September 1, 1972 (Friday)
- In the 21st game of chess for the World Chess Championship 1972, Bobby Fischer of the United States won the title, as defending champ Boris Spassky of the Soviet Union resigned. Under a system of one point for a win and ½ for a draw, the first to get 12½ points would win the matches played at Reykjavík, Iceland. Fischer's prize money was $154,677.50.
- The United States formally dropped all claims to the Swan Islands and recognized the sovereignty of Honduras over the disputed territory.
- Raul Sendic, leader of the Uruguayan guerilla group the Tupamaros, was captured after a shootout.
- A fire at the Blue Bird Cafe in Montreal killed 36 people. The blaze was set by three men who had been kicked out of the club earlier in the evening.
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Famous quotes containing the word september:
“On 16 September 1985, when the Commerce Department announced that the United States had become a debtor nation, the American Empire died.”
—Gore Vidal (b. 1925)