What Happened in September 1938

Historical Events

Anti-Jewish Legislation

Sep 1 Benito Mussolini cancels civil rights of Italian Jews

  • Sep 3 1940 Olympic site is changed from Tokyo, Japan to Helsinki, Finland because of the Second Sino-Japanese War; WWII causes eventual cancellation
  • Sep 5 International Lawn Tennis Challenge, Philadelphia, PA: US retain title as Don Budge beats Australian Adrian Quist 8-6, 6-1, 6-2 for unbeatable 3-1 lead; ends 3-2

Event of Interest

Sep 12 Adolf Hitler demands self-determination for Sudeten Germans in Czech

Music History

Sep 15 Jazz piano prodigy Margaret Johnson (20) makes her only recording, four sides with Billie Holiday in NYC: Johnson dies of tuberculosis less than a year later

  • Sep 15 John Cobb sets world auto speed record at 350.2 MPH (lasts 1 day)
  • Sep 15 Only time brothers hit back-to-back HRs (Lloyd & Paul Waner, Pitts)
  • Sep 16 British racing driver George Eyston sets world auto speed record at 357.5 MPH
  • Sep 17 British premier Neville Chamberlain leaves Munich
  • Sep 18 Chicago Bears beat Green Bay Packers 2-0
  • Sep 18 Despite losing a double header (4-3, 8-7) to the St. Louis Browns at Sportsman's Park III, the New York Yankees clinch their 10th AL pennant
  • Sep 20 Emlyn Williams' semi-autobiographical comedic play "Corn is Green," premieres in London; runs for 600 performances

Event of Interest

Sep 21 British politician Winston Churchill condemns Germany's Adolf Hitler's annexation of Czechoslovakia

  • Sep 21 RKO film comedy "Room Service", starring the Marx Brothers, based on Allen Boretz and John Murray's play, premieres in NYC
  • Sep 21 The Great Hurricane of 1938 makes landfall on Long Island in New York. The death toll is estimated at 500-700 people.
  • Sep 23 British premier Neville Chamberlain flies to Munich
  • Sep 23 Time capsule, to be opened in 6939, buried at World's Fair in NYC (capsule contained a woman's hat, man's pipe & 1,100' of microfilm)
  • Sep 24 US National Championship Men's Tennis, Forest Hills, NY: Don Budge beats fellow American Gene Mako 6-3, 6-8, 6-2, 6-1 to become first player to win a Grand Slam

US Open Women's Tennis

Sep 24 US National Championship Women's Tennis, Forest Hills, NY: American Alice Marble wins her second US singles crown; beats Nancye Wynne Bolton of Australia 6-0, 6-3

  • Sep 27 British ocean liner "Queen Elizabeth" launches at Clydebank, Scotland
  • Sep 27 Jewish lawyers forbidden to practise in Germany
  • Sep 27 League of Nations declares Japan the aggressor against China
  • Sep 28 Clare Boothe's "Boys Goodbye" premieres in NYC
  • Sep 28 Dutch Prime Minister Hendrikus Colijn sends radio message "No war coming"
  • Sep 28 Homer in the Gloamin' - famous walk-off home run hit by Gabby Hartnett of the Chicago Cubs against the Pittsburgh Pirates
  • Sep 29 1st archival course is offered at Columbia University in NYC
  • Sep 30 Treaty of Munich signed by Adolf Hitler, Benito Mussolini, Édouard Daladier and Neville Chamberlain, forces Czechoslovakia to give territory to Germany. Chamberlain infamously declares "Peace for our time" on his return to London.
1938 History

Famous Birthdays

  • Sep 1 Alan Dershowitz, American attorney (Claus Von Bulow, O.J. Simpson), born in New York City
  • Sep 2 Glyn Worsnip, British radio and television presenter (That's Life!), born in Highnam, Gloucestershire (d. 1996)
  • Sep 2 John Angus, English soccer defender (1 cap; Burnley 439 games), born in Amble, England (d. 2021)
  • Sep 2 Mary Jo Catlett, American stage and screen character actress (Hello Dolly!; Diff'rent Strokes - "Pearl"; SpongeBob SquarePants - "Mrs. Puff"), born in Denver, Colorado
  • Sep 3 Caryl Churchill, English playwright, born in London
  • Sep 3 Dave Ritchie, American CFL HOF coach (Grey Cup 1994 BC Lions; Montreal Alouettes; CFL Coach of the Year 2001 Winnipeg Blue Bombers), born in New Bedford, Massachusetts (d. 2024)
  • Sep 3 Ryōji Noyori, Japanese chemist (Nobel Prize 2011), born in Kobe, Japan
  • Sep 4 Leonard Frey, American stage and screen actor (Fiddler on the Roof; The Magic Christian), born in Brooklyn, New York (d. 1988)
  • Sep 6 Alan Charles Downes, British founder member of Independent Television News and cameraman, born in Enfield, Middlesex (d. 1996)
  • Sep 6 Henry Diltz, American music photographer (Woodstock; Monterey Pop Festival; album covers), born in Kansas City, Missouri
  • Sep 6 Joan Tower, American composer (Breakfast Rhythms), born in New Rochelle, New York
  • Sep 8 Kenichi Horie, Japanese adventurer and solo yachtsman, born in Osaka, Japan
  • Sep 8 Sam Nunn, American politician (Sen-D-Georgia, 1972-1997), born in Macon, Georgia
  • Sep 9 Don Hogan Charles, American photographer and first African-American photographer hired by The New York Times, born in New York City (d. 2017)
  • Sep 9 Richard Sharp, English rugby union flyhalf (14 Tests England, 2 British & Irish Lions; Cornwall RFC, Wasps RFC, Bristol RFC), born in Bangalore, India
  • Sep 10 David Hamilton [Pilditch], British radio DJ (Million Sellers) and television presenter, born in Manchester, England
  • Sep 11 Charles Patrick, American do-wop singer and songwriter (The Monotones - "The Book of Love"), born in Newark, New Jersey (d. 2020)
  • Sep 12 Claude Ruel, Canadian NHL coach (Stanley Cup 1968-69, Montreal Canadiens), born in Sherbrooke, Quebec (d. 2015)
  • Sep 12 Judy Clay [Guions], American soul and gospel singer, born in St Paul, North Carolina (d. 2001)
  • Sep 12 Tatiana Troyanos, American mezzo-soprano (Octavian-Der Rosenleavalier), born in New York City (d. 1993)
  • Sep 13 Judith Martin, American author, journalist and columnist (Miss Manners), born in Washington, D.C.

Gaylord Perry (1938-2022)

Sep 15 American Baseball HOF pitcher (5 x MLB All Star; Cy Young winner 1972, 78; no-hitter 1968; SF Giants, Cleveland Indians, Texas Rangers, SD Padres), born in Williamston, North Carolina [1]

  • Sep 15 Rafael Osuna, Mexican tennis player (US Nat C'ship 1963), born in Mexico City (d. 1969)
  • Sep 15 Sylvia Moy, American songwriter ("My Cherie Amour"; "This Old Heart Of Mine"; "It Takes Two"), born in Detroit, Michigan (d. 2017)
  • Sep 17 Alec Broers, British electrical engineer and master (Churchill College Cambridge), born in Calcutta, India
  • Sep 17 Francisco Aritmendi, Spanish athlete (International Cross Country Championships 1964), born in Cogolludo, Spain (d. 2020)
  • Sep 17 Paul Benedict, American actor (Harry-Jeffersons), born in Silver City, New Mexico (d. 2008)
  • Sep 18 Sylvia Plimack Mangold; American visual artist, known for her depictions of interiors and landscapes, born in New York City
  • Sep 19 Bra Willie [Keorapetse Kgositsile], South African poet and political activist (When the Clouds Clear; My Name Is Afrika), born in Johannesburg, South Africa (d. 2018)
  • Sep 19 Zygmunt Krauze, Polish composer, born in Warsaw, Poland
  • Sep 20 Eric Gale, American jazz, R&B, session and touring guitarist (Negril; Stuff; Paul Simon's One-Trick Pony; Bob James; Grover Washington, Jr.), born in Brooklyn, New York (d. 1994)
  • Sep 20 George J. Hochbrueckner, American politician (Rep-D-NY), born in Queens, New York
  • Sep 20 Jane Manning, British concert and operatic soprano, eductor, and promoter of contemporary classical music, born in Norwich, England (d. 2021)
  • Sep 20 Pia Lindström, Swedish-American broadcast journalist and arts critic (WNBC-TV; Rusar i hans famn), and first child of Ingrid Bergman, born in Stockholm, Sweden
  • Sep 20 Tom Tresh, American baseball utility (MLB All-Star 1962, 63; AL Rookie of Year & World Series 1962 NY Yankees), born in Detroit, Michigan (d. 2008)
  • Sep 21 Atli Heimir Sveinsson, Icelandic composer (Time and Water), born in Reykjavik, Iceland (d. 2019)
  • Sep 21 Yūji Takahashi, Japanese pianist and composer, born in Japan
  • Sep 22 Gene Mingo, American football player (1st African American placekicker in American football), born in Akron, Ohio
  • Sep 22 Sol Amarfio, Ghanaian drummer and musician (Osibisa), born in Accra, Gold Coast (d. 2022)
  • Sep 23 Clifford Ann Creed, American golfer (Women's PGA C'ship runner-up 1965), born in Alexandria, Louisiana
  • Sep 23 Romy Schneider, actress (Bloodline, Death Watch), born in Vienna, Austria

Tom Lester (1938-2020)

Sep 23 American television actor (Green Acres - "Eb"), born in Jackson, Mississippi

  • Sep 24 Ian McIntosh, Zimbabwean rugby union coach (South Africa 1993-94; Natal), born in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe (d. 2023)
  • Sep 24 Piloo Reporter, Indian cricket umpire (14 Tests, 22 ODIs), born in Mumbai, India (d. 2023)
  • Sep 24 Steve Douglas [Kreisman], American session and touring saxophonist and flautist (Phil Spector; Duane Eddy; Beach Boys), born in Los Angeles, California (d. 1993)
  • Sep 25 Ron Hill, British athlete (Boston Marathon 1970; C'wealth Games marathon gold 1970), born in Accrington, England (d. 2021)
  • Sep 26 Andrey Lukanov, Bulgarian politician (40th Prime Minister of Bulgaria), born in Moscow (d. 1996)
  • Sep 26 Lennie Bennett [Michael Berry], British comedian and TV game show host (Lucky Ladders), born in Blackpool, Lancashire, England (d. 2009)
  • Sep 26 Michael V. Love, American test pilot (X-24) (d. 1976)
  • Sep 27 Alexander Graham, British Lord Mayor of London
  • Sep 28 Ben E. King [Nelson], American soul singer-songwriter ("Stand by Me"), born in Henderson, North Carolina (d. 2015)
  • Sep 28 Peter Grosser, German soccer midfielder (2 caps; Bayern Munich, 1860 Munich, Austria Salzburg), born in Munich, Germany (d. 2021)
  • Sep 29 Henry Keswick, British businessman (CEO Jardine Matheson), born in Shanghai
  • Sep 29 Mike McCormick, American baseball pitcher (MLB All Star 1960–1961²; NL Cy Young Award 1967; NL wins leader 1967; NL ERA leader 1960; SF Giants), born in Pasadena, California (d. 2020)
  • Sep 29 Wim Kok, Dutch politician, Dutch Prime Minister (1994-2002), born in Bergambacht, Netherlands (d. 2018)
  • Sep 30 Salvatore Michael Caruana, American criminal (FBI Most Wanted List)
Born in 1938

Famous Divorces

Louis Armstrong

Sep 30 Jazz musician Louis Armstrong (37) divorces pianist Lil Armstrong (40) after more than 14 years of marriage

Famous Deaths

  • Sep 3 Bart de Ligt, Dutch pacifist and anti-militarist (Acting Peace), dies at 55
  • Sep 4 Clifford Dempsey, American actor (Salute), dies at 73
  • Sep 6 John Stuart Hindmarsh, British racing driver and aviator (b. 1907)
  • Sep 13 Samuel Alexander, English philosopher (Space, time & deity), dies at 79

Thomas Wolfe (1900-1938)

Sep 15 American novelist (Look Homeward Angel), dies of tuberculosis.at 37

  • Sep 17 Bruno Jasieński, Polish poet (b. 1901)
  • Sep 19 Pauline Frederick, American actress (Mr. Moto), dies of an asthma attack at 55
  • Sep 21 Ivana Brlić-Mažuranić, Croatian writer (The Brave Adventures of Lapitch), dies at 64
  • Sep 24 Lev Schnirelmann, Russian mathematician (b. 1900)
  • Sep 27 Elmer Feldcamp, American big band baritone vocalist, saxophone, and clarinet player (Freddy Martin Orchestra), dies of heart failure at 36
  • Sep 28 Charles Duryea, American inventor (Duryea Motor Wagon Company, first auto built in the US), dies at 76
  • Sep 28 Con Conrad, American songwriter and producer, dies at 48