Super Mario debuts, Meat Loaf starts cooking, on this day

September 13, 2018 · 0 Comments

Written By SCOTT TAYLOR

1899 — Henry Bliss is the first person to be killed as the result of an automobile accident. It is also the first time the phrase “He came out of nowhere” is used.

1956 — The IBM 305 RAMAC is introduced as the first commercial computer to use disc storage. It was larger than a fridge.

1985 — Super Mario Bros. is released in Japan for the NES. From that to this in just 29 years.

1989 — Largest anti-Apartheid march in South Africa is organized by Bishop Desmond Tutu. It seemed then that anything was possible.

1993 — Israeli prime minister Yitzhak Rabin shakes hands with PLO leader Yasser Arafat at the White House. And nobody lived happily ever after.

2001 — Civilian air traffic resumes in the United States after the 9/11 attacks.

2008 — Hurricane Ike makes landfall in Texas and batters Galveston Island and Houston.

Born on This Day

1916 — Roald Dahl, British novelist of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, James and the Giant Peach and more.

1918 — Ray Charles. Need we say more?

1922 — Charles Brown, American singer and pianist, not the kid with the round head and beagle.

1925 — Mel Torme, singer known as the Velvet Fog.

1941 — David Clayton-Thomas, who gave audiences all of his Blood, Sweat and Tears.

1944 — Peter Cetera, singer, songwriter, who wrote some of Chicago’s biggest hits.

1965 — Zak Starkey, English drummer, son of Richard (or Ringo, as you might know him).

1969 — Tyler Perry, actor, director, writer of every movie with the words Tyler Perry in the title.

1971 — Stella McCartney, fashion designer and daughter of Paul.

This Day in Music History

1962 — The BBC bans the song The Monster Mash, deeming it offensive. It would hit No. 3 in the U.K. in 1973.

1964 — The Kinks’ third single to top the charts, You Really Got Me, features future Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page on tambourine.

1964 — Rod Stewart records his first single, Good Morning Little School Girl, which features future Led Zeppelin bassist John Paul Jones.

1966 — The Supremes his No. 1 with You Can’t Hurry Love. Phil Collins would remake it 18 years later.

1973 — The BBC bans the Rolling Stones’ song Star Star due to offensive lyrics.

1977 — Meat Loaf releases Bat Out of Hell and the Internet breaks. Kidding, of course. There was no Internet then. Still, it has sold almost 50 million copies.

1988 — Guns and Roses gets a No. 1 single out of Sweet Child O’ Mine.

1991 — Nirvana releases Smells Like Teen Spirit.

This Day in Film and TV

1969 — Scooby-Doo, Where Are You? debuts on CBS. Those meddling kids . . .

1974 — The Rockford Files airs its first show.

1996 — Tupac Shakur is shot to death.

2017 — Actress Rebel Wilson is awarded $4.56 million in damages in libel case against Bauer Media, the largest defamation payout in Australian history.

And Another Thing . . .

Sept. 13 is the 256th day of the year.

That means there are 109 days left in the year.

And only 103 until Christmas. Have you started your shopping yet?

If that thought depresses you, eat some chocolate because it is National Chocolate Day.

Finally, Charles ll, the (are you ready for this?) Duke of Bourbon, died on this day in 1488. I bet Dean Martin would’ve liked that title. Young people, ask your parents about Dean Martin.