1899 – First Recorded U.S. Pedestrian Fatality Involving an Automobile
A New York evening swallowed a quiet tragedy when Henry H. Bliss was struck by an electric taxicab at West 74th Street and Central Park West as he stepped down from a streetcar. The collision, which took place on the night of September 13, 1899, left Bliss mortally wounded; he died the following morning. The vehicle involved was an early electric taxicab, an emblem of the era’s experiments in motive power on crowded city streets. The accident stands out not just for its sorrow but for its grim place in American motoring history as the first recorded fatality of a pedestrian struck by a motor vehicle in the United States.
1969 – Talladega Opens With the Bama 400 Grand Touring Race
The new Alabama International Motor Speedway threw open its gates with a Grand Touring program when the Bama 400 ran on September 13, 1969. Built during 1968 and debuting that weekend, the facility’s gargantuan tri-oval and steep banking immediately set it apart from existing tracks; the Bama 400 preceded the next day’s inaugural Talladega 500 for NASCAR’s premier division. Drivers and teams that weekend encountered a scale and speed potential unlike most American circuits, and the Bama 400 provided a dress rehearsal that showcased how the venue would quickly become synonymous with high-speed pack racing and dramatic finishes.
1977 – Oldsmobile Introduces Its 5.7L LF9 V8 Diesel Option
In a bid to answer the 1970s energy question, Oldsmobile unveiled a 5.7‑liter (350 cu in) LF9 V8 diesel as an option for its full‑size models on September 13, 1977. The announcement named the Delta 88 and Ninety‑Eight/Custom Cruiser lines among the candidates for the diesel upgrade for the 1978 model year, bringing a diesel V8 into mainstream American passenger cars. Public reaction and press coverage that followed focused on performance expectations and fuel economy promises for a large-displacement diesel in a market unaccustomed to such powerplants in family cars.
1986 – Birth of Racing Driver Kamui Kobayashi
Kamui Kobayashi was born in Amagasaki, Hyōgo, Japan on September 13, 1986; he would grow into a driver known for aggressive overtakes and dedication behind the wheel. Kobayashi progressed through single-seaters to Formula One and later the FIA World Endurance Championship, racing for manufacturers including Toyota Gazoo Racing in prototype machinery. His driving on mixed circuits—combining tactical speed with endurance-racing discipline—made him a standout figure in the modern era of Japanese drivers competing at the sport’s highest levels.
2004 – Oprah’s Season Premiere Gives Away 276 Pontiac G6s
The season premiere of The Oprah Winfrey Show on September 13, 2004 delivered one of television’s most talked-about giveaways when every person in the studio audience—276 people—was handed the keys to a new Pontiac G6 donated by General Motors. Cameras captured the stunned reactions as recipients filed past rows of G6 sedans, and the stunt generated immediate national coverage. The giveaway put the Pontiac G6 squarely into the public eye overnight, turning a model launch into a pop-culture headline and a memorable moment in early‑21st‑century automotive promotion.
