September 29, 2012 – Smriti "Simmi" D. Isaac

Updated September 28, 2012, 2:28 pm

On Sept. 29, 1957, the New York Giants played their last game at the Polo Grounds, losing to the Pittsburgh Pirates 9-1. The Giants moved to San Francisco for the next season.

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On Sept. 29, 1901, Enrico Fermi, the Italian-born physicist who helped develop America’s first atomic weapons, was born. Following his death on Nov. 28, 1954, his obituary appeared in The Times.

Go to obituary » | Other birthdays »

On This Date

By The Associated Press

1789 The U.S. War Department established a regular army with a strength of several hundred men.

1918 Allied forces scored a decisive breakthrough on the Hindenburg Line during World War I.

1954 New York Giants centerfielder Willie Mays made a running catch with his back to home plate on a 450-foot blast by Cleveland Indians batter Vic Wertz in Game 1 of the World Series.

1957 Baseball’s New York Giants played their last game at the Polo Grounds before moving to San Francisco for the next season.

1978 Pope John Paul I was found dead in his Vatican apartment a little more than one month after becoming head of the Roman Catholic Church.

2000 Israeli riot police stormed a major Jerusalem shrine and opened fire on stone-throwing Muslim worshippers, killing four Palestinians and wounding 175.

2005 John Roberts was sworn in as the nation’s 17th chief justice.

Current Birthdays

By The Associated Press

Actor Zachary Levi (“Chuck”) turns years old.

AP Photo/Dan Steinberg

Actor Ian McShane (“Deadwood”) turns 70 years old today.

AP Photo/Joel Ryan

1931 Anita Ekberg, Actress, turns 81

1935 Jerry Lee Lewis, Rock singer, musician, turns 77

1942 Bill Nelson, U.S. senator, D-Fla., turns 70

1942 Jean-Luc Ponty, Jazz violinist, turns 70

1948 Bryant Gumbel, TV personality, turns 64

1955 Gwen Ifill, Broadcast journalist, turns 57

1957 Andrew “Dice” Clay, Comedian, turns 55

1962 Roger Bart, Actor, turns 50

1966 Jill Whelan, Actress (“The Love Boat”), turns 46

1969 Erika Eleniak, Actress, turns 43

1970 Brad Cotter, Country singer (“Nashville Star”), turns 42

1988 Kevin Durant, Basketball player, turns 24

Historic Birthdays

Enrico Fermi 9/29/1901 – 11/28/1954 Italian-born American Nobel Prize-winning physicist (1938). Go to obituary »

57 Pompey The Great 9/29/106 BC – 9/28/48 BC
Roman statesman and general of the Roman Republic

68 John Leslie 9/29/1527 – 5/31/1596
Scottish bishop; advisor to Queen Mary

66 Francois Boucher 9/29/1703 – 5/30/1770
French painter, engraver and designer

47 Horatio Nelson 9/29/1758 – 10/21/1805
English naval commander

84 Caroline Yale 9/29/1848 – 7/2/1933
American educator of the deaf

54 Walther Rathenau 9/29/1867 – 6/24/1922
German statesman, industrialist and philosopher

80 Miguel Aleman 9/29/1902 – 5/14/1983
Mexican president (1946-52)

91 Greer Garson 9/29/1904 – 4/6/1996
English-born motion-picture actress

71 Trevor Howard 9/29/1913 – 1/7/1988
English stage and screen actor

1789	The U.S. War Department established a regular army with a strength of several hundred men.
1918	Allied forces scored a decisive breakthrough on the Hindenburg Line during World War I.
1954	New York Giants centerfielder Willie Mays made a running catch with his back to home plate on a 450-foot blast by Cleveland Indians batter Vic Wertz in Game 1 of the World Series.
1957	Baseball’s New York Giants played their last game at the Polo Grounds before moving to San Francisco for the next season.
1978	Pope John Paul I was found dead in his Vatican apartment a little more than one month after becoming head of the Roman Catholic Church.
2000	Israeli riot police stormed a major Jerusalem shrine and opened fire on stone-throwing Muslim worshippers, killing four Palestinians and wounding 175.
2005	John Roberts was sworn in as the nation’s 17th chief justice.

1931	Anita Ekberg, Actress, turns 81
1935	Jerry Lee Lewis, Rock singer, musician, turns 77
1942	Bill Nelson, U.S. senator, D-Fla., turns 70
1942	Jean-Luc Ponty, Jazz violinist, turns 70
1948	Bryant Gumbel, TV personality, turns 64
1955	Gwen Ifill, Broadcast journalist, turns 57
1957	Andrew “Dice” Clay, Comedian, turns 55
1962	Roger Bart, Actor, turns 50
1966	Jill Whelan, Actress (“The Love Boat”), turns 46
1969	Erika Eleniak, Actress, turns 43
1970	Brad Cotter, Country singer (“Nashville Star”), turns 42
1988	Kevin Durant, Basketball player, turns 24

57	Pompey The Great 9/29/106 BC – 9/28/48 BC Roman statesman and general of the Roman Republic
68	John Leslie 9/29/1527 – 5/31/1596 Scottish bishop; advisor to Queen Mary
66	Francois Boucher 9/29/1703 – 5/30/1770 French painter, engraver and designer
47	Horatio Nelson 9/29/1758 – 10/21/1805 English naval commander
84	Caroline Yale 9/29/1848 – 7/2/1933 American educator of the deaf
54	Walther Rathenau 9/29/1867 – 6/24/1922 German statesman, industrialist and philosopher
80	Miguel Aleman 9/29/1902 – 5/14/1983 Mexican president (1946-52)
91	Greer Garson 9/29/1904 – 4/6/1996 English-born motion-picture actress
71	Trevor Howard 9/29/1913 – 1/7/1988 English stage and screen actor