What Happened on January 9, 1979

Historical Events

Orr's Jersey retired

Bobby Orr's #4 jersey is retired by the Boston Bruins

  • Bollingen Prize for poetry awarded to W. S. Merwin
  • High-school player Daryl Moreau makes 126th consecutive free throws

"Let's Get Small"

K-Mart pulls Steve Martin's "Let's Get Small" for being in "bad taste"

  • Supreme Court strikes down (6-3) PA law requiring doctors performing an abortion to try to preserve lives of potentially viable fetuses
1979 History

Famous Birthdays

  • Amber Ruffin, American talk show host and writer (The Amber Ruffin Show), born in Omaha, Nebraska
  • Tomiko Van, Japanese pop-rock singer (Do As Infinity), born in Yamato, Japan
Born in 1979

Famous Deaths

  • Avery Claflin, American banker and composer ("Lament for April 15" - income tax form instructions set to music), dies at 80 [1]
  • Pier Luigi Nervi, Italian engineer and architect (Nuove Struttura), dies at 87
1979 Highlights

About January 9, 1979

Day of the Week: Tuesday
How Long Ago? 45 years, 2 months and 10 days
Leap Year: No

Generation: Generation X
Chinese Zodiac: Horse
Star Sign: Capricorn

Music Charts

  • US #1 Song: Too Much Heaven - Bee Gees
  • UK #1 Song: Y.M.C.A. - Village People