AARP Eye Center
This Week in Boomer History: Little Rock 9 ... 'Flying Nun' ... Princess Diana
By Steve Mencher, August 31, 2014 02:00 AM
Notable events from our shared experience
Ordered by Gov. Orval Faubus to defy a federal court, armed troops of the Arkansas National Guard bar nine African American students from attending Central High School in Little Rock on Sept. 4, 1957. Three weeks later troops from the U.S. Army's 101st Airborne Division help escort the students into school. (Pictured at left, Melba Patillo Beals in 2007 at a ceremony dedicating a visitor center at the )
On Sept. 5, 1972, during the Summer Olympics in Munich, eight members of the Black September terrorist group kill two Israeli athletes and take nine others hostage. During a rescue attempt hours later, the hostages, a German policeman and five terrorists die. Three terrorists are captured alive.
>> Famous Baby Boomer from Each State
Sally Field debuts as Sister Bertrille, The Flying Nun, on Sept. 7, 1967.
Cal Ripken Jr. of the Baltimore Orioles plays in his 2,131st consecutive game on Sept. 6, 1995, breaking New York Yankee Lou Gehrig's record, which stood for 56 years. Ripken goes on to play a total of 2,632 consecutive games, until he benches himself Sept. 20, 1998, during the Orioles' last home game of the season.
Art Linkletter's House Party migrates from radio to CBS television on Sept. 1, 1952, and runs until Sept. 5, 1969. It is a variety show perhaps now best remembered for its segment " Kids Say the Darndest Things," in which Linkletter interviews youngsters.
>> Get travel discounts with your AARP Member Advantages.
In Reykjavik, Iceland, on Sept. 1, 1972, Russian chess champion Boris Spassky resigns by phone from the 21st game of his world championship match with Bobby Fischer, who becomes the first American-born world chess champion.
A global television audience of 2.5 billion viewers watches Princess Diana's funeral on Sept. 6, 1997; a million spectators line her funeral procession.
Visit Boomers, the Generation That Changed the World from AARP. 
Visit and contribute to our Boomer Tumblr.
Let us read This Week in Boomer History to you:
[soundcloud url="https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/165320948" params="color=00aabb&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false" width="100%" height="166" iframe="true" /]
Images - Melba Patillo: U.S. Army (cropped) via Flickr; Princess Diana funeral: Jeff J. Mitchell/AFP/Getty Images
Music - Test Drive: Zapac via ccMixter; Elton John sings "Goodbye England's Rose" at Princess Diana funeral via YouTube
Also of Interest
- This Week in Boomer History: Thurgood Marshall ... 'Mary Poppins'
- Want to Drop Pounds Fast? Try These Tactics
- Fight fraud and ID theft with the AARP Fraud Watch Network.
- Join AARP: Savings, resources and news for your well-being
See the AARP home page for deals, savings tips, trivia and more