution was completed and signed by a majority of delegates attending the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia. 1907 Warren Burger, the 15th chief justice of the U.S. Supreme Court, was born in St. Paul, Minn. 1920 The American Professional Football Association – a precursor of the National Football League – was formed in Canton, Ohio. 1939 The Soviet Union invaded Poland during World War II. 1947 James V. Forrestal was sworn in as the first U.S. secretary of defense. 1972 The comedy series “M.A.S.H.” premiered on CBS. 1976 NASA unveiled the space shuttle Enterprise. 1980 Former Nicaraguan president Anastasio Somoza was assassinated in Paraguay. 1986 The Senate confirmed the nomination of William H. Rehnquist as the 16th chief justice of the United States. 1996 Former Vice President Spiro T. Agnew died at age 77. 2001 Wall Street trading resumed for the first time since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks – its longest shutdown since the Depression; the Dow lost 684.81 points, its worst one-day point drop to date. 2001 Pro sporting events resumed after a six-day hiatus following the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. 2003 New York Stock Exchange chairman Dick Grasso resigned amid a furor over his $139.5 million pay package. 2004 Chechen warlord Shamil Basayev claimed responsibility for the recent school siege in Beslan and other terrorist attacks in Russia that claimed more than 430 lives. 2004 San Francisco Giants slugger Barry Bonds hit his 700th career home run, joining Babe Ruth (714) and Hank Aaron (755) as the only players to reach the milestone. 2011 A demonstration calling itself Occupy Wall Street began in New York. Current Birthdays
By The Associated Press
Actor Kyle Chandler (“Friday Night Lights”) turns 47 years old today.
AP Photo/Chris Pizzello
Actor Matthew Settle (“Gossip Girl,” “Band of Brothers”) turns 43 years old today.
AP Photo/Evan Agostini
1933 Charles Grassley, U.S. senator, R-Iowa, turns 79 1939 David Souter, Retired Supreme Court justice, turns 73 1945 Phil Jackson, Basketball coach, turns 67 1950 Fee Waybill, Rock singer (The Tubes), turns 62 1951 Cassandra Peterson, Actress (“Elvira, Mistress of the Dark”), turns 61 1953 Rita Rudner, Comedian, turns 59 1962 Baz Luhrmann, Director (“Moulin Rouge”), turns 50 1975 Constantine Maroulis, Singer, actor (“American Idol,” “The Bold and the Beautiful”), turns 37 1985 Jon Walker, Rock musician (Panic at the Disco), turns 27
Historic Birthdays
Maureen Connolly 9/17/1934 – 6/21/1969 American tennis player. Go to obituary »
64 Frederick von Steuben 9/17/1730 – 11/28/1794
German officer; helped the cause of U. S. independence75 Mercy Jackson 9/17/1802 – 12/13/1877
American physician; pioneered women’s acceptance in medicine74 David Dunbar Buick 9/17/1854 – 3/6/1929
Scottish-born American automobile manufacturer69 Christian Lange 9/17/1869 – 12/11/1938
Norwegian Nobel Prize-winning peace advocate (1921)51 Rube Foster 9/17/1879 – 12/9/1930
American baseball player; founded the Negro National League79 William Carlos Williams 9/17/1883 – 3/4/1963
American physician, poet, novelist and short story writer70 Sir Francis Chichester 9/17/1901 – 8/26/1972
English adventurer; sailed solo around the world83 Sir Frederick Ashton 9/17/1904 – 8/18/1988
English choreographer and director of the Royal Ballet87 Warren Burger 9/17/1907 – 6/25/1995
American 15th chief justice of the United States
(1969-86)66 David Oistrakh 9/17/1908 (O.S.) – 10/24/1974
Ukrainian violin virtuoso29 Hank Williams 9/17/1923 – 1/1/1953
American country western singer and guitarist
