What Happened in August 2009

Historical Events

Women's British Open

Aug 2 British Open Women's Golf, Royal Lytham & St Annes GC: Catriona Matthew wins her lone major title, 3 strokes ahead of runner-up Karrie Webb; first Scot to win the title

World Records Galore

Aug 2 Michael Phelps ends the World Swimming Championships in Rome with his 5th gold medal as part of the US 4x100m medley relay team that recorded the 43rd world record of the controversial meet

Sports History

Aug 2 US Open Senior Men's Golf, Crooked Stick GC: Fred Funk wins by 6 strokes from Joey Sindelar with a tournament record score (-20)

Bill Clinton Meets Kim Jong-Il

Aug 4 Kim Jong-il meets former president Bill Clinton. He pardons and releases captured American journalists Euna Lee and Laura Ling who were found guilty of entering the country illegally.

Tik Tok

Aug 7 “Tik Tok” single released by Kesha (Billboard Song of the Year 2010)

  • Aug 11 "Need You Now" album released by Lady Antebellum (Billboard Album of the Year 2010)
  • Aug 15 12th Athletics World Championships open at Berlin, Germany
  • Aug 15 Portugal leaves recession after three consecutive quarters of negative growth having its GDP recover by 0.3% in the second quarter of 2009

PGA Championship

Aug 16 PGA Championship Men's Golf, Hazeltine National GC: Yang Yong-eun of South Korea wins his first major title by 3 strokes from Tiger Woods

100m World Record

Aug 16 Usain Bolt of Jamaica edges American Tyson Gay to win 100m in world record 9.58s at the World Athletics Championships in Berlin

  • Aug 19 A series of bombings in Baghdad, Iraq, kills 101 and injures 565 others
  • Aug 20 12th Athletics World Championships: Usain Bolt wins 200m
  • Aug 23 Solheim Cup Women's Golf, Rich Harvest Farms: US wins 3rd consecutive Cup 16-12; win 8 of 12 singles to dominate final day
  • Aug 23 The Tradition Senior Men's Golf, Crosswater Club: Mike Reid wins his second Champions Tour major with birdie on first playoff hole against John Cook
  • Aug 24 "Love Like Crazy" single released by Lee Brice (Billboard Song of the Year 2010)
  • Aug 24 Thailand's GDP grew 2.3% in 2009's second quarter, technically leaving the recession

Oasis Splits Up

Aug 28 British pop-rock band Oasis guitarist Noel Gallagher quits the band, citing inability to be with his brother Liam

Ronaldo Debuts for Real Madrid

Aug 29 Cristiano Ronaldo makes his debut for Real Madrid, scoring a penalty in their 3-2 win over Deportivo La Coruña

Disney Acquires Marvel

Aug 31 The Walt Disney Company announces it will acquire Marvel Entertainment for $4.24 billion


2009 History

Famous Weddings

  • Aug 1 "Heroes" actress Ali Larter (33) weds stand-up comedian and actor Hayes MacArthur (32) in Kennebunkport, Maine

Mary Lynn Rajskub

Aug 1 Actress-comedian Mary Lynn Rajskub (38) weds personal trainer Matthew Rolph in an impromptu wedding in Las Vegas

Mark Wahlberg

Aug 1 Fashion model Rhea Durham (34) weds actor and producer Mark Wahlberg (41) at Good Shepherd Catholic Church in Beverly Hills

  • Aug 8 American pop-opera "Il Divo" singer David Miller (36) weds American soprano and theater actress Sarah Joy Kabanuck (30) in New York City

Joseph Fiennes

Aug 15 Actor Joseph Fiennes (39) weds model María Dolores Diéguez in Tuscany, Italy

Alyssa Milano

Aug 15 Charmed actress Alyssa Milano (39) weds CAA agent David Bugliari in Bernardsville, New Jersey

Milla Jovovich

Aug 22 Actress and model Milla Jovovich (36) weds film director Paul W. S. Anderson (47) in Beverly Hills, California

John Elway

Aug 29 Retired Denver Bronco's quarterback John Elway (49) weds former Oakland Raiders cheerleader Paige Green

Davy Jones

Aug 30 British Monkees singer Davy Jones (63) weds Jessica Pacheco


Famous Divorces

  • Aug 24 American actor Eddie Cibrian (36) divorces TV personality Brandi Glanville (35) due to irreconcilable differences

Amy Winehouse

Aug 28 Blake Fielder-Civil (27) divorces British Grammy award-winning singer Amy Winehouse (25) due to adultery after 2 years of marriage


Famous Deaths

  • Aug 4 Blake Snyder, American screenwriter (b. 1957)
  • Aug 4 David Haslam, British rear admiral (hydrographer), dies at 86
  • Aug 4 Joe Maneri, American jazz composer, saxophone and clarinet player (Boston Microtonal Society), dies at 82
  • Aug 5 Budd Schulberg, American screenwriter and novelist (On the Waterfront), dies at 95
  • Aug 6 Bahadır Akkuzu, Turkish rock guitarist and singer (Kurtalan Ekspres), dies of a heart attack at 54
  • Aug 6 John Hughes, American film director (Breakfast Club; Ferris Bueller's Day Off), dies of a heart attack at 59
  • Aug 6 Willibrordus S. Rendra, Indonesian poet (Ballad orang-orang tertjina), dies at 73
  • Aug 6 Willy Deville [William Paul Borsey Jr.], American rock vocalist and guitarist (Mink DeVille; The Princess Bride - "Storybook Love"), dies of pancreatic cancer at 58
  • Aug 7 Gerard van den Berg, Dutch TV host (Like Father, Like Son), dies at 76
  • Aug 7 Louis E. Saavedra, American Mayor of Albuquerque, New Mexico (b. 1933)
  • Aug 7 Mike Seeger, American folk musician (b. 1933)
  • Aug 8 Daniel Jarque, Spanish football player, dies of a heart attack at 26
  • Aug 11 Eunice Kennedy Shriver, American sister of President John F. Kennedy, founder of the Special Olympics, dies at 88
  • Aug 12 Les Paul [Polsfuss], American guitarist, (How High The Moon), songwriter and inventor (solid-body electric guitar), dies at 94
  • Aug 12 Lord John Gregson, British Labour politician and Baron, dies from injuries following a fall at 85
  • Aug 15 Jim Dickinson, American record producer (Mud Boy), dies at 67

Kim Dae-jung (1924-2009)

Aug 18 8th President of South Korea (1998-2003) and 2000 Nobel Peace Prize laureate, dies at 85

  • Aug 18 Robert Novak, American journalist and commentator (b. 1931)
  • Aug 19 Don Hewitt, American CBS news executive producer (60 Minutes), dies at 86
  • Aug 20 Larry Knechtel, American session piano and bass player (Simon and Garfunkel; Johnny Rivers), dies of a heart attack at 69
  • Aug 21 Dean Turner, Australian rock musician (Magic Dirt), dies of cancer at 37
  • Aug 21 Johnny Carter, American doo-wop singer (The Flamingos; The Dells), dies at 75
  • Aug 21 Rex Shelley, Singaporean author (b. 1930)
  • Aug 22 Beryl Sprinkel, American economist (Council of Economic Advisers), dies at 85
  • Aug 22 Elmer Kelton, American Western novelist (b. 1926)
  • Aug 24 Toni Sailer, Austrian alpine ski racer (Olympic gold Downhill, Giant slalom, Slalom 1956; 7 x World C'ship gold), dies from laryngeal cancer at 73

Ted Kennedy (1932-2009)

Aug 25 American politician (US Senator (D)-Massachusetts, 1962- 2009), dies of brain cancer at 77

  • Aug 25 Robert Heppener, Dutch composer (Hymns & Conversations for 28 Harps; Memento), dies at 84
  • Aug 26 Dominick Dunne, American writer and producer (Panic in Needle Park), dies at 83
  • Aug 26 Ellie Greenwich, American singer-songwriter ("Da-Doo Ron Ron"; "Leader of the Pack"), dies of a heart attack at 68
  • Aug 27 Sergey Mikhalkov, Soviet writer and poet, dies at 96
  • Aug 27 Virgilio Savona, Italian jazz singer and composer (Quartetto Cetra - "Un bacio a mezzanotte"; "Crapa pelada"), dies of complications from Parkinson's disease at 89
  • Aug 28 DJ AM [Adam Goldstein], American DJ and musician, dies of a drug overdose at 36
  • Aug 29 Chris Connor [Mary Jean Loutsenhizer], American jazz singer ("I Wonder What Became of Me"), dies of cancer at 81
  • Aug 29 Frank Gardner, Australian auto racer (European F5000 1971; British Touring Car Championship 1967-68, 73), dies at 77
  • Aug 29 Simon Dee, British television broadcaster (Dee Time), dies at 74
  • Aug 31 Eraño Manalo, Filipino religious figure (b. 1925)
  • Aug 31 Maria de Lourdes Martins, Portuguese pianist and composer, dies at 83