On This Day for July 9 - Catherine the Great assumed power, O.J. Simpson is featured, and more

This message contains graphics. If you do not see the graphics, click here to view. July 09 FEATURED BIOGRAPHY O.J. Simpson READ MORE   FEATURED EVENT 1762 Catherine the Great assumed power READ MORE   Advertisement Advertisement   MORE EVENTS ON THIS DAY 2011: South Sudan declared its independence after a referendum to secede from Sudan passed overwhelmingly. [ Sort fact from fiction in our quiz about Africa.] 2002: Fearing that there would not be enough eligible players to continue, Major League Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig stopped the annual All-Star Game in the 11th inning with the score tied at 7–7. [ Take our baseball quiz.] 2001: The British TV series The Office, created and written by Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant, debuted and became a huge hit, spawning a popular American version and making Gervais a star. [Test your knowledge of pop culture.] 1995: American psychedelic rock band the Grateful Dead performed their last concert, at Soldier Field in Chicago; lead guitarist and vocalist Jerry Garcia died the following month. [ Take our quiz about musical groups.] 1960: The Thresher , the first of a class of U.S. nuclear-powered attack submarines, was launched; it sank in 1963 in the worst submarine accident in history. [Sort fact from fiction in our quiz about submarines, ships, and other watercraft.] 1956: American actor Tom Hanks, who was perhaps best known for his cheerful everyman persona, was born. [ Test your knowledge of A-list actors.] SEE ALL EVENTS ON THIS DAY ALSO BORN ON THIS DAY 1856 Nikola Tesla Serbian-American inventor 1956 Tom Hanks American actor 1947 O.J. Simpson American football player 1964 Courtney Love American musician and actress 1955 Lindsey Graham United States senator 1975 Jack White American musician SEE ALL BIOS ON THIS DAY   Advertisement   FOLLOW: To unsubscribe from Britannica e-mails, click here. Encyclopædia Britannica 325 N. LaSalle Street, Suite 200 Chicago, Illinois 60654 United States © 2020 Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc. Privacy Policy • Help