September 22nd

CERN scientists announce their discovery of neutrinos breaking the speed of light.

The U.S. Mint unveiled the first changes to the penny in 50 years, with Abraham Lincoln's portrait still on the front, but new designs replacing the Lincoln Memorial on the back.

John Roberts' nomination as chief justice cleared the Senate Judiciary Committee on a 13-5 vote.

Time Warner struck a $7.5 billion deal to buy Turner Broadcasting System Inc.

Songwriter Irving Berlin died in New York City at age 101.

The Persian Gulf conflict between Iran and Iraq erupted into full-scale war.

The American-run Vela satellite detects a series of bright flashes over the Indian Ocean. The flashes were thought to be associated with atmospheric nuclear explosions. Some experts theorized that they were caused by joint Israeli and South African nuclear exercises. The governments of both countries denied this and to date it hasn't been confirmed whether the flashes were indeed nuclear explosions, and who was responsible for them.

Sara Jane Moore failed in an attempt to shoot President Gerald R. Ford outside a San Francisco hotel.

Willie Mays of the San Francisco Giants hit his 600th career home run during a game in San Diego.

The musical "Fiddler on the Roof" opened on Broadway, beginning a run of 3,242 performances.

Mali Federation becomes Mali. In August 1960, Senegal opted out of the Mali Federation allowing the federation to take on the name of Mali.

The Soviet Union exploded its first atomic bomb.

Gene Tunney successfully defended his heavyweight boxing title against Jack Dempsey in the "long count" fight in Chicago.

Richard Wagner's opera Das Rheingold or The Rhine Gold is heard for the first time. The first of 4 musical works of art that constitute Wagner's Der Ring des Nibelungen, Das Rheingold was played at the National Theatre in Munich. The other three music dramas are Die Walküre or The Valkyrie, Siegfried, and Götterdämmerung or Twilight of the Gods.

President Abraham Lincoln issued the preliminary Emancipation Proclamation, proposing to free all slaves of rebel states as of Jan. 1, 1863.

French First Republic formed by the National Convention, stripping French king of his powers.

Congress authorized the office of Postmaster-General.

Nathan Hale was hanged as a spy by the British during the Revolutionary War.

Britain's King George III and his wife, Charlotte, were crowned in Westminster Abbey.

Last people hanged for witchcraft (8) in the US, 20 hanged overall during Salem witch trials.