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General News: |
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- On January 3, Alaska becomes the 49th State admitted to the Union.
- On August 21, Hawaii (the "Aloha State") joins the Union as the 50th State.
- The St. Lawrence Seaway is opened to allow ships access American and Canadian lake ports.
- Fidel Castro and his revolutionaries march into Havana and take over as Cuban dictator Batista flees.
- Castro proclaims a new constitution and names himself Premier; the U.S. recognizes the new Cuban government.
- Fidel Castro begins a goodwill tour of the U.S. and is interviewed by Edward R Murrow, but officials remain skeptical.
- After signing an agreement with the Soviet Union and confiscating agrarian holdings, Castro is labeled a Communist.
- In an event heralded by a postal official as being "historically significant," a Navy submarine fires a guided missile carrying 3,000 letters at the Naval Auxiliary Air Station in Mayport, FL. Supposedly, the intent was to demonstrate high-speed mail delivery options. It was not "historically significant."
- The USSR launches Mechta (Luna 1) bringing about the first lunar fly-by and then falling into a solar orbit.
- The first man-made object to hit the moon is the Luna 2 Soviet spacecraft; it had been launched a day earlier.
- The U.S. Pioneer IV misses the Moon as planned, but becomes the second orbiting satellite (the first for the U.S.).
- Two monkeys ("Able" and "Baker") zoom 300 miles into space on a U.S. Jupiter missile, becoming the first animals to not only travel in space but be retrieved from a space mission.
- The Barbie Doll is introduced, named after the daughter of creators Ruth and Elliot Handler. Over 800 million sold.
- Princess telephones are introduced in five colors, the first color telephones offered by Bell Telephone companies.
- The USAF "Blue Book Project" concludes that less than 1% of all UFO's are actually unknown objects.
- The USSR Luna 3 sends back the first photos of the Moon's far side before crashing into the Moon.
- The first atomic powered cruiser, the Long Beach, is launched by the U.S. Navy in Quincy, MA.
- The integrated circuit is invented independently by engineer Jack Kilby and physicist Robert Noyce.
- The Supreme Court rules that a Louisiana law prohibiting blacks boxing whites is unconstitutional.
- American Airlines offers its first transcontinental commercial jet flight (Los Angeles-New York).
- Designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, New York's Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum is completed.
- Soviet Premier Khrushchev begin a 13-day tour of the U.S., but is denied access to Disneyland.
- Vice-President Nixon argues with Nikita Khrushchev in what is known as the "Kitchen Debate".
- The first ballistic missile submarine (the George Washington) is launched in Groton, CT.
- The first atomic powered merchant ship (the Savannah) is christened in Camden, NJ.
- Magnetic ink character recognition is developed as a means of processing bank checks.
- An American Airlines Electra flight crashes in New York's East River, killing 65 people.
- An earthquake measuring 7.1 on the Richter scale jolts Yellowstone National Park.
- The world's first hovercraft (the SR-N1) is successfully tested at Cowes, England.
- The first house with built-in bomb shelter is exhibited in Pleasant Hills, PA.
- Ford wins a trademark battle with Chrysler to call its new car the Falcon.
- A Vatican edict forbids Roman Catholics from voting for communists.
- Texas Instruments files for a patent of the integrated circuit board.
- Sony brings a transistor television (model 8-301) to the market.
- The internal heart pacemaker is developed by Wilson Greatbatch.
- Oklahoma is the last State to end prohibition - after 51 years.
- Dr. Leakey discovers a human skull that is 600,000 years old.
- The first U.S. Air Force Academy graduation is held.
- Xerox manufactures the first plain paper copier.
- Ford stops production of the Edsel.
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Entertainment News: |
- Fraud rocks television as Charles Van Doren confesses the quiz show Twenty One was fixed.
- Gypsy opens at the Broadway Theater in New York City and runs for 702 performances.
- Some Like it Hot, with Marilyn Monroe and Jack Lemmon, premieres on Broadway.
- Kookie, Kookie Lend Me Your Comb by Edd Byrnes and Connie Stevens hits No. 4.
- The Kraft Music Hall, with Milton Berle, airs for the last time on NBC television.
- Local announcements, weather data, and local ads begin to appear on cable television.
- America's first prime time cartoon show debuts: Rocky and His Friends.
- In its premier, the first western program to be broadcast in color is Bonanza.
- The Grammys are awarded for the first time, beginning with the music of 1958.
- Richard Starkey, later to use the name Ringo Starr, buys his first drum set.
- Groucho, Chico & Harpo make their final television appearance together.
- Rod Serling's The Twilight Zone premieres on CBS television.
- Bozo the Clown, a live children's television program premieres.
- Rawhide with Clint Eastwood premieres on CBS television.
- Buddy Holly releases his last record It Doesn't Matter.
- Eliazbeth Taylor begins her fourth marriage (to Eddie Fisher).
- Walt Disney's Sleeping Beauty released to theaters.
- Buddy Holly's last performance is on February 2, 1959.
- Satirists Bob and Ray are the top radio attraction.
- The Coasters' Charlie Brown peaks at No. 2.
- The Untouchables premieres on television.
- The Sound of Music opens on Broadway.
- Everly Brothers record Let It Be Me.
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Academy Awards: "Oscars"
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Best Picture - Ben-Hur
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Best Actor - Charlton Heston (Ben-Hur)
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Best Actress - Simone Signoret (Room at the Top)
Television Awards: "Emmys"
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Best Series Actor - Raymond Burr
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Best Series Actress - Loretta Young
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Best Panel Series - What's My Line?
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Best Comedy Series - Father Knows Best
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Best Music Series - The Dinah Shore Show
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Best Dramatic Series - Alcoa Theatre
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Best Western Series - Have Gun - Will Travel
Recording Awards: "Grammys"
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Best Song - The Battle Of New Orleans
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Best Record - Mack The Knife (by Bobby Darin)
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Best Album - Come Dance With Me (by Frank Sinatra)
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Male Vocalist - Frank Sinatra (Come Dance With Me)
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Female Vocalist - Ella Fitzgerald (But Not For Me)
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Top Songs of '59:
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A Big Hunk O' Love, Elvis Presley
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A Fool Such As I, Elvis Presley
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The Battle Of New Orleans, Johnny Horton
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Charlie Brown, The Coasters
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Come Softly to Me, The Fleetwoods
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El Paso, Marty Robbins
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The Happy Organ, Dave "Baby" Cortez
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Heartaches By the Number, Guy Mitchell
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Kansas City, Wilbert Harrison
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Lonely Boy, Paul Anka
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Mack the Knife, Bobby Darin
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Mr. Blue, The Fleetwoods
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Running Bear, Johnny Preston
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Sixteen Candles, The Crests
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Sleep Walk, Santo & Johnny
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Smoke Gets In Your Eyes, The Platters
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Stagger Lee, Lloyd Price
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The Three Bells (Les Trois Cloches), The Browns
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Venus, Frankie Avalon
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Why, Frankie Avalon |
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Sports News: |
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- Alf Dean (using a rod and reel) hooks a 2,664 lb. 16'10" great white shark. It is the largest fish ever caught with a rod.
- Bob Cousy sets an NBA record of 28 assists as the Boston Celtics score 173 points versus the Minneapolis Lakers.
- Floyd Patterson KO's Brian London in the 11th round to win the world's heavyweight boxing title.
- Ingemar Johansson of Sweden defeats Floyd Patterson to become the new heavyweight champ.
- Yankee catcher Yogi Berra's errorless streak of 148 games comes to an end on May 11.
- Boston Celtics' Bill Sharman hits an NBA record 56 consecutive free-throws this year.
- The first Daytona 500 auto race is held; Lee Petty wins at 135.521 mph (average).
- During a Chicago Cubs game in Wrigley Field, 2 balls were in play at same time.
- The first NHL goalie to wear a hockey mask is Jacques Plante.
- Tom Landry becomes head coach of the Dallas Cowboys.
- Vince Lombardi begins coaching the Green Bay Packers.
- Eddie Lubanski bowls 2 consecutive perfect games.
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Key Results:
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MLB World Series - Los Angeles Dodgers
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NBA Champions - Boston Celtics
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NHL Stanley Cup - Montreal Canadians
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NFL Champions - Baltimore Colts
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Men's U.S. Golf Open - Billy Casper
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NCAA Basketball Champions - University of California
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Heisman Trophy - Billy Cannon, Louisiana State University (HB)
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Indianapolis 500 - Rodger Ward at 135.9 mph (average)
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Kentucky Derby - Bill Shoemaker aboard Tomy Lee in 2:02.2
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Women's U.S. Golf Open - Mickey Wright
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Costs of Living:
- Average House - $18,500
- Average New Car - $2,200
- Gallon of Gasoline - 30¢
- Milk (half-gallon) - 53¢
- Bread (one loaf) - 20¢
- Steak (per pound) - $1.02
- One Dozen Eggs - 68¢
- First Class Mail - 4¢
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National Statistics:
- U. S. Population - 177,830,000
- Average Annual Income - $5,500
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