A poster of 'Friends' Agencies
Scorpion kick Agencies
Pankaj Mullick Agencies
An idol of Lord Ganesha. Agencies
An elephant is hanged. Agencies
2014: The world’s tallest dog — a Great Dane named Zeus — passes away on September 3. Standing on his hind legs, Zeus measured 7ft 5 inches and 3ft 8 inches from foot to his withers. Recognised by the Guinness Book of World Records, the Michigan-based dog dies of natural causes before turning six.
National
1852: Scholar and social reformer Beni Madhab Das passes away on September 2. Considered an exemplary teacher of philosophy, economics and history, he had a great influence on his student Subhas Chandra Bose, who had a clandestine meeting with him one last time before leaving India.
Local
2014: The Ultadanga-VIP Road flyover, a flank of which had collapse in March 2013, is rebuilt and opened to public in September.
1995: On September 21, a devotee in New Delhi holds up a spoonful of milk to the trunk of a Ganesha idol and the milk “disappears”. Word spreads that the idol “drank” the milk and devotees around the world rush to feed their idols. It is later revealed that the milk was being pulled up through capillary action.
Sports and entertainment
1995: Colombian goalkeeper Rene Higuita makes the “scorpion kick” save on September 6. Playing a friendly match against England at Wembley Stadium, London, Higuita jumps forward pushing his legs from behind over his head and kicking the ball away with his heels. The move brings him much attention.
1982: Computer scientist Scott Fahlman uses the world’s first smiley emoticon on September 19. He proposes that people using Carnegie Mellon University’s message board use the character sequence :-) for joke markers and :-( for serious posts. The emoticons go on to become an integral part of non-verbal communication in the digital age.
1948: After independence from Japan, Kim Il-sung becomes the first Supreme Leader of North Korea. Taking office on September 9, he holds the post till his death in 1994. External powers accuse him of widespread human rights abuse and after his death his son and later grandson Kim Jong-un continue the dynasty.
Kim Il-sung Agencies
1827: Pankaj Mullick performs for the first time on radio on September 26. The channel is called Indian Broadcasting Company, later renamed All India Radio, and Mullick becomes an integral part of it, singing, composing music, even winning a Padma Shri award in 1970.
Global
1916: An unqualified man is hired as assistant trainer for Mary, an Asian circus elephant in Tennessee. Riding on her back, the man prods Mary, who becomes violent and kills him. When nearby towns refuse to allow the circus with Mary in it, the circus owner decides to hang her publicly. On September 13, the elephant is hanged from an industrial derrick. A vet later examines her body to find a severely infected tooth at the point where her trainer had prodded her. Mary’s death goes on to become a cautionary tale of animal abuse.
1994: American sitcom Friends airs its first episode on September 22. The show about six friends in New York gains cult status, makes the actors household names and continues for 10 seasons.