What happened in September 1973?
The top front-page story of each day in September 1973, as it was reported at the time. Click a date to see that day’s full front page and the matching birthday books.
- Sep 1🚢 Floating Hospital Retires – The St. John's Guild Floating Hospital, serving poor children for 38 years, made its last voyage, ending an era of health and social services.
- Sep 2🌊 Submarine Rescue Success – Two Britons trapped in a midget submarine 1,375 feet below the Atlantic were rescued after three days, just 90 minutes before oxygen ran out.
- Sep 3🌊 Cholera Outbreak in Italy – Italy blames seafood, mainly mussels, for a cholera outbreak that has killed 11 and hospitalized hundreds in southern regions.
- Sep 4🌍 World Trade Boom – World trade continued to boom in the first quarter of 1973 despite international currency turmoil, according to the IMF.
- Sep 5🌍 Cholera Outbreak in Italy – Cholera has killed four more in Italy, raising the death toll to 18, as the disease spreads to northern cities.
- Sep 6🚀 Bean Sets Space Record – Capt. Alan L. Bean became the world champion of space flight, setting a record for the most time spent in space aboard Skylab 2.
- Sep 7🌞 Skylab Captures Solar Flare – Skylab 2 astronauts photographed a massive solar explosion, over 100 million times stronger than the 1906 San Francisco quake.
- Sep 8🌍 Astronauts Film Sun Eruption – Skylab 2 astronauts captured a massive sun explosion, estimated to be ten times the size of Earth, marking a significant solar event.
- Sep 9🌊 Oman Villagers Rebuilding – Villagers in Qasah, Oman, are rebuilding homes on sites devastated by a flash flood in July, preserving their traditional ways.
- Sep 10🚀 Skylab 2 Crew Works – Skylab 2 astronauts utilized their day off to monitor the sun and photograph Earth to assist farmers in Mexico.
- Sep 11🔬 Skylab Melts Crystals – Skylab 2 astronauts melted two crystals in space, aiding research on solar power and pollution-free engines.
- Sep 12🌍 African Leaders Meet – Five African Presidents convened in Upper Volta to discuss strategies for alleviating the impact of a five-year drought.
- Sep 13🌍 Channel Tunnel Construction – The British Government announced the decision to proceed with the construction of a tunnel under the English Channel to France.
- Sep 14🏗️ Soviet Oil Port Construction – The Soviet Union announced the start of construction on a new oil port on the Black Sea, linked to a major chemical deal with an American company.
- Sep 15🚀 Soviet Cosmos Satellite – The Soviet Union launched its 586th Cosmos satellite for space exploration, with all instruments functioning normally.
- Sep 16🏇 Secretariat Sets Record – Secretariat won the $250,000 Marlboro Cup at Belmont Park, setting a world record time of 1:45 2/5 for 1⅛ miles.
- Sep 17🌍 Sweden's New King – Carl XVI Gustaf, the 27-year-old heir to the Swedish throne, ascends amid a changing monarchy and societal expectations.
- Sep 18🌪️ Tropical Storm Ellen – Tropical Storm Ellen formed in the Atlantic, 2,700 miles east-southeast of Miami, with winds up to 60 mph.
- Sep 19🎾 King-Riggs Match – Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs face off in a historic tennis match, dubbed the 'battle of the sexes', in Houston.
- Sep 20🌍 New King in Sweden – Sweden's new King, Carl XVI Gustaf, was formally installed today, marking the beginning of his reign amid political changes.
- Sep 21🎾 King Defeats Riggs – Billie Jean King triumphed over Bobby Riggs in a historic tennis match, winning 6-4, 6-3, 6-3, marking a significant moment for women's sports.
- Sep 22🎨 Pollock Painting Sold – A Jackson Pollock painting, “Blue Poles,” was sold for $2 million, setting a record for American art sales.
- Sep 23🌊 Urgent Coral Reef Aid – Marine biologists warn Florida's coral reefs face extinction due to pollution and development, urging immediate protective measures.
- Sep 24🏛️ Sydney Opera House Opens – The Sydney Opera House is set to open its first season after delays and controversy surrounding its construction.
- Sep 25🌍 World Bank Lending Boost – The World Bank announced a $22 billion lending program aimed at aiding nearly 800 million rural people in poor countries.
- Sep 26🚀 Skylab 2 Returns – Skylab 2 crew completes a historic 59-day mission in space, marking the longest manned flight in history with a safe splashdown.
- Sep 27✈️ Concorde Cuts Time – The Concorde supersonic airliner completed its first nonstop flight from Washington to Paris in 3 hours, 33 minutes, halving the usual travel time.
- Sep 28🚀 Soyuz 12 Launched – The Soviet Union launched Soyuz 12, its first manned space mission in over two years, with two astronauts aboard into Earth orbit.
- Sep 29🌍 Soviet Grain Loan – The Soviet Union announced a loan of two million tons of grain to India, aiding the country amid food shortages.
- Sep 30🔬 Soyuz 12 in Space – The Soviet Union successfully completed its first manned space flight in over two years with Soyuz 12, testing an improved version of the spacecraft.
Happy Birthday! 1973 – The Year in Headlines
The whole of 1973 in real headlines. See the 1973 book →
Born in September? Pick the day
Every birthday in September has its own On This Day in Headlines book: