Discover what happened on August 23 in history as transportation milestones, space exploration, television history, and unforgettable moments helped shape the world we know today.
What Happened on August 23 in History?
On this day, Grand Rapids’ last streetcar made its final run, Lunar Orbiter 1 captured the first photograph of Earth from lunar orbit, and Richard Hatch became the first winner of Survivor.
AUGUST 23 – TODAY IN HISTORY:
1904 – Harry D. Weed received a patent for tire chains designed to improve automobile traction on snow, ice and muddy roads.
1935 – Grand Rapids, MI, ended its streetcar era when the city’s last trolley made its final run along the Cherry-Plainfield line.
1938 – RCA introduced its famous Indian-head television test pattern, which became widely used by television stations to calibrate black-and-white broadcasts.
1959 – Charlie Brown’s baby sister, Sally, made her first appearance in the Peanuts comic strip.
1966 – LNASA’s Lunar Orbiter 1 took the first photograph of Earth from orbit around the Moon. The image showed Earth appearing above the lunar horizon, two years before Apollo 8’s famous color “Earthrise” photograph.
1973 – TV’s “The Mod Squad” aired its last episode on ABC.
1975 – The Detroit Lions played their first game at the new Pontiac Silverdome, defeating the Kansas City Chiefs in a preseason matchup. The Lions called the Silverdome home until moving to Ford Field in 2002.
1984 – Southfork Ranch, famous as the fictional home of the Ewing family on the television series Dallas, was sold with plans to develop the property as a tourist attraction and hotel.
1985 – The movie “Teen Wolf”, starring Michael J. Fox, premiered.
1991 – In Lansing, MI, 250 gerbils chewed their way out of shipping boxes and scampered though the airport.
1993 – Duran Duran received a star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame.
1993 – The Los Angeles Police confirmed that Michael Jackson was the subject of a criminal investigation.
1996 – The movie “A Very Brady Sequel” premiered in theaters.
1998 – The television comedy That ’70s Show debuted on Fox.
1999 – TV Talk-show host Montel Williams announced that he has been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis.
2000 – Richard Hatch was revealed as the winner of the first season of Survivor, taking home the show’s $1 million prize.
2011 – A magnitude 5.8 earthquake centered in Virginia shook much of the eastern United States, damaging monuments and other structures in Washington, D.C.
2012 – Lance Armstrong announced that he would no longer contest doping charges brought by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency. He was subsequently stripped of his seven Tour de France titles.
CELEBRITY BIRTHDAYS ON AUGUST 23:
Vera Miles – 96 years old (1930) – Actress
Barbara Eden – 95 years old (1931) – Actress and singer
Pete Wilson – 93 years old (1933) – Commander and politician, 36th Governor of California
Richard Sanders – 86 years old (1940) – Actor and screenwriter
Nancy Richey – 84 years old (1942) – Tennis player
Antonia Novello – 82 years old (1944) – Puerto Rican-American physician and admiral, 14th Surgeon General of the United States
Rudy Ruettiger – 78 years old (1948) – Football player
Shelley Long – 77 years old (1949) – Actress
Rick Springfield – 77 years old (1949) – Australian-American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and actor
Mark Hudson – 75 years old (1951) – Record producer and musician
Charles Busch – 72 years old (1954) – Actor and screenwriter
Skipp Sudduth – 70 years old (1956) – Actor
Gary Hoey – 66 years old (1960) – Guitarist, songwriter, and producer
Dean DeLeo – 65 years old (1961) – Guitarist and songwriter
Kenny Wallace – 63 years old (1963) – Race car driver
Rik Smits – 60 years old (1966) – Dutch-American basketball player
Laura Claycomb – 58 years old (1968) – Soprano
Chris DiMarco – 58 years old (1968) – Golfer
Jeremy Schaap – 57 years old (1969) – Journalist and author
Lawrence Frank – 56 years old (1970) – Basketball player and coach
Jay Mohr – 56 years old (1970) – Actor, producer, and screenwriter
Raul Casanova – 54 years old (1972) – Puerto Rican-American baseball player
Casey Blake – 53 years old (1973) – Baseball player
Lexi Alexander – 52 years old (1974) – Film and television director
Mark Bellhorn – 52 years old (1974) – Baseball player
Scott Caan – 50 years old (1976) – Actor
Pat Garrity – 50 years old (1976) – Basketball player and executive
Jared Fogle – 49 years old (1977) – Spokesman and criminal
Julian Casablancas – 48 years old (1978) – Singer-songwriter and producer
Andrew Rannells – 48 years old (1978) – Actor and singer
Nadine Jolie Courtney – 46 years old (1980) – Journalist, reality personality and author
Rex Grossman – 46 years old (1980) – Football player
Jaime Lee Kirchner – 45 years old (1981) – Actress
Natalie Coughlin – 44 years old (1982) – Swimmer
Scott Palguta – 44 years old (1982) – Soccer player
Tony Moll – 43 years old (1983) – Football player
Sky Blu – 40 years old (1986) – Rapper and DJ
Neil Cicierega – 40 years old (1986) – Comedian and musician
Ayron Jones – 40 years old (1986) – Musician
Darren Collison – 39 years old (1987) – Basketball player
Jeremy Lin – 38 years old (1988) – Basketball player
Kim Matula – 38 years old (1988) – Actress
Miles Mikolas – 38 years old (1988) – Baseball player
Trixie Mattel – 37 years old (1989) – Drag queen, actor, and country singer
Seth Curry – 36 years old (1990) – Basketball player
Mike Yastrzemski – 36 years old (1990) – Baseball player
Will Toledo – 34 years old (1992) – Singer-songwriter
Taylor Decker – 33 years old (1993) – Football player
Tyler Glasnow – 33 years old (1993) – Baseball player
Lil Yachty – 29 years old (1997) – Rapper and singer
P. J. Washington – 28 years old (1998) – Basketball player
DAYS OF THE YEAR FOR AUGUST 23:
- Cheap Flight Day: Scoring those wallet-friendly plane tickets means more bucks to spend on exciting adventures, making every travel dream a reality!
- National Cuban Sandwich Day: Succulent pork, juicy pickles, tangy mustard, pressed to perfection, all nestled between crispy bread. A sandwich so delicious, it transports you to Havana.
- Internaut Day: Be an “internaut” and learn more about how best to navigate and make use of the remarkable tool most of us have at are fingertips all the time: the internet.
- National Ride the Wind Day: Take a trip to an aerospace museum, or get flying yourself by scheduling a parachuting or bungee jumping experience, windsurfing, an airplane ride, or similar.
- International Hashtag Day: What could be better than an event, a day or an experience that has a good hashtag to go along with it? International Hashtag Day is here to celebrate and pay heed to this little character that may be partially responsible for things online going viral! How to Celebrate International Hashtag...
- Black Ribbon Day: Black Ribbon Day speaks for those who couldn’t. It marks a time when everyday people—workers, teachers, parents—were caught in the grip of ruthless power. They didn’t ask for fame or fight for glory. Most just wanted to live in peace. This day remembers them. Not as numbers or names in...
- International Blind Dog Day: International Blind Dog Day honors dogs who’ve lost their sight but haven’t lost their spark. They might bump into a chair or pause at a doorway, but they keep going—with wagging tails and eager hearts. These dogs learn to trust their ears, noses, and the people who love them. Every cautious...
- Find Your Inner Nerd Day: Find Your Inner Nerd Day is all about dropping the mask and letting your quirks lead the way. Love space facts? Obsessed with board games? Can’t stop quoting movie lines? This is your moment. The day encourages people to lean into what excites them, no matter how odd, niche, or...
- Valentino Day: On the anniversary of his death, honor the life of 1920s film star Rudolph Valentino with a marathon of movies like The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse (1921).
- National Sponge Cake Day: Light, fluffy, sweet and decadent, the sponge cake is a versatile kind of cake sure to satisfy. Visit a bakery or try making your own sponge cake at home.
- International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition: Eradicating human bondage requires global commitment to justice, human rights, and dignity for all individuals everywhere.
- Crayfish Party: Crayfish Party is a lively and festive occasion celebrated with friends and family. This event marks the end of summer, bringing people together for a joyful feast. Tables are often set with bright decorations, and the air is filled with laughter. The menu features cooked and seasoned crayfish. The atmosphere...
- National Aviation Week: National Aviation Week is a time to look up and celebrate the sky's vastness and the marvels that allow us to explore it. This special week highlights the incredible journey of human flight, from the Wright brothers' first successful airplane to today’s sophisticated aircraft. It's a chance to reflect on...
- Navasard: Navasard is the ancient Armenian New Year, a celebration that once united communities in festivities and tribute to their gods. Marking the start of a new cycle, it was a time when people believed divine forces came down to the Earth. With music, dance, and communal feasts, it reflected a...
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