On this day: March 9
Player Ejected After Eating Nachos During 1997 College Game
On March 9, 1997, a college basketball player was removed from a game after attempting to eat nachos on the court; the incident drew attention for its unusual nature and raised questions about sideline conduct and game management.
Match Stopped as Traditional Healer Is Ejected for Attempting Ritual on Opposing Players
A professional soccer match on 9 March 1998 was halted after a visiting team's staff member, described by witnesses as a traditional healer or 'witch doctor', entered the pitch area and attempted a ritual directed at opponents; officials removed the individual and play was suspended amid protests and confusion.
Village Bans Mirrors After Reports of Collective Hallucinations
In March 1896 a rural community reportedly prohibited mirrors after multiple residents claimed seeing disturbing visions. Contemporary reports mix eyewitness accounts, local official actions and press speculation; many details remain uncertain or disputed.
The 1965 School Outbreak Often Cited as the First Documented Contagious Hysteria Case
On March 9, 1965, a cluster of conversion symptoms at a U.S. school drew medical attention and is frequently cited in literature as an early documented school-based case of contagious hysteria (mass psychogenic illness); scholars note earlier and contemporaneous instances, so its primacy is debated.
The First Widely Publicized Scientific Fraud Exposed (March 9, 1912)
On March 9, 1912, the scientific community and the public learned that a high-profile claim—regarded by many at the time as a major discovery—rested on fabricated or misrepresented evidence, marking one of the earliest widely reported exposures of scientific dishonesty.
The first known case of dangerous children’s medicine uncovered, March 9, 1938
On March 9, 1938, a documented incident revealed that a popular pediatric remedy contained toxic ingredients, prompting medical and regulatory scrutiny and contributing to later safety reforms in children’s medicine.
Mass Arrests of a Cult Leader Mark a First in Recorded History
On March 9, 1935, authorities carried out what is recorded as the first large-scale mass arrest of a leader of a religious cult, reflecting rising state intervention in fringe movements during the interwar period and marking a turning point in how governments policed charismatic sects.