September 9, 1947: The 1st "Computer Bug"

September 9, 1947: A moth flies into a building at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and gets stuck in the relay of a Mark II computer, one of the earliest computers, shorting it out. And so the expression "computer bug" is born.

The Mark II had been designed by Howard Aiken and Grace Hopper, pioneers in computer programming. It was financed by the U.S. Navy, and used for ballistic calculations at Naval Proving Ground Dahlgren in Dahlgren, Virginia, on the Potomac River, downstream from Washington, D.C.

The Mark II served the Navy longer than most officers, and, while retired, is still on display at the facility, now named Naval Surface Warfare Center Dahlgren Division. The moth was preserved, and is on display at the Harvard Museum of Natural History.

Sure, it's gross. So are the other preserved animals

in natural history museums, if you think about it.

*

September 9, 1947 was a Tuesday. These baseball games were played:

* The New York Giants beat the Pittsburgh Pirates, 3-1 at Forbes Field. Jack Lorhke hit a home run. Hank Greenberg, in his final season, went 0-for-3 with a walk for the Pirates. Ralph Kiner, in his 2nd season with the Pirates and something of a protégé for Greenberg, did not play.

* The Brooklyn Dodgers lost to the Chicago Cubs, 4-3 at Wrigley Field in Chicago. Jackie Robinson got the day off.

* The Boston Red Sox beat the Detroit Tigers, 5-3 at Fenway Park in Boston. Ted Williams went 3-for-4.

* The St. Louis Browns beat the Philadelphia Athletics, 1-0 at Shibe Park in Philadelphia. Ellis Kinder pitched a 5-hit shutout.

* The Chicago White Sox beat the Washington Senators, 6-1 at Griffith Stadium in Washington.

* The Cincinnati Reds beat the Boston Braves, 2-0 at Crosley Field in Cincinnati. Bucky Walters pitched a 4-hit shutout, outpitching Warren Spahn.

* The St. Louis Cardinals beat the Philadelphia Phillies, 2-0 at Sportsman's Park in St. Louis. Murry Dickson pitched a 6-hit shutout. Stan Musial went 1-for-3 with a walk and an RBI.

* And the New York Yankees and the Cleveland Indians were not scheduled.