This Week in Pop Culture History
September 8 - September 14
September 8
Margaret Gorman, a 16-year-old from Washington D.C., became the inaugural Miss America beauty pageant champion on September 8, 1921, at an event held in Atlantic City, N.J. Gorman earned the title of “The Most Beautiful Bathing Girl in America.” The event was renamed Miss America the following year.
September 9
The Denver Broncos defeated the Boston Patriots 13-10 on September 9, 1960, at Boston’s Nickerson Field in the first game ever played in the American Football League. In its inaugural season, the league featured eight teams: the Broncos, Patriots, Buffalo Bills, Houston Oilers, New York Titans, Dallas Texans, Los Angeles Chargers, and Oakland Raiders. The league would merge with the National Football League in 1970, with its teams forming the American Football Conference.
September 10
John Legend, Andrew Lloyd Webber, and Tim Rice all completed the EGOT by winning an Emmy for their work on the live NBC musical “Jesus Christ Superstar” on September 10, 2018. An EGOT winner is someone who has won an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony in their career. Legend had won 10 Grammys at that point in his career, an Oscar for “Glory,” his collaboration with Common in “Selma” and a Tony for production work on “Jitney.” Webber had won six Tony Awards, three Grammy Awards and an Oscar for “You Must Love Me” from “Evita.” Rice had won five Grammy Awards, three Oscars and three Tonys. At that time, only 12 people had completed the EGOT.
September 11
The 29th annual Primetime Emmy Awards occurred on September 11, 1977, at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium in Pasadena, Calif. The record-setting ABC miniseries “Roots” was the night's biggest winner with six awards, including Outstanding Limited Series. “The Mary Tyler Moore Show” won its third consecutive Outstanding Comedy Series for its final season and set a then-record with 29 Emmys wins over its seven-season run. The PBS British import drama “Upstairs, Downstairs” won Outstanding Drama Series.
September 12
The sitcom “The Monkees,” featuring four actors chosen to portray a pop band based on The Beatles, premiered on NBC on September 12, 1966. The fictional band, which became a real chart-topper, featured Davy Jones, Micky Dolenz, Michael Nesmith and Peter Tork. The show would last for just two seasons but won the Emmy Award for Outstanding Comedy Series in 1967. The Monkees would score three No. 1s with “Last Train to Clarksville,” “I’m a Believer” and “Daydream Believer” before breaking up in 1970.
September 13
Chicago Cubs infielders Joe Tinker, Johnny Evers, and Frank Chance appeared together as teammates for the first time on September 13, 1902. The trio would form the famed double-play combination of “Tinkers to Evers to Chance,” immortalized forever in Franklin Pierce Adams’s 1910 poem “Baseball’s Sad Lexicon.”
The poem reads:
“These are the saddest of possible words:
“Tinker to Evers to Chance.”
Trio of bear cubs, fleeter than birds,
Tinker and Evers and Chance.
Ruthlessly pricking our gonfalon
bubble,
Making a Giant hit into a double
Words that are heavy with nothing but trouble:
“Tinker to Evers to Chance”
The poem's legacy probably helped the trio more than their actual on-the-field careers when it came to their hall of fame inductions via the Old Timers Committee in 1946.
September 14
Grace Kelly, an Oscar-winning actress who retired from Hollywood when she married Prince Rainier III and became Princess of Monaco in 1956, died on September 14, 1982, one day after suffering a cerebral hemorrhage behind the wheel of her car and driving off the road and down a 120-foot steep mountainside. She suffered a more severe hemorrhage while at the hospital following the accident and died as a result.
Margaret Gorman, a 16-year-old from Washington D.C., became the inaugural Miss America beauty pageant champion on September 8, 1921, at an event held in Atlantic City, N.J. Gorman earned the title of “The Most Beautiful Bathing Girl in America.” The event was renamed Miss America the following year.
September 9
The Denver Broncos defeated the Boston Patriots 13-10 on September 9, 1960, at Boston’s Nickerson Field in the first game ever played in the American Football League. In its inaugural season, the league featured eight teams: the Broncos, Patriots, Buffalo Bills, Houston Oilers, New York Titans, Dallas Texans, Los Angeles Chargers, and Oakland Raiders. The league would merge with the National Football League in 1970, with its teams forming the American Football Conference.
September 10
John Legend, Andrew Lloyd Webber, and Tim Rice all completed the EGOT by winning an Emmy for their work on the live NBC musical “Jesus Christ Superstar” on September 10, 2018. An EGOT winner is someone who has won an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony in their career. Legend had won 10 Grammys at that point in his career, an Oscar for “Glory,” his collaboration with Common in “Selma” and a Tony for production work on “Jitney.” Webber had won six Tony Awards, three Grammy Awards and an Oscar for “You Must Love Me” from “Evita.” Rice had won five Grammy Awards, three Oscars and three Tonys. At that time, only 12 people had completed the EGOT.
September 11
The 29th annual Primetime Emmy Awards occurred on September 11, 1977, at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium in Pasadena, Calif. The record-setting ABC miniseries “Roots” was the night's biggest winner with six awards, including Outstanding Limited Series. “The Mary Tyler Moore Show” won its third consecutive Outstanding Comedy Series for its final season and set a then-record with 29 Emmys wins over its seven-season run. The PBS British import drama “Upstairs, Downstairs” won Outstanding Drama Series.
September 12
The sitcom “The Monkees,” featuring four actors chosen to portray a pop band based on The Beatles, premiered on NBC on September 12, 1966. The fictional band, which became a real chart-topper, featured Davy Jones, Micky Dolenz, Michael Nesmith and Peter Tork. The show would last for just two seasons but won the Emmy Award for Outstanding Comedy Series in 1967. The Monkees would score three No. 1s with “Last Train to Clarksville,” “I’m a Believer” and “Daydream Believer” before breaking up in 1970.
September 13
Chicago Cubs infielders Joe Tinker, Johnny Evers, and Frank Chance appeared together as teammates for the first time on September 13, 1902. The trio would form the famed double-play combination of “Tinkers to Evers to Chance,” immortalized forever in Franklin Pierce Adams’s 1910 poem “Baseball’s Sad Lexicon.”
The poem reads:
“These are the saddest of possible words:
“Tinker to Evers to Chance.”
Trio of bear cubs, fleeter than birds,
Tinker and Evers and Chance.
Ruthlessly pricking our gonfalon
bubble,
Making a Giant hit into a double
Words that are heavy with nothing but trouble:
“Tinker to Evers to Chance”
The poem's legacy probably helped the trio more than their actual on-the-field careers when it came to their hall of fame inductions via the Old Timers Committee in 1946.
September 14
Grace Kelly, an Oscar-winning actress who retired from Hollywood when she married Prince Rainier III and became Princess of Monaco in 1956, died on September 14, 1982, one day after suffering a cerebral hemorrhage behind the wheel of her car and driving off the road and down a 120-foot steep mountainside. She suffered a more severe hemorrhage while at the hospital following the accident and died as a result.
September 1 - September 7
September 1
San Francisco Giants relief pitcher Masanori Murakami became the first Japanese-born player in Major League Baseball history when he pitched a scoreless inning against the New York Mets in a 4-1 loss on September 1, 1964. Murakami pitched for the Giants in 54 games between the 1964 and 1965 seasons before returning to his original Japanese professional club due to contractual obligations. He would pitch for 17 more years in the Japanese pro league.
September 2
Bing Crosby made his solo radio debut on his “15 Minutes with Bring Crosby” program on the CBS radio network on September 2, 1931. Over the next few decades, he would become one of America’s most famous voices and faces, with successful singing and acting careers.
September 3
Italian driver Giuseppe “Nino” Farina won the inaugural Formula 1 World Drivers Championship on September 3, 1950, winning the Italian Grand Prix in Monza to win the championship by three points over his Argentine teammate Juan Manuel Fangio. Farina won three of the seven races during the 1950 season.
September 4
“The Price is Right,” America’s longest-running television game show, premiered on CBS on September 4, 1972. An earlier version of the show had aired for nine years, from 1956 to 1965, and was rebooted by its creators Mark Goodson and Bill Todman in ’72. Bob Barker hosted the show from 1972 until his retirement in June 2007, and comedian Drew Carey has served as the host since the fall of 2007. The show, still aired daily on CBS, has aired over 9,000 episodes. In 2013, TV Guide ranked “The Price is Right” as the fifth greatest game show ever.
September 5
Comedian/actor Jerry Lewis hosted his first Muscular Dystrophy Labor Day telethon on September 5, 1966, on New York City’s WNEW-TV to raise money for the Muscular Dystrophy Association. The telethon, which entered syndication in its third year, was hosted by Lewis every year from 1966 through 2010. Following his retirement as emcee, the show lasted for four more years. The telethon raised more than $2.4 billion during its run.
September 6
Baltimore Orioles shortstop Cal Ripken Jr. played in his 2,131st consecutive Major League Baseball game on September 6, 1995, to break the all-time successive games record that had been held by Lou Gehrig since 1939. Ripken would continue his streak until late in the 1998 season when he voluntarily took a day off after a record 2,632 straight games.
September 7
Rap star Tupac Shakur was shot four times in a drive-by following attending a Mike Tyson boxing match in Las Vegas on September 7, 1996. Shakur was shot while sitting at a stop light around 11:15 p.m. when a white Cadillac sedan pulled up next to him, and an occupant from the passenger side began firing. Shakur was hit twice in the chest, once in the arm and once in the thigh. Shakur was taken to the University Medical Center of Southern Nevada, where he was put on life support. He would die six days later from his wounds. He was 25. As of today, his murder has not been solved, though police did arrest Duane Davis in connection with the case in September of 2023, with a trial set for later this year.
San Francisco Giants relief pitcher Masanori Murakami became the first Japanese-born player in Major League Baseball history when he pitched a scoreless inning against the New York Mets in a 4-1 loss on September 1, 1964. Murakami pitched for the Giants in 54 games between the 1964 and 1965 seasons before returning to his original Japanese professional club due to contractual obligations. He would pitch for 17 more years in the Japanese pro league.
September 2
Bing Crosby made his solo radio debut on his “15 Minutes with Bring Crosby” program on the CBS radio network on September 2, 1931. Over the next few decades, he would become one of America’s most famous voices and faces, with successful singing and acting careers.
September 3
Italian driver Giuseppe “Nino” Farina won the inaugural Formula 1 World Drivers Championship on September 3, 1950, winning the Italian Grand Prix in Monza to win the championship by three points over his Argentine teammate Juan Manuel Fangio. Farina won three of the seven races during the 1950 season.
September 4
“The Price is Right,” America’s longest-running television game show, premiered on CBS on September 4, 1972. An earlier version of the show had aired for nine years, from 1956 to 1965, and was rebooted by its creators Mark Goodson and Bill Todman in ’72. Bob Barker hosted the show from 1972 until his retirement in June 2007, and comedian Drew Carey has served as the host since the fall of 2007. The show, still aired daily on CBS, has aired over 9,000 episodes. In 2013, TV Guide ranked “The Price is Right” as the fifth greatest game show ever.
September 5
Comedian/actor Jerry Lewis hosted his first Muscular Dystrophy Labor Day telethon on September 5, 1966, on New York City’s WNEW-TV to raise money for the Muscular Dystrophy Association. The telethon, which entered syndication in its third year, was hosted by Lewis every year from 1966 through 2010. Following his retirement as emcee, the show lasted for four more years. The telethon raised more than $2.4 billion during its run.
September 6
Baltimore Orioles shortstop Cal Ripken Jr. played in his 2,131st consecutive Major League Baseball game on September 6, 1995, to break the all-time successive games record that had been held by Lou Gehrig since 1939. Ripken would continue his streak until late in the 1998 season when he voluntarily took a day off after a record 2,632 straight games.
September 7
Rap star Tupac Shakur was shot four times in a drive-by following attending a Mike Tyson boxing match in Las Vegas on September 7, 1996. Shakur was shot while sitting at a stop light around 11:15 p.m. when a white Cadillac sedan pulled up next to him, and an occupant from the passenger side began firing. Shakur was hit twice in the chest, once in the arm and once in the thigh. Shakur was taken to the University Medical Center of Southern Nevada, where he was put on life support. He would die six days later from his wounds. He was 25. As of today, his murder has not been solved, though police did arrest Duane Davis in connection with the case in September of 2023, with a trial set for later this year.
August 25 - August 31
August 25
Arthur Ashe became the first African-American to win a major tennis tournament when he defeated Tom Okker to win the U.S. Open on August 25, 1968. Ashe’s victory came in the first U.S. Open to allow professional tennis players; previously, the tournament had been called the U.S. National Championship. Ashe was registered as an amateur for the tournament, so the $14,000 prize money went to the runner-up, Okker.
August 26
Helen McKay performed the song “Here’s Looking At You,” written by Ronnie Hill, in a BBC test broadcast on August 26, 1936, from London’s Alexandra Palace, making it the first song ever performed live on television.
August 27
The 58th annual Emmy Awards were held at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles on August 27, 2006. NBC’s “The Office” won Outstanding Comedy Series. Fox’s “24” won Outstanding Drama Series. The lead acting awards for comedy went to Tony Shalhoub for “Monk” and Julia Louis-Dreyfus for “The New Adventures of Old Christine.” The lead acting awards for drama went to Kiefer Sutherland for “24” and Mariska Hargitay for “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.”
August 28
A 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle baseball card became the most valuable piece of sports memorabilia ever sold at auction when it went for $12.6 million on August 28, 2022, at a Heritage Auctions sale. An anonymous buyer purchased the card. The card surpassed the record $9.3 million paid in earlier that year for the jersey worn by soccer legend Diego Maradona when he scored the “Hand of God” goal in the 1986 World Cup for Argentina.
August 29
Netflix was founded by Marc Randolph and Reed Hastings in Scotts Valley, Calif., on August 29, 1997, as an online DVD rental business through the mail. In 2007, the company began the transition from DVD rentals to online streaming and, within a decade, would become the biggest online streamer of film and television. The company is now worth almost $300 billion.
August 30
Mary Shelley, who helped form the modern-day horror and science fiction genres with her 1818 novel Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus, about a scientist who brings a being back to life through scientific experimentation, was born on August 30, 1797, in London. Frankenstein Day is celebrated annually on her birthday.
August 31
Ken Griffey and Ken Griffey Jr. became the first father-son pair to play on the same team at the same time on August 31, 1990, when the two suited up for the Seattle Mariners and hit back-to-back in the lineup. Griffey Sr. had begun the 1990 season with the Cincinnati Reds before being released and joining his son on the Mariners roster. The two would be teammates for 51 games during the 1990 and 1991 seasons.
Arthur Ashe became the first African-American to win a major tennis tournament when he defeated Tom Okker to win the U.S. Open on August 25, 1968. Ashe’s victory came in the first U.S. Open to allow professional tennis players; previously, the tournament had been called the U.S. National Championship. Ashe was registered as an amateur for the tournament, so the $14,000 prize money went to the runner-up, Okker.
August 26
Helen McKay performed the song “Here’s Looking At You,” written by Ronnie Hill, in a BBC test broadcast on August 26, 1936, from London’s Alexandra Palace, making it the first song ever performed live on television.
August 27
The 58th annual Emmy Awards were held at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles on August 27, 2006. NBC’s “The Office” won Outstanding Comedy Series. Fox’s “24” won Outstanding Drama Series. The lead acting awards for comedy went to Tony Shalhoub for “Monk” and Julia Louis-Dreyfus for “The New Adventures of Old Christine.” The lead acting awards for drama went to Kiefer Sutherland for “24” and Mariska Hargitay for “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.”
August 28
A 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle baseball card became the most valuable piece of sports memorabilia ever sold at auction when it went for $12.6 million on August 28, 2022, at a Heritage Auctions sale. An anonymous buyer purchased the card. The card surpassed the record $9.3 million paid in earlier that year for the jersey worn by soccer legend Diego Maradona when he scored the “Hand of God” goal in the 1986 World Cup for Argentina.
August 29
Netflix was founded by Marc Randolph and Reed Hastings in Scotts Valley, Calif., on August 29, 1997, as an online DVD rental business through the mail. In 2007, the company began the transition from DVD rentals to online streaming and, within a decade, would become the biggest online streamer of film and television. The company is now worth almost $300 billion.
August 30
Mary Shelley, who helped form the modern-day horror and science fiction genres with her 1818 novel Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus, about a scientist who brings a being back to life through scientific experimentation, was born on August 30, 1797, in London. Frankenstein Day is celebrated annually on her birthday.
August 31
Ken Griffey and Ken Griffey Jr. became the first father-son pair to play on the same team at the same time on August 31, 1990, when the two suited up for the Seattle Mariners and hit back-to-back in the lineup. Griffey Sr. had begun the 1990 season with the Cincinnati Reds before being released and joining his son on the Mariners roster. The two would be teammates for 51 games during the 1990 and 1991 seasons.
August 18 - August 24
August 18
Ringo Starr officially replaced Pete Best as the drummer for The Beatles on August 18, 1962. Starr had already been a fill-in drummer for the band on occasions when Best couldn’t perform. Starr had previously performed with local Liverpool act Rory Storm and the Hurricanes. John Lennon, Paul McCartney and George Harrison concluded that Starr was a better drummer than Best and made the move official.
August 19
Ever the showman, Bill Veeck, the owner of the St. Louis Browns Major League Baseball team, sent Eddie Gaedel, a 3’7’’ man, to pinch hit in a ballgame against the Detroit Tigers on August 19, 1951. Gaedel, having virtually no strike zone due to his height, walked on four straight pitches from Tigers hurler Bob Cain. Gaedel was replaced by a pinch runner and ended his baseball career with a perfect 1.000 on-base percentage. The publicity stunt mirrored similarities with the James Thurber 1941 short story “You Could Look It Up,” but Veeck denied the inspiration. In Veeck’s 1962 autobiography, Veeck – As In Wreck, he said of Gaedel: “He was, by golly, the best darn midget who ever played big-league ball. He was also the only one.”
August 20
The American Professional Football Association, which would later become the National Football League (NFL) in 1922, was formed in Canton, Ohio, on August 20, 1920. At its creation, the league consisted of 10 teams from four states, only two of which live on today – the Decatur Staleys would become the Chicago Bears in 1922 and the Chicago Cardinals are now the Arizona Cardinals.
August 21
Pop star Michael Jackson’s Neverland Ranch residence near Los Olivos, Calif. was raided by police on August 21, 1993, after a child who stayed there came forward with allegations that the pop star had molested him. No charges would be filed, but Jackson would later deal with more allegations, including another search warrant executed at Neverland Ranch in 2003. The 2003 case ended with Jackson being charged and later acquitted of multiple counts of molesting a minor. Following his acquittal, he never returned to Neverland Ranch, claiming he no longer considered it a home, according to a Rolling Stone article.
August 22
One of the worst brawls in the history of professional sports took place on August 22, 1965, when San Francisco Giants pitcher Juan Marichal hit Los Angeles Dodgers catcher John Roseboro on the head with his bat, causing a 14-minute melee at Candlestick Park in San Francisco. The intense rivalry between the teams saw star pitchers Marichal and Sandy Koufax for the Dodgers knocking down and buzzing batters with inside and high-and-tight fastballs. Roseboro didn’t want his pitcher Koufax to be ejected but wanted to stick up for his teammates, so on a toss back to the mound, while Marichal was at the plate, he whizzed the ball back close to Marichal’s face. Marichal confronted Roseboro and Marichal used his bat as a weapon. Roseboro would need 14 stitches to close the wound on his head. Marichal was suspended for 10 games and given a record $1,750 fine at the time. Roseboro would sue Marichal for $110,000 in damages, with the case eventually being settled and Roseboro receiving $7,500.
August 23
Bob Feller had one of the greatest starting pitching debuts in Major League Baseball history on August 23, 1936, when the 17-year-old hurler started his first game for the Cleveland Indians in a 4-1 win against the St. Louis Browns at League Park in Cleveland. Feller struck out 15 batters in his debut. Feller had made his pitching debut as a reliever before this date. Otherwise, his 15 strikeouts would be tied for a major league record in one’s debut.
August 24
Tony Soprano, the fictional New Jersey mafia crime boss played by James Gandolfini in the critically acclaimed HBO drama The Sopranos from 1999 to 2007, was born on August 24, 1960. The character and performance are generally considered among the greatest in television history.
Editor's Note: Evidently "The Sopranos" didn't do a good job at keeping Tony Soprano's birthdate locked down. The show, and the movie prequel "The Many Saints of Newark," have listed at least three different birthdates for Tony Soprano.
Ringo Starr officially replaced Pete Best as the drummer for The Beatles on August 18, 1962. Starr had already been a fill-in drummer for the band on occasions when Best couldn’t perform. Starr had previously performed with local Liverpool act Rory Storm and the Hurricanes. John Lennon, Paul McCartney and George Harrison concluded that Starr was a better drummer than Best and made the move official.
August 19
Ever the showman, Bill Veeck, the owner of the St. Louis Browns Major League Baseball team, sent Eddie Gaedel, a 3’7’’ man, to pinch hit in a ballgame against the Detroit Tigers on August 19, 1951. Gaedel, having virtually no strike zone due to his height, walked on four straight pitches from Tigers hurler Bob Cain. Gaedel was replaced by a pinch runner and ended his baseball career with a perfect 1.000 on-base percentage. The publicity stunt mirrored similarities with the James Thurber 1941 short story “You Could Look It Up,” but Veeck denied the inspiration. In Veeck’s 1962 autobiography, Veeck – As In Wreck, he said of Gaedel: “He was, by golly, the best darn midget who ever played big-league ball. He was also the only one.”
August 20
The American Professional Football Association, which would later become the National Football League (NFL) in 1922, was formed in Canton, Ohio, on August 20, 1920. At its creation, the league consisted of 10 teams from four states, only two of which live on today – the Decatur Staleys would become the Chicago Bears in 1922 and the Chicago Cardinals are now the Arizona Cardinals.
August 21
Pop star Michael Jackson’s Neverland Ranch residence near Los Olivos, Calif. was raided by police on August 21, 1993, after a child who stayed there came forward with allegations that the pop star had molested him. No charges would be filed, but Jackson would later deal with more allegations, including another search warrant executed at Neverland Ranch in 2003. The 2003 case ended with Jackson being charged and later acquitted of multiple counts of molesting a minor. Following his acquittal, he never returned to Neverland Ranch, claiming he no longer considered it a home, according to a Rolling Stone article.
August 22
One of the worst brawls in the history of professional sports took place on August 22, 1965, when San Francisco Giants pitcher Juan Marichal hit Los Angeles Dodgers catcher John Roseboro on the head with his bat, causing a 14-minute melee at Candlestick Park in San Francisco. The intense rivalry between the teams saw star pitchers Marichal and Sandy Koufax for the Dodgers knocking down and buzzing batters with inside and high-and-tight fastballs. Roseboro didn’t want his pitcher Koufax to be ejected but wanted to stick up for his teammates, so on a toss back to the mound, while Marichal was at the plate, he whizzed the ball back close to Marichal’s face. Marichal confronted Roseboro and Marichal used his bat as a weapon. Roseboro would need 14 stitches to close the wound on his head. Marichal was suspended for 10 games and given a record $1,750 fine at the time. Roseboro would sue Marichal for $110,000 in damages, with the case eventually being settled and Roseboro receiving $7,500.
August 23
Bob Feller had one of the greatest starting pitching debuts in Major League Baseball history on August 23, 1936, when the 17-year-old hurler started his first game for the Cleveland Indians in a 4-1 win against the St. Louis Browns at League Park in Cleveland. Feller struck out 15 batters in his debut. Feller had made his pitching debut as a reliever before this date. Otherwise, his 15 strikeouts would be tied for a major league record in one’s debut.
August 24
Tony Soprano, the fictional New Jersey mafia crime boss played by James Gandolfini in the critically acclaimed HBO drama The Sopranos from 1999 to 2007, was born on August 24, 1960. The character and performance are generally considered among the greatest in television history.
Editor's Note: Evidently "The Sopranos" didn't do a good job at keeping Tony Soprano's birthdate locked down. The show, and the movie prequel "The Many Saints of Newark," have listed at least three different birthdates for Tony Soprano.
August 11 - August 17
August 11
August 11 proved to be a big day for The Beatles movie releases. The band’s debut musical-comedy, “A Hard Day’s Night,” premiered in the U.S. in New York City on August 11, 1964. The band’s second film, “Help!”, premiered in the U.S. one year later on August 11, 1965. “A Hard Day’s Night” sees the four bandmates evading a horde of fans en route to a television performance in London. “Help!” is a little more “out there,” with the Beatles struggling to protect drummer Ringo Starr from a cult and a pair of mad scientists.
August 12
“Wings,” director William A. Wellman’s 1927 film about World War I combat pilots in a romantic rivalry over a woman, premiered in New York City on August 12, 1927. The film would go on to become the first-ever Best Picture winner at the inaugural Academy Awards and the only silent film to win the honor until 2011’s “The Artist.”
August 13
Baltimore Orioles Jim Palmer pitched a no-hitter against the Oakland Athletics on August 13, 1969, at Memorial Stadium in Baltimore. Palmer struck out eight A’s hitters that day, leading the Orioles to an 8-0 victory. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1990.
August 14
President Barack Obama became the first U.S. President to release a summer music playlist to the public on August 14, 2015, when he released his curated Spotify playlist. President Obama released two summer playlists that day, one for day and one for night. The day playlist included “Ain’t Too Proud to Beg” by The Temptations, “Tombstone Blues” by Bob Dylan and “Paradise” by Coldplay. The night playlist included “My Favorite Things” by John Coltrane, “The Best is Yet to Come” by Frank Sinatra and “Help Me” by Joni Mitchell.
August 15
It wouldn’t end up as an all-time Hollywood romance, but popular singer-songwriter Paul Simon married “Star Wars” actress Carrie Fisher on August 15, 1983, in a ceremony that included “Saturday Night Live” producer Lorne Michaels as Simon’s best man and actress Penny Marshall as Fisher’s maid of honor. Guests at the wedding included celebrities Robin Williams, Billy Joel and his wife Christie Brinkley, Randy Newman and George Lucas. The marriage would last less than a year, but the couple resumed a less formal relationship throughout the ‘80s.
August 16
Cleveland Indians shortstop Ray Chapman is hit in the head by a pitch from New York Yankees hurler Carl Mays on August 16, 1920, at a game at the Polo Grounds in New York City. Home plate umpire Tommy Connolly immediately noticed Chapman was bleeding from his left ear and screamed toward the stands for a doctor. Chapman attempted to walk it off, but his knees buckled. He was helped off the field by teammates before falling unconscious. He was taken to St. Lawrence Hospital, where he was diagnosed with a depressed skull fracture. Despite emergency surgery to relieve swelling in his brain, Chapman was announced dead at 4:40 a.m. on August 17. He was the first and, to this date, the only baseball player to die as a result of an on-field injury. His death led to baseball requiring umpires to replace dirty baseballs. It was common at the time for pitchers to dirty up the balls to affect how they traveled through the air. It also led to banishing the spitball after the 1920 season. Despite Chapman’s death, Major League Baseball wouldn’t require batting helmets for over 30 years.
August 17
Rapper Nelly became the fifth artist to replace himself at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 when “Dilemma,” his duet with Kelly Rowland, took the top spot from “Hot in Herre” on August 17, 2002. “Dilemma would be No. 1 for 10 weeks nonconsecutively, while “Hot in Herre” had been number one for seven weeks.
August 11 proved to be a big day for The Beatles movie releases. The band’s debut musical-comedy, “A Hard Day’s Night,” premiered in the U.S. in New York City on August 11, 1964. The band’s second film, “Help!”, premiered in the U.S. one year later on August 11, 1965. “A Hard Day’s Night” sees the four bandmates evading a horde of fans en route to a television performance in London. “Help!” is a little more “out there,” with the Beatles struggling to protect drummer Ringo Starr from a cult and a pair of mad scientists.
August 12
“Wings,” director William A. Wellman’s 1927 film about World War I combat pilots in a romantic rivalry over a woman, premiered in New York City on August 12, 1927. The film would go on to become the first-ever Best Picture winner at the inaugural Academy Awards and the only silent film to win the honor until 2011’s “The Artist.”
August 13
Baltimore Orioles Jim Palmer pitched a no-hitter against the Oakland Athletics on August 13, 1969, at Memorial Stadium in Baltimore. Palmer struck out eight A’s hitters that day, leading the Orioles to an 8-0 victory. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1990.
August 14
President Barack Obama became the first U.S. President to release a summer music playlist to the public on August 14, 2015, when he released his curated Spotify playlist. President Obama released two summer playlists that day, one for day and one for night. The day playlist included “Ain’t Too Proud to Beg” by The Temptations, “Tombstone Blues” by Bob Dylan and “Paradise” by Coldplay. The night playlist included “My Favorite Things” by John Coltrane, “The Best is Yet to Come” by Frank Sinatra and “Help Me” by Joni Mitchell.
August 15
It wouldn’t end up as an all-time Hollywood romance, but popular singer-songwriter Paul Simon married “Star Wars” actress Carrie Fisher on August 15, 1983, in a ceremony that included “Saturday Night Live” producer Lorne Michaels as Simon’s best man and actress Penny Marshall as Fisher’s maid of honor. Guests at the wedding included celebrities Robin Williams, Billy Joel and his wife Christie Brinkley, Randy Newman and George Lucas. The marriage would last less than a year, but the couple resumed a less formal relationship throughout the ‘80s.
August 16
Cleveland Indians shortstop Ray Chapman is hit in the head by a pitch from New York Yankees hurler Carl Mays on August 16, 1920, at a game at the Polo Grounds in New York City. Home plate umpire Tommy Connolly immediately noticed Chapman was bleeding from his left ear and screamed toward the stands for a doctor. Chapman attempted to walk it off, but his knees buckled. He was helped off the field by teammates before falling unconscious. He was taken to St. Lawrence Hospital, where he was diagnosed with a depressed skull fracture. Despite emergency surgery to relieve swelling in his brain, Chapman was announced dead at 4:40 a.m. on August 17. He was the first and, to this date, the only baseball player to die as a result of an on-field injury. His death led to baseball requiring umpires to replace dirty baseballs. It was common at the time for pitchers to dirty up the balls to affect how they traveled through the air. It also led to banishing the spitball after the 1920 season. Despite Chapman’s death, Major League Baseball wouldn’t require batting helmets for over 30 years.
August 17
Rapper Nelly became the fifth artist to replace himself at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 when “Dilemma,” his duet with Kelly Rowland, took the top spot from “Hot in Herre” on August 17, 2002. “Dilemma would be No. 1 for 10 weeks nonconsecutively, while “Hot in Herre” had been number one for seven weeks.
August 4 - August 10
August 4
South African track & field star Oscar Pistorius became the first double-leg amputee to compete at the Olympics when he competed in the 400M at the London Games on August 4, 2012. Pistorius would be eliminated from the event in the semifinals. His star would later fade when he murdered his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp, on February 14, 2013. He was released on parole on January 5, 2024, after serving 8.5 years in prison.
August 5
American hurdler Edwin Moses won the gold medal in the men’s 400m hurdles at the Los Angeles Olympics on August 5, 1984. The competition was Moses’s 105th consecutive race victory. Moses also won the gold medal in the event at the 1976 Montreal Games and likely would’ve had a three-peat if not for the Americans boycotting the 1980 Moscow Games.
August 6
Hoang Xuan Vinh recorded 202.5 points to win the gold medal in the men’s 10m air pistol shooting competition at the Rio de Janeiro Olympics on August 6, 2016. This was Vietnam's first-ever gold medal in any Olympic event.
August 7
American track & field athlete Alice Coachman became the first black woman from any country to win the gold medal at the Olympics when she won the high jump competition at the London Games on August 7, 1948.
August 8
Moroccan track & field athlete Nawal El Moutawakel became a Muslim country's first female Olympic champion when she won gold in the 400m hurdles at the Los Angeles Olympics on August 8, 1984. She was also the first athlete from Morocco ever to win Olympic gold.
August 9
Jesse Owens finished his 1936 Berlin Olympics dominance in gold-winning fashion, winning his fourth gold medal in the games as part of the American 4 x 100m relay team. Owens had previously won gold medals at the games in the 100m, 200m and long jump. Most importantly, Owens won these golds in front of a seething Adolf Hitler, the leader of Nazi Germany, disproving in real-time Hitler’s theory of white supremacy with the stand-out athlete at the games being an African-American. On the first day of the Berlin Games eight days prior, Hitler had only congratulated the German winners of events. International Olympic Committee president Henri de Baillet-Latour insisted that Hitler greet every medalist or none, and Hitler, being the little bitch he was, opted to skip all further medal presentations, seemingly knowing what was to come ahead at the games. Owens was the first American to win four track & field golds in a single Olympics in the event's history.
August 10
One of the most heartbreaking moments in Olympic history was captured on August 10, 1984, when long-distance runners Mary Decker of the United States and Zola Budd of Great Britain collided during the 3,000m event at the Los Angeles Olympics. The two athletes first collided at the 1,700m mark of the event when Decker came into contact with one of Budd’s legs, knocking Budd slightly off-balance. However, both women maintained their close position. Shortly after, the two runners made contact again with Budd’s left foot, brushing Decker’s thigh, causing Budd to lose balance and sending her into Decker’s path. Decker’s spiked running shoe came down on Budd’s ankle, drawing blood. Shortly after, Decker collided with Budd and fell to the curb, injuring her hip. Decker’s fall ended her event, and her boyfriend and fellow Olympian Richard Slaney carried her off the track in tears. Budd continued to lead the event but eventually faded to seventh place. Romanian runner Maricica Puica won the gold medal. Budd attempted to apologize to Decker following the event but was rebuffed by Decker. An International Association of Athletics Federation jury found Budd was not at fault for the collision despite an outcry from American fans. Decker took credit for the mishap many years after saying it happened because she was very inexperienced in running in a pack. The moment was captured by TIME magazine photographer David Burnett, showing a distraught Decker following her fall.
South African track & field star Oscar Pistorius became the first double-leg amputee to compete at the Olympics when he competed in the 400M at the London Games on August 4, 2012. Pistorius would be eliminated from the event in the semifinals. His star would later fade when he murdered his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp, on February 14, 2013. He was released on parole on January 5, 2024, after serving 8.5 years in prison.
August 5
American hurdler Edwin Moses won the gold medal in the men’s 400m hurdles at the Los Angeles Olympics on August 5, 1984. The competition was Moses’s 105th consecutive race victory. Moses also won the gold medal in the event at the 1976 Montreal Games and likely would’ve had a three-peat if not for the Americans boycotting the 1980 Moscow Games.
August 6
Hoang Xuan Vinh recorded 202.5 points to win the gold medal in the men’s 10m air pistol shooting competition at the Rio de Janeiro Olympics on August 6, 2016. This was Vietnam's first-ever gold medal in any Olympic event.
August 7
American track & field athlete Alice Coachman became the first black woman from any country to win the gold medal at the Olympics when she won the high jump competition at the London Games on August 7, 1948.
August 8
Moroccan track & field athlete Nawal El Moutawakel became a Muslim country's first female Olympic champion when she won gold in the 400m hurdles at the Los Angeles Olympics on August 8, 1984. She was also the first athlete from Morocco ever to win Olympic gold.
August 9
Jesse Owens finished his 1936 Berlin Olympics dominance in gold-winning fashion, winning his fourth gold medal in the games as part of the American 4 x 100m relay team. Owens had previously won gold medals at the games in the 100m, 200m and long jump. Most importantly, Owens won these golds in front of a seething Adolf Hitler, the leader of Nazi Germany, disproving in real-time Hitler’s theory of white supremacy with the stand-out athlete at the games being an African-American. On the first day of the Berlin Games eight days prior, Hitler had only congratulated the German winners of events. International Olympic Committee president Henri de Baillet-Latour insisted that Hitler greet every medalist or none, and Hitler, being the little bitch he was, opted to skip all further medal presentations, seemingly knowing what was to come ahead at the games. Owens was the first American to win four track & field golds in a single Olympics in the event's history.
August 10
One of the most heartbreaking moments in Olympic history was captured on August 10, 1984, when long-distance runners Mary Decker of the United States and Zola Budd of Great Britain collided during the 3,000m event at the Los Angeles Olympics. The two athletes first collided at the 1,700m mark of the event when Decker came into contact with one of Budd’s legs, knocking Budd slightly off-balance. However, both women maintained their close position. Shortly after, the two runners made contact again with Budd’s left foot, brushing Decker’s thigh, causing Budd to lose balance and sending her into Decker’s path. Decker’s spiked running shoe came down on Budd’s ankle, drawing blood. Shortly after, Decker collided with Budd and fell to the curb, injuring her hip. Decker’s fall ended her event, and her boyfriend and fellow Olympian Richard Slaney carried her off the track in tears. Budd continued to lead the event but eventually faded to seventh place. Romanian runner Maricica Puica won the gold medal. Budd attempted to apologize to Decker following the event but was rebuffed by Decker. An International Association of Athletics Federation jury found Budd was not at fault for the collision despite an outcry from American fans. Decker took credit for the mishap many years after saying it happened because she was very inexperienced in running in a pack. The moment was captured by TIME magazine photographer David Burnett, showing a distraught Decker following her fall.
July 28 - August 3
July 28
The 23rd modern Olympic Games opened in Los Angeles on July 28, 1984. The Los Angeles Olympics would be the first Olympic games in the United States since the 10th Olympics were also held in Los Angeles in 1932. It marked the third Summer Olympic Games held in the U.S. Los Angeles was the only city to bid on the 1984 Summer Games following Teheran, Iran’s removal from the bidding in June 1977 after the Iranian Revolution. The 1984 games would be a star-making one for track & field superstar Carl Lewis, who won four gold medals. The United States won the most overall medals (174) and gold medals (83) at the games. The Soviet Union boycotted the 1984 Summer Games in Los Angeles in retaliation for the United States boycotting the 1980 Summer Games in Moscow. Los Angeles will once again host the Summer Olympics in 2028.
July 29
American gymnast Sunisa Lee won the gold medal in women’s artistic individual all-around gymnastics at the 2020 Tokyo Game on July 29, 2021, after the games had been delayed a year due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Lee also won the bronze medal in the women’s uneven bars competition and a silver medal in the gymnastics team competition. Lee returns to the Summer Games this year in Paris to defend her all-around title on Thursday, August 1.
July 30
U.S. track & field star Bruce Jenner, now Caitlin Jenner, won the Olympic Gold Medal with a world record 8,618 points in the decathlon at the Montreal Olympics on July 30, 1976. The decathlon sees an athlete compete in 10 different track & field events over two days. The events are 100 meters, 400 meters, 1500 meters, 110 meters hurdles, long jump, high jump, shot put, discus throw, javelin throw and pole vault.
July 31
Michael Phelps became the winningest medal winner in Summer Olympic Games history on July 31, 2012, when he won his 19th career medal and 15th overall gold medal as part of the American 4 x 200m freestyle team at the London Games. Phelps would retire after the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games with 28 total medals, 23 of which were gold.
August 1
In perhaps the darkest moment in Olympic Games history, the 11th modern Olympic Games were opened by German Chancellor Adolph Hitler in Berlin on August 1, 1936. Berlin had been awarded the games by the International Olympic Committee in 1931, two years before the Nazi Party rose to power. Hitler saw the Olympics as an opportunity to promote his views on racial supremacy and antisemitism and the official Nazi Party newspaper, the Volkischer Beobachter, wrote that Jews should not be allowed to participate in the Games. German Jewish athletes were barred from participating in the Games. Other countries were said to have sidelined Jewish athletes to avoid offending the Nazi regime. Lithuania was expelled from the games due to its anti-Nazi policy. The most significant moment of the 1936 games was when black American track and field star Jesse Owens dominated the games in front of a visibly seething Hitler, winning four gold medals. Due to World War II, the 1936 Berlin Games would be the last Olympics for 12 years. The I.O.C.’s decision to continue the 1936 Games in Germany following Hitler and the Nazi’s rise to power will forever be a black mark on the committee and the Olympics.
August 2
Floyd Patterson, a future two-time world heavyweight boxing champion, won an Olympic Gold Medal on August 2, 1952, in the middleweight boxing competition at the Helsinki Summer Olympics. Patterson was 17 during his gold medal win over Romania’s Vasile Tita via first-round knockout. He would turn professional following the Olympics and take the heavyweight champion title in 1956 over Archie Moore and again in 1960 over Ingemar Johansson.
August 3
An official automatic timing and photo-finish camera for track events debuted at the Los Angeles Summer Games on August 3, 1932. The new technology would prove instrumental in changing the 100m hurdles final result, giving Great Britain's Don Finlay the bronze medal over American Jack Keller. The early use of instant replay prevented the U.S. from sweeping the event, as Americans George Saling and Percy Beard won gold and silver, respectively.
The 23rd modern Olympic Games opened in Los Angeles on July 28, 1984. The Los Angeles Olympics would be the first Olympic games in the United States since the 10th Olympics were also held in Los Angeles in 1932. It marked the third Summer Olympic Games held in the U.S. Los Angeles was the only city to bid on the 1984 Summer Games following Teheran, Iran’s removal from the bidding in June 1977 after the Iranian Revolution. The 1984 games would be a star-making one for track & field superstar Carl Lewis, who won four gold medals. The United States won the most overall medals (174) and gold medals (83) at the games. The Soviet Union boycotted the 1984 Summer Games in Los Angeles in retaliation for the United States boycotting the 1980 Summer Games in Moscow. Los Angeles will once again host the Summer Olympics in 2028.
July 29
American gymnast Sunisa Lee won the gold medal in women’s artistic individual all-around gymnastics at the 2020 Tokyo Game on July 29, 2021, after the games had been delayed a year due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Lee also won the bronze medal in the women’s uneven bars competition and a silver medal in the gymnastics team competition. Lee returns to the Summer Games this year in Paris to defend her all-around title on Thursday, August 1.
July 30
U.S. track & field star Bruce Jenner, now Caitlin Jenner, won the Olympic Gold Medal with a world record 8,618 points in the decathlon at the Montreal Olympics on July 30, 1976. The decathlon sees an athlete compete in 10 different track & field events over two days. The events are 100 meters, 400 meters, 1500 meters, 110 meters hurdles, long jump, high jump, shot put, discus throw, javelin throw and pole vault.
July 31
Michael Phelps became the winningest medal winner in Summer Olympic Games history on July 31, 2012, when he won his 19th career medal and 15th overall gold medal as part of the American 4 x 200m freestyle team at the London Games. Phelps would retire after the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games with 28 total medals, 23 of which were gold.
August 1
In perhaps the darkest moment in Olympic Games history, the 11th modern Olympic Games were opened by German Chancellor Adolph Hitler in Berlin on August 1, 1936. Berlin had been awarded the games by the International Olympic Committee in 1931, two years before the Nazi Party rose to power. Hitler saw the Olympics as an opportunity to promote his views on racial supremacy and antisemitism and the official Nazi Party newspaper, the Volkischer Beobachter, wrote that Jews should not be allowed to participate in the Games. German Jewish athletes were barred from participating in the Games. Other countries were said to have sidelined Jewish athletes to avoid offending the Nazi regime. Lithuania was expelled from the games due to its anti-Nazi policy. The most significant moment of the 1936 games was when black American track and field star Jesse Owens dominated the games in front of a visibly seething Hitler, winning four gold medals. Due to World War II, the 1936 Berlin Games would be the last Olympics for 12 years. The I.O.C.’s decision to continue the 1936 Games in Germany following Hitler and the Nazi’s rise to power will forever be a black mark on the committee and the Olympics.
August 2
Floyd Patterson, a future two-time world heavyweight boxing champion, won an Olympic Gold Medal on August 2, 1952, in the middleweight boxing competition at the Helsinki Summer Olympics. Patterson was 17 during his gold medal win over Romania’s Vasile Tita via first-round knockout. He would turn professional following the Olympics and take the heavyweight champion title in 1956 over Archie Moore and again in 1960 over Ingemar Johansson.
August 3
An official automatic timing and photo-finish camera for track events debuted at the Los Angeles Summer Games on August 3, 1932. The new technology would prove instrumental in changing the 100m hurdles final result, giving Great Britain's Don Finlay the bronze medal over American Jack Keller. The early use of instant replay prevented the U.S. from sweeping the event, as Americans George Saling and Percy Beard won gold and silver, respectively.
July 21 - July 27
July 21
After Ivanka Trump took the stage of the Republican National Convention in Cleveland on July 21, 2016, to speak in support of her father and Republican candidate for President Donald Trump with The Beatles song “Here Comes the Sun” on the arena’s speakers the estate of George Harrison, who wrote the song, tweeted their displeasure. The estate said: “The unauthorized use of #HereComestheSun at the #RNCinCLE is offensive & against the wishes of the George Harrison estate. If it had been “Beware of the Darkness,” then we MAY have approved it! #TrumpYourself.”
July 22
Katharine Lee Bates, poet and author, wrote the patriotic anthem “America the Beautiful” on July 22, 1893, after admiring the view from the top of Pikes Peak near Colorado Springs, Colo. Bates also desired an all-inclusive egalitarian American community that inspired the poem, written during an economic depression. The poem would first appear in print in The Congregationalist, a weekly journal, the week of July 4, 1895.
July 23
Tiger Woods became the youngest player in professional golf history to win all four major titles at age 24 when he won the 2000 British Open tournament by eight strokes over Thomas Bjorn and Ernie Els on July 23, 2000. Woods went on to win the British Open again in 2005 and 2006 and has won 15 major career titles as of this date.
July 24
Director Fred Zinneman’s Western “High Noon,” starring Gary Cooper as a town marshal whose sense of duty is tested when he must decide to face a gang of killers alone or leave town with his new bride, premiered on July 24, 1952. “High Noon” would win four Academy Awards, including Best Actor for Cooper, the second of his career. The American Film Institute ranked “High Noon” as the 27th greatest American film ever in 2007.
July 25
Australian rock band AC/DC released the classic album “Back in Black,” their first album without lead singer Bon Scott, on July 25, 1980. Brian Johnson replaced Scott, who had died five months earlier from alcohol poisoning, as lead singer for the album. “Back in Black,” one of the band’s most heralded albums, features classics like “You Shook Me All Night Long,” “Hells Bells” and the title track.
July 26
Peter Gabriel replaced his old band Genesis at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 when his song “Sledgehammer” bumped “Invisible Touch” off the top on July 26, 1986. Gabriel had been the lead vocalist of Genesis from 1967-1975. “Sledgehammer” would be Gabriel’s only U.S. No.1 hit.
July 27
Billboard issued its first chart detailing the records selling the most copies on July 27, 1940. Titled “National List of Best Selling Retail Records,” it was a precursor to the Hot 100 and the first to count record sales—previous existing charts were for sheet music sales, jukebox play, and radio plugs. It wasn’t an exact science, as Billboard polled record stores to find out what was selling, a practice that would last until the ‘90s when it was replaced with Soundscan technology.
After Ivanka Trump took the stage of the Republican National Convention in Cleveland on July 21, 2016, to speak in support of her father and Republican candidate for President Donald Trump with The Beatles song “Here Comes the Sun” on the arena’s speakers the estate of George Harrison, who wrote the song, tweeted their displeasure. The estate said: “The unauthorized use of #HereComestheSun at the #RNCinCLE is offensive & against the wishes of the George Harrison estate. If it had been “Beware of the Darkness,” then we MAY have approved it! #TrumpYourself.”
July 22
Katharine Lee Bates, poet and author, wrote the patriotic anthem “America the Beautiful” on July 22, 1893, after admiring the view from the top of Pikes Peak near Colorado Springs, Colo. Bates also desired an all-inclusive egalitarian American community that inspired the poem, written during an economic depression. The poem would first appear in print in The Congregationalist, a weekly journal, the week of July 4, 1895.
July 23
Tiger Woods became the youngest player in professional golf history to win all four major titles at age 24 when he won the 2000 British Open tournament by eight strokes over Thomas Bjorn and Ernie Els on July 23, 2000. Woods went on to win the British Open again in 2005 and 2006 and has won 15 major career titles as of this date.
July 24
Director Fred Zinneman’s Western “High Noon,” starring Gary Cooper as a town marshal whose sense of duty is tested when he must decide to face a gang of killers alone or leave town with his new bride, premiered on July 24, 1952. “High Noon” would win four Academy Awards, including Best Actor for Cooper, the second of his career. The American Film Institute ranked “High Noon” as the 27th greatest American film ever in 2007.
July 25
Australian rock band AC/DC released the classic album “Back in Black,” their first album without lead singer Bon Scott, on July 25, 1980. Brian Johnson replaced Scott, who had died five months earlier from alcohol poisoning, as lead singer for the album. “Back in Black,” one of the band’s most heralded albums, features classics like “You Shook Me All Night Long,” “Hells Bells” and the title track.
July 26
Peter Gabriel replaced his old band Genesis at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 when his song “Sledgehammer” bumped “Invisible Touch” off the top on July 26, 1986. Gabriel had been the lead vocalist of Genesis from 1967-1975. “Sledgehammer” would be Gabriel’s only U.S. No.1 hit.
July 27
Billboard issued its first chart detailing the records selling the most copies on July 27, 1940. Titled “National List of Best Selling Retail Records,” it was a precursor to the Hot 100 and the first to count record sales—previous existing charts were for sheet music sales, jukebox play, and radio plugs. It wasn’t an exact science, as Billboard polled record stores to find out what was selling, a practice that would last until the ‘90s when it was replaced with Soundscan technology.
July 14 - July 20
July 14
Novak Djokovic won the longest Wimbledon final in tennis history on July 14, 2019, when he defeated fellow legend Roger Federer in 4 hours and 57 minutes to claim his 16th career Grand Slam title. It was Djokovic’s fifth career Wimbledon title. He’s also since won the tournament in 2021 and 2022.
July 15
“Stranger Things,” the super popular science-fiction/horror drama set in 1980s Indiana, premiered on Netflix on July 15, 2016, making instant stars out of its cast of mostly teenage actors. The series, nominated for 57 Emmy Awards, has aired four seasons in the last eight years and is set to wrap in 2025 with its fifth season, even though the teenage cast will now be in their mid-40s.
July 16
Singer-songwriter Harry Chapin, who had a No. 1 hit in 1975 with the father/son relationship ballad “Cat’s in the Cradle,” died in a car accident at age 38 on July 16, 1981. When the crash occurred on the Long Island Expressway, Chapin had been driving to perform at a benefit concert in East Meadow, N.Y. The performer may have been having a medical emergency at the time as his emergency flashers were on, his speed decelerated to about 15 mph and his car was weaving from lane to lane before being impacted by a semi-trailer truck.
July 17
Tom Watson defeated Andy Bean and Hale Irwin by one stroke to win the 1983 British Open Men’s Golf Championship at Royal Birkdale Golf Course in Southport, England on July 17, 1983, for his fifth career Open Championship title. Watson’s five career Open titles are tied for the second most all-time in the event behind Harry Vardon’s six.
July 18
The first Lollapalooza music festival began on July 18, 1991, and toured more than 20 locations throughout North America. The event was founded by Jane’s Addiction frontman Perry Farrell and dreamed up as a farewell tour for his band. The first Lollapalooza, which spanned from July 18 – August 28, 1991, featured Jane’s Addiction, Siouxsie and the Banshees, Living Colour, Nine Inch Nails, Ice-T & Body Count, Butthole Surfers and Rollins Band on the main stage with other acts on side stages. Lollapalooza took place from 1991 to 1997, was revived in 2003, and then again in 2005, where it has been held ever since in downtown Chicago.
July 19
Trans World Airlines (TWA) introduced the world’s first scheduled inflight movie on a July 19, 1961, flight between New York and Los Angeles. The film, shown to first-class passengers on the Boeing 707, was director John Sturges’ drama “By Love Possessed,” starring Lana Turner and Efrem Zimbalist Jr.
July 20
27-year-old Spencer Gore wins the first Wimbledon tennis tournament on July 20, 1877, in straight sets over William Marshall. Gore returned to Wimbledon the next year, where he finished as the runner-up to champion Frank Hadow. Gore was the first tennis player ever to use the technique of volleying and is considered the creator of that style of play. Despite being the inaugural Wimbledon champion, Gore was likely more known as a Surrey County Cricket Club cricket player.
Novak Djokovic won the longest Wimbledon final in tennis history on July 14, 2019, when he defeated fellow legend Roger Federer in 4 hours and 57 minutes to claim his 16th career Grand Slam title. It was Djokovic’s fifth career Wimbledon title. He’s also since won the tournament in 2021 and 2022.
July 15
“Stranger Things,” the super popular science-fiction/horror drama set in 1980s Indiana, premiered on Netflix on July 15, 2016, making instant stars out of its cast of mostly teenage actors. The series, nominated for 57 Emmy Awards, has aired four seasons in the last eight years and is set to wrap in 2025 with its fifth season, even though the teenage cast will now be in their mid-40s.
July 16
Singer-songwriter Harry Chapin, who had a No. 1 hit in 1975 with the father/son relationship ballad “Cat’s in the Cradle,” died in a car accident at age 38 on July 16, 1981. When the crash occurred on the Long Island Expressway, Chapin had been driving to perform at a benefit concert in East Meadow, N.Y. The performer may have been having a medical emergency at the time as his emergency flashers were on, his speed decelerated to about 15 mph and his car was weaving from lane to lane before being impacted by a semi-trailer truck.
July 17
Tom Watson defeated Andy Bean and Hale Irwin by one stroke to win the 1983 British Open Men’s Golf Championship at Royal Birkdale Golf Course in Southport, England on July 17, 1983, for his fifth career Open Championship title. Watson’s five career Open titles are tied for the second most all-time in the event behind Harry Vardon’s six.
July 18
The first Lollapalooza music festival began on July 18, 1991, and toured more than 20 locations throughout North America. The event was founded by Jane’s Addiction frontman Perry Farrell and dreamed up as a farewell tour for his band. The first Lollapalooza, which spanned from July 18 – August 28, 1991, featured Jane’s Addiction, Siouxsie and the Banshees, Living Colour, Nine Inch Nails, Ice-T & Body Count, Butthole Surfers and Rollins Band on the main stage with other acts on side stages. Lollapalooza took place from 1991 to 1997, was revived in 2003, and then again in 2005, where it has been held ever since in downtown Chicago.
July 19
Trans World Airlines (TWA) introduced the world’s first scheduled inflight movie on a July 19, 1961, flight between New York and Los Angeles. The film, shown to first-class passengers on the Boeing 707, was director John Sturges’ drama “By Love Possessed,” starring Lana Turner and Efrem Zimbalist Jr.
July 20
27-year-old Spencer Gore wins the first Wimbledon tennis tournament on July 20, 1877, in straight sets over William Marshall. Gore returned to Wimbledon the next year, where he finished as the runner-up to champion Frank Hadow. Gore was the first tennis player ever to use the technique of volleying and is considered the creator of that style of play. Despite being the inaugural Wimbledon champion, Gore was likely more known as a Surrey County Cricket Club cricket player.
July 7 - July 13
July 7
The United States defended its Women’s World Cup title and won its record fourth overall World Cup title defeating the Netherlands 2-0 in Lyon, France on July 7, 2019. USA midfielder Megan Rapinoe was named Player of the Tournament with six tournament-leading goals.
July 8
Venus Williams defeated fellow American Lindsay Davenport in straight sets to win Wimbledon, her first career Grand Slam title, on July 8, 2000. Williams would go on to win seven Grand Slam singles titles, including five at Wimbledon.
July 9
Radio DJ Dick Clark took over as host of the local Philadelphia WFIL-TV musical TV series “American Bandstand” on July 9, 1956. The show’s original host Bob Horn was fired after a drunk driving arrest. “American Bandstand” would be picked up nationally by ABC in 1957, where it would be broadcast until 1987. The show would run for two more seasons, first in syndication and later on USA Network following its end on ABC. The show moved from Philadelphia to Los Angeles in 1964.
July 10
The Rolling Stones hit No. 1 on Billboard for the first time on July 10, 1965, with “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction” from the band’s fourth studio album Out of Our Heads. The memorable riff to the song came to songwriter and guitarist Keith Richards in his sleep and when he woke up the next day realized he had recorded it on a Philips cassette player. In 2021, Rolling Stone magazine named “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction” the 31st greatest song of all time. It was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1998 and added to the National Recording Registry of the Library of Congress in 2006.
July 11
Charlotte Cooper didn’t just become the first-ever individual female Olympic tennis gold medalist when she defeated Hélène Prévost at the Paris Games on July 11, 1900, but also the first-ever individual female gold medalist overall in any Olympic event. Women hadn’t competed in the inaugural modern Olympic Games in Athens, Greece in 1896. Cooper won two golds at the 1900 games, also winning in mixed doubles tennis. Cooper also won five Wimbledon titles between 1895-1908.
July 12
The game show “Family Feud” premiered on July 12, 1976, on ABC. The show, which sees two families compete against each other to answer survey questions, was first hosted by Richard Dawson. Dawson would host the show’s original run from ’76 until 1985. Over the years, the show has aired on multiple networks and in syndication. The current iteration of “Family Feud” has aired since 1999 with several hosts, including current host comedian Steve Harvey who has presented the show since 2010.
July 13
Jean-Luc Picard will be born on July 13, 2305, in La Barre, France. Picard will grow up to be the commanding officer of the Federation starship USS Enterprise. His heroic life will be portrayed by actor Patrick Stewart on the U.S. television series “Star Trek: The Next Generation” and later “Star Trek: Picard.”
The United States defended its Women’s World Cup title and won its record fourth overall World Cup title defeating the Netherlands 2-0 in Lyon, France on July 7, 2019. USA midfielder Megan Rapinoe was named Player of the Tournament with six tournament-leading goals.
July 8
Venus Williams defeated fellow American Lindsay Davenport in straight sets to win Wimbledon, her first career Grand Slam title, on July 8, 2000. Williams would go on to win seven Grand Slam singles titles, including five at Wimbledon.
July 9
Radio DJ Dick Clark took over as host of the local Philadelphia WFIL-TV musical TV series “American Bandstand” on July 9, 1956. The show’s original host Bob Horn was fired after a drunk driving arrest. “American Bandstand” would be picked up nationally by ABC in 1957, where it would be broadcast until 1987. The show would run for two more seasons, first in syndication and later on USA Network following its end on ABC. The show moved from Philadelphia to Los Angeles in 1964.
July 10
The Rolling Stones hit No. 1 on Billboard for the first time on July 10, 1965, with “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction” from the band’s fourth studio album Out of Our Heads. The memorable riff to the song came to songwriter and guitarist Keith Richards in his sleep and when he woke up the next day realized he had recorded it on a Philips cassette player. In 2021, Rolling Stone magazine named “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction” the 31st greatest song of all time. It was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1998 and added to the National Recording Registry of the Library of Congress in 2006.
July 11
Charlotte Cooper didn’t just become the first-ever individual female Olympic tennis gold medalist when she defeated Hélène Prévost at the Paris Games on July 11, 1900, but also the first-ever individual female gold medalist overall in any Olympic event. Women hadn’t competed in the inaugural modern Olympic Games in Athens, Greece in 1896. Cooper won two golds at the 1900 games, also winning in mixed doubles tennis. Cooper also won five Wimbledon titles between 1895-1908.
July 12
The game show “Family Feud” premiered on July 12, 1976, on ABC. The show, which sees two families compete against each other to answer survey questions, was first hosted by Richard Dawson. Dawson would host the show’s original run from ’76 until 1985. Over the years, the show has aired on multiple networks and in syndication. The current iteration of “Family Feud” has aired since 1999 with several hosts, including current host comedian Steve Harvey who has presented the show since 2010.
July 13
Jean-Luc Picard will be born on July 13, 2305, in La Barre, France. Picard will grow up to be the commanding officer of the Federation starship USS Enterprise. His heroic life will be portrayed by actor Patrick Stewart on the U.S. television series “Star Trek: The Next Generation” and later “Star Trek: Picard.”
June 30 - July 6
June 30
Soap opera “The Guiding Light,” changed simply to “Guiding Light” in 1975, premiered on CBS television on June 30, 1952. The soap opera premiered as a radio broadcast in January 1937. It would continue both on TV and radio until June 29, 1956. “Guiding Light” would air on CBS for 57 years from 1952 to September 18, 2009, making it the longest-running soap opera in television history and the fifth longest-running program in broadcast history when accounting for its radio run.
July 1
The inaugural Tour de France, arguably the most famous cycling race in the world, began on July 1, 1903, in Paris. The event, won by Frenchman Maurice Garin, was competed in six stages from July 1 to July 19. The Tour de France was invented by the newspaper L’Auto in hopes of boosting its circulation. The event was originally scheduled to begin in June 1903 but was postponed one month and the prize money increased after a disappointing level of applications from competitors.
July 2
Guns N’ Roses frontman Axl Rose’s actions led to a riot at Riverport Amphitheater in St. Louis on July 2, 1991, after growing irate with an audience member taking photos of the show. Rose pointed the concertgoer out to security but when they didn’t confront the person, Rose jumped into the crowd, tackled the photographer, took his camera, and struck members of both the audience and the security team. After being pulled from the crowd by members of the band’s crew, Rose took the microphone and said, “Well, thanks to the lame-ass security, I’m going home!.” He then slammed the mic to the stage and left. This incident set off a three-hour riot within the venue in which dozens of people were injured. Police charged Rose with having incited the riot but the charges were dropped when a judge ruled he hadn’t directly incited the riot. The band wouldn’t play in St. Louis again until 2017. According to Rolling Stone journalist Daniel Kreps they had been banned from performing in the city due to the 1991 incident.
July 3
Rolling Stones guitarist Brian Jones was found dead at the bottom of a swimming pool at Cotchford Farm in East Sussex, England in the early morning hours of July 3, 1969. He was 27. The coroner’s report stated his death as drowning, later clarified as “death by misadventure” and noted Jones’s liver and heart were greatly enlarged by past drug and alcohol abuse. Jones, whose addictions made his performance in the studio increasingly unreliable, had been fired from the Rolling Stones one month prior and replaced by Mick Taylor. Jones was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1989 as a member of the Rolling Stones.
July 4
Americans celebrated Independence Day on July 4, 1992, with the newest Billboard No.1 hit “Baby Got Back” by rapper Sir Mix-a-Lot. The ode to big booties, released in May, enjoyed a quick rise to the top spot of the music charts, where it would remain for more than a month. In 2008, VH1 ranked “Baby Got Back” as the 17th greatest hip-hop song of all time. Billboard ranked it among the 500 Best Pop Songs of All Time in 2023.
July 5
Arthur Ashe became the first African-American to win Wimbledon on July 5, 1975, when he defeated his fellow countryman Jimmy Connors in four sets. Ashe had previously won the U.S. Open in 1968 and the Australian Open in 1970. To this date, he’s the only black man to win any of those titles.
July 6
Director Robert Zemeckis’s comedy-drama “Forrest Gump,” starring Tom Hanks, Robin Wright and Gary Sinise, premiered in the United States on July 6, 1994. The adaptation of author Winston Groom’s 1986 novel would go on to win the Academy Award for Best Picture, Best Director for Zemeckis, Best Actor for Hanks and three other awards.
Soap opera “The Guiding Light,” changed simply to “Guiding Light” in 1975, premiered on CBS television on June 30, 1952. The soap opera premiered as a radio broadcast in January 1937. It would continue both on TV and radio until June 29, 1956. “Guiding Light” would air on CBS for 57 years from 1952 to September 18, 2009, making it the longest-running soap opera in television history and the fifth longest-running program in broadcast history when accounting for its radio run.
July 1
The inaugural Tour de France, arguably the most famous cycling race in the world, began on July 1, 1903, in Paris. The event, won by Frenchman Maurice Garin, was competed in six stages from July 1 to July 19. The Tour de France was invented by the newspaper L’Auto in hopes of boosting its circulation. The event was originally scheduled to begin in June 1903 but was postponed one month and the prize money increased after a disappointing level of applications from competitors.
July 2
Guns N’ Roses frontman Axl Rose’s actions led to a riot at Riverport Amphitheater in St. Louis on July 2, 1991, after growing irate with an audience member taking photos of the show. Rose pointed the concertgoer out to security but when they didn’t confront the person, Rose jumped into the crowd, tackled the photographer, took his camera, and struck members of both the audience and the security team. After being pulled from the crowd by members of the band’s crew, Rose took the microphone and said, “Well, thanks to the lame-ass security, I’m going home!.” He then slammed the mic to the stage and left. This incident set off a three-hour riot within the venue in which dozens of people were injured. Police charged Rose with having incited the riot but the charges were dropped when a judge ruled he hadn’t directly incited the riot. The band wouldn’t play in St. Louis again until 2017. According to Rolling Stone journalist Daniel Kreps they had been banned from performing in the city due to the 1991 incident.
July 3
Rolling Stones guitarist Brian Jones was found dead at the bottom of a swimming pool at Cotchford Farm in East Sussex, England in the early morning hours of July 3, 1969. He was 27. The coroner’s report stated his death as drowning, later clarified as “death by misadventure” and noted Jones’s liver and heart were greatly enlarged by past drug and alcohol abuse. Jones, whose addictions made his performance in the studio increasingly unreliable, had been fired from the Rolling Stones one month prior and replaced by Mick Taylor. Jones was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1989 as a member of the Rolling Stones.
July 4
Americans celebrated Independence Day on July 4, 1992, with the newest Billboard No.1 hit “Baby Got Back” by rapper Sir Mix-a-Lot. The ode to big booties, released in May, enjoyed a quick rise to the top spot of the music charts, where it would remain for more than a month. In 2008, VH1 ranked “Baby Got Back” as the 17th greatest hip-hop song of all time. Billboard ranked it among the 500 Best Pop Songs of All Time in 2023.
July 5
Arthur Ashe became the first African-American to win Wimbledon on July 5, 1975, when he defeated his fellow countryman Jimmy Connors in four sets. Ashe had previously won the U.S. Open in 1968 and the Australian Open in 1970. To this date, he’s the only black man to win any of those titles.
July 6
Director Robert Zemeckis’s comedy-drama “Forrest Gump,” starring Tom Hanks, Robin Wright and Gary Sinise, premiered in the United States on July 6, 1994. The adaptation of author Winston Groom’s 1986 novel would go on to win the Academy Award for Best Picture, Best Director for Zemeckis, Best Actor for Hanks and three other awards.
June 23 - June 29
June 23
Walter Hagen became the first American golfer to win the British Open on June 23, 1922, at Royal St. George’s Golf Club in Sandwich, England in the 57th annual Open Championship. It would be the first of Hagen’s four Open Championship titles and the fourth of his 11 career major titles, which ranks as the third most in golf history.
June 24
“Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest,” directed by Gore Verbinski and starring Johnny Depp, Orlando Bloom and Keira Knightley, premiered at Disneyland on June 24, 2006. Based on the popular Disney theme park attraction of the same name, the film would go on to become the fastest to gross over $1 billion. The film would lead to a franchise of five films to date.
June 25
“The King of Pop” Michael Jackson was found dead at age 50 at a Los Angeles mansion he had been renting on June 25, 2009. Jackson died from cardiac arrest caused by a propofol and benzodiazepine overdose. His personal physician, Conrad Murray, had given the pop star various medications to help him sleep. Murray would be convicted of involuntary manslaughter in Jackson’s death in 2011, serving less than two years of a four-year prison sentence.
June 26
Director Kathryn Bigelow’s war drama “The Hurt Locker,” premiered in the United States on June 26, 2009. The film starred Jeremy Renner and Anthony Mackie as military explosive ordnance disposal team members during the Iraq War. The film would win six Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director with Bigelow becoming the first female director to win the award in Oscars history.
June 27
New York Mets pitcher Anthony Young set one of the most dubious records in the history of professional sports on June 27, 1993, when he lost his 24th consecutive game. The streak would eventually go to 27 consecutive losses. During the streak Young had gone 0-14 as a starting pitcher and 0-13 as a relief pitcher. Young would play from 1991-1996 with the Mets, Chicago Cubs and Houston Astros. He would finish his career with a 15-48 win-loss record but a respectable 3.89 earned run average.
June 28
A boxing heavyweight championship bout between Evander Holyfield and Mike Tyson ended abruptly when Tyson bit a portion of Holyfield’s ear off, resulting in Tyson’s disqualification on June 28, 1997, at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. Following the disqualification, Tyson went berserk and approached Holyfield and his trainer and had to be subdued by security. Following the fight, Holyfield told the press that Tyson knew he was going to be knocked out and chose to lose in a disqualification instead. Tyson’s boxing license was revoked by the Nevada State Athletic Commission as a result of his actions, but the revocation was overturned in October of 1998 upon appeal.
June 29
Media mogul Ted Turner began his “Turner Time” ploy to keep people from turning the channel from his TBS cable station on June 29, 1981. “Turner Time” meant beginning shows either five minutes or 35 minutes past the hour to keep viewers tuned in and not change the channel. In the late ‘90s, TBS reduced its “Turner Time” scheduling and it was completely done away with by 2000.
Walter Hagen became the first American golfer to win the British Open on June 23, 1922, at Royal St. George’s Golf Club in Sandwich, England in the 57th annual Open Championship. It would be the first of Hagen’s four Open Championship titles and the fourth of his 11 career major titles, which ranks as the third most in golf history.
June 24
“Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest,” directed by Gore Verbinski and starring Johnny Depp, Orlando Bloom and Keira Knightley, premiered at Disneyland on June 24, 2006. Based on the popular Disney theme park attraction of the same name, the film would go on to become the fastest to gross over $1 billion. The film would lead to a franchise of five films to date.
June 25
“The King of Pop” Michael Jackson was found dead at age 50 at a Los Angeles mansion he had been renting on June 25, 2009. Jackson died from cardiac arrest caused by a propofol and benzodiazepine overdose. His personal physician, Conrad Murray, had given the pop star various medications to help him sleep. Murray would be convicted of involuntary manslaughter in Jackson’s death in 2011, serving less than two years of a four-year prison sentence.
June 26
Director Kathryn Bigelow’s war drama “The Hurt Locker,” premiered in the United States on June 26, 2009. The film starred Jeremy Renner and Anthony Mackie as military explosive ordnance disposal team members during the Iraq War. The film would win six Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director with Bigelow becoming the first female director to win the award in Oscars history.
June 27
New York Mets pitcher Anthony Young set one of the most dubious records in the history of professional sports on June 27, 1993, when he lost his 24th consecutive game. The streak would eventually go to 27 consecutive losses. During the streak Young had gone 0-14 as a starting pitcher and 0-13 as a relief pitcher. Young would play from 1991-1996 with the Mets, Chicago Cubs and Houston Astros. He would finish his career with a 15-48 win-loss record but a respectable 3.89 earned run average.
June 28
A boxing heavyweight championship bout between Evander Holyfield and Mike Tyson ended abruptly when Tyson bit a portion of Holyfield’s ear off, resulting in Tyson’s disqualification on June 28, 1997, at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. Following the disqualification, Tyson went berserk and approached Holyfield and his trainer and had to be subdued by security. Following the fight, Holyfield told the press that Tyson knew he was going to be knocked out and chose to lose in a disqualification instead. Tyson’s boxing license was revoked by the Nevada State Athletic Commission as a result of his actions, but the revocation was overturned in October of 1998 upon appeal.
June 29
Media mogul Ted Turner began his “Turner Time” ploy to keep people from turning the channel from his TBS cable station on June 29, 1981. “Turner Time” meant beginning shows either five minutes or 35 minutes past the hour to keep viewers tuned in and not change the channel. In the late ‘90s, TBS reduced its “Turner Time” scheduling and it was completely done away with by 2000.
June 16 - June 22
June 16
The Milwaukee Bucks traded All-Star center Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, a 3-time NBA MVP at the time who had led the team to the 1971 NBA title, to the Los Angeles Lakers on June 16, 1975, for four players after the superstar had requested a trade to either the Lakers or New York Knicks. Abdul-Jabbar would go on to win three more MVP awards with the Lakers, as well as five championships with the team in the 1980s. The Bucks would not win another championship until 2021.
June 17
Colombian pop singer Shakira hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart on June 17, 2006, with “Hips Don’t Lie,” feat. Wyclef Jean. “Hips Don’t Lie” was the first No. 1 of her career. The song would also set the record for the most-played song in a single week on American radio when it was aired 9,637 times.
The Milwaukee Bucks traded All-Star center Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, a 3-time NBA MVP at the time who had led the team to the 1971 NBA title, to the Los Angeles Lakers on June 16, 1975, for four players after the superstar had requested a trade to either the Lakers or New York Knicks. Abdul-Jabbar would go on to win three more MVP awards with the Lakers, as well as five championships with the team in the 1980s. The Bucks would not win another championship until 2021.
June 17
Colombian pop singer Shakira hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart on June 17, 2006, with “Hips Don’t Lie,” feat. Wyclef Jean. “Hips Don’t Lie” was the first No. 1 of her career. The song would also set the record for the most-played song in a single week on American radio when it was aired 9,637 times.
June 18
The action film “The Fast and the Furious,” directed by Rob Cohen and starring Paul Walker, Vin Diesel and Michelle Rodriguez, premiered on June 18, 2001. As of today, the series has featured 11 movies becoming one of the most successful film franchises in Hollywood history.
June 19
The Cleveland Cavaliers ruined what would have been the greatest season in NBA history by the Golden State Warriors when they clinched the 2016 NBA Finals in game 7 of the series with a 93-89 win on June 19, 2016. The Cavaliers became the first team in NBA Finals history to overcome a 3-1 deficit to win the title. Cavaliers forward LeBron James was named MVP of the series and made good on his promise to win a title in his home state after returning to the Cavaliers after winning multiple titles with the Miami Heat.
June 20
Daniel Day-Lewis, one of the most lauded actors in cinema history, announced his retirement from acting on June 20, 2017. The retirement came about half a year before the release of his final performance in director Paul Thomas Anderson’s “Phantom Thread,” for which Day-Lewis would receive his sixth career Best Actor Oscar nomination. Day-Lewis’s three Best Oscar wins for “My Left Foot” (1989), “There Will Be Blood” (2007) and “Lincoln” (2012) are the most in Academy Awards history.
June 21
Brazil defeated Italy 4-1 on June 21, 1970, to win the World Cup in Mexico City, Mexico. Brazil became the first country to win the World Cup three times. The team’s star Pele became the first player to win three World Cups, a record he holds to this day. Pele’s 12 career World Cup goals are tied for the sixth most all-time.
June 22
The Who’s concert in Atlanta on June 22, 1970, is delayed after a frustrated Pete Townshend, the band’s guitarist and songwriter, joked about planting a bomb on his airplane in Memphis, Tenn. after being frustrated by the length of time it was taking to takeoff. The joke delayed the flight further as the aircraft was searched for said bomb and Townshend was questioned.
The action film “The Fast and the Furious,” directed by Rob Cohen and starring Paul Walker, Vin Diesel and Michelle Rodriguez, premiered on June 18, 2001. As of today, the series has featured 11 movies becoming one of the most successful film franchises in Hollywood history.
June 19
The Cleveland Cavaliers ruined what would have been the greatest season in NBA history by the Golden State Warriors when they clinched the 2016 NBA Finals in game 7 of the series with a 93-89 win on June 19, 2016. The Cavaliers became the first team in NBA Finals history to overcome a 3-1 deficit to win the title. Cavaliers forward LeBron James was named MVP of the series and made good on his promise to win a title in his home state after returning to the Cavaliers after winning multiple titles with the Miami Heat.
June 20
Daniel Day-Lewis, one of the most lauded actors in cinema history, announced his retirement from acting on June 20, 2017. The retirement came about half a year before the release of his final performance in director Paul Thomas Anderson’s “Phantom Thread,” for which Day-Lewis would receive his sixth career Best Actor Oscar nomination. Day-Lewis’s three Best Oscar wins for “My Left Foot” (1989), “There Will Be Blood” (2007) and “Lincoln” (2012) are the most in Academy Awards history.
June 21
Brazil defeated Italy 4-1 on June 21, 1970, to win the World Cup in Mexico City, Mexico. Brazil became the first country to win the World Cup three times. The team’s star Pele became the first player to win three World Cups, a record he holds to this day. Pele’s 12 career World Cup goals are tied for the sixth most all-time.
June 22
The Who’s concert in Atlanta on June 22, 1970, is delayed after a frustrated Pete Townshend, the band’s guitarist and songwriter, joked about planting a bomb on his airplane in Memphis, Tenn. after being frustrated by the length of time it was taking to takeoff. The joke delayed the flight further as the aircraft was searched for said bomb and Townshend was questioned.
June 9 - June 15
June 9
Martina Navratilova defeated rival Chris Evert in straight sets to win the French Open on June 9, 1984. The title made Navratilova the second woman in Open Era history to hold all four tennis Grand Slam titles at once. Navratilova would finish her career with 18 Grand Slam titles, including two at the French Open. Her rival Evert would also finish her career with 18 Grand Slam titles.
June 10
Members of the controversial rap group 2 Live Crew were arrested on charges of public obscenity after performing songs from their album As Nasty As They Wanna Be at a nightclub in Hollywood, Fla. on June 10, 1990. A few days prior a federal court had ruled the album obscene, making it illegal to perform. Two days later, record retailer Charles Freeman became the first arrested involved with the album when he sold a copy to an undercover cop. It would take two years but in 1992 the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit overturned the obscenity ruling from the federal court. The Supreme Court denied to hear the appeal from Broward County, Fla.
June 11
In what would become dubbed the “Miracle at Merion,” golfer Ben Hogan won the 50th annual U.S. Open at Merion Golf Club in Ardmore, Pa. on June 11, 1950, in an 18-hole playoff against Lloyd Mangrum and George Fazio just 16 months after being severely injured in a car accident. On February 2, 1949, Hogan and his wife Valerie were returning home to Texas following the Phoenix Open tournament when a bus attempted to pass another vehicle on a bridge in foggy conditions and ended up in Hogan’s lane. There was no way for Hogan, driving the couple’s new Cadillac sedan, to avoid the accident. He threw himself in front of his wife to protect her, which in turn also saved his life as the steering column of their car wound up puncturing the driver’s seat. Hogan, 36, suffered a double fracture of his pelvis, fractured collar bone, fractured left ankle and near-fatal blood clots. Doctors said he might never walk again. He would remain in an El Paso, Texas hospital for nearly two months. Remarkably Hogan would win more major golf tournaments following his nearly life-ending accident than he had before, starting with the 1950 U.S. Open.
June 12
“Hamilton,” the musical written and starring Lin-Manuel Miranda which had taken Broadway by storm, won 11 Tonys at the 70th annual Tony Awards on June 12, 2016, following a record 16 nominations. The musical based on Ron Chernow’s 2004 biography of Alexander Hamilton told the story of one of America’s founding fathers using hip hop and a diverse cast. It would win the Tony Award for Best Musical, Best Leading Actor for Leslie Odom Jr. who played Aaron Burr, Best Featured Actor for Daveed Diggs who played Thomas Jefferson and Marquis de Lafayette and Best Featured Actress for Renee Elise Goldsberry who played Angelica Schuyler. Miranda won for Best Book of a Musical and Best Original Score.
June 13
In one of the deadliest moments in sports history, French driver Pierre Levegh was involved in a catastrophic accident on lap 35 of the 24 Hours of Le Mans endurance race in Le Mans, France on June 13, 1955, sending parts of his Mercedes into the grandstands. Levegh and 83 spectators were killed in the accident. At least 120 other spectators were injured. The accident occurred when Jaguar driver Mike Hawthorn pulled to the right side of the track in front of Austin-Healey driver Lance Macklin in an attempt to slow down for a pit stop. Macklin swerved from the path of the slowing Jaguar and into the path of Levegh, coming in a faster Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR. Levegh rear-ended Macklin, launching the Mercedes into the air and skipping over a protective berm at 125 mph making multiple impacts within a spectator area, the last of which caused his car to disintegrate. Levegh’s body was thrown from the car onto the track instantly killing him. Large pieces of his car, including the engine block, radiator and hood flew into the grandstand resulting in the majority of deaths and injuries to spectators. Race director Charles Faroux kept the race running despite the horrific tragedy. The remaining Mercedes teams withdrew from the race. The Jaguar driven by Hawthorn (who played a part in the deadly wreck) and Ivor Bueb won the race. The disaster led to the immediate ban on motorsports in some countries, including France. Most countries, including France, lifted their bans within the year, but Switzerland’s ban on motorsports would remain until 2022.
June 14
Capitol Records made the last-second decision to recall The Beatles album Yesterday and Today, scheduled for release the next day, on June 14, 1966, after deeming the “butcher cover” to be in poor taste. The album cover featured The Beatles in white coats, covered in decapitated baby dolls and pieces of raw meat. The cover was meant to be satirical with the band insisting it was a statement on the Vietnam War, with others having their own interpretations. Since the album had already been sent to stores, some copies made their way into circulation and have become a sought-after collectible item. In 2016, a mint-condition shrink-wrapped album sold for $125,000.
June 15
Jay-Z became the first rapper inducted into the Songwriter’s Hall of Fame on June 15, 2017. He was inducted alongside Babyface, Berry Gordy, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, Max Martin and Chicago members Peter Cetera, Robert Lamm and James Pankow. Since Jay Z’s induction, Jermaine Dupri, Missy Elliott, Pharrell Williams, Snoop Dogg and Timbaland have all been inducted from the rap/hip hop genre.
Martina Navratilova defeated rival Chris Evert in straight sets to win the French Open on June 9, 1984. The title made Navratilova the second woman in Open Era history to hold all four tennis Grand Slam titles at once. Navratilova would finish her career with 18 Grand Slam titles, including two at the French Open. Her rival Evert would also finish her career with 18 Grand Slam titles.
June 10
Members of the controversial rap group 2 Live Crew were arrested on charges of public obscenity after performing songs from their album As Nasty As They Wanna Be at a nightclub in Hollywood, Fla. on June 10, 1990. A few days prior a federal court had ruled the album obscene, making it illegal to perform. Two days later, record retailer Charles Freeman became the first arrested involved with the album when he sold a copy to an undercover cop. It would take two years but in 1992 the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit overturned the obscenity ruling from the federal court. The Supreme Court denied to hear the appeal from Broward County, Fla.
June 11
In what would become dubbed the “Miracle at Merion,” golfer Ben Hogan won the 50th annual U.S. Open at Merion Golf Club in Ardmore, Pa. on June 11, 1950, in an 18-hole playoff against Lloyd Mangrum and George Fazio just 16 months after being severely injured in a car accident. On February 2, 1949, Hogan and his wife Valerie were returning home to Texas following the Phoenix Open tournament when a bus attempted to pass another vehicle on a bridge in foggy conditions and ended up in Hogan’s lane. There was no way for Hogan, driving the couple’s new Cadillac sedan, to avoid the accident. He threw himself in front of his wife to protect her, which in turn also saved his life as the steering column of their car wound up puncturing the driver’s seat. Hogan, 36, suffered a double fracture of his pelvis, fractured collar bone, fractured left ankle and near-fatal blood clots. Doctors said he might never walk again. He would remain in an El Paso, Texas hospital for nearly two months. Remarkably Hogan would win more major golf tournaments following his nearly life-ending accident than he had before, starting with the 1950 U.S. Open.
June 12
“Hamilton,” the musical written and starring Lin-Manuel Miranda which had taken Broadway by storm, won 11 Tonys at the 70th annual Tony Awards on June 12, 2016, following a record 16 nominations. The musical based on Ron Chernow’s 2004 biography of Alexander Hamilton told the story of one of America’s founding fathers using hip hop and a diverse cast. It would win the Tony Award for Best Musical, Best Leading Actor for Leslie Odom Jr. who played Aaron Burr, Best Featured Actor for Daveed Diggs who played Thomas Jefferson and Marquis de Lafayette and Best Featured Actress for Renee Elise Goldsberry who played Angelica Schuyler. Miranda won for Best Book of a Musical and Best Original Score.
June 13
In one of the deadliest moments in sports history, French driver Pierre Levegh was involved in a catastrophic accident on lap 35 of the 24 Hours of Le Mans endurance race in Le Mans, France on June 13, 1955, sending parts of his Mercedes into the grandstands. Levegh and 83 spectators were killed in the accident. At least 120 other spectators were injured. The accident occurred when Jaguar driver Mike Hawthorn pulled to the right side of the track in front of Austin-Healey driver Lance Macklin in an attempt to slow down for a pit stop. Macklin swerved from the path of the slowing Jaguar and into the path of Levegh, coming in a faster Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR. Levegh rear-ended Macklin, launching the Mercedes into the air and skipping over a protective berm at 125 mph making multiple impacts within a spectator area, the last of which caused his car to disintegrate. Levegh’s body was thrown from the car onto the track instantly killing him. Large pieces of his car, including the engine block, radiator and hood flew into the grandstand resulting in the majority of deaths and injuries to spectators. Race director Charles Faroux kept the race running despite the horrific tragedy. The remaining Mercedes teams withdrew from the race. The Jaguar driven by Hawthorn (who played a part in the deadly wreck) and Ivor Bueb won the race. The disaster led to the immediate ban on motorsports in some countries, including France. Most countries, including France, lifted their bans within the year, but Switzerland’s ban on motorsports would remain until 2022.
June 14
Capitol Records made the last-second decision to recall The Beatles album Yesterday and Today, scheduled for release the next day, on June 14, 1966, after deeming the “butcher cover” to be in poor taste. The album cover featured The Beatles in white coats, covered in decapitated baby dolls and pieces of raw meat. The cover was meant to be satirical with the band insisting it was a statement on the Vietnam War, with others having their own interpretations. Since the album had already been sent to stores, some copies made their way into circulation and have become a sought-after collectible item. In 2016, a mint-condition shrink-wrapped album sold for $125,000.
June 15
Jay-Z became the first rapper inducted into the Songwriter’s Hall of Fame on June 15, 2017. He was inducted alongside Babyface, Berry Gordy, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, Max Martin and Chicago members Peter Cetera, Robert Lamm and James Pankow. Since Jay Z’s induction, Jermaine Dupri, Missy Elliott, Pharrell Williams, Snoop Dogg and Timbaland have all been inducted from the rap/hip hop genre.
June 2 - June 8
June 2
The Seattle Mariners selected outfielder Ken Griffey Jr. out of Archbishop Moeller High School in Cincinnati first overall in the Major League Baseball draft on June 2, 1987. Griffey would make his MLB debut in 1989 and play 11 seasons with the Mariners winning the American League Most Valuable Player in 1997 with the team. Griffey would finish his career with the Cincinnati Reds, Chicago White Sox and then back where it all began with the Mariners. When he was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2016 he became the first No. 1 pick in MLB Draft history to make it to Cooperstown (he has since been joined by Chipper Jones and Harold Baines).
June 3
Arkansas Governor and hopeful for the Democratic nominee for President, Bill Clinton performed the saxophone on the popular nightly talk show “The Arsenio Hall Show” on June 3, 1992. He performed “Heartbreak Hotel” by Elvis Presley on the sax to the cheering audience. The appearance on the show would later be viewed as a definitive moment for Clinton in capturing the attention of young voters and helping him win the 1992 Presidential election.
June 4
Boston Beaneaters pitcher John Clarkson became the first pitcher in Major League Baseball history to pitch an immaculate inning when he did so against the Philadelphia Quakers on June 4, 1889. An immaculate inning is when a pitcher strikes out three consecutive batters using the minimum nine pitches. There have been 114 immaculate innings in MLB history. The most recent one being Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Johan Oviedo in May of last year.
June 5
Country music singer Toby Keith’s debut single “Should’ve Been a Cowboy, released in February, hit No. 1 on the Billboard country music chart on June 5, 1993. It would be the first of his 20 career country music No. 1 singles. The song, which romanticized the Western way of life, would be the most-played song on country radio in the 1990s.
The Seattle Mariners selected outfielder Ken Griffey Jr. out of Archbishop Moeller High School in Cincinnati first overall in the Major League Baseball draft on June 2, 1987. Griffey would make his MLB debut in 1989 and play 11 seasons with the Mariners winning the American League Most Valuable Player in 1997 with the team. Griffey would finish his career with the Cincinnati Reds, Chicago White Sox and then back where it all began with the Mariners. When he was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2016 he became the first No. 1 pick in MLB Draft history to make it to Cooperstown (he has since been joined by Chipper Jones and Harold Baines).
June 3
Arkansas Governor and hopeful for the Democratic nominee for President, Bill Clinton performed the saxophone on the popular nightly talk show “The Arsenio Hall Show” on June 3, 1992. He performed “Heartbreak Hotel” by Elvis Presley on the sax to the cheering audience. The appearance on the show would later be viewed as a definitive moment for Clinton in capturing the attention of young voters and helping him win the 1992 Presidential election.
June 4
Boston Beaneaters pitcher John Clarkson became the first pitcher in Major League Baseball history to pitch an immaculate inning when he did so against the Philadelphia Quakers on June 4, 1889. An immaculate inning is when a pitcher strikes out three consecutive batters using the minimum nine pitches. There have been 114 immaculate innings in MLB history. The most recent one being Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Johan Oviedo in May of last year.
June 5
Country music singer Toby Keith’s debut single “Should’ve Been a Cowboy, released in February, hit No. 1 on the Billboard country music chart on June 5, 1993. It would be the first of his 20 career country music No. 1 singles. The song, which romanticized the Western way of life, would be the most-played song on country radio in the 1990s.
June 6
The comedy “Sex and the City” premiered on HBO on June 6, 1998. The series starred Sarah Jessica Parker as Carrie Bradshaw, a sex columnist in New York City, and focused on the sex lives and dating habits of her and her friends Samantha, Charlotte and Miranda. The series would run for 94 episodes over six seasons and spawned off two feature films and a current Max streaming spinoff series “And Just Like That…” “Sex and the City” won seven Emmy Awards, including Outstanding Comedy Series in 2001.
June 7
The Washington Bullets defeated the Seattle SuperSonics 105-99 in game seven of the NBA Finals to win the first NBA title in franchise history (and to this date the only one) on June 7, 1978. Bullets forward Wes Unseld was named MVP of the series averaging nine points, nearly 12 rebounds and nearly four assists. The 1978 NBA Finals was the only time in NBA history in which both teams won fewer than 50 games during the season in an 82-game season.
June 8
After the Pittsburgh Pirates scored 10 runs in the top of the first inning of a game against the Philadelphia Phillies on June 8, 1989, the team’s color analyst Jim Rooker said in the bottom half of the inning: “If we don’t win this game, I don’t think I’d want to be on that plane ride home. Matter of fact, if we lose this game, I’ll walk back to Pittsburgh.” The Phillies came back to defeat the Pirates 15-11. Rooker had to wait until the end of the season to make good on his word turning the 300-mile-plus walk from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh into a charity event.
May 26 - June 1
May 26
Johnny Rutherford won his first of three career Indianapolis 500 victories on May 26, 1974. It was the first time in the race’s history the event was held on a Sunday ending the “never on a Sunday” policy the race had from its inaugural event in 1911 through 1973. From 1911-1970 the event was held on May 30, regardless of the day of the week (except when it fell on a Sunday).
May 27
After a 14-year hiatus, the Eagles reunited for a show in Burbank, Calif. on May 27, 1994. The band would soon launch its “Hell Freezes Over” tour, which would become the first tour to charge more than $100 for a substantial number of tickets, something that’s commonplace today. The band has toured often in the 30 years since, even after the death of founding member Glenn Frey in 2016.
May 28
CBS Korean War dramedy “M*A*S*H” won Outstanding Comedy Series at the 26th annual Primetime Emmy Awards on May 28, 1974. “Upstairs, Downstairs,” which originally aired on ITV in the United Kingdom and debuted in America on PBS, won Outstanding Drama Series. Alan Alda won Best Actor in a Comedy Series for his performance as Hawkeye Pierce on “M*A*S*H,” while Mary Tyler Moore won Best Actress in a Comedy Series for “The Mary Tyler Moore Show.” Telly Savalas won Best Actor in a Drama Series for his titular role in the CBS crime drama “Kojak” and Michael Learned won Best Actress in a Drama Series for “The Waltons.”
May 29
Philadelphia Phillies ace Roy Halladay pitched the 20th perfect game in Major League Baseball history against the Florida Marlins on May 29, 2010, winning the game 1-0. Halladay struck out 11 Marlins hitters. Halladay’s perfect game came just 20 days after Oakland Athletics hurler Dallas Braden pitched one against the Tampa Bay Rays marking the only time in MLB history that perfect games were thrown within the same calendar month.
May 30
Eminem’s sophomore album The Marshall Mathers LP became the fastest-selling album in the history of rap music on May 30, 2000, when it sold 1.76 million copies in its debut week. The album included the hits “The Real Slim Shady” and “Stan” and would go on to be nominated for Album of the Year at the Grammy Awards and win Best Rap Album at the ceremony.
May 31
NBC sitcom “Night Court” aired its series finale episode “The 1992 Boat Show” on May 31, 1992, after nine seasons and 193 episodes. The series, which starred Harry Anderson as wacky judge Harry Stone, won seven Emmy Awards during its run including four for John Larroquette as womanizing district attorney Dan Fielding. NBC rebooted “Night Court” in 2023 with Larroquette as the only returning cast member.
June 1
Boston Braves first baseman Hank Gowdy became the first active Major League Baseball player to enlist for service in World War I on June 1, 1917. Gowdy would become the only MLB player to fight in both WWI and WWII. In WWI, Gowdy saw action in France with the 166th Infantry Regiment of the Ohio National Guard, including some of the worst trench fighting of the war. He returned to baseball in 1919. Gowdy retired from MLB in 1930. He became a coach in the league following his retirement before leaving to serve as an Army captain in WWII at 53 years old.
Johnny Rutherford won his first of three career Indianapolis 500 victories on May 26, 1974. It was the first time in the race’s history the event was held on a Sunday ending the “never on a Sunday” policy the race had from its inaugural event in 1911 through 1973. From 1911-1970 the event was held on May 30, regardless of the day of the week (except when it fell on a Sunday).
May 27
After a 14-year hiatus, the Eagles reunited for a show in Burbank, Calif. on May 27, 1994. The band would soon launch its “Hell Freezes Over” tour, which would become the first tour to charge more than $100 for a substantial number of tickets, something that’s commonplace today. The band has toured often in the 30 years since, even after the death of founding member Glenn Frey in 2016.
May 28
CBS Korean War dramedy “M*A*S*H” won Outstanding Comedy Series at the 26th annual Primetime Emmy Awards on May 28, 1974. “Upstairs, Downstairs,” which originally aired on ITV in the United Kingdom and debuted in America on PBS, won Outstanding Drama Series. Alan Alda won Best Actor in a Comedy Series for his performance as Hawkeye Pierce on “M*A*S*H,” while Mary Tyler Moore won Best Actress in a Comedy Series for “The Mary Tyler Moore Show.” Telly Savalas won Best Actor in a Drama Series for his titular role in the CBS crime drama “Kojak” and Michael Learned won Best Actress in a Drama Series for “The Waltons.”
May 29
Philadelphia Phillies ace Roy Halladay pitched the 20th perfect game in Major League Baseball history against the Florida Marlins on May 29, 2010, winning the game 1-0. Halladay struck out 11 Marlins hitters. Halladay’s perfect game came just 20 days after Oakland Athletics hurler Dallas Braden pitched one against the Tampa Bay Rays marking the only time in MLB history that perfect games were thrown within the same calendar month.
May 30
Eminem’s sophomore album The Marshall Mathers LP became the fastest-selling album in the history of rap music on May 30, 2000, when it sold 1.76 million copies in its debut week. The album included the hits “The Real Slim Shady” and “Stan” and would go on to be nominated for Album of the Year at the Grammy Awards and win Best Rap Album at the ceremony.
May 31
NBC sitcom “Night Court” aired its series finale episode “The 1992 Boat Show” on May 31, 1992, after nine seasons and 193 episodes. The series, which starred Harry Anderson as wacky judge Harry Stone, won seven Emmy Awards during its run including four for John Larroquette as womanizing district attorney Dan Fielding. NBC rebooted “Night Court” in 2023 with Larroquette as the only returning cast member.
June 1
Boston Braves first baseman Hank Gowdy became the first active Major League Baseball player to enlist for service in World War I on June 1, 1917. Gowdy would become the only MLB player to fight in both WWI and WWII. In WWI, Gowdy saw action in France with the 166th Infantry Regiment of the Ohio National Guard, including some of the worst trench fighting of the war. He returned to baseball in 1919. Gowdy retired from MLB in 1930. He became a coach in the league following his retirement before leaving to serve as an Army captain in WWII at 53 years old.
May 19 - May 25
May 19
“Get Smart,” the NBC spy spoof created by Mel Brooks and Buck Henry, won Outstanding Comedy Series at the 20th annual Emmy Awards on May 19, 1968. Don Adams would win Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series for his role as Maxwell Smart on the show. Lucille Ball won Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series for “The Lucy Show” (CBS). The CBS drama series “Mission: Impossible” won Outstanding Drama Series that evening with Barbara Bain winning Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series for her performance. Bill Cosby won Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series for his role in NBC’s “I Spy.”
May 20
After 11 seasons as one of the best comedies on TV, the final episode of the NBC sitcom “Cheers,” titled “One for the Road,” aired on May 20, 1993. The special 98-minute series finale was seen by 42.4 million households making it the second-highest-rated TV series finale of all time behind “M*A*S*H.” Shelley Long reprised her role as Diane Chambers in the finale after six years off of the show. “Cheers” ended its run having won 28 Emmy Awards, including Outstanding Comedy Series four times.
May 21
After nearly two decades of being a bridesmaid, “All My Children” soap opera star Susan Lucci finally won a Daytime Emmy Award on May 21, 1999, after 19 nominations, the longest period of unsuccessful nominations in TV history.
May 22
Minutes after the end of an Ariana Grande concert at the Manchester Arena in Manchester, England on May 22, 2017, suicide bomber Salman Abedi set off a bomb in the arena’s foyer area that would kill 22 people and injure more than 500 in one of the world’s worst attacks on a music venue. The terrorist group ISIS claimed responsibility for the attack. Grande hosted a benefit concert on June 4 that raised £17 million for victims of the attack. The arena would reopen in September of 2017.
May 23
Phil Mickelson became the oldest golfer to win a major tournament (Masters, PGA Championship, U.S. Open, British Open) when he won the PGA Championship at Ocean Course Kiawah Island in South Carolina at 50 years, 11 months old on May 23, 2021. It was Mickelson’s sixth career major tournament victory and second PGA title. Mickelson would controversially soon turn his back on the PGA Tour for a huge payday with the upstart LIV Golf tour.
May 24
Rapper Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson was shot nine times while in the backseat of a parked car outside of his grandmother’s home in South Jamaica on May 24, 2000. He was shot in the hand, arm, hip, both legs, chest and left cheek. Jackson spent 13 days recovering in the hospital. His alleged attacker, Darryl Baum, was killed three weeks later. In the aftermath of the shooting, Jackson was dropped by his record label Columbia Records. But using his shooting as inspiration and marketing, he released his debut album Get Rich or Die Tryin’ in 2003 to great acclaim and popularity.
May 25
The Pittsburgh Penguins clinch the first Stanley Cup Final title in franchise history with an 8-0 win over the Minnesota North Stars in Bloomington, Minn. on May 25, 1991, to win the series 4-2. The team, founded in 1967, was led by captain Mario Lemieux, who led all scorers with 12 points in the series despite missing a game due to a back injury. The Penguins have added four more Stanley Cups to their legacy since 1991.
“Get Smart,” the NBC spy spoof created by Mel Brooks and Buck Henry, won Outstanding Comedy Series at the 20th annual Emmy Awards on May 19, 1968. Don Adams would win Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series for his role as Maxwell Smart on the show. Lucille Ball won Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series for “The Lucy Show” (CBS). The CBS drama series “Mission: Impossible” won Outstanding Drama Series that evening with Barbara Bain winning Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series for her performance. Bill Cosby won Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series for his role in NBC’s “I Spy.”
May 20
After 11 seasons as one of the best comedies on TV, the final episode of the NBC sitcom “Cheers,” titled “One for the Road,” aired on May 20, 1993. The special 98-minute series finale was seen by 42.4 million households making it the second-highest-rated TV series finale of all time behind “M*A*S*H.” Shelley Long reprised her role as Diane Chambers in the finale after six years off of the show. “Cheers” ended its run having won 28 Emmy Awards, including Outstanding Comedy Series four times.
May 21
After nearly two decades of being a bridesmaid, “All My Children” soap opera star Susan Lucci finally won a Daytime Emmy Award on May 21, 1999, after 19 nominations, the longest period of unsuccessful nominations in TV history.
May 22
Minutes after the end of an Ariana Grande concert at the Manchester Arena in Manchester, England on May 22, 2017, suicide bomber Salman Abedi set off a bomb in the arena’s foyer area that would kill 22 people and injure more than 500 in one of the world’s worst attacks on a music venue. The terrorist group ISIS claimed responsibility for the attack. Grande hosted a benefit concert on June 4 that raised £17 million for victims of the attack. The arena would reopen in September of 2017.
May 23
Phil Mickelson became the oldest golfer to win a major tournament (Masters, PGA Championship, U.S. Open, British Open) when he won the PGA Championship at Ocean Course Kiawah Island in South Carolina at 50 years, 11 months old on May 23, 2021. It was Mickelson’s sixth career major tournament victory and second PGA title. Mickelson would controversially soon turn his back on the PGA Tour for a huge payday with the upstart LIV Golf tour.
May 24
Rapper Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson was shot nine times while in the backseat of a parked car outside of his grandmother’s home in South Jamaica on May 24, 2000. He was shot in the hand, arm, hip, both legs, chest and left cheek. Jackson spent 13 days recovering in the hospital. His alleged attacker, Darryl Baum, was killed three weeks later. In the aftermath of the shooting, Jackson was dropped by his record label Columbia Records. But using his shooting as inspiration and marketing, he released his debut album Get Rich or Die Tryin’ in 2003 to great acclaim and popularity.
May 25
The Pittsburgh Penguins clinch the first Stanley Cup Final title in franchise history with an 8-0 win over the Minnesota North Stars in Bloomington, Minn. on May 25, 1991, to win the series 4-2. The team, founded in 1967, was led by captain Mario Lemieux, who led all scorers with 12 points in the series despite missing a game due to a back injury. The Penguins have added four more Stanley Cups to their legacy since 1991.
May 12 - May 18
May 12
Director Quentin Tarantino’s “Pulp Fiction,” starring John Travolta, Uma Thurman and Samuel L. Jackson, premiered at the Cannes Film Festival on May 12, 1994. The film would win the coveted Palme d’Or for the best film at the festival. “Pulp Fiction” would be nominated for seven Academy Awards, including Best Picture (losing to “Forrest Gump”) and winning Best Original Screenplay for Tarantino and Roger Avery.
May 13
California Angels designated hitter Reggie Jackson became the first player in Major League Baseball history to strike out 2,000 times in a career when he did so on May 13, 1983, in a 5-4 loss to the Minnesota Twins. Jackson would finish his career with 2,597 career strikeouts, which remains the most in MLB history. As of today, seven MLB players have struck out 2,000 or more times in their career.
May 14
The two-part series finale of NBC hit sitcom “Seinfeld,” simply titled “The Finale,” aired on May 14, 1998. The episode was watched by 76.3 million viewers, making it the fourth most-watched series finale in TV history (behind “M*A*S*H,” “Cheers” and “The Fugitive”). The episode would leave many viewers cold with its ending seeing its four characters in prison for violating a small town’s “Good Samaritan law.”
May 15
Tony Bennett’s “I Left My Heart in San Francisco” won Record of the Year at the fifth annual Grammy Awards ceremony on May 15, 1963. Comedian/impersonator Vaughn Meader won Album of the Year for The First Family, a good-natured comedy album about the Kennedys. It was the second time in the Grammy’s five years that a comedy album won Album of the Year and to this date the last. Songwriters Leslie Bricusse and Anthony Newley won Song of the Year for “What Kind of Fool Am I?,” made popular by Sammy Davis Jr.
May 16
Michael Jackson introduced the world to the Moonwalk for the first time on television when he broke out the move during a performance of his hit “Billie Jean” on the Motown 25th anniversary TV special on NBC on May 16, 1983. The Moonwalk would likely become the most famous dance move in pop music history.
May 17
Atlanta Braves outfielder Hank Aaron became the ninth player in Major League Baseball history to accumulate 3,000 career base hits when he singled off Cincinnati Reds pitcher Wayne Simpson on May 17, 1970, at Cincinnati’s Crosley Field. Aaron would finish his career with 3,771 hits, the third most in MLB history. Even if you removed Aaron’s 754 career homers he would still have compiled more than 3,000 hits.
May 18
Arizona Diamondbacks all-star pitcher Randy Johnson became the 16th pitcher in Major League Baseball history to pitch a perfect game when he did so against the Atlanta Braves on May 18, 2004, at Turner Field in Atlanta. Johnson struck out 13 Braves that night. At 40 years old he was (and still is) the oldest pitcher in MLB history to pitch a perfect game.
Director Quentin Tarantino’s “Pulp Fiction,” starring John Travolta, Uma Thurman and Samuel L. Jackson, premiered at the Cannes Film Festival on May 12, 1994. The film would win the coveted Palme d’Or for the best film at the festival. “Pulp Fiction” would be nominated for seven Academy Awards, including Best Picture (losing to “Forrest Gump”) and winning Best Original Screenplay for Tarantino and Roger Avery.
May 13
California Angels designated hitter Reggie Jackson became the first player in Major League Baseball history to strike out 2,000 times in a career when he did so on May 13, 1983, in a 5-4 loss to the Minnesota Twins. Jackson would finish his career with 2,597 career strikeouts, which remains the most in MLB history. As of today, seven MLB players have struck out 2,000 or more times in their career.
May 14
The two-part series finale of NBC hit sitcom “Seinfeld,” simply titled “The Finale,” aired on May 14, 1998. The episode was watched by 76.3 million viewers, making it the fourth most-watched series finale in TV history (behind “M*A*S*H,” “Cheers” and “The Fugitive”). The episode would leave many viewers cold with its ending seeing its four characters in prison for violating a small town’s “Good Samaritan law.”
May 15
Tony Bennett’s “I Left My Heart in San Francisco” won Record of the Year at the fifth annual Grammy Awards ceremony on May 15, 1963. Comedian/impersonator Vaughn Meader won Album of the Year for The First Family, a good-natured comedy album about the Kennedys. It was the second time in the Grammy’s five years that a comedy album won Album of the Year and to this date the last. Songwriters Leslie Bricusse and Anthony Newley won Song of the Year for “What Kind of Fool Am I?,” made popular by Sammy Davis Jr.
May 16
Michael Jackson introduced the world to the Moonwalk for the first time on television when he broke out the move during a performance of his hit “Billie Jean” on the Motown 25th anniversary TV special on NBC on May 16, 1983. The Moonwalk would likely become the most famous dance move in pop music history.
May 17
Atlanta Braves outfielder Hank Aaron became the ninth player in Major League Baseball history to accumulate 3,000 career base hits when he singled off Cincinnati Reds pitcher Wayne Simpson on May 17, 1970, at Cincinnati’s Crosley Field. Aaron would finish his career with 3,771 hits, the third most in MLB history. Even if you removed Aaron’s 754 career homers he would still have compiled more than 3,000 hits.
May 18
Arizona Diamondbacks all-star pitcher Randy Johnson became the 16th pitcher in Major League Baseball history to pitch a perfect game when he did so against the Atlanta Braves on May 18, 2004, at Turner Field in Atlanta. Johnson struck out 13 Braves that night. At 40 years old he was (and still is) the oldest pitcher in MLB history to pitch a perfect game.
May 5 - May 11
May 5
“Lucy Does a TV Commercial,” the 30th episode of the first season of the CBS sitcom “I Love Lucy” premiered on May 5, 1952. The episode sees Lucille Ball’s Lucy Ricardo finagle her way into doing a commercial for one of her husband Ricky’s sponsors, the Vitameatavegamin health tonic. Lucy struggles to get the pronunciation of the tonic down and because it includes 23% alcohol she gets more and more drunk with each passing take. “Lucy Does a TV Commercial” was watched by 68% of the television viewing audience upon its debut. The episode is widely considered the greatest in “I Love Lucy” history and was ranked as the fourth greatest T.V. episode of all time by TV Guide in 2009.
May 6
At a hotel in Clearwater, Fla. on May 6, 1965, Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards couldn’t sleep because he had a guitar riff running through his head. To fall asleep and to get the riff down, he pulls out a tape recorder then falls asleep and when he wakes up the next morning he’s found he has the riff to what would become the band’s biggest hit at least at the time, “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction.” The song was ranked as the 31st greatest of all time by Rolling Stone magazine in 2021.
May 7
The Los Angeles Lakers defeated the New York Knicks 114-100 on May 7, 1972, to win the NBA Finals in five games. It was the Lakers' first championship since the team moved from Minneapolis to Los Angeles in 1960. It would wind up being the only championship in Lakers guard Jerry West’s illustrious career. Lakers center Wilt Chamberlain was named Finals MVP and celebrated the second title of his career (1967 Philadelphia 76ers).
May 8
Nearly 20 years before the creation of MTV, Bob Dylan and director D.A. Pennebaker would make one of the earliest music videos ever with “Subterranean Homesick Blues.” The song, Dylan’s first top-40 hit in the U.S., was a rapid-fire performance of hyperkinetic lyrics that was sort of a precursor to rap music with its counterculture and of-the-day allusions. The music video saw Dylan turning cue cards with the lyrics on them over the song.
May 9
“All in the Family” (CBS) won Outstanding Comedy Series and “The Bold Ones: The Senator” (NBC) won Outstanding Drama Series at the 23rd annual Emmy Awards on May 9, 1971. “The Mary Tyler Moore Show” (CBS) was nominated for the most awards that evening with eight and its four wins (including Ed Asner and Valerie Harper in supporting roles) tied “The Bold Ones: The Senator” for the most wins that year.
May 10
Atlanta Braves pitcher Hoyt Wilhelm became the first player in Major League Baseball history to pitch in 1,000 games on May 10, 1970. Wilhelm pitched the final inning in a 6-5 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals. Today, Wilhelm’s 1,070 pitching appearances are the sixth most in MLB history (Jesse Orosco holds the record with 1,252). Wilhelm finished his career with a 143-122 record, 2.52 ERA and 228 saves. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1985.
May 11
John Lennon mentions that the FBI is monitoring him on the May 11, 1972, episode of “The Dick Cavett Show” on ABC. Many viewers probably thought Lennon was paranoid at the time but in 2000 it was revealed that the FBI really had monitored Lennon for “anti-war activities” and even attempted to deport Lennon and his wife Yoko Ono in the ‘70s.
“Lucy Does a TV Commercial,” the 30th episode of the first season of the CBS sitcom “I Love Lucy” premiered on May 5, 1952. The episode sees Lucille Ball’s Lucy Ricardo finagle her way into doing a commercial for one of her husband Ricky’s sponsors, the Vitameatavegamin health tonic. Lucy struggles to get the pronunciation of the tonic down and because it includes 23% alcohol she gets more and more drunk with each passing take. “Lucy Does a TV Commercial” was watched by 68% of the television viewing audience upon its debut. The episode is widely considered the greatest in “I Love Lucy” history and was ranked as the fourth greatest T.V. episode of all time by TV Guide in 2009.
May 6
At a hotel in Clearwater, Fla. on May 6, 1965, Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards couldn’t sleep because he had a guitar riff running through his head. To fall asleep and to get the riff down, he pulls out a tape recorder then falls asleep and when he wakes up the next morning he’s found he has the riff to what would become the band’s biggest hit at least at the time, “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction.” The song was ranked as the 31st greatest of all time by Rolling Stone magazine in 2021.
May 7
The Los Angeles Lakers defeated the New York Knicks 114-100 on May 7, 1972, to win the NBA Finals in five games. It was the Lakers' first championship since the team moved from Minneapolis to Los Angeles in 1960. It would wind up being the only championship in Lakers guard Jerry West’s illustrious career. Lakers center Wilt Chamberlain was named Finals MVP and celebrated the second title of his career (1967 Philadelphia 76ers).
May 8
Nearly 20 years before the creation of MTV, Bob Dylan and director D.A. Pennebaker would make one of the earliest music videos ever with “Subterranean Homesick Blues.” The song, Dylan’s first top-40 hit in the U.S., was a rapid-fire performance of hyperkinetic lyrics that was sort of a precursor to rap music with its counterculture and of-the-day allusions. The music video saw Dylan turning cue cards with the lyrics on them over the song.
May 9
“All in the Family” (CBS) won Outstanding Comedy Series and “The Bold Ones: The Senator” (NBC) won Outstanding Drama Series at the 23rd annual Emmy Awards on May 9, 1971. “The Mary Tyler Moore Show” (CBS) was nominated for the most awards that evening with eight and its four wins (including Ed Asner and Valerie Harper in supporting roles) tied “The Bold Ones: The Senator” for the most wins that year.
May 10
Atlanta Braves pitcher Hoyt Wilhelm became the first player in Major League Baseball history to pitch in 1,000 games on May 10, 1970. Wilhelm pitched the final inning in a 6-5 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals. Today, Wilhelm’s 1,070 pitching appearances are the sixth most in MLB history (Jesse Orosco holds the record with 1,252). Wilhelm finished his career with a 143-122 record, 2.52 ERA and 228 saves. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1985.
May 11
John Lennon mentions that the FBI is monitoring him on the May 11, 1972, episode of “The Dick Cavett Show” on ABC. Many viewers probably thought Lennon was paranoid at the time but in 2000 it was revealed that the FBI really had monitored Lennon for “anti-war activities” and even attempted to deport Lennon and his wife Yoko Ono in the ‘70s.
April 28 - May 4
April 28
Rock band Cheap Trick played the first of two shows at the Budokan Arena in Tokyo, Japan, where the band had a big following, on April 28, 1978. The band’s two shows at the arena were recorded and released as the live album Cheap Trick At Budokan, which would break them wide in their homeland of America with the live version of “I Want You to Want Me” going to No. 7 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1979. The band had previously never had a top-50 hit.
April 29
ABC’s sports anthology program “Wide World of Sports” premiered on April 29, 1961, and would be a staple on the network for nearly 40 years primarily hosted by Jim McKay. Created by Edgar Scherick and produced by Roone Arledge, the show would primarily feature sports that weren’t widely broadcast like auto racing, rodeo, curling, powerlifting, surfing, slow-pitch softball, badminton, etc. Traditional Olympic sports like figure skating, skiing and gymnastics would also be featured regularly as ABC also had the rights to the Olympics for much of the show’s span. The series came to an end in 1997.
April 30
San Francisco Giants outfielder Willie Mays became the ninth player in Major League Baseball history to hit four home runs in one game when he did so in the Giants 14-4 win against the Milwaukee Braves on April 30, 1961. Mays’s 660 career homers are the most by any of the 18 players to have a four-homer game in MLB history.
May 1
Nickelodeon animated series “SpongeBob SquarePants” premiered as a sneak preview episode following the 1999 Kids’ Choice Awards on May 1, 1999. The series, created by marine science educator and animator Stephen Hillenburg, would officially premiere on July 17, 1999. The series follows the adventures of the titular character and his aquatic friends in the underwater city of Bikini Bottom. The show, still in production, has aired 299 episodes to this date.
May 2
Diane Crump became the first female to jockey a horse in the Kentucky Derby on May 2, 1970. Crump took a horse named Fathom to a 15th-place finish in the 17-horse field at Churchhill Downs, where she had won the first race on the undercard earlier in the day. Dust Commander, ridden by Mike Manganello, won the Derby that day.
May 3
The Silver Dollar City Tennessee amusement park in Pigeon Forge, Tenn. reopened as Dollywood on May 3, 1986, after country music superstar Dolly Parton took ownership stake. The park would grow considerably and become successful with Parton’s involvement. Today, Dollywood hosts nearly three million guests between mid-March and the Christmas holidays making it the biggest ticketed tourist attraction in Tennessee.
May 4
For the first time in the nearly century and a half running of the Kentucky Derby, a horse is disqualified for a race infraction when Maximum Security, the first horse to cross the finish line, was ruled for interference at the 145th running of the race on May 4, 2019. Longshot Country House was declared the winner. Maximum Security’s interference was due to costing two competing horses, War of Will and Long Range Toddy, betting placing by swerving into their path causing them to check their strides.
Rock band Cheap Trick played the first of two shows at the Budokan Arena in Tokyo, Japan, where the band had a big following, on April 28, 1978. The band’s two shows at the arena were recorded and released as the live album Cheap Trick At Budokan, which would break them wide in their homeland of America with the live version of “I Want You to Want Me” going to No. 7 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1979. The band had previously never had a top-50 hit.
April 29
ABC’s sports anthology program “Wide World of Sports” premiered on April 29, 1961, and would be a staple on the network for nearly 40 years primarily hosted by Jim McKay. Created by Edgar Scherick and produced by Roone Arledge, the show would primarily feature sports that weren’t widely broadcast like auto racing, rodeo, curling, powerlifting, surfing, slow-pitch softball, badminton, etc. Traditional Olympic sports like figure skating, skiing and gymnastics would also be featured regularly as ABC also had the rights to the Olympics for much of the show’s span. The series came to an end in 1997.
April 30
San Francisco Giants outfielder Willie Mays became the ninth player in Major League Baseball history to hit four home runs in one game when he did so in the Giants 14-4 win against the Milwaukee Braves on April 30, 1961. Mays’s 660 career homers are the most by any of the 18 players to have a four-homer game in MLB history.
May 1
Nickelodeon animated series “SpongeBob SquarePants” premiered as a sneak preview episode following the 1999 Kids’ Choice Awards on May 1, 1999. The series, created by marine science educator and animator Stephen Hillenburg, would officially premiere on July 17, 1999. The series follows the adventures of the titular character and his aquatic friends in the underwater city of Bikini Bottom. The show, still in production, has aired 299 episodes to this date.
May 2
Diane Crump became the first female to jockey a horse in the Kentucky Derby on May 2, 1970. Crump took a horse named Fathom to a 15th-place finish in the 17-horse field at Churchhill Downs, where she had won the first race on the undercard earlier in the day. Dust Commander, ridden by Mike Manganello, won the Derby that day.
May 3
The Silver Dollar City Tennessee amusement park in Pigeon Forge, Tenn. reopened as Dollywood on May 3, 1986, after country music superstar Dolly Parton took ownership stake. The park would grow considerably and become successful with Parton’s involvement. Today, Dollywood hosts nearly three million guests between mid-March and the Christmas holidays making it the biggest ticketed tourist attraction in Tennessee.
May 4
For the first time in the nearly century and a half running of the Kentucky Derby, a horse is disqualified for a race infraction when Maximum Security, the first horse to cross the finish line, was ruled for interference at the 145th running of the race on May 4, 2019. Longshot Country House was declared the winner. Maximum Security’s interference was due to costing two competing horses, War of Will and Long Range Toddy, betting placing by swerving into their path causing them to check their strides.
April 21 - April 27
April 21
Dick Clark testified before Congress on the practice of “Payola” and admitted that he took money and gifts to play records – he estimated 27% of his playlist to be paid – on April 21, 1960. The practice of record companies paying radio DJs to play records had been common practice since the inception of radio but the U.S. government had begun a crackdown on the practice. Clark would emerge from the controversy bigger than ever but another prominent DJ, Alan Freed who coined the term rock ‘n roll, refused to admit to taking payola and his career never recovered.
April 22
The first ever NBA Finals – then called the Basketball Association of America Finals – wraps up on April 22, 1947, with the Philadelphia Warriors defeating the Chicago Stags 83-80 to take the inaugural championship in six games. The Warriors were led by future Hall of Fame coach Eddie Gottlieb and future Hall of Fame player Joe Fulks, who led the team in scoring in three of its four wins.
April 23
Houston Colt .45s pitcher Ken Johnson became the first pitcher in Major League Baseball to lose a nine-inning no-hitter when he lost to the Cincinnati Reds 1-0 on April 23, 1964. The game's only run scored in the top of the ninth inning when Johnson committed an error allowing Pete Rose to reach second base and Rose would later score on another error, this time by Colt .45s second baseman Nellie Fox. Johnson remains the only pitcher in MLB history to lose an official no-hitter by himself.
April 24
Bob Dylan made his professional recording debut on April 24, 1961, not recording his own music but rather playing the harmonica on Harry Belafonte’s recording of “Midnight Special.” Dylan would earn $50 for the session. Dylan’s self-titled debut album would come out the next year.
April 25
The Phillie Phanatic, the Philadelphia Phillies mascot and one of the most recognizable and famous mascots in professional and collegiate sports, made his first appearance at the Phillies’ home ballpark Veterans Stadium on April 25, 1978. The large, green and furry creature that resembles a flightless bird was originally portrayed by David Raymond. Raymond founded the Mascot Hall of Fame in 2005 and, of course, the Phillie Phanatic was a charter member.
April 26
Japanese film director Akira Kurosawa’s epic film “Seven Samurai” premiered in Japan on April 26, 1954. The film, regarded as one of the most influential and greatest in cinema history, starred Toshiro Mifune as one of seven samurai hired to protect a village from bandits. The film was remade in America as “The Magnificent Seven” in 1960 and has inspired countless other films in the 70 years since its premiere.
April 27
Houston Astros pitcher Nolan Ryan surpassed Walter Johnson to become the all-time leading strikeout king in Major League Baseball history on April 27, 1983, when he struck out Montreal Expos infielder Brad Mills for his 3,509th career strikeout. Ryan was actually in a race with fellow pitchers Steve Carlton (Philadelphia Phillies) and Gaylord Perry (Seattle Mariners) to become the first to surpass Johnson (all would by season’s end). Ryan would continue to pitch in the big leagues through 1993 and his 5,714 career strikeouts may be an unapproachable record.
Dick Clark testified before Congress on the practice of “Payola” and admitted that he took money and gifts to play records – he estimated 27% of his playlist to be paid – on April 21, 1960. The practice of record companies paying radio DJs to play records had been common practice since the inception of radio but the U.S. government had begun a crackdown on the practice. Clark would emerge from the controversy bigger than ever but another prominent DJ, Alan Freed who coined the term rock ‘n roll, refused to admit to taking payola and his career never recovered.
April 22
The first ever NBA Finals – then called the Basketball Association of America Finals – wraps up on April 22, 1947, with the Philadelphia Warriors defeating the Chicago Stags 83-80 to take the inaugural championship in six games. The Warriors were led by future Hall of Fame coach Eddie Gottlieb and future Hall of Fame player Joe Fulks, who led the team in scoring in three of its four wins.
April 23
Houston Colt .45s pitcher Ken Johnson became the first pitcher in Major League Baseball to lose a nine-inning no-hitter when he lost to the Cincinnati Reds 1-0 on April 23, 1964. The game's only run scored in the top of the ninth inning when Johnson committed an error allowing Pete Rose to reach second base and Rose would later score on another error, this time by Colt .45s second baseman Nellie Fox. Johnson remains the only pitcher in MLB history to lose an official no-hitter by himself.
April 24
Bob Dylan made his professional recording debut on April 24, 1961, not recording his own music but rather playing the harmonica on Harry Belafonte’s recording of “Midnight Special.” Dylan would earn $50 for the session. Dylan’s self-titled debut album would come out the next year.
April 25
The Phillie Phanatic, the Philadelphia Phillies mascot and one of the most recognizable and famous mascots in professional and collegiate sports, made his first appearance at the Phillies’ home ballpark Veterans Stadium on April 25, 1978. The large, green and furry creature that resembles a flightless bird was originally portrayed by David Raymond. Raymond founded the Mascot Hall of Fame in 2005 and, of course, the Phillie Phanatic was a charter member.
April 26
Japanese film director Akira Kurosawa’s epic film “Seven Samurai” premiered in Japan on April 26, 1954. The film, regarded as one of the most influential and greatest in cinema history, starred Toshiro Mifune as one of seven samurai hired to protect a village from bandits. The film was remade in America as “The Magnificent Seven” in 1960 and has inspired countless other films in the 70 years since its premiere.
April 27
Houston Astros pitcher Nolan Ryan surpassed Walter Johnson to become the all-time leading strikeout king in Major League Baseball history on April 27, 1983, when he struck out Montreal Expos infielder Brad Mills for his 3,509th career strikeout. Ryan was actually in a race with fellow pitchers Steve Carlton (Philadelphia Phillies) and Gaylord Perry (Seattle Mariners) to become the first to surpass Johnson (all would by season’s end). Ryan would continue to pitch in the big leagues through 1993 and his 5,714 career strikeouts may be an unapproachable record.
April 14 - April 20
April 14
Turner Classic Movies cable channel launched on April 14, 1994. Media mogul Ted Turner hosted a ceremony in New York City’s Times Square at 6 p.m. marking the exact centennial anniversary of the first public movie showing in New York City. The cable channel, which shows classic films unedited and without commercial interruption is still going strong 30 years later.
April 15
President William Howard Taft began a U.S. baseball tradition when he became the first President to throw out the ceremonial first ball at a baseball game when he did so on April 15, 1910, throwing the ball to Washington Senators Opening Day starting pitcher Walter Johnson.
April 16
NBC premiered its four-night, 475-minute epic miniseries “Holocaust,” on April 16, 1978. The series, which starred James Woods, Meryl Streep and Michael Moriarty, told the story of the Holocaust from the perspective of the Weiss family, a family of fictional Berlin Jews, and from an Aryan lawyer who becomes a Nazi out of necessity before rising through the SS ranks and becoming a war criminal. “Holocaust” won eight Emmy Awards, including Best Limited Series.
April 17
Johnny Cash made sure the voices of the nation's youth were heard when he performed his song “What Is Truth” in front of President Richard Nixon at the White House on April 17, 1970. Nixon had requested Cash perform three songs, of which only one (“A Boy Named Sue”) was a Cash song. Nixon also requested Merle Haggard’s “Okie From Muskogee” and Guy Drake’s “Welfare Cadillac,” to which Cash insisted he didn’t have enough time to learn. Later Cash wrote the songs were “lightning rods for anti-hippie and anti-black sentiment.” The evening would be told as part of the Netflix music series “ReMastered” in the episode “Tricky Dick & the Man in Black.” It would become apparent a few years later that Nixon indeed did not know what is truth.
April 18
Philadelphia Phillies All-Star third baseman Mike Schmidt hit his milestone 500th career home run on April 18, 1987. The home run came off of Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Don Robinson in an 8-6 Phillies win at Three Rivers Stadium in Pittsburgh. Schmidt became the second third baseman in Major League Baseball history to reach the 500-home run plateau after Eddie Matthews and the two are still the only players who primarily played third base to reach the milestone. Schmidt would retire after the 1989 season with 548 career homers. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1995.
April 19
Blondie’s “Call Me,” a song written about a prostitute and featured in director Paul Schrader’s 1980 film “American Gigolo,” hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 on April 19, 1980, becoming the band’s second No. 1 hit in America after 1979’s “Heart of Glass.” In one of our favorite “How Did That Happen?” music moments, Blondie would have four No. 1 hits (also “The Tide is High” in 1980 and “Rapture” in 1981) despite never having another single even reach the top 20.
April 20
Danica Patrick won the IndyCar Series race at the Twin Ring Motegi track in Japan on April 20, 2008, to become the first female driver in IndyCar Series to win a race. The win also made Patrick the first female winner in the history of top-level racing (including Formula 1 and NASCAR). It would be Patrick’s only career IndyCar win. She would move to NASCAR in 2010 before retiring from racing in 2018.
Turner Classic Movies cable channel launched on April 14, 1994. Media mogul Ted Turner hosted a ceremony in New York City’s Times Square at 6 p.m. marking the exact centennial anniversary of the first public movie showing in New York City. The cable channel, which shows classic films unedited and without commercial interruption is still going strong 30 years later.
April 15
President William Howard Taft began a U.S. baseball tradition when he became the first President to throw out the ceremonial first ball at a baseball game when he did so on April 15, 1910, throwing the ball to Washington Senators Opening Day starting pitcher Walter Johnson.
April 16
NBC premiered its four-night, 475-minute epic miniseries “Holocaust,” on April 16, 1978. The series, which starred James Woods, Meryl Streep and Michael Moriarty, told the story of the Holocaust from the perspective of the Weiss family, a family of fictional Berlin Jews, and from an Aryan lawyer who becomes a Nazi out of necessity before rising through the SS ranks and becoming a war criminal. “Holocaust” won eight Emmy Awards, including Best Limited Series.
April 17
Johnny Cash made sure the voices of the nation's youth were heard when he performed his song “What Is Truth” in front of President Richard Nixon at the White House on April 17, 1970. Nixon had requested Cash perform three songs, of which only one (“A Boy Named Sue”) was a Cash song. Nixon also requested Merle Haggard’s “Okie From Muskogee” and Guy Drake’s “Welfare Cadillac,” to which Cash insisted he didn’t have enough time to learn. Later Cash wrote the songs were “lightning rods for anti-hippie and anti-black sentiment.” The evening would be told as part of the Netflix music series “ReMastered” in the episode “Tricky Dick & the Man in Black.” It would become apparent a few years later that Nixon indeed did not know what is truth.
April 18
Philadelphia Phillies All-Star third baseman Mike Schmidt hit his milestone 500th career home run on April 18, 1987. The home run came off of Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Don Robinson in an 8-6 Phillies win at Three Rivers Stadium in Pittsburgh. Schmidt became the second third baseman in Major League Baseball history to reach the 500-home run plateau after Eddie Matthews and the two are still the only players who primarily played third base to reach the milestone. Schmidt would retire after the 1989 season with 548 career homers. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1995.
April 19
Blondie’s “Call Me,” a song written about a prostitute and featured in director Paul Schrader’s 1980 film “American Gigolo,” hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 on April 19, 1980, becoming the band’s second No. 1 hit in America after 1979’s “Heart of Glass.” In one of our favorite “How Did That Happen?” music moments, Blondie would have four No. 1 hits (also “The Tide is High” in 1980 and “Rapture” in 1981) despite never having another single even reach the top 20.
April 20
Danica Patrick won the IndyCar Series race at the Twin Ring Motegi track in Japan on April 20, 2008, to become the first female driver in IndyCar Series to win a race. The win also made Patrick the first female winner in the history of top-level racing (including Formula 1 and NASCAR). It would be Patrick’s only career IndyCar win. She would move to NASCAR in 2010 before retiring from racing in 2018.
April 7 - April 13
April 7
Jack Nicklaus, at just 23 years old, wins the first of his record six green jackets when he makes a three-foot par putt on the final hole at Augusta National Golf Course to win the 27th annual Masters Tournament by one stroke over Tony Lema on April 7, 1963.
April 8
Director David Lean’s nearly four-hour-long epic “Lawrence of Arabia,” starring Peter O’Toole as British army officer T.E. Lawrence, won Best Picture at the 35th annual Academy Awards on April 8, 1963. “Lawrence of Arabia” ruled the night with seven wins out of 10 nominations, but O’Toole’s performance fell in the Best Actor category to Gregory Peck as Atticus Finch in “To Kill a Mockingbird.” Anne Bancroft won Best Actress for her role as Anne Sullivan in “The Miracle Worker.”
April 9
The musical “West Side Story,” directed by Robert Wise and Jerome Robbins, won Best Picture at the 34th annual Academy Awards on April 9, 1962. “West Side Story” dominated the Oscars that year winning 10 of the 11 nominations it received, including Best Director (the first time won by co-directors) and both supporting acting awards with George Chakiris winning Best Supporting Actor and Rita Moreno winning Best Supporting Actress.
April 10
Nirvana, KISS, Peter Gabriel, Hall & Oates, Linda Ronstadt and Cat Stevens were inducted as the 29th class of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on April 10, 2014. The E Street Band, Brian Epstein and Andrew Loog Oldham were also inducted as contributors. The ceremony saw Joan Jett, Lorde and St. Vincent join living Nirvana members Dave Grohl and Krist Novoselic for performances of some of the band’s most notable songs.
April 11
Milwaukee Braves pitcher Warren Spahn beats the New York Mets for his 328th career win on April 11, 1963, making him the winningest left-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball history. Spahn would retire after the 1965 season with 363 wins and more than 60 years later he’s still the winningest southpaw in MLB history. He would’ve won quite a few more games had he not missed three full seasons due to service in World War II.
April 12
Bob Seger’s live album Live Bullet was released on April 12, 1976, and would be much of the U.S.’s introduction to Seger’s music. Seger was already a local hero in his home state of Michigan but hadn’t yet been a nationally recognized artist until the live album, which captured the intensity of his live performances, hit it big with performances of “Turn the Page,” “Travelin’ Man,” “Beautiful Loser” and “Katmandu.”
April 13
The Wailers, led by Bob Marley, released their fifth studio album Catch a Fire on April 13, 1973, bringing the sound of reggae to global consciousness. Catch a Fire was the group’s first on its new label Island Records and it would make Marley and the Wailers international stars and bring reggae music to the global forefront.
Jack Nicklaus, at just 23 years old, wins the first of his record six green jackets when he makes a three-foot par putt on the final hole at Augusta National Golf Course to win the 27th annual Masters Tournament by one stroke over Tony Lema on April 7, 1963.
April 8
Director David Lean’s nearly four-hour-long epic “Lawrence of Arabia,” starring Peter O’Toole as British army officer T.E. Lawrence, won Best Picture at the 35th annual Academy Awards on April 8, 1963. “Lawrence of Arabia” ruled the night with seven wins out of 10 nominations, but O’Toole’s performance fell in the Best Actor category to Gregory Peck as Atticus Finch in “To Kill a Mockingbird.” Anne Bancroft won Best Actress for her role as Anne Sullivan in “The Miracle Worker.”
April 9
The musical “West Side Story,” directed by Robert Wise and Jerome Robbins, won Best Picture at the 34th annual Academy Awards on April 9, 1962. “West Side Story” dominated the Oscars that year winning 10 of the 11 nominations it received, including Best Director (the first time won by co-directors) and both supporting acting awards with George Chakiris winning Best Supporting Actor and Rita Moreno winning Best Supporting Actress.
April 10
Nirvana, KISS, Peter Gabriel, Hall & Oates, Linda Ronstadt and Cat Stevens were inducted as the 29th class of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on April 10, 2014. The E Street Band, Brian Epstein and Andrew Loog Oldham were also inducted as contributors. The ceremony saw Joan Jett, Lorde and St. Vincent join living Nirvana members Dave Grohl and Krist Novoselic for performances of some of the band’s most notable songs.
April 11
Milwaukee Braves pitcher Warren Spahn beats the New York Mets for his 328th career win on April 11, 1963, making him the winningest left-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball history. Spahn would retire after the 1965 season with 363 wins and more than 60 years later he’s still the winningest southpaw in MLB history. He would’ve won quite a few more games had he not missed three full seasons due to service in World War II.
April 12
Bob Seger’s live album Live Bullet was released on April 12, 1976, and would be much of the U.S.’s introduction to Seger’s music. Seger was already a local hero in his home state of Michigan but hadn’t yet been a nationally recognized artist until the live album, which captured the intensity of his live performances, hit it big with performances of “Turn the Page,” “Travelin’ Man,” “Beautiful Loser” and “Katmandu.”
April 13
The Wailers, led by Bob Marley, released their fifth studio album Catch a Fire on April 13, 1973, bringing the sound of reggae to global consciousness. Catch a Fire was the group’s first on its new label Island Records and it would make Marley and the Wailers international stars and bring reggae music to the global forefront.
March 31 - April 6
March 31
The Motion Pictures Production Code was instituted by the Motion Picture Producers and Distributors of America on March 31, 1930, imposing strict guidelines on the treatment of sex, crime, violence and religion in the film industry. The code, which is often referred to as the “Hays Code” after MPPDA President Will H. Hays from 1922 to 1945, wasn’t strictly followed until 1934 when Joseph Breen was appointed by Hays to oversee it. This code would dominate the film industry for nearly 40 years before being replaced by the Motion Picture Association film rating system in 1968.
April 1
On April Fool’s Day, April 1, 2008, popular video platform YouTube tricks users with the popular prank called Rickrolling by featuring video links that lead to the music video of Rick Astley’s 1987 No. 1 hit “Never Gonna Give You Up.” Several other websites had the same idea leading to Rickrolling, which had been initiated by 4chan users in May 2007, hitting the mainstream.
The Motion Pictures Production Code was instituted by the Motion Picture Producers and Distributors of America on March 31, 1930, imposing strict guidelines on the treatment of sex, crime, violence and religion in the film industry. The code, which is often referred to as the “Hays Code” after MPPDA President Will H. Hays from 1922 to 1945, wasn’t strictly followed until 1934 when Joseph Breen was appointed by Hays to oversee it. This code would dominate the film industry for nearly 40 years before being replaced by the Motion Picture Association film rating system in 1968.
April 1
On April Fool’s Day, April 1, 2008, popular video platform YouTube tricks users with the popular prank called Rickrolling by featuring video links that lead to the music video of Rick Astley’s 1987 No. 1 hit “Never Gonna Give You Up.” Several other websites had the same idea leading to Rickrolling, which had been initiated by 4chan users in May 2007, hitting the mainstream.
April 2
Jackie Mitchell etched her name into baseball folklore forever on April 2, 1931, when she struck out New York Yankees legends Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig in succession at only 17 years old in an exhibition game at Engel Stadium in Chattanooga, Tenn. Mitchell, one of the first female pitchers in professional baseball, pitched for Chattanooga Lookouts Class AA minor league team. Despite being struck out by Mitchell or perhaps because of it, Ruth was a royal asshole in a local Chattanooga newspaper saying: “I don’t know what’s going to happen if they begin to let women in baseball. Of course, they will never make good. Why? Because they are too delicate. It would kill them to play ball every day.” A few days later, baseball commissioner Kennesaw Mountain Landis voided Mitchell’s contract with Chattanooga and declared that women were unfit to play baseball as the game was “too strenuous.” Mitchell would play professionally for barnstorming teams for a while before retiring at 23 having grown furious that she was being used as a “sideshow.”
April 3
Woody Allen’s comedy “Annie Hall” dominates the 50th annual Academy Awards on April 3, 1978. “Annie Hall” won the coveted Best Picture honor, while also winning Best Director for Allen, Best Original Screenplay for Allen and Marshall Brickman and Best Actress for Diane Keaton. Richard Dreyfus won Best Actor for his performance in “The Goodbye Girl,” becoming the youngest winner in the category at that time. “Star Wars” would clean up with the artistic categories leading the year with six total wins.
April 4
CBS abruptly canceled its primetime variety series “The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour” on April 4, 1969, despite having renewed it for another season just three weeks prior. The network cited the show’s failure to provide advance screening for review before airing. The show and the network had butted heads for much of its run over content, including the show being critical of the Vietnam War and jokes relating to politics and religion. The series ran for 70 episodes over three seasons. It was replaced by the tamer, more conservative skewing “Hee Haw.” The abrupt cancellation led to Tom and Dick Smothers suing CBS for breach of contract, a lawsuit they won in 1973 after four years of litigation and the duo were awarded $776,300.
April 5
James Brown may have played a large role in quelling potential rioting in Boston on April 5, 1968, when he decided to go through with a concert at the Boston Garden and broadcast it live on a local television network the night after Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. had been assassinated in Memphis, Tenn. Much of the country had erupted in chaos following the assassination of King but many believe Brown’s concert and the decision to broadcast it helped “save Boston.” The concert was the subject of the PBS/VH1 documentary “The Night James Brown Saved Boston,” which aired in 2008.
April 6
Arnold Palmer won the first of his four career Masters Tournaments and seven career major tournament titles on April 6, 1958, at the 22nd playing of the Masters at Augusta National Golf Course in Augusta, Ga. Palmer won the tournament by one stroke over runners-up Doug Ford and Fred Hawkins. Palmer would win the Masters again in 1960, 1962 and 1964.
Jackie Mitchell etched her name into baseball folklore forever on April 2, 1931, when she struck out New York Yankees legends Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig in succession at only 17 years old in an exhibition game at Engel Stadium in Chattanooga, Tenn. Mitchell, one of the first female pitchers in professional baseball, pitched for Chattanooga Lookouts Class AA minor league team. Despite being struck out by Mitchell or perhaps because of it, Ruth was a royal asshole in a local Chattanooga newspaper saying: “I don’t know what’s going to happen if they begin to let women in baseball. Of course, they will never make good. Why? Because they are too delicate. It would kill them to play ball every day.” A few days later, baseball commissioner Kennesaw Mountain Landis voided Mitchell’s contract with Chattanooga and declared that women were unfit to play baseball as the game was “too strenuous.” Mitchell would play professionally for barnstorming teams for a while before retiring at 23 having grown furious that she was being used as a “sideshow.”
April 3
Woody Allen’s comedy “Annie Hall” dominates the 50th annual Academy Awards on April 3, 1978. “Annie Hall” won the coveted Best Picture honor, while also winning Best Director for Allen, Best Original Screenplay for Allen and Marshall Brickman and Best Actress for Diane Keaton. Richard Dreyfus won Best Actor for his performance in “The Goodbye Girl,” becoming the youngest winner in the category at that time. “Star Wars” would clean up with the artistic categories leading the year with six total wins.
April 4
CBS abruptly canceled its primetime variety series “The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour” on April 4, 1969, despite having renewed it for another season just three weeks prior. The network cited the show’s failure to provide advance screening for review before airing. The show and the network had butted heads for much of its run over content, including the show being critical of the Vietnam War and jokes relating to politics and religion. The series ran for 70 episodes over three seasons. It was replaced by the tamer, more conservative skewing “Hee Haw.” The abrupt cancellation led to Tom and Dick Smothers suing CBS for breach of contract, a lawsuit they won in 1973 after four years of litigation and the duo were awarded $776,300.
April 5
James Brown may have played a large role in quelling potential rioting in Boston on April 5, 1968, when he decided to go through with a concert at the Boston Garden and broadcast it live on a local television network the night after Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. had been assassinated in Memphis, Tenn. Much of the country had erupted in chaos following the assassination of King but many believe Brown’s concert and the decision to broadcast it helped “save Boston.” The concert was the subject of the PBS/VH1 documentary “The Night James Brown Saved Boston,” which aired in 2008.
April 6
Arnold Palmer won the first of his four career Masters Tournaments and seven career major tournament titles on April 6, 1958, at the 22nd playing of the Masters at Augusta National Golf Course in Augusta, Ga. Palmer won the tournament by one stroke over runners-up Doug Ford and Fred Hawkins. Palmer would win the Masters again in 1960, 1962 and 1964.
March 24 - March 30
March 24
Chuck Wepner, who had boxed while a member of the United States Marine Corps and worked as a bouncer before turning pro, came within nineteen seconds of a full fifteen-round bout against heavyweight champion Muhammad Ali on March 24, 1975, at the Richfield Coliseum in Richfield, Ohio. After a hard-fought battle, Ali knocked Wepner out at the end of the fifteenth round. Wepner’s performance against one of the greatest boxers of the era (and all-time) inspired Sylvester Stallone, a virtually unknown actor at the time, to write the script for “Rocky,” which ends in a similar fashion with Stallone as the Wepner figure and Carl Weathers as Apollo Creed, patterned after Ali. The film, released in 1976, would win the Oscar for Best Picture and turn Stallone into a star.
March 25
Kevin Costner’s Western epic “Dances with Wolves,” which he directed and starred in, won the Oscar for Best Picture at the 63rd annual Academy Awards on March 25, 1991. “Dances With Wolves” would win seven awards on 12 nominations, both totals leading the field, also garnering Best Director for Costner. Costner was nominated for Best Actor but fell to Jeremy Irons for his performance in “Reversal of Fortune.”
March 26
“Doctor Who,” the popular U.K. science fiction series, returned to television after an almost two-decade hiatus (with a made-for-TV movie airing in 1996 in between) on March 26, 2005, after being rebooted by producer/writer Russell T. Davies. Davies had been lobbying the BBC since the late ‘90s to bring the show back. The reboot began with actor Christopher Eccleston assuming the role as The Doctor with Billie Piper as his companion Rose. Nearly 20 years later “Doctor Who” is still going strong.
March 27
The University of Oregon Webfoots (yes, they were called that at the time) defeated the Ohio State Buckeyes 46-33 to win the inaugural NCAA Men’s College Basketball Tournament on March 27, 1939. The first men’s college basketball tournament, which began on March 17, featured eight teams (Oregon, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Villanova, Texas, Utah State, Wake Forest and Brown). Ohio State forward Jimmy Hull was named the Most Outstanding Player of the inaugural tournament.
March 28
Louisiana Tech University defeated Cheyney State College 76-62 to win the inaugural NCAA Women’s College Basketball Tournament on March 28, 1982. The first women’s college basketball tournament featured 32 teams and saw the University of Maryland and the University of Tennessee join Louisiana Tech and Cheyney State in the Final Four. Louisiana Tech’s Janice Lawrence was the tournament’s first Most Outstanding Player.
March 29
The critically acclaimed and award-winning variety show “The Carol Burnett Show” aired its 279th and final episode on March 29, 1978, after 11 seasons on television. The show, which won 25 Emmy Awards during its run, starred Burnett, Tim Conway, Harvey Korman, Vicki Lawrence and Lyle Waggoner. In 2023, Variety ranked “The Carol Burnett Show” as the 23rd greatest show in television history.
March 30
Director Oliver Stone’s war drama “Platoon,” which was based on his own experiences as a soldier during the Vietnam War, won the Best Picture honor at the 59th annual Academy Awards on March 30, 1987. “Platoon” led the night with four awards having been tied with “A Room with a View” for the most nominations with eight. That night saw acting legend Paul Newman win Best Actor for his role in director Martin Scorsese’s “The Color of Money,” after being nominated six times prior without winning. Marlee Matlin set multiple records that night becoming the first deaf actress to win Best Actress for her performance in “Children of a Lesser God,” while also being the youngest winner at 21 years old.
Chuck Wepner, who had boxed while a member of the United States Marine Corps and worked as a bouncer before turning pro, came within nineteen seconds of a full fifteen-round bout against heavyweight champion Muhammad Ali on March 24, 1975, at the Richfield Coliseum in Richfield, Ohio. After a hard-fought battle, Ali knocked Wepner out at the end of the fifteenth round. Wepner’s performance against one of the greatest boxers of the era (and all-time) inspired Sylvester Stallone, a virtually unknown actor at the time, to write the script for “Rocky,” which ends in a similar fashion with Stallone as the Wepner figure and Carl Weathers as Apollo Creed, patterned after Ali. The film, released in 1976, would win the Oscar for Best Picture and turn Stallone into a star.
March 25
Kevin Costner’s Western epic “Dances with Wolves,” which he directed and starred in, won the Oscar for Best Picture at the 63rd annual Academy Awards on March 25, 1991. “Dances With Wolves” would win seven awards on 12 nominations, both totals leading the field, also garnering Best Director for Costner. Costner was nominated for Best Actor but fell to Jeremy Irons for his performance in “Reversal of Fortune.”
March 26
“Doctor Who,” the popular U.K. science fiction series, returned to television after an almost two-decade hiatus (with a made-for-TV movie airing in 1996 in between) on March 26, 2005, after being rebooted by producer/writer Russell T. Davies. Davies had been lobbying the BBC since the late ‘90s to bring the show back. The reboot began with actor Christopher Eccleston assuming the role as The Doctor with Billie Piper as his companion Rose. Nearly 20 years later “Doctor Who” is still going strong.
March 27
The University of Oregon Webfoots (yes, they were called that at the time) defeated the Ohio State Buckeyes 46-33 to win the inaugural NCAA Men’s College Basketball Tournament on March 27, 1939. The first men’s college basketball tournament, which began on March 17, featured eight teams (Oregon, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Villanova, Texas, Utah State, Wake Forest and Brown). Ohio State forward Jimmy Hull was named the Most Outstanding Player of the inaugural tournament.
March 28
Louisiana Tech University defeated Cheyney State College 76-62 to win the inaugural NCAA Women’s College Basketball Tournament on March 28, 1982. The first women’s college basketball tournament featured 32 teams and saw the University of Maryland and the University of Tennessee join Louisiana Tech and Cheyney State in the Final Four. Louisiana Tech’s Janice Lawrence was the tournament’s first Most Outstanding Player.
March 29
The critically acclaimed and award-winning variety show “The Carol Burnett Show” aired its 279th and final episode on March 29, 1978, after 11 seasons on television. The show, which won 25 Emmy Awards during its run, starred Burnett, Tim Conway, Harvey Korman, Vicki Lawrence and Lyle Waggoner. In 2023, Variety ranked “The Carol Burnett Show” as the 23rd greatest show in television history.
March 30
Director Oliver Stone’s war drama “Platoon,” which was based on his own experiences as a soldier during the Vietnam War, won the Best Picture honor at the 59th annual Academy Awards on March 30, 1987. “Platoon” led the night with four awards having been tied with “A Room with a View” for the most nominations with eight. That night saw acting legend Paul Newman win Best Actor for his role in director Martin Scorsese’s “The Color of Money,” after being nominated six times prior without winning. Marlee Matlin set multiple records that night becoming the first deaf actress to win Best Actress for her performance in “Children of a Lesser God,” while also being the youngest winner at 21 years old.
March 17 - March 23
March 17
Rock & Roll star Elvis Presley purchased his Graceland mansion in Memphis, Tenn. on March 17, 1957, for $102,500 from Ruth Brown-Moore. The nearly 14-acre estate, which was built in 1939, was originally owned by Stephen C. Toof, who named it after his daughter Grace. Following Elvis’s death in 1977, Graceland was inherited by his father Vernon. Elvis’s daughter Lisa Marie Presley inherited the estate when she turned 25 years old. Following Lisa Marie’s death in 2023, Graceland was inherited by her daughter Riley Keough. Elvis, his parents, paternal grandmother, grandson and daughter are all buried on the premises.
March 18
One of television's most shocking and devastating fictional moments occurred on March 18, 1975, when “Abyssinia, Henry,” the third season finale of the CBS series “M*A*S*H” aired. McLean Stevenson, who played Col. Henry Blake, was set to leave the show after three seasons and it was determined in keeping with the show’s theme of war being hell (even if it was a comedy) the decision was made to kill off the character. In the episode, Col. Blake receives an honorable discharge and leaves for home, but it is revealed to the audience and the rest of the characters on the show at the end of the episode that Col. Blake had been killed when his helicopter had been shot down by enemy fire. The ending of the episode prompted more than 1,000 letters to series producers Gene Reynolds and Larry Gelbart and both CBS and 20th Century Fox, which produced the series, expressed their unhappiness to the show’s producers and a decision was made future major characters would not reach the same fate. CBS even cut the final scene announcing Blake’s death from a re-run airing on the network. Despite the outcry, the episode and moment remain one of the most memorable and greatest in television history.
March 19
Randy Rhoads, the guitarist for Ozzy Osbourne and creator of one of the most memorable guitar riffs in rock history on the song “Crazy Train,” was killed in a plane crash on March 19, 1982. The tour stopped in Leesburg, Fla. to fix a malfunctioning air conditioning unit of a touring bus at Flying Baron Estates, which included an airstrip with helicopters and small planes. The tour bus driver Andrew Aycock, a private pilot, took a single-engine Beechcraft F35 without permission and began taking members of the band and crew on short flights. The second of these flights included Rhoads and makeup artist Rachel Youngblood as passengers. Aycock attempted to buzz the tour bus, which held a sleeping Osbourne, but one of the plane’s wings clipped the top of the tour bus, breaking it into two parts and sending the plane into a spiral. The plane crashed into the garage of a nearby residence, bursting into flames. All three aboard were killed.
March 20
“An American in Paris,” a musical directed by Vincente Minnelli and starring Gene Kelly and Leslie Caron, was named Best Picture at the 24th annual Academy Awards on March 20, 1952. The film would win six total Oscars that evening, tying it with “A Place in the Sun” for most that year. “A Streetcar Named Desire” nearly swept all four acting awards that evening with Vivien Leigh winning Best Actress, Kim Hunter winning Best Supporting Actress and Karl Malden winning Best Supporting Actor. Marlon Brando was nominated for Best Actress for the film but lost to Humphrey Bogart for “The African Queen.”
March 21
The Moondog Coronation Ball, which is said to be the first major rock and roll concert, took place on March 21, 1952, at the Cleveland Arena in Cleveland, Ohio. The concert, which was promoted by local DJ Alan Freed, was to feature Paul Williams and the Hucklebuckers, Tiny Grimes and the Rocking Highlanders, the Dominoes, Varetta Dillard and Danny Cobb. Unfortunately, it would also become the first major rock and roll concert to be shut down by authorities when it was said to have been determined after just one song that there were more people than the venue could properly hold. There have been differing reports over the years as to how far into the concert it was shut down and whether it was done by the fire department or police department.
March 22
The UCLA Bruins defeated the Purdue Boilermakers 92-72 on March 22, 1969, to win the 31st NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship. The championship marked the third straight for UCLA coached by the legendary John Wooden. It also marked the third consecutive year in which UCLA center Lew Alcindor would be named the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player. Wooden would win 10 NCAA basketball championships with UCLA between 1964-1975. Alcindor would become the No. 1 overall draft pick in the 1969 NBA draft by the Milwaukee Bucks, whom he’d help lead to the franchise’s first NBA title in 1971. Following that season Alcindor adopted the Muslim name Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Abdul-Jabbar would go on to win five more NBA titles in the 1980s with the Los Angeles Lakers.
March 23
“Chicago, a musical directed by Rob Marshall and starring Renee Zellweger, Catherine Zeta-Jones and Richard Gere, was named Best Picture at the 75th annual Academy Awards on March 23, 2003. “Chicago” would win five other awards that evening out of 13 total nominations making it the most honored film of the ceremony. That evening Adrien Brody would become the youngest Best Actor winner ever at 29 years old for his performance in “The Pianist.” Nicole Kidman won Best Actress for her portrayal of author Virginia Woolf in “The Hours.”
Rock & Roll star Elvis Presley purchased his Graceland mansion in Memphis, Tenn. on March 17, 1957, for $102,500 from Ruth Brown-Moore. The nearly 14-acre estate, which was built in 1939, was originally owned by Stephen C. Toof, who named it after his daughter Grace. Following Elvis’s death in 1977, Graceland was inherited by his father Vernon. Elvis’s daughter Lisa Marie Presley inherited the estate when she turned 25 years old. Following Lisa Marie’s death in 2023, Graceland was inherited by her daughter Riley Keough. Elvis, his parents, paternal grandmother, grandson and daughter are all buried on the premises.
March 18
One of television's most shocking and devastating fictional moments occurred on March 18, 1975, when “Abyssinia, Henry,” the third season finale of the CBS series “M*A*S*H” aired. McLean Stevenson, who played Col. Henry Blake, was set to leave the show after three seasons and it was determined in keeping with the show’s theme of war being hell (even if it was a comedy) the decision was made to kill off the character. In the episode, Col. Blake receives an honorable discharge and leaves for home, but it is revealed to the audience and the rest of the characters on the show at the end of the episode that Col. Blake had been killed when his helicopter had been shot down by enemy fire. The ending of the episode prompted more than 1,000 letters to series producers Gene Reynolds and Larry Gelbart and both CBS and 20th Century Fox, which produced the series, expressed their unhappiness to the show’s producers and a decision was made future major characters would not reach the same fate. CBS even cut the final scene announcing Blake’s death from a re-run airing on the network. Despite the outcry, the episode and moment remain one of the most memorable and greatest in television history.
March 19
Randy Rhoads, the guitarist for Ozzy Osbourne and creator of one of the most memorable guitar riffs in rock history on the song “Crazy Train,” was killed in a plane crash on March 19, 1982. The tour stopped in Leesburg, Fla. to fix a malfunctioning air conditioning unit of a touring bus at Flying Baron Estates, which included an airstrip with helicopters and small planes. The tour bus driver Andrew Aycock, a private pilot, took a single-engine Beechcraft F35 without permission and began taking members of the band and crew on short flights. The second of these flights included Rhoads and makeup artist Rachel Youngblood as passengers. Aycock attempted to buzz the tour bus, which held a sleeping Osbourne, but one of the plane’s wings clipped the top of the tour bus, breaking it into two parts and sending the plane into a spiral. The plane crashed into the garage of a nearby residence, bursting into flames. All three aboard were killed.
March 20
“An American in Paris,” a musical directed by Vincente Minnelli and starring Gene Kelly and Leslie Caron, was named Best Picture at the 24th annual Academy Awards on March 20, 1952. The film would win six total Oscars that evening, tying it with “A Place in the Sun” for most that year. “A Streetcar Named Desire” nearly swept all four acting awards that evening with Vivien Leigh winning Best Actress, Kim Hunter winning Best Supporting Actress and Karl Malden winning Best Supporting Actor. Marlon Brando was nominated for Best Actress for the film but lost to Humphrey Bogart for “The African Queen.”
March 21
The Moondog Coronation Ball, which is said to be the first major rock and roll concert, took place on March 21, 1952, at the Cleveland Arena in Cleveland, Ohio. The concert, which was promoted by local DJ Alan Freed, was to feature Paul Williams and the Hucklebuckers, Tiny Grimes and the Rocking Highlanders, the Dominoes, Varetta Dillard and Danny Cobb. Unfortunately, it would also become the first major rock and roll concert to be shut down by authorities when it was said to have been determined after just one song that there were more people than the venue could properly hold. There have been differing reports over the years as to how far into the concert it was shut down and whether it was done by the fire department or police department.
March 22
The UCLA Bruins defeated the Purdue Boilermakers 92-72 on March 22, 1969, to win the 31st NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship. The championship marked the third straight for UCLA coached by the legendary John Wooden. It also marked the third consecutive year in which UCLA center Lew Alcindor would be named the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player. Wooden would win 10 NCAA basketball championships with UCLA between 1964-1975. Alcindor would become the No. 1 overall draft pick in the 1969 NBA draft by the Milwaukee Bucks, whom he’d help lead to the franchise’s first NBA title in 1971. Following that season Alcindor adopted the Muslim name Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Abdul-Jabbar would go on to win five more NBA titles in the 1980s with the Los Angeles Lakers.
March 23
“Chicago, a musical directed by Rob Marshall and starring Renee Zellweger, Catherine Zeta-Jones and Richard Gere, was named Best Picture at the 75th annual Academy Awards on March 23, 2003. “Chicago” would win five other awards that evening out of 13 total nominations making it the most honored film of the ceremony. That evening Adrien Brody would become the youngest Best Actor winner ever at 29 years old for his performance in “The Pianist.” Nicole Kidman won Best Actress for her portrayal of author Virginia Woolf in “The Hours.”
March 10 - March 16
March 10
Aretha Franklin’s first album on Atlantic Records, I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You, was released on March 10, 1967, and immediately set her on a path to stardom with tracks like “Respect,” which went to No. 1 on Billboard, and the title track, which was a top-10 hit. The album marked a change in Franklin’s music away from jazz standards to a more R&B and soul sound, thanks to the sessions musicians of the legendary FAME Studios in Muscle Shoals, Ala.
March 11
Playwright Lorraine Hansberry made history on March 11, 1959, when her “A Raisin in the Sun” became the first ever Broadway play written by a black woman. The play, which tells the story of a black family's experiences living in south Chicago, was also the first Broadway play directed by a black director, Lloyd Richards. The play starred Sidney Poitier, already a movie star by that time, and Ruby Dee and ran for 530 performances. Much of the cast would reprise their roles in a 1961 film adaptation directed by Daniel Petrie.
March 12
The New York Highlanders baseball franchise, which would be renamed the Yankees in 1913, was approved as a member of baseball’s American League on March 12, 1903. The Yankees would go on to be the most successful team in Major League Baseball history with a record 27 World Series titles to date and such legendary players as Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Joe DiMaggio, Yogi Berra, Mickey Mantle and Derek Jeter.
March 13
On March 13, 2013, Dropkick Murphys lead singer and bassist Ken Casey did what every citizen should do upon seeing a Nazi … he beat the living shit out of them. At the band’s concert at Terminal 5 in Manhattan that night during an encore performance when the band had invited some of the crowd onto the stage Casey noticed one concertgoer giving the Nazi “seig heil” salute in time with the music. Casey stopped what he was doing, ran across the stage and beat the Nazi. After the chaos, Casey returned to the mic and said: “Nazis are not welcome at a Dropkick Murphys show.”
March 14
Country music star Merle Haggard was pardoned by then California Gov. Ronald Reagan on March 14, 1972, absolving him of the 1957 burglary that sent him to prison for three years. Haggard spent some of his prison stint in San Quentin Prison, where he would see Johnny Cash perform live in 1958. The experience had a profound effect on Haggard who was determined to take his life experiences and turn them into a country music career after he was paroled in 1960.
March 15
“Three’s Company,” the ABC sitcom starring John Ritter, Suzanne Somers and Joyce DeWitt as three single roommates in Santa Monica, Calif., premiered on March 15, 1977. The series would become one of the most popular comedies on TV during much of its run, which lasted eight seasons and 172 episodes between 1977 and 1984. Ritter won an Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series for his role as Jack Tripper.
March 16
National Hockey League (NHL) President Clarence Campbell started a literal riot in Montreal when he suspended Montreal Canadiens star hockey player Maurice “Rocket” Richard on March 16, 1955, for attacking an opponent. At that time, Richard was considered by many to be the greatest hockey player of all time. In a game against the Boston Bruins on March 13, Richard was struck in the head by the stick of Bruins player Hal Laycoe. In retaliation, Richard slashed at Laycoe and then punched official Cliff Thompson when he tried to intervene. Following the game, Boston police attempted to arrest Richard for assault but were refused entry into the locker room by Canadiens staff and players. When Campbell, who had received multiple death threats, made the idiotic decision to attend the next Canadiens game following the suspension of Richard on March 17 he was quickly taunted by fans and pelted with debris such as vegetables and eggs. After one fan threw a tear gas bomb in Campbell’s direction the arena was evacuated and the Canadiens were forced to forfeit the game to the visiting Detroit Red Wings. A mob of more than 20,000 people surrounded the Canadien’s home arena and a riot ensued that would damage the venue and surrounding business, leading to between 65-70 arrests and 37 injuries. Richard would take to the radio the next day to ask citizens to “Do no more harm. Get behind the team in the playoffs. I will take my punishment and come back next year and help the club and the younger players to win the Cup.” Richard would fulfil his promise leading the Canadiens to a Stanley Cup title in 1956.
Aretha Franklin’s first album on Atlantic Records, I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You, was released on March 10, 1967, and immediately set her on a path to stardom with tracks like “Respect,” which went to No. 1 on Billboard, and the title track, which was a top-10 hit. The album marked a change in Franklin’s music away from jazz standards to a more R&B and soul sound, thanks to the sessions musicians of the legendary FAME Studios in Muscle Shoals, Ala.
March 11
Playwright Lorraine Hansberry made history on March 11, 1959, when her “A Raisin in the Sun” became the first ever Broadway play written by a black woman. The play, which tells the story of a black family's experiences living in south Chicago, was also the first Broadway play directed by a black director, Lloyd Richards. The play starred Sidney Poitier, already a movie star by that time, and Ruby Dee and ran for 530 performances. Much of the cast would reprise their roles in a 1961 film adaptation directed by Daniel Petrie.
March 12
The New York Highlanders baseball franchise, which would be renamed the Yankees in 1913, was approved as a member of baseball’s American League on March 12, 1903. The Yankees would go on to be the most successful team in Major League Baseball history with a record 27 World Series titles to date and such legendary players as Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Joe DiMaggio, Yogi Berra, Mickey Mantle and Derek Jeter.
March 13
On March 13, 2013, Dropkick Murphys lead singer and bassist Ken Casey did what every citizen should do upon seeing a Nazi … he beat the living shit out of them. At the band’s concert at Terminal 5 in Manhattan that night during an encore performance when the band had invited some of the crowd onto the stage Casey noticed one concertgoer giving the Nazi “seig heil” salute in time with the music. Casey stopped what he was doing, ran across the stage and beat the Nazi. After the chaos, Casey returned to the mic and said: “Nazis are not welcome at a Dropkick Murphys show.”
March 14
Country music star Merle Haggard was pardoned by then California Gov. Ronald Reagan on March 14, 1972, absolving him of the 1957 burglary that sent him to prison for three years. Haggard spent some of his prison stint in San Quentin Prison, where he would see Johnny Cash perform live in 1958. The experience had a profound effect on Haggard who was determined to take his life experiences and turn them into a country music career after he was paroled in 1960.
March 15
“Three’s Company,” the ABC sitcom starring John Ritter, Suzanne Somers and Joyce DeWitt as three single roommates in Santa Monica, Calif., premiered on March 15, 1977. The series would become one of the most popular comedies on TV during much of its run, which lasted eight seasons and 172 episodes between 1977 and 1984. Ritter won an Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series for his role as Jack Tripper.
March 16
National Hockey League (NHL) President Clarence Campbell started a literal riot in Montreal when he suspended Montreal Canadiens star hockey player Maurice “Rocket” Richard on March 16, 1955, for attacking an opponent. At that time, Richard was considered by many to be the greatest hockey player of all time. In a game against the Boston Bruins on March 13, Richard was struck in the head by the stick of Bruins player Hal Laycoe. In retaliation, Richard slashed at Laycoe and then punched official Cliff Thompson when he tried to intervene. Following the game, Boston police attempted to arrest Richard for assault but were refused entry into the locker room by Canadiens staff and players. When Campbell, who had received multiple death threats, made the idiotic decision to attend the next Canadiens game following the suspension of Richard on March 17 he was quickly taunted by fans and pelted with debris such as vegetables and eggs. After one fan threw a tear gas bomb in Campbell’s direction the arena was evacuated and the Canadiens were forced to forfeit the game to the visiting Detroit Red Wings. A mob of more than 20,000 people surrounded the Canadien’s home arena and a riot ensued that would damage the venue and surrounding business, leading to between 65-70 arrests and 37 injuries. Richard would take to the radio the next day to ask citizens to “Do no more harm. Get behind the team in the playoffs. I will take my punishment and come back next year and help the club and the younger players to win the Cup.” Richard would fulfil his promise leading the Canadiens to a Stanley Cup title in 1956.
March 3 - March 9
March 3
President Herbert Hoover made Francis Scott Key’s “The Star-Spangled Banner” the official national anthem of the United States on March 3, 1931. Key, a lawyer and amateur poet, wrote “The Star-Spangled Banner” on September 14, 1814, after witnessing the bombardment of Fort McHenry during the Battle of Baltimore in the War of 1812. He was inspired by the large U.S. flag, with 15 stars and 15 stripes, nicknamed “the Star-Spangled Banner,” flying over the fort. The poem was set to the tune of a British song, written by John Stafford Smith, called “To Anacreon in Heaven.” The poem has four stanzas but only the first is commonly sung today. The anthem is controversial to some, especially the third stanza referencing slavery.
March 4
The first ESPY Awards, created by ESPN to honor the best in the world of sports, was held at New York City’s Madison Square Garden on March 4, 1993. The first ceremony was hosted by comedian Dennis Miller. Among the biggest winners of the evening were NBA superstar Michael Jordan for Best Male Athlete, tennis star Monica Seles for Best Female Athlete and the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys for Outstanding Team. The ESPYs are a fan-voted award show.
March 5
One of the most controversial upsets in Academy Awards history took place on March 5, 2006, at the 78th Academy Awards when director Paul Haggis’s “Crash” won Best Picture over director Ang Lee’s “Brokeback Mountain.” “Crash” would also win the Oscars for Best Original Screenplay and Best Film Editing, with its three wins marking the fewest for a Best Picture winner since “Rocky” also won three in 1976. “Brokeback Mountain” also won three Oscars that evening: Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Original Score. Some believe the homosexual content of “Brokeback Mountain” held it back with Oscar voters.
March 6
The Go-Go’s became the first all-girl band to hit No. 1 on the Billboard Albums chart when the group’s debut album Beauty and the Beat topped the chart on March 6, 1982. Beauty and the Beat featured the hits “Our Lips Are Sealed” and “We Got the Beat.”
March 7
The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) and the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) revealed their list of the top 365 Songs of the Century on March 7, 2001. The top spot on the list went to “Over the Rainbow,” actress/singer Judy Garland’s standout performance from the 1939 film “The Wizard of Oz.”
The top 10:
President Herbert Hoover made Francis Scott Key’s “The Star-Spangled Banner” the official national anthem of the United States on March 3, 1931. Key, a lawyer and amateur poet, wrote “The Star-Spangled Banner” on September 14, 1814, after witnessing the bombardment of Fort McHenry during the Battle of Baltimore in the War of 1812. He was inspired by the large U.S. flag, with 15 stars and 15 stripes, nicknamed “the Star-Spangled Banner,” flying over the fort. The poem was set to the tune of a British song, written by John Stafford Smith, called “To Anacreon in Heaven.” The poem has four stanzas but only the first is commonly sung today. The anthem is controversial to some, especially the third stanza referencing slavery.
March 4
The first ESPY Awards, created by ESPN to honor the best in the world of sports, was held at New York City’s Madison Square Garden on March 4, 1993. The first ceremony was hosted by comedian Dennis Miller. Among the biggest winners of the evening were NBA superstar Michael Jordan for Best Male Athlete, tennis star Monica Seles for Best Female Athlete and the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys for Outstanding Team. The ESPYs are a fan-voted award show.
March 5
One of the most controversial upsets in Academy Awards history took place on March 5, 2006, at the 78th Academy Awards when director Paul Haggis’s “Crash” won Best Picture over director Ang Lee’s “Brokeback Mountain.” “Crash” would also win the Oscars for Best Original Screenplay and Best Film Editing, with its three wins marking the fewest for a Best Picture winner since “Rocky” also won three in 1976. “Brokeback Mountain” also won three Oscars that evening: Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Original Score. Some believe the homosexual content of “Brokeback Mountain” held it back with Oscar voters.
March 6
The Go-Go’s became the first all-girl band to hit No. 1 on the Billboard Albums chart when the group’s debut album Beauty and the Beat topped the chart on March 6, 1982. Beauty and the Beat featured the hits “Our Lips Are Sealed” and “We Got the Beat.”
March 7
The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) and the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) revealed their list of the top 365 Songs of the Century on March 7, 2001. The top spot on the list went to “Over the Rainbow,” actress/singer Judy Garland’s standout performance from the 1939 film “The Wizard of Oz.”
The top 10:
- “Over the Rainbow” (Judy Garland)
- “White Christmas” (Bing Crosby)
- “This Land is Your Land” (Woody Guthrie)
- “Respect” (Aretha Franklin)
- “American Pie” (Don McLean)
- “Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy” (The Andrews Sisters)
- “West Side Story” [Album] (Original Cast)
- “Take Me Out to the Ball Game” (Billy Murray)
- “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’” (The Righteous Brothers)
- “The Entertainer” (Scott Joplin)
March 8
Mike Judge’s adult animated series “Beavis and Butt-Head” premiered on MTV on March 8, 1993. The series followed a pair of teenage slackers, both voiced by Judge, known for their apathy, idiocy, lowbrow humor and a love for heavy metal. The show would air on MTV from 1993-1997 in its original run. MTV would reboot it for another season in 2011. And in 2022, Paramount+ would reboot it again. Currently “Beavis and Butt-Head” has aired 270 episodes over eight seasons.
March 9
U2 released their fifth studio album The Joshua Tree on March 9, 1987. The Joshua Tree would become the band’s most successful album at the time topping the Billboard Albums Chart. The album featured two No.1 Billboard singles with “Without or Without You” and “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For.” The Joshua Tree would win Best Album at the 30th annual Grammy Awards in 1988.
February 25 - March 2
February 25
Martin Scorsese finally came out on top at the 79th annual Academy Awards on February 25, 2007, when his crime drama “The Departed” won Best Picture and he won the Oscar for Best Director. Scorsese had previously been nominated five times for Best Director without winning. Five of his films had also previously been nominated for Best Picture without winning.
February 26
Mario Andretti became the first (and to this day only) driver born outside of the United States to win NASCAR’s Daytona 500 on February 26, 1967. The Italian driver, mostly known for his legendary stature in open-wheel racing, dominated the ’67 race leading 112 of the race’s 200 laps. It would be Andretti’s only career NASCAR win in 14 races. Andretti would win the 1969 Indianapolis 500, making him one of only two drivers (A.J. Foyt) to ever win both races.
February 27
CBS Evening News veteran anchor Walter Cronkite gave a scathing editorial on America’s chances of winning the Vietnam War on February 27, 1968, after a recent trip he made to Vietnam to cover the aftermath of the Tet Offensive. Cronkite ended his editorial by saying: “It is increasingly clear to this reporter that the only rational way out then will be to negotiate, not as victors, but as an honorable people who lived up to their pledge to defend democracy and did the best they could.” Following this report, President Lyndon B. Johnson is claimed by some to have said: “If I’ve lost Cronkite, I’ve lost Middle America.”
February 28
Michael Jackson had the biggest night in Grammy Awards history at the time on February 28, 1984, when he took home eight trophies, including the coveted Album of the Year honor for Thriller and Record of the Year for “Beat It.” Among other honors won that evening by Jackson were Best Producer, Non-Classical, Best R&B Song for “Billie Jean” and Best Pop Vocal Performance for “Thriller.” Jackson appeared at the Grammys despite being injured the previous day when his hair caught fire during the filming of a commercial for Pepsi.
February 29
“The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King” had, arguably, the most successful night in Academy Awards history on February 29, 2004, when it won the Oscar in all 11 categories in which it was nominated, including the coveted Best Picture. The third film in director Peter Jackson’s “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy also won Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Art Direction, Best Costume Design, Best Film Editing, Best Makeup, Best Original Score, Best Original Song, Best Sound Mixing and Best Visual Effects.
March 1
Atlanta Hawks coach Lenny Wilkens became the first coach in NBA history to reach 1,000 victories on March 1, 1996, when the Hawks defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers 74-68. Wilkens had begun his coaching career when he was still a player in the league in 1969 with the Seattle Supersonics. He would be a player-coach for them from ’69-1972 and then hold the same position with the Portland Trail Blazers from 1974-’75 before retiring as a player and staying on as the team’s coach. Wilkens would also coach the Cleveland Cavaliers, Toronto Raptors and New York Knicks during his coaching career which spanned from 1969-2005. His career included coaching the SuperSonics to the 1979 NBA title. His 1,332 wins are currently third all-time in NBA history behind Gregg Popovich and Don Nelson.
March 2
Director Robert Wise’s epic musical drama “The Sound of Music” premiered on March 2, 1965. The film stars Julie Andrews as Maria, a free-spirited young woman sent to be the governess to the seven children of retired naval officer Capt. Georg von Trapp (Christopher Plummer). “The Sound of Music,” the highest-grossing film of 1965, would be nominated for 10 Academy Awards, winning five, including the coveted Best Picture award and Best Director for Wise.
Martin Scorsese finally came out on top at the 79th annual Academy Awards on February 25, 2007, when his crime drama “The Departed” won Best Picture and he won the Oscar for Best Director. Scorsese had previously been nominated five times for Best Director without winning. Five of his films had also previously been nominated for Best Picture without winning.
February 26
Mario Andretti became the first (and to this day only) driver born outside of the United States to win NASCAR’s Daytona 500 on February 26, 1967. The Italian driver, mostly known for his legendary stature in open-wheel racing, dominated the ’67 race leading 112 of the race’s 200 laps. It would be Andretti’s only career NASCAR win in 14 races. Andretti would win the 1969 Indianapolis 500, making him one of only two drivers (A.J. Foyt) to ever win both races.
February 27
CBS Evening News veteran anchor Walter Cronkite gave a scathing editorial on America’s chances of winning the Vietnam War on February 27, 1968, after a recent trip he made to Vietnam to cover the aftermath of the Tet Offensive. Cronkite ended his editorial by saying: “It is increasingly clear to this reporter that the only rational way out then will be to negotiate, not as victors, but as an honorable people who lived up to their pledge to defend democracy and did the best they could.” Following this report, President Lyndon B. Johnson is claimed by some to have said: “If I’ve lost Cronkite, I’ve lost Middle America.”
February 28
Michael Jackson had the biggest night in Grammy Awards history at the time on February 28, 1984, when he took home eight trophies, including the coveted Album of the Year honor for Thriller and Record of the Year for “Beat It.” Among other honors won that evening by Jackson were Best Producer, Non-Classical, Best R&B Song for “Billie Jean” and Best Pop Vocal Performance for “Thriller.” Jackson appeared at the Grammys despite being injured the previous day when his hair caught fire during the filming of a commercial for Pepsi.
February 29
“The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King” had, arguably, the most successful night in Academy Awards history on February 29, 2004, when it won the Oscar in all 11 categories in which it was nominated, including the coveted Best Picture. The third film in director Peter Jackson’s “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy also won Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Art Direction, Best Costume Design, Best Film Editing, Best Makeup, Best Original Score, Best Original Song, Best Sound Mixing and Best Visual Effects.
March 1
Atlanta Hawks coach Lenny Wilkens became the first coach in NBA history to reach 1,000 victories on March 1, 1996, when the Hawks defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers 74-68. Wilkens had begun his coaching career when he was still a player in the league in 1969 with the Seattle Supersonics. He would be a player-coach for them from ’69-1972 and then hold the same position with the Portland Trail Blazers from 1974-’75 before retiring as a player and staying on as the team’s coach. Wilkens would also coach the Cleveland Cavaliers, Toronto Raptors and New York Knicks during his coaching career which spanned from 1969-2005. His career included coaching the SuperSonics to the 1979 NBA title. His 1,332 wins are currently third all-time in NBA history behind Gregg Popovich and Don Nelson.
March 2
Director Robert Wise’s epic musical drama “The Sound of Music” premiered on March 2, 1965. The film stars Julie Andrews as Maria, a free-spirited young woman sent to be the governess to the seven children of retired naval officer Capt. Georg von Trapp (Christopher Plummer). “The Sound of Music,” the highest-grossing film of 1965, would be nominated for 10 Academy Awards, winning five, including the coveted Best Picture award and Best Director for Wise.
February 18 - February 24
February 18
One of the most memorable and important moments in the history of NASCAR took place on February 18, 1979, when CBS broadcast the entirety of the Daytona 500 from green flag to checkered flag for the first time and much of the country tuned in as they were snowed in from a massive blizzard that hit the east coast. The race came down to a thrilling finish in which leaders Cale Yarborough and Donnie Allison wound up wrecking on the final lap battling for the win and Richard Petty, who had been well behind, crossed the finish line first to win his sixth career Daytona 500. After the race, Yarborough, Donnie Allison and Donnie’s brother, Bobby Allison, got into a brawl in the racetrack infield on live television. The intensity of the race’s finish and the excitement of the post-race fight in front of a bigger than anticipated television audience helped build NASCAR’s audience and has been called “the most important race in NASCAR history” by some.
February 19
American figure skater Dick Button won his second straight Olympic men’s singles figure skating gold medal on February 19, 1952, at the Oslo Winter Olympics. Button’s gold medal was aided by becoming the first figure skater in an Olympic competition to land a triple jump. Button had previously won the gold medal at the 1948 St. Moritz Winter Olympics.
February 20
Rap star Snoop Dogg was acquitted of murder on February 20, 1996. Snoop Dogg had been arrested in August of 1993 and charged with first-degree murder in connection with the shooting death of rival gang member Philip Woldermariam, who was shot and killed by Snoop Dogg’s bodyguard McKinley Lee. Snoop Dogg was also charged with the crime as he was reportedly driving the vehicle from which the shot was fired. Both Snoop Dogg and Lee were defended by Johnnie Cochran and both were acquitted.
February 21
Controversy strikes on “Saturday Night Live” when cast member Charles Rocket intentionally says the word “fuck” during a sketch on February 21, 1981. In the episode, hosted by “Dallas” actor Charlene Tilton, the cast did a sketch parodying the famous “Who shot J.R.?” episode of “Dallas” when Rocket uttered the unscripted line: “I’d like to know who fuckin’ shot me.” The show would soon undergo a regime change from executive producer Jean Doumanian, who had overtaken the show when Lorne Michaels left after the fifth season, to Dick Ebersol who dismissed Rocket and a few other cast members in a retooling of the sketch comedy show.
February 22
Director Frank Capra’s romantic-comedy “It Happened One Night,” starring Clark Gable and Claudette Colbert, premiered at New York City’s Radio City Music Hall on February 22, 1934. The movie would go on to become the first to sweep the five biggest honors at the Academy Awards: Best Picture, Best Director (Capra), Best Actor (Gable), Best Actress (Colbert) and Best Screenplay (Capra & Robert Riskin). The feat has only been accomplished by two other films in the history of the Oscars: “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” and “The Silence of the Lambs.”
February 23
In one of the most shocking moments in college basketball history, University of Indiana’s irritable coach Bobby Knight tossed a chair across the basketball court during a game against Purdue University on February 23, 1985. Five minutes into the game Knight drew a technical foul from the officials and when the Purdue player took to the free-throw line to shoot the technical foul free throw, Knight hurled his chair from the bench area across the court and was immediately ejected. Knight was suspended for one game for his outburst.
February 24
“Sesame Street” character Ernie memorably performed the song “Rubber Duckie” while taking a bath during an episode on February 24, 1970. The song, sung by Jim Henson in character as Ernie, became so popular that it was released as a single and became a top 20 hit in the U.S., topping out at No. 16 on the Billboard Hot 100 in September.
One of the most memorable and important moments in the history of NASCAR took place on February 18, 1979, when CBS broadcast the entirety of the Daytona 500 from green flag to checkered flag for the first time and much of the country tuned in as they were snowed in from a massive blizzard that hit the east coast. The race came down to a thrilling finish in which leaders Cale Yarborough and Donnie Allison wound up wrecking on the final lap battling for the win and Richard Petty, who had been well behind, crossed the finish line first to win his sixth career Daytona 500. After the race, Yarborough, Donnie Allison and Donnie’s brother, Bobby Allison, got into a brawl in the racetrack infield on live television. The intensity of the race’s finish and the excitement of the post-race fight in front of a bigger than anticipated television audience helped build NASCAR’s audience and has been called “the most important race in NASCAR history” by some.
February 19
American figure skater Dick Button won his second straight Olympic men’s singles figure skating gold medal on February 19, 1952, at the Oslo Winter Olympics. Button’s gold medal was aided by becoming the first figure skater in an Olympic competition to land a triple jump. Button had previously won the gold medal at the 1948 St. Moritz Winter Olympics.
February 20
Rap star Snoop Dogg was acquitted of murder on February 20, 1996. Snoop Dogg had been arrested in August of 1993 and charged with first-degree murder in connection with the shooting death of rival gang member Philip Woldermariam, who was shot and killed by Snoop Dogg’s bodyguard McKinley Lee. Snoop Dogg was also charged with the crime as he was reportedly driving the vehicle from which the shot was fired. Both Snoop Dogg and Lee were defended by Johnnie Cochran and both were acquitted.
February 21
Controversy strikes on “Saturday Night Live” when cast member Charles Rocket intentionally says the word “fuck” during a sketch on February 21, 1981. In the episode, hosted by “Dallas” actor Charlene Tilton, the cast did a sketch parodying the famous “Who shot J.R.?” episode of “Dallas” when Rocket uttered the unscripted line: “I’d like to know who fuckin’ shot me.” The show would soon undergo a regime change from executive producer Jean Doumanian, who had overtaken the show when Lorne Michaels left after the fifth season, to Dick Ebersol who dismissed Rocket and a few other cast members in a retooling of the sketch comedy show.
February 22
Director Frank Capra’s romantic-comedy “It Happened One Night,” starring Clark Gable and Claudette Colbert, premiered at New York City’s Radio City Music Hall on February 22, 1934. The movie would go on to become the first to sweep the five biggest honors at the Academy Awards: Best Picture, Best Director (Capra), Best Actor (Gable), Best Actress (Colbert) and Best Screenplay (Capra & Robert Riskin). The feat has only been accomplished by two other films in the history of the Oscars: “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” and “The Silence of the Lambs.”
February 23
In one of the most shocking moments in college basketball history, University of Indiana’s irritable coach Bobby Knight tossed a chair across the basketball court during a game against Purdue University on February 23, 1985. Five minutes into the game Knight drew a technical foul from the officials and when the Purdue player took to the free-throw line to shoot the technical foul free throw, Knight hurled his chair from the bench area across the court and was immediately ejected. Knight was suspended for one game for his outburst.
February 24
“Sesame Street” character Ernie memorably performed the song “Rubber Duckie” while taking a bath during an episode on February 24, 1970. The song, sung by Jim Henson in character as Ernie, became so popular that it was released as a single and became a top 20 hit in the U.S., topping out at No. 16 on the Billboard Hot 100 in September.
February 11 - February 17
February 11
Pop superstar Whitney Houston was found dead in the bathtub of her suite at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Los Angeles on February 11, 2012. She was 48. Houston was in town to perform at radio executive Clive Davis’s annual pre-Grammy Awards party later that night. Following an autopsy report released the following month, it was determined Houston had died via drowning and the effects of heart disease and cocaine use. Jennifer Hudson would pay tribute to Houston at the next night’s Grammy Awards with a stirring rendition of “I Will Always Love You,” which Houston took to No. 1 in 1992.
February 12
Rolling Stone’s vocalist Mick Jagger, guitarist Keith Richards and singer/actress Marianne Faithful, Jagger’s girlfriend at the time, were arrested for drug possession at Richards’s residence in Sussex, England on February 12, 1967. Police were tipped off by the tabloid News of the World, whom Jagger was suing at the time for its coverage of him, that a party was being held at the residence and drugs would likely be involved. Jagger and Richards were charged with drug offenses to which they both pleaded not guilty. On June 29, Jagger was found guilty and was sentenced to a £200 fine and three months imprisonment for possession of four amphetamine tablets (which may have been Faithful’s that he took credit for). Richard was found guilty of allowing cannabis to be smoked on his property and sentenced to a £500 fine and one year in prison. Both appealed and Jagger’s sentence was amended to a conditional discharge and Richards’ sentence was overturned.
February 13
American figure skating star Dorothy Hamill won the free skate competition at the Innsbruck Winter Olympics in Austria on February 13, 1976, to clinch the women’s figure skating gold medal. Hamill joined Tenley Albright (1956), Carol Heiss (1960) and Peggy Fleming (1968) as U.S. Olympic figure skating gold medalists at the time.
February 14
“Saturday Night Live” stars Mike Myers and Dana Carvey would bring their late-night sketch characters Wayne Campbell and Garth Algar to the big screen when “Wayne’s World” premiered in theaters on February 14, 1992. The film debuted at No. 1 at the box office and would go on to make more than $183 million. It’s the most successful film ever based on characters that originated on ‘SNL.’ The film also brought Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody” back to the pop culture forefront. The song’s appearance both in the film and on its soundtrack helped the song, which was a No. 9 hit in 1976, go all the way to No. 2 in 1992, marking one of the rare times in Billboard history when a song re-entered the chart and bettered its original position.
February 15
Dale Earnhardt had been attempting to win the Daytona 500, NASCAR’s biggest race, for two decades before finally getting that proverbial monkey off of his back by winning the Great American Race on February 15, 1998, in his 20th start at the event. Earnhardt, who dominated other races at the racetrack, had seen multiple chances at victory in the big race evaporate by the end due to fluke things such as running out of gas, puncturing a tire and being caught up in a wreck.
February 16
For the first time in the history of North American professional sports (and to this day the only time it’s happened), an entire season was wiped out due to a labor dispute when National Hockey League (NHL) Commissioner Gary Bettman announced the cancelation of the 2004-05 NHL season on February 16, 2005.
February 17
Television was still a relatively new medium at the time but on February 17, 1958, Pope Pius XII designated St. Clare of Assisi the patron saint of television. Clare of Assisi lived from 1194-1253 and was canonized just over two months after her death. It is said that Clare of Assisi was too ill to attend Midnight Mass at the Church of St. Francis in 1252 and became lonely and began to cry. Upon realizing her lonely residence was better lodging than Mary and Joseph had, she began to meditate on the Christmas Mystery. It is then her room reportedly burst into light, her walls shook with the sound of an organ and she was able to see the Mass right there on her walls – hence the patron saint of television.
Pop superstar Whitney Houston was found dead in the bathtub of her suite at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Los Angeles on February 11, 2012. She was 48. Houston was in town to perform at radio executive Clive Davis’s annual pre-Grammy Awards party later that night. Following an autopsy report released the following month, it was determined Houston had died via drowning and the effects of heart disease and cocaine use. Jennifer Hudson would pay tribute to Houston at the next night’s Grammy Awards with a stirring rendition of “I Will Always Love You,” which Houston took to No. 1 in 1992.
February 12
Rolling Stone’s vocalist Mick Jagger, guitarist Keith Richards and singer/actress Marianne Faithful, Jagger’s girlfriend at the time, were arrested for drug possession at Richards’s residence in Sussex, England on February 12, 1967. Police were tipped off by the tabloid News of the World, whom Jagger was suing at the time for its coverage of him, that a party was being held at the residence and drugs would likely be involved. Jagger and Richards were charged with drug offenses to which they both pleaded not guilty. On June 29, Jagger was found guilty and was sentenced to a £200 fine and three months imprisonment for possession of four amphetamine tablets (which may have been Faithful’s that he took credit for). Richard was found guilty of allowing cannabis to be smoked on his property and sentenced to a £500 fine and one year in prison. Both appealed and Jagger’s sentence was amended to a conditional discharge and Richards’ sentence was overturned.
February 13
American figure skating star Dorothy Hamill won the free skate competition at the Innsbruck Winter Olympics in Austria on February 13, 1976, to clinch the women’s figure skating gold medal. Hamill joined Tenley Albright (1956), Carol Heiss (1960) and Peggy Fleming (1968) as U.S. Olympic figure skating gold medalists at the time.
February 14
“Saturday Night Live” stars Mike Myers and Dana Carvey would bring their late-night sketch characters Wayne Campbell and Garth Algar to the big screen when “Wayne’s World” premiered in theaters on February 14, 1992. The film debuted at No. 1 at the box office and would go on to make more than $183 million. It’s the most successful film ever based on characters that originated on ‘SNL.’ The film also brought Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody” back to the pop culture forefront. The song’s appearance both in the film and on its soundtrack helped the song, which was a No. 9 hit in 1976, go all the way to No. 2 in 1992, marking one of the rare times in Billboard history when a song re-entered the chart and bettered its original position.
February 15
Dale Earnhardt had been attempting to win the Daytona 500, NASCAR’s biggest race, for two decades before finally getting that proverbial monkey off of his back by winning the Great American Race on February 15, 1998, in his 20th start at the event. Earnhardt, who dominated other races at the racetrack, had seen multiple chances at victory in the big race evaporate by the end due to fluke things such as running out of gas, puncturing a tire and being caught up in a wreck.
February 16
For the first time in the history of North American professional sports (and to this day the only time it’s happened), an entire season was wiped out due to a labor dispute when National Hockey League (NHL) Commissioner Gary Bettman announced the cancelation of the 2004-05 NHL season on February 16, 2005.
February 17
Television was still a relatively new medium at the time but on February 17, 1958, Pope Pius XII designated St. Clare of Assisi the patron saint of television. Clare of Assisi lived from 1194-1253 and was canonized just over two months after her death. It is said that Clare of Assisi was too ill to attend Midnight Mass at the Church of St. Francis in 1252 and became lonely and began to cry. Upon realizing her lonely residence was better lodging than Mary and Joseph had, she began to meditate on the Christmas Mystery. It is then her room reportedly burst into light, her walls shook with the sound of an organ and she was able to see the Mass right there on her walls – hence the patron saint of television.
February 4 - February 10
February 4
Baseball’s Hall of Fame board of directors voted unanimously 12-0 to bar Pete Rose from being eligible for induction on February 4, 1991. Rose had been penalized by Major League Baseball with permanent ineligibility from the game in August of 1989, his final year as a manager and three years after his retirement as a player, due to accusations of gambling on baseball games, including games featuring his team. Rose is still - controversially to some - banned from both baseball and Hall of Fame induction to this day.
February 5
Two of the greatest silent films ever made were released on February 5. The first was Buster Keaton’s “The General,” which premiered in America on February 5, 1927, in New York City, which saw Keaton (who co-directed the film with Clyde Bruckman) play a train engineer during the American Civil War. “The General” didn’t do well at the box office and, unfortunately, led to a downturn in Keaton’s career – but would gain a wider appreciation decades later, even being ranked as the 18th greatest American movie of all time by the American Film Institute in 2007. Charlie Chaplin’s “Modern Times,” which he wrote, directed and starred in, premiered on February 5, 1936, seeing perhaps the greatest of all American silent film stars still working in the medium nearly a decade after the advent of the “talkies.” In “Modern Times,” Chaplin performs for the final time as his iconic “Little Tramp” character as he struggles to survive in the modern, industrialized world. “Modern Times” was ranked as the 78th greatest American film ever by the American Film Institute in 2007.
February 6
The sport of golf is played almost everywhere on Earth but on February 6, 1971, astronaut Alan Shepard became the first to ever play a shot off of Earth when he hit a golf ball on the surface of the moon during an Apollo 14 mission. Shepard used a Wilson brand six-iron head attached to a lunar sample school handle to hit two balls “miles and miles and miles,” he joked – though high-resolution scans have since determined the first shot likely went about 24 yards and the second about 40 yards. Hey, that’s not too bad considering the heavy spacesuit and thick gloves forced Shepard into a one-armed swing.
February 7
Frank Sinatra’s version of “New York, New York,” a favorite of then New York City mayor Ed Koch, became the official anthem of the city on February 7, 1985. The song, introduced by actress/singer Liza Minelli in director Martin Scorsese's 1977 romantic-musical-drama, was a top-40 hit for Sinatra in 1980.
February 8
Southern rap royalty OutKast won Album of the Year for Speakerboxxx/The Love Below at the 46th annual Grammy Awards on February 8, 2004, *arguably* becoming the first hip-hop act to win Album of the Year in Grammy Awards history. The album featured the No. 1 hit “Hey Ya!,” which lost out on Record of the Year to Coldplay’s “Clocks.”
*This is disputed by some who claim Lauryn Hill’s The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill winning Album of the Year at the Grammy Awards in 1999 makes her the first hip-hop artist to do so.
February 9
Director Bong Joon-ho’s South Korean thriller “Parasite” became the first non-English language film to win Best Picture at the Academy Awards on February 9, 2020. “Parasite” would win four Oscars that night, including Best Director for Joon-ho, Best Original Screenplay for Joon-ho and Han Jin-won and Best International Feature Film (obviously).
February 10
On February 10, 1992, heavyweight boxing champion Mike Tyson was convicted of raping 18-year-old Desiree Washington in an Indianapolis hotel room in the summer of 1991. The trial, which had begun on January 26, saw the jury deliberate for 10 hours. On March 26, 1992, Tyson was sentenced to six years in prison along with four years of probation. Tyson was released from prison in March 1995 after serving less than half of his conviction. He would return to professional boxing and, for some reason, has become a lovable figure for many with numerous Hollywood roles following his boxing career.
Baseball’s Hall of Fame board of directors voted unanimously 12-0 to bar Pete Rose from being eligible for induction on February 4, 1991. Rose had been penalized by Major League Baseball with permanent ineligibility from the game in August of 1989, his final year as a manager and three years after his retirement as a player, due to accusations of gambling on baseball games, including games featuring his team. Rose is still - controversially to some - banned from both baseball and Hall of Fame induction to this day.
February 5
Two of the greatest silent films ever made were released on February 5. The first was Buster Keaton’s “The General,” which premiered in America on February 5, 1927, in New York City, which saw Keaton (who co-directed the film with Clyde Bruckman) play a train engineer during the American Civil War. “The General” didn’t do well at the box office and, unfortunately, led to a downturn in Keaton’s career – but would gain a wider appreciation decades later, even being ranked as the 18th greatest American movie of all time by the American Film Institute in 2007. Charlie Chaplin’s “Modern Times,” which he wrote, directed and starred in, premiered on February 5, 1936, seeing perhaps the greatest of all American silent film stars still working in the medium nearly a decade after the advent of the “talkies.” In “Modern Times,” Chaplin performs for the final time as his iconic “Little Tramp” character as he struggles to survive in the modern, industrialized world. “Modern Times” was ranked as the 78th greatest American film ever by the American Film Institute in 2007.
February 6
The sport of golf is played almost everywhere on Earth but on February 6, 1971, astronaut Alan Shepard became the first to ever play a shot off of Earth when he hit a golf ball on the surface of the moon during an Apollo 14 mission. Shepard used a Wilson brand six-iron head attached to a lunar sample school handle to hit two balls “miles and miles and miles,” he joked – though high-resolution scans have since determined the first shot likely went about 24 yards and the second about 40 yards. Hey, that’s not too bad considering the heavy spacesuit and thick gloves forced Shepard into a one-armed swing.
February 7
Frank Sinatra’s version of “New York, New York,” a favorite of then New York City mayor Ed Koch, became the official anthem of the city on February 7, 1985. The song, introduced by actress/singer Liza Minelli in director Martin Scorsese's 1977 romantic-musical-drama, was a top-40 hit for Sinatra in 1980.
February 8
Southern rap royalty OutKast won Album of the Year for Speakerboxxx/The Love Below at the 46th annual Grammy Awards on February 8, 2004, *arguably* becoming the first hip-hop act to win Album of the Year in Grammy Awards history. The album featured the No. 1 hit “Hey Ya!,” which lost out on Record of the Year to Coldplay’s “Clocks.”
*This is disputed by some who claim Lauryn Hill’s The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill winning Album of the Year at the Grammy Awards in 1999 makes her the first hip-hop artist to do so.
February 9
Director Bong Joon-ho’s South Korean thriller “Parasite” became the first non-English language film to win Best Picture at the Academy Awards on February 9, 2020. “Parasite” would win four Oscars that night, including Best Director for Joon-ho, Best Original Screenplay for Joon-ho and Han Jin-won and Best International Feature Film (obviously).
February 10
On February 10, 1992, heavyweight boxing champion Mike Tyson was convicted of raping 18-year-old Desiree Washington in an Indianapolis hotel room in the summer of 1991. The trial, which had begun on January 26, saw the jury deliberate for 10 hours. On March 26, 1992, Tyson was sentenced to six years in prison along with four years of probation. Tyson was released from prison in March 1995 after serving less than half of his conviction. He would return to professional boxing and, for some reason, has become a lovable figure for many with numerous Hollywood roles following his boxing career.
January 28 - February 3
January 28
With so many of the biggest music superstars already in Los Angeles for the American Music Awards on January 28, 1985, they took to a nearby recording studio to record the charity single “We Are the World,” written by Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie, with proceeds of the charity single going to help out those impacted by the African famine. The group of performers, which would be billed simply as USA for Africa, included Jackson, Richie, Bruce Springsteen, Bob Dylan, Stevie Wonder, Paul Simon, Tina Turner, Billy Joel, Willie Nelson, Ray Charles and many more. The single was produced by Quincy Jones and Michael Omartian. With sales over 20 million copies, it is the eighth best-selling single of all time and by the first anniversary of its release, it had gained $44.5 million for the USA for Africa humanitarian fund.
January 29
On January 29, 1979, 16-year-old Brenda Spencer opened fire on Cleveland Elementary School from her home across the street in San Diego killing two adults – the school’s principal and a custodian – and injuring eight children and a police officer. She was charged as an adult and pleaded guilty to two counts of murder and assault with a deadly weapon resulting in being sentenced to life in prison, with a chance of parole after 25 years. As of today, she is still in prison. You may be wondering at this point: “How is this related to pop culture?” During the period between the shooting and Spencer being arrested, she was reached on the phone by a local journalist who asked her why she committed the crime. Her response was: “I don’t like Mondays. This livens up the day.” Her response inspired the title and song “I Don’t Like Mondays” by the Irish new wave group The Boomtown Rats. “I Don’t Like Mondays” would reach No. 1 on the U.K. Singles Chart in the summer of ’79. It didn’t crack the top 70 in America.
January 30
St. Louis Rams linebacker Mike Jones saves Super Bowl XXXIV for the St. Louis Rams on January 30, 2000, with his game-saving tackle of Tennessee Titans wide receiver Kevin Dyson on the one-yard line at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta. The tackle, which has become known simply as “The Tackle,” gave the Rams a 23-16 win and their first Super Bowl championship in franchise history.
With so many of the biggest music superstars already in Los Angeles for the American Music Awards on January 28, 1985, they took to a nearby recording studio to record the charity single “We Are the World,” written by Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie, with proceeds of the charity single going to help out those impacted by the African famine. The group of performers, which would be billed simply as USA for Africa, included Jackson, Richie, Bruce Springsteen, Bob Dylan, Stevie Wonder, Paul Simon, Tina Turner, Billy Joel, Willie Nelson, Ray Charles and many more. The single was produced by Quincy Jones and Michael Omartian. With sales over 20 million copies, it is the eighth best-selling single of all time and by the first anniversary of its release, it had gained $44.5 million for the USA for Africa humanitarian fund.
January 29
On January 29, 1979, 16-year-old Brenda Spencer opened fire on Cleveland Elementary School from her home across the street in San Diego killing two adults – the school’s principal and a custodian – and injuring eight children and a police officer. She was charged as an adult and pleaded guilty to two counts of murder and assault with a deadly weapon resulting in being sentenced to life in prison, with a chance of parole after 25 years. As of today, she is still in prison. You may be wondering at this point: “How is this related to pop culture?” During the period between the shooting and Spencer being arrested, she was reached on the phone by a local journalist who asked her why she committed the crime. Her response was: “I don’t like Mondays. This livens up the day.” Her response inspired the title and song “I Don’t Like Mondays” by the Irish new wave group The Boomtown Rats. “I Don’t Like Mondays” would reach No. 1 on the U.K. Singles Chart in the summer of ’79. It didn’t crack the top 70 in America.
January 30
St. Louis Rams linebacker Mike Jones saves Super Bowl XXXIV for the St. Louis Rams on January 30, 2000, with his game-saving tackle of Tennessee Titans wide receiver Kevin Dyson on the one-yard line at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta. The tackle, which has become known simply as “The Tackle,” gave the Rams a 23-16 win and their first Super Bowl championship in franchise history.
January 31
Michael Jackson became the first solo performer to ever perform a Super Bowl Halftime show during Super Bowl XXVII on January 31, 1993, at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif. Throughout the history of the Super Bowl the halftime entertainment had typically been marching bands and other less popular acts, but Jackson’s performance – done in hopes of capitalizing on audience numbers and keeping other tuned in – would revolutionize the Super Bowl Halftime Show and lead to a new norm that continues today. Jackson performed “Jam,” “Billie Jean,” “Black or White” and “Heal the World” during the segment.
February 1
Inventor Thomas Edison completed work on the world’s first-ever movie studio, called the Black Maria, on February 1, 1893, in West Orange, N.J. Construction on the building, which included a black tar paper-covered dark studio room with a retractable roof began in December of 1892. The total cost of the building was $637.67. Edison would conduct the world’s first public demonstration of films shot using his Kinetograph in the studio at the Brooklyn Institute of Arts and Sciences in May 1883.
February 2
Detroit Red Wings coach Scotty Bowman became the first coach in National Hockey League (NHL) history to win 1000 games on February 2, 1997, when the Red Wings defeated the Pittsburgh Penguins 6-5 in overtime. Bowman began his head coaching career in 1967 with the expansion St. Louis Blues and would go on to coach the Montreal Canadiens, Buffalo Sabres, Penguins and Red Wings. Bowman remarkably won the Stanley Cup title with three different franchises: Canadiens (1973, 1976-1979), Penguins (1992) and Red Wings (1997-98 & 2002). His nine Stanley Cup wins are an NHL record. He retired from coaching after the Red Wings’ 2002 Stanley Cup victory.
February 3
Popular musicians Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and J.P. “The Big Bopper” Richardson are killed in a plane crash in Clear Lake, Iowa on February 3, 1959. The day would become to be known as “The Day the Music Died” memorialized in Don McLean’s 1972 No. 1 hit “American Pie.” The artists were performing as part of the “Winter Dance Party Tour” in the winter of ’59 when Holly chartered a four-seat Beechcraft Bonanza airplane for himself and bandmates Waylon Jennings and Tommy Allsup to take them to their next concert date in Minnesota following their Clear Lake show as they had been tired of traveling in unheated buses with a penchant for breaking down (Holly’s drummer Carl Bunch had been hospitalized due to freeze bite suffered on the bus). Valens procured Allsup’s seat when Allsup agreed to a coin flip for it and lost. Jennings gave up his seat to Richardson, who was suffering from the flu and struggling on the cold bus. The pilot of the plane, Roger Peterson, took off in inclement weather despite not being certified to fly by instruments only. Shortly after 1 a.m. on February 3 all four occupants of the plane (three musicians and pilot) were killed minutes after takeoff when the plane crashed into a nearby cornfield. Holly was 22, Richardson was 28 and Valens was 17. Jennings would go on to become a Country Music Hall of Famer. Allsup would become a session guitarist, producer and club owner.
Michael Jackson became the first solo performer to ever perform a Super Bowl Halftime show during Super Bowl XXVII on January 31, 1993, at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif. Throughout the history of the Super Bowl the halftime entertainment had typically been marching bands and other less popular acts, but Jackson’s performance – done in hopes of capitalizing on audience numbers and keeping other tuned in – would revolutionize the Super Bowl Halftime Show and lead to a new norm that continues today. Jackson performed “Jam,” “Billie Jean,” “Black or White” and “Heal the World” during the segment.
February 1
Inventor Thomas Edison completed work on the world’s first-ever movie studio, called the Black Maria, on February 1, 1893, in West Orange, N.J. Construction on the building, which included a black tar paper-covered dark studio room with a retractable roof began in December of 1892. The total cost of the building was $637.67. Edison would conduct the world’s first public demonstration of films shot using his Kinetograph in the studio at the Brooklyn Institute of Arts and Sciences in May 1883.
February 2
Detroit Red Wings coach Scotty Bowman became the first coach in National Hockey League (NHL) history to win 1000 games on February 2, 1997, when the Red Wings defeated the Pittsburgh Penguins 6-5 in overtime. Bowman began his head coaching career in 1967 with the expansion St. Louis Blues and would go on to coach the Montreal Canadiens, Buffalo Sabres, Penguins and Red Wings. Bowman remarkably won the Stanley Cup title with three different franchises: Canadiens (1973, 1976-1979), Penguins (1992) and Red Wings (1997-98 & 2002). His nine Stanley Cup wins are an NHL record. He retired from coaching after the Red Wings’ 2002 Stanley Cup victory.
February 3
Popular musicians Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and J.P. “The Big Bopper” Richardson are killed in a plane crash in Clear Lake, Iowa on February 3, 1959. The day would become to be known as “The Day the Music Died” memorialized in Don McLean’s 1972 No. 1 hit “American Pie.” The artists were performing as part of the “Winter Dance Party Tour” in the winter of ’59 when Holly chartered a four-seat Beechcraft Bonanza airplane for himself and bandmates Waylon Jennings and Tommy Allsup to take them to their next concert date in Minnesota following their Clear Lake show as they had been tired of traveling in unheated buses with a penchant for breaking down (Holly’s drummer Carl Bunch had been hospitalized due to freeze bite suffered on the bus). Valens procured Allsup’s seat when Allsup agreed to a coin flip for it and lost. Jennings gave up his seat to Richardson, who was suffering from the flu and struggling on the cold bus. The pilot of the plane, Roger Peterson, took off in inclement weather despite not being certified to fly by instruments only. Shortly after 1 a.m. on February 3 all four occupants of the plane (three musicians and pilot) were killed minutes after takeoff when the plane crashed into a nearby cornfield. Holly was 22, Richardson was 28 and Valens was 17. Jennings would go on to become a Country Music Hall of Famer. Allsup would become a session guitarist, producer and club owner.
January 21 - January 27
January 21
CBS News correspondent Bob Simon, who had reported the withdrawal of American troops from Vietnam and the 1989 student protests in China’s Tiananmen Square, is captured along with four of his TV crew members by Iraqi forces while covering the Persian Gulf War in Iraq on January 21, 1991. Simon and his crew spent 40 days in an Iraqi prison, most of it in solitary confinement before being released. Simon recounted the ordeal in his 1992 book Forty Days. Simon died in a car accident on February 11, 2015, at age 73. During his 47-year career, he won numerous awards for his work, including 27 Emmy Awards, which is believed to be the most by a field reporter.
January 22
Apple Macintosh’s “1984” advertisement, perhaps the greatest and most famous in Super Bowl history, airs on January 22, 1984, during a break in the third quarter of Super Bowl XVIII on CBS. The commercial, directed by “Blade Runner” director Ridley Scott, was inspired by author George Orwell’s 1949 novel Nineteen Eighty-Four, which described a dystopian future ruled by a televised “Big Brother.” The ad features Anya Major as the heroine who runs toward the televised Big Brother, played by David Graham, and heaves a sledgehammer at the screen destroying it. The commercial ends with the memorable voiceover exclaiming: “On January 24th, Apple Computer will introduce Macintosh. And you’ll see why 1984 won’t be like 1984.” The commercial only aired that one time nationally.
CBS News correspondent Bob Simon, who had reported the withdrawal of American troops from Vietnam and the 1989 student protests in China’s Tiananmen Square, is captured along with four of his TV crew members by Iraqi forces while covering the Persian Gulf War in Iraq on January 21, 1991. Simon and his crew spent 40 days in an Iraqi prison, most of it in solitary confinement before being released. Simon recounted the ordeal in his 1992 book Forty Days. Simon died in a car accident on February 11, 2015, at age 73. During his 47-year career, he won numerous awards for his work, including 27 Emmy Awards, which is believed to be the most by a field reporter.
January 22
Apple Macintosh’s “1984” advertisement, perhaps the greatest and most famous in Super Bowl history, airs on January 22, 1984, during a break in the third quarter of Super Bowl XVIII on CBS. The commercial, directed by “Blade Runner” director Ridley Scott, was inspired by author George Orwell’s 1949 novel Nineteen Eighty-Four, which described a dystopian future ruled by a televised “Big Brother.” The ad features Anya Major as the heroine who runs toward the televised Big Brother, played by David Graham, and heaves a sledgehammer at the screen destroying it. The commercial ends with the memorable voiceover exclaiming: “On January 24th, Apple Computer will introduce Macintosh. And you’ll see why 1984 won’t be like 1984.” The commercial only aired that one time nationally.
January 23
The inaugural class of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame was inducted in a star-studded ceremony on January 23, 1986, nearly three years after the hall of fame had been established. The first class featured Elvis Presley, Chuck Berry, James Brown, Sam Cooke, Buddy Holly, Ray Charles, Fats Domino, Little Richard Jerry Lee Lewis and The Everly Brothers. Jimmie Rodgers, Jimmy Yancey and Robert Johnson were inducted as early influences and Alan Freed, Sam Phillips and John Hammond were inducted as non-performers. The first class of the Rock Hall is infamous for not having included a single woman among its nominees.
January 24
Brooklyn Dodgers great Jackie Robinson became the first African American elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame on January 24, 1962, just as he had become the first African American to integrate the National pastime in 1947. Robinson received 77.5 percent of the vote. Robinson played 10 Major League Baseball seasons from 1947-1956, in which he won a World Series with the Dodgers in 1955, was named National League Most Valuable Player in 1949 and was a six-time All-Star. Legendary Cleveland Indians pitcher Bob Feller was also inducted in the 1962 Baseball Hall of Fame class.
January 25
The inaugural Winter Olympics opened on January 25, 1924, in Chamonix, France highlighting winter sports. Sixteen nations competed in this first Winter Olympics games, which included six sports – Ice Hockey, Bobsleigh, Curling, Figure Skating, Speed Skating and Skiing. The event lasted until February 5. Great Britain had the most athletes in competition at the games with 44, one more than the home country of France. The United States sent 24 athletes to the games. Norway finished the games with the most overall medals with 17, while Finland tied Norway for most gold medals with four.
January 26
Billie Eilish, just 18 years old at the time, thoroughly dominated the 62nd annual Grammy Awards on January 26, 2020, by winning all four major awards during the evening: Album of the Year, Record of the Year, Song of the Year and Best New Artist. The feat of sweeping the four major awards (which, obviously, can only be done once per artist) had only been done once previously in 1981 by Christopher Cross. Eilish won Album of the Year for When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? and both Record and Song of the Year for “Bad Guy,” co-written with her brother Finneas O’Connell. She performed the song “When the Party’s Over” on that evening’s Grammys telecast, but the song’s title would certainly prove to be untrue.
January 27
The Grammy Awards odd history with Hip Hop hits a low point (for many) when the Macklemore & Ryan Lewis album The Heist, propelled by its hit “Thrift Shop,” wins the Grammy for Best Rap Album at the 56th annual Grammy Awards on January 27, 2014. Macklemore, a white rapper from Seattle, beat out more critically acclaimed releases by black rappers Kendrick Lamar, Kanye West, Jay-Z and Drake. Macklemore took to Instagram to say he thought Lamar’s album good kid, m.A.A.d city should have been the winner saying: “I wanted you to win. You should have. It’s weird and sucks that I robbed you.” Lamar responded: “Macklemore is a genuine dude. However it panned out, I wish him much success.” In the years since Macklemore has pretty much disappeared, while Lamar has gone on to become one of the most successful and critically acclaimed rappers of all time.
January 14 - January 20
January 14
The sitcom “Sanford and Son,” starring comedian Redd Foxx as the titular Sanford and Demond Wilson as his son, premiered on NBC on January 14, 1972. The series was based on the BBC series “Steptoe and Son” and was created by Bud Yorkin and an uncredited Norman Lear. “Sanford and Son” was known for its racial humor and catchphrases, including Fred Sanford’s “This is the big one, Elizabeth! I’m comin’ to join you.” The series ran from 1972-1978.
January 15
In a letter, dated January 15, 1942, United States President Franklin D. Roosevelt called on Major League Baseball commissioner Kennesaw Mountain Landis to keep the league going during World War II for the benefit of the morale of the country. Landis had previously written to President Roosevelt: “If you believe we ought to close down for the duration of the war, we are ready to do so immediately.” While the league would continue to play throughout the war, hundreds of its athletes including superstars like Ted Williams, Joe DiMaggio, Bob Feller and Hank Greenberg would leave their teams to serve their country. During this time the players in the league would often be very young or older than usual. The letter from Roosevelt to Landis, known as the “Green Light Letter” is housed at the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum.
January 16
Music superstar Paul McCartney is arrested in Tokyo, Japan for bringing 7.7 ounces of marijuana into the country. McCartney had not attempted to conceal the marijuana, which was simply in a large plastic bag among his clothes in his suitcase. Eleven concerts for McCartney and Wings were quickly canceled. McCartney spent 10 days in a Tokyo detention center and was known as “Prisoner Number 22” during his time there. He was facing a seven-year prison sentence but the country chose to release and deport him without charge.
January 17
Popeye the Sailor, the fictional cartoon character created by Elzie Crisley Segar, first appeared on January 17, 1929, in the daily King Features comic strip Thimble Theater. Despite Thimble Theater having been around for 10 years by Popeye’s debut, he quickly became its most popular and lead character. In 1933, Popeye would appear in his first Paramount Pictures cartoon alongside Betty Boop, which led to the popular “I Yam What I Yam” cartoon short later that year. In these early shorts, Popeye was voiced by William Costello.
January 18
The McCann-Erikson advertising agency took a meeting with British songwriters Roger Cook and Roger Greenaway on January 18, 1971, that would turn into the iconic Coca-Cola commercial featuring the jingle “Buy the World a Coke.” The jingle, which was a reworking of Cook and Greenaway’s “True Love and Apple Pie,” sung by Susan Shirley, was collaborated on by advertising executive Bill Backer and U.S. songwriter Billy Davis. The jingle, sung by a group known as The Hillside Singers created by the agency for the television commercial for Coca-Cola, portrayed a message of hope and love (and how a sugary soft drink could provide such things) and featured a multicultural collection of teens singing the song. The popularity of the jingle and commercial led to another re-working of the song into “I’d Like to Teach the World to Sing,” which became a No. 1 hit in the United Kingdom by The New Seekers and a top-10 hit in the U.S. The Coca-Cola ad would play a major role in the series finale of the AMC drama “Mad Men” in 2015.
January 19
Lance Armstrong, a cyclist who had been an American hero after recovering from testicular cancer to win a record seven consecutive Tour de France titles from 1999 to 2005, revealed himself to be nothing more than a fraud and a cheater on January 19, 2013, when he revealed he had used performance-enhancing drugs during all seven events in an interview with Oprah Winfrey. Armstrong had been the subject of doping rumors for years and had received a lifetime ban from all sports that followed the World Anti-Doping Code the year before.
January 20
Perhaps the greatest Rock & Roll Hall of Fame class of all time was inducted on January 20, 1988, when the third annual class of the Hall of Fame featuring The Beatles, Bob Dylan, The Beach Boys, The Supremes and The Drifters is enshrined. The enshrinement was noted for a couple of high-profile no-shows in Paul McCartney, who was feuding with former bandmates George Harrison and Ringo Starr over a business issue, and Diana Ross, who was feuding with former groupmate Mary Wilson. The induction ceremony was also noted for Beach Boys member Mike Love consistently interrupting bandmate Brian Wilson’s induction speech while using his own as an opportunity to roast others within the industry.
The sitcom “Sanford and Son,” starring comedian Redd Foxx as the titular Sanford and Demond Wilson as his son, premiered on NBC on January 14, 1972. The series was based on the BBC series “Steptoe and Son” and was created by Bud Yorkin and an uncredited Norman Lear. “Sanford and Son” was known for its racial humor and catchphrases, including Fred Sanford’s “This is the big one, Elizabeth! I’m comin’ to join you.” The series ran from 1972-1978.
January 15
In a letter, dated January 15, 1942, United States President Franklin D. Roosevelt called on Major League Baseball commissioner Kennesaw Mountain Landis to keep the league going during World War II for the benefit of the morale of the country. Landis had previously written to President Roosevelt: “If you believe we ought to close down for the duration of the war, we are ready to do so immediately.” While the league would continue to play throughout the war, hundreds of its athletes including superstars like Ted Williams, Joe DiMaggio, Bob Feller and Hank Greenberg would leave their teams to serve their country. During this time the players in the league would often be very young or older than usual. The letter from Roosevelt to Landis, known as the “Green Light Letter” is housed at the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum.
January 16
Music superstar Paul McCartney is arrested in Tokyo, Japan for bringing 7.7 ounces of marijuana into the country. McCartney had not attempted to conceal the marijuana, which was simply in a large plastic bag among his clothes in his suitcase. Eleven concerts for McCartney and Wings were quickly canceled. McCartney spent 10 days in a Tokyo detention center and was known as “Prisoner Number 22” during his time there. He was facing a seven-year prison sentence but the country chose to release and deport him without charge.
January 17
Popeye the Sailor, the fictional cartoon character created by Elzie Crisley Segar, first appeared on January 17, 1929, in the daily King Features comic strip Thimble Theater. Despite Thimble Theater having been around for 10 years by Popeye’s debut, he quickly became its most popular and lead character. In 1933, Popeye would appear in his first Paramount Pictures cartoon alongside Betty Boop, which led to the popular “I Yam What I Yam” cartoon short later that year. In these early shorts, Popeye was voiced by William Costello.
January 18
The McCann-Erikson advertising agency took a meeting with British songwriters Roger Cook and Roger Greenaway on January 18, 1971, that would turn into the iconic Coca-Cola commercial featuring the jingle “Buy the World a Coke.” The jingle, which was a reworking of Cook and Greenaway’s “True Love and Apple Pie,” sung by Susan Shirley, was collaborated on by advertising executive Bill Backer and U.S. songwriter Billy Davis. The jingle, sung by a group known as The Hillside Singers created by the agency for the television commercial for Coca-Cola, portrayed a message of hope and love (and how a sugary soft drink could provide such things) and featured a multicultural collection of teens singing the song. The popularity of the jingle and commercial led to another re-working of the song into “I’d Like to Teach the World to Sing,” which became a No. 1 hit in the United Kingdom by The New Seekers and a top-10 hit in the U.S. The Coca-Cola ad would play a major role in the series finale of the AMC drama “Mad Men” in 2015.
January 19
Lance Armstrong, a cyclist who had been an American hero after recovering from testicular cancer to win a record seven consecutive Tour de France titles from 1999 to 2005, revealed himself to be nothing more than a fraud and a cheater on January 19, 2013, when he revealed he had used performance-enhancing drugs during all seven events in an interview with Oprah Winfrey. Armstrong had been the subject of doping rumors for years and had received a lifetime ban from all sports that followed the World Anti-Doping Code the year before.
January 20
Perhaps the greatest Rock & Roll Hall of Fame class of all time was inducted on January 20, 1988, when the third annual class of the Hall of Fame featuring The Beatles, Bob Dylan, The Beach Boys, The Supremes and The Drifters is enshrined. The enshrinement was noted for a couple of high-profile no-shows in Paul McCartney, who was feuding with former bandmates George Harrison and Ringo Starr over a business issue, and Diana Ross, who was feuding with former groupmate Mary Wilson. The induction ceremony was also noted for Beach Boys member Mike Love consistently interrupting bandmate Brian Wilson’s induction speech while using his own as an opportunity to roast others within the industry.
January 7 - January 13
January 7
Marian Anderson became the first African-American singer to appear at the Metropolitan Opera in New York City on January 7, 1955. Anderson starred as Ulrica in Giuseppe Verdi’s “Un ballo in maschera.” She said of the performance: “The curtain rose on the second scene and I was there on stage, mixing the witch’s brew. I trembled, and when the audience applauded and applauded before I could sing a note, I felt myself tightening into a knot.” In 1963, Anderson would become one of the first recipients of the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian award in the United States.
January 8
Hip-hop superstar Kendrick Lamar would perform the first ever College Football National Championship game halftime show on January 8, 2019, between SEC rivals the University of Alabama and the University of Georgia. Lamar’s halftime show would only be witnessed by those watching at home on television, as it was not done from the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta but rather from the city’s Centennial Olympic Park. So, I guess players on the Alabama team couldn’t use it as an excuse for pumping them up for a second-half comeback as the team went from being down 13-0 at halftime to winning 26-23 in overtime.
January 9
Dino Martin, a guard for the Providence Steamrollers, became the first player in NBA (then called the Basketball Association of America) history to score 40 points in a game on January 9, 1947, in the league’s inaugural season. Martin’s 40 points led the Steamrollers to a decisive 91-68 win over the Cleveland Rebels. Martin would only play two seasons in the league eventually becoming the head coach of Boston College.
January 10
San Francisco 49ers quarterback Joe Montana and wide receiver Dwight Clark connect for what would become known as “The Catch” in NFL history with 58 seconds remaining in the game in what would go on to be a 28-27 49ers victory over the Dallas Cowboys in the NFC Championship Game on January 10, 1982, at Candlestick Park in San Francisco. The catch, which Clark barely made with his fingertips, came at the end of a 14-play, 83-yard drive for the team. The 49ers would go on to defeat the Cincinnati Bengals 26-21 in Super Bowl XVI.
January 11
Comedian Jon Stewart succeeds Craig Kilborn as the host of Comedy Central’s late-night talk and satirical news program “The Daily Show,” on January 11, 1999. The show, which had begun in 1996 with Kilborn at the helm, would truly flourish with Stewart as host. Stewart’s version of the show, which would run from 1999-2015, won a record 11 Emmy Awards for Outstanding Variety Series.
January 12
Britney Spears released her debut album …Baby One More Time at 17 on January 12, 1999. The album, released on Jive Records, would feature the hits “…Baby One More Time,” which had been the first single released by Spears in September of 1998 and would become her first No. 1, and “(You Drive Me) Crazy,” which would go to No. 10 on the Billboard Hot 100.
January 13
Minnesota North Stars center Bill Masterton suffered a severe brain injury during the first period of a game against the Oakland Seals at the Met Center in Bloomington, Minn., on January 13, 1968, which would result in his death two days later. Masterton, who was in his first season in the NHL with the newly founded North Stars and had scored the franchise’s first goal, was carrying the puck up the ice at speed when Seals defenders Larry Cahan and Ron Harris converged on him, knocking him backward and his head collided with the ice. Masterton, like most players of his era, was not wearing a helmet. He would become the first, and to this day the only NHL player to die from an in-game injury. Despite Masterton’s death, it would be 11 more years before the NHL mandated the use of helmets by all its players.
Marian Anderson became the first African-American singer to appear at the Metropolitan Opera in New York City on January 7, 1955. Anderson starred as Ulrica in Giuseppe Verdi’s “Un ballo in maschera.” She said of the performance: “The curtain rose on the second scene and I was there on stage, mixing the witch’s brew. I trembled, and when the audience applauded and applauded before I could sing a note, I felt myself tightening into a knot.” In 1963, Anderson would become one of the first recipients of the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian award in the United States.
January 8
Hip-hop superstar Kendrick Lamar would perform the first ever College Football National Championship game halftime show on January 8, 2019, between SEC rivals the University of Alabama and the University of Georgia. Lamar’s halftime show would only be witnessed by those watching at home on television, as it was not done from the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta but rather from the city’s Centennial Olympic Park. So, I guess players on the Alabama team couldn’t use it as an excuse for pumping them up for a second-half comeback as the team went from being down 13-0 at halftime to winning 26-23 in overtime.
January 9
Dino Martin, a guard for the Providence Steamrollers, became the first player in NBA (then called the Basketball Association of America) history to score 40 points in a game on January 9, 1947, in the league’s inaugural season. Martin’s 40 points led the Steamrollers to a decisive 91-68 win over the Cleveland Rebels. Martin would only play two seasons in the league eventually becoming the head coach of Boston College.
January 10
San Francisco 49ers quarterback Joe Montana and wide receiver Dwight Clark connect for what would become known as “The Catch” in NFL history with 58 seconds remaining in the game in what would go on to be a 28-27 49ers victory over the Dallas Cowboys in the NFC Championship Game on January 10, 1982, at Candlestick Park in San Francisco. The catch, which Clark barely made with his fingertips, came at the end of a 14-play, 83-yard drive for the team. The 49ers would go on to defeat the Cincinnati Bengals 26-21 in Super Bowl XVI.
January 11
Comedian Jon Stewart succeeds Craig Kilborn as the host of Comedy Central’s late-night talk and satirical news program “The Daily Show,” on January 11, 1999. The show, which had begun in 1996 with Kilborn at the helm, would truly flourish with Stewart as host. Stewart’s version of the show, which would run from 1999-2015, won a record 11 Emmy Awards for Outstanding Variety Series.
January 12
Britney Spears released her debut album …Baby One More Time at 17 on January 12, 1999. The album, released on Jive Records, would feature the hits “…Baby One More Time,” which had been the first single released by Spears in September of 1998 and would become her first No. 1, and “(You Drive Me) Crazy,” which would go to No. 10 on the Billboard Hot 100.
January 13
Minnesota North Stars center Bill Masterton suffered a severe brain injury during the first period of a game against the Oakland Seals at the Met Center in Bloomington, Minn., on January 13, 1968, which would result in his death two days later. Masterton, who was in his first season in the NHL with the newly founded North Stars and had scored the franchise’s first goal, was carrying the puck up the ice at speed when Seals defenders Larry Cahan and Ron Harris converged on him, knocking him backward and his head collided with the ice. Masterton, like most players of his era, was not wearing a helmet. He would become the first, and to this day the only NHL player to die from an in-game injury. Despite Masterton’s death, it would be 11 more years before the NHL mandated the use of helmets by all its players.
January 1 - January 6
January 1
Country music singer-songwriter Hank Williams, who would go on to be regarded as one of the most influential musicians in modern music, was found dead in the back seat of a car driving him to a New Year’s Day show in Canton, Ohio in the early morning hours of January 1, 1953. Williams was supposed to take a flight to Charleston, W.V. for a New Year’s Eve show but when bad weather forced the plane to return to Knoxville, Tenn. and the show was cancelled Williams and a college student, Charles Carr, hired to be his driver set out for Canton by car. Before leaving in Knoxville, Carr requested a doctor for Williams, who had been affected by a combination of chloral hydrate and alcohol he had consumed on the way to Knoxville. Dr. P.H. Caldwell injected Williams with two shots of vitamin B12 and a quarter-grain of morphine. Williams was in such bad shape he had to be carried by hotel porters to the car. Around midnight on January 1, Carr stopped at an all-night restaurant and phoned a local taxi company for a relief driver as he was exhausted. Driver Don Surface filled in as driver for Carr. When Surface and Carr stopped at a gas station later that morning in Oak Hill, W. V. they realized that Williams was dead in the back seat and had been dead for so long rigor mortis had already set in. A local doctor performed an autopsy and announced the cause of death as acute right ventricular dilation with hemorrhages in the heart and neck. He also noted Williams had been recently severely beaten and kicked in the groin – the results of a bar fight a few days before in his hometown of Montgomery, Ala. Williams’s death was announced later that evening in Canton at the venue he was supposed to perform. He was 29.
January 2
The Green Bay Packers defeated the Cleveland Browns 23-12 in the National Football League Championship game on January 2, 1966, in the final one played before the Super Bowl era began the next season. Seventeen future Hall of Famers, counting Packers coach Vince Lombardi, participated in the game, including Packers fullback Jim Taylor who would be named MVP of the game with 96 rushing yards and 20 receiving yards. It was also the first NFL title game ever broadcast in color on television.
January 3
The second class of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame was announced on January 3, 1987, including Aretha Franklin, the first woman to be inducted into the Hall of fame. The other inductees include Marvin Gaye, Roy Orbison, Smokey Robinson, Rick Nelson, Jackie Wilson, Carl Perkins, Eddie Cochran, Bo Diddley, Clyde McPhatter, Bill Haley and The Coasters.
January 4
Thomas Stevens became the first person to circle the globe by bicycle when he returned to San Francisco on January 4, 1887, from a trip that began at that location in April of 1884. Stevens rode a large-wheeled Ordinary, also known as a penny-farthing or high wheeler, on his trek, which included a lot of walking due to terrain and an arrest in Afghanistan, which had borders closed to foreigners, after having taken a detour after being refused permission to travel through Siberia. The parts where Stevens had to ride his bicycle across the oceans and seas of the world were particularly a bitch to accomplish – we’re just joking, he took steamers and other boats obviously for these parts. The biking part of his journey ended in Yokohama, Japan on December 17, 1886, before returning to San Francisco on a steamer. Stevens is said to have biked an estimated 13,500 miles. Harper’s Magazine detailed his trip through a series of letters Stevens sent upon his journey.
January 5
Former heavyweight boxing champion Sonny Liston’s deceased body was found by his wife Geraldine on January 5, 1971, in their Las Vegas home. Geraldine had arrived at the residence after a two-week trip to a foul smell emanating from the main bedroom and finding Liston’s slumped over body against the bed upon entering. Following an investigation, Las Vegas police concluded there were no signs of foul play and declared Liston’s death to have been from a heroin overdose. However, a local coroner said despite traces of heroin byproducts in Liston’s system and scar tissue potentially from needle marks in the bend of his left elbow, there wasn’t enough heroin in his system to have resulted in death. His finding was that Liston died of lung congestion and heart failure based on previous complaints of chest pains and having been known to suffer from the hardening of the heart muscle and lung disease. The date listed on Liston’s death certificate was December 30, 1970, which police judged by the number of milk bottles and newspapers in front of the home’s front door upon finding the body. Due to the differing theories of death and claims Liston had a lifelong fear of needles – seemingly denouncing heroin use – there have always been conspiracies around his death with some even suspecting he was murdered and it was covered up.
January 6
The Village People appeared on television’s “American Bandstand” on January 6, 1979, to perform their hit song “Y.M.C.A.” It is this appearance in which the famous dance that goes along with the song originated, having reportedly been the idea of the show’s host Dick Clark. The song would go to no. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in early ’79, being kept off the top spot by Chic’s “Le Freak” and Rod Stewart’s “Do Ya Think I’m Sexy?” The dance has lived on ever since.
Country music singer-songwriter Hank Williams, who would go on to be regarded as one of the most influential musicians in modern music, was found dead in the back seat of a car driving him to a New Year’s Day show in Canton, Ohio in the early morning hours of January 1, 1953. Williams was supposed to take a flight to Charleston, W.V. for a New Year’s Eve show but when bad weather forced the plane to return to Knoxville, Tenn. and the show was cancelled Williams and a college student, Charles Carr, hired to be his driver set out for Canton by car. Before leaving in Knoxville, Carr requested a doctor for Williams, who had been affected by a combination of chloral hydrate and alcohol he had consumed on the way to Knoxville. Dr. P.H. Caldwell injected Williams with two shots of vitamin B12 and a quarter-grain of morphine. Williams was in such bad shape he had to be carried by hotel porters to the car. Around midnight on January 1, Carr stopped at an all-night restaurant and phoned a local taxi company for a relief driver as he was exhausted. Driver Don Surface filled in as driver for Carr. When Surface and Carr stopped at a gas station later that morning in Oak Hill, W. V. they realized that Williams was dead in the back seat and had been dead for so long rigor mortis had already set in. A local doctor performed an autopsy and announced the cause of death as acute right ventricular dilation with hemorrhages in the heart and neck. He also noted Williams had been recently severely beaten and kicked in the groin – the results of a bar fight a few days before in his hometown of Montgomery, Ala. Williams’s death was announced later that evening in Canton at the venue he was supposed to perform. He was 29.
January 2
The Green Bay Packers defeated the Cleveland Browns 23-12 in the National Football League Championship game on January 2, 1966, in the final one played before the Super Bowl era began the next season. Seventeen future Hall of Famers, counting Packers coach Vince Lombardi, participated in the game, including Packers fullback Jim Taylor who would be named MVP of the game with 96 rushing yards and 20 receiving yards. It was also the first NFL title game ever broadcast in color on television.
January 3
The second class of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame was announced on January 3, 1987, including Aretha Franklin, the first woman to be inducted into the Hall of fame. The other inductees include Marvin Gaye, Roy Orbison, Smokey Robinson, Rick Nelson, Jackie Wilson, Carl Perkins, Eddie Cochran, Bo Diddley, Clyde McPhatter, Bill Haley and The Coasters.
January 4
Thomas Stevens became the first person to circle the globe by bicycle when he returned to San Francisco on January 4, 1887, from a trip that began at that location in April of 1884. Stevens rode a large-wheeled Ordinary, also known as a penny-farthing or high wheeler, on his trek, which included a lot of walking due to terrain and an arrest in Afghanistan, which had borders closed to foreigners, after having taken a detour after being refused permission to travel through Siberia. The parts where Stevens had to ride his bicycle across the oceans and seas of the world were particularly a bitch to accomplish – we’re just joking, he took steamers and other boats obviously for these parts. The biking part of his journey ended in Yokohama, Japan on December 17, 1886, before returning to San Francisco on a steamer. Stevens is said to have biked an estimated 13,500 miles. Harper’s Magazine detailed his trip through a series of letters Stevens sent upon his journey.
January 5
Former heavyweight boxing champion Sonny Liston’s deceased body was found by his wife Geraldine on January 5, 1971, in their Las Vegas home. Geraldine had arrived at the residence after a two-week trip to a foul smell emanating from the main bedroom and finding Liston’s slumped over body against the bed upon entering. Following an investigation, Las Vegas police concluded there were no signs of foul play and declared Liston’s death to have been from a heroin overdose. However, a local coroner said despite traces of heroin byproducts in Liston’s system and scar tissue potentially from needle marks in the bend of his left elbow, there wasn’t enough heroin in his system to have resulted in death. His finding was that Liston died of lung congestion and heart failure based on previous complaints of chest pains and having been known to suffer from the hardening of the heart muscle and lung disease. The date listed on Liston’s death certificate was December 30, 1970, which police judged by the number of milk bottles and newspapers in front of the home’s front door upon finding the body. Due to the differing theories of death and claims Liston had a lifelong fear of needles – seemingly denouncing heroin use – there have always been conspiracies around his death with some even suspecting he was murdered and it was covered up.
January 6
The Village People appeared on television’s “American Bandstand” on January 6, 1979, to perform their hit song “Y.M.C.A.” It is this appearance in which the famous dance that goes along with the song originated, having reportedly been the idea of the show’s host Dick Clark. The song would go to no. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in early ’79, being kept off the top spot by Chic’s “Le Freak” and Rod Stewart’s “Do Ya Think I’m Sexy?” The dance has lived on ever since.
December 24 - December 31
December 24
In a move that would start the conversation about free agency in Major League Baseball, outfielder Curt Flood sent a letter to baseball commissioner Bowie Kuhn on December 24, 1969, refusing to accept a trade from the St. Louis Cardinals to the Philadelphia Phillies and advocating for free agency. In the letter Flood said: “After 12 years in the major leagues, I do not feel that I am a piece of property to be bought and sold irrespective of my wishes. I believe that any system which produces that result violates my basic rights as a citizen and is inconsistent with the laws of the United States and of the several states. It is my desire to play baseball in 1970 and I am capable of playing. I have received a contract offer from the Philadelphia club, but I believe I have the right to consider offers from other clubs before making any decisions. I, therefore, request that you make known to all the major league clubs my feelings in this matter and advise them of my availability for the 1970 season.” Flood and the Major League Baseball Players Association union would lose a lawsuit against the league that went all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court. But within the next decade, the players would win the right to free agency. Flood sat out the entire 1970 season and would only play 13 more games in his MLB career, with the Washington Senators in 1971. The three-time All-Star and seven-time Gold Glove winner was done with professional baseball at just 33 years old.
December 25
James William Buffett was born to James Delaney Buffett Jr. and Mary Lorraine on December 25, 1946, in Pascagoula, Miss. After seeing a folk music ensemble in Biloxi, Miss. in 1961, Buffett knew he wanted to be a musician. He would embark on a career as a singer-songwriter, specializing in a form of country-and-folk-rock based on the ocean life, that wouldn’t garner him many Billboard hits but an adoring fan base that would make him among the most popular touring musicians in the world. Buffett would also become a shrewd businessman, turning his easy-going lifestyle into its own brand with restaurants, stores, resorts, etc. Buffett died at age 76 on September 1, 2023, due to complications from Merkel-cell carcinoma, a rare and aggressive form of skin cancer.
December 26
The Boston Red Sox reached an agreement with the New York Yankees to trade slugger and pitcher Babe Ruth to the Yankees on December 26, 1919. The reasons why Red Sox owner Harry Frazee sold Ruth’s contract have never really been figured out, with one of Ruth’s biographers Jim Reisler stating, “why Frazee needed cash in 1919 – and large infusions of it quickly – is still, more than 80 years later, a bit of a mystery. The popular rumor was that Frazee needed the money to finance his Broadway musical “No, No, Nanette,” but that play didn’t open until 1925 after he had sold the Red Sox. Whatever the reason for the deal, Ruth would go on to be considered the greatest baseball player of all time with his tenure on the Yankees, where he would drop pitching and become an everyday slugger. The sale of Ruth from the Red Sox to the Yankees is the moment that led to the “Curse of the Bambino” sports superstition when the Red Sox didn’t win another World Series until 2004.
December 27
Mario Lemieux, an NHL legend with the Pittsburgh Penguins who had been forced to retire in 1997 at age 31 due to injury problems and lingering bouts with cancer, made his return to the league for the Penguins, whom he now partially owned, on December 27, 2000. Lemieux would score a goal and record two assists in the 5-0 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs. Lemieux would play for five more seasons, dealing with injury issues in all but two of them. He would retire for good after the 2005-06 season at age 40, nine years after having been inducted into the sport’s hall of fame.
December 28
In what’s often called “The Greatest Game Ever Played" the Baltimore Colts won the 26th NFL championship against the New York Giants 23-17 at Yankee Stadium in the first-ever sudden-death overtime game in NFL history on December 28, 1958. Colts running back Alan Ameche would score the game-winning touchdown on a one-yard run in the overtime session. Seventeen future members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame were involved in the game, including Colts quarterback Johnny Unitas and New York Giants running back Frank Gifford.
December 29
Elvis Presley had an amazing, and at the time historical, achievement on December 29, 1956, when he had 10 different singles among the Billboard Hot 100 (then called “Top 100”). Among the songs Presley had in the “Top 100” at the time included four No. 1 hits: “Heartbreak Hotel,” “Hound Dog,” “Don’t Be Cruel” and “Love Me Tender.”
December 30
Frank Sinatra recorded “My Way,” which would arguably become his signature song, on December 30, 1968. The song’s lyrics were written by singer Paul Anka after hearing the 1967 French song “Comme d’habitude” by Jacques Revaux while on vacation in the south of France. Anka’s lyrics were simply set to the tune and unrelated to the French lyrics in the song. Anka flew to Paris where he received the rights to adapt, record and publish the song. Anka knew the song had to be cut by Sinatra (Anka would record his own version shortly after Sinatra cut it). Sinatra recorded the song on one take and it would appear on his 1969 album My Way. “My Way” was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2000.
December 31
The Green Bay Packers defeated the Dallas Cowboys 21-17 in the NFL Championship game on December 31, 1967, in a game that would become known as “The Ice Bowl” as it’s played in temperatures as low as 13 degrees below zero at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisc. The Packers would take the lead with 16 seconds remaining in the game when Packers quarterback Bart Starr would QB sneak from less than a yard out of the endzone for the game-winner.
In a move that would start the conversation about free agency in Major League Baseball, outfielder Curt Flood sent a letter to baseball commissioner Bowie Kuhn on December 24, 1969, refusing to accept a trade from the St. Louis Cardinals to the Philadelphia Phillies and advocating for free agency. In the letter Flood said: “After 12 years in the major leagues, I do not feel that I am a piece of property to be bought and sold irrespective of my wishes. I believe that any system which produces that result violates my basic rights as a citizen and is inconsistent with the laws of the United States and of the several states. It is my desire to play baseball in 1970 and I am capable of playing. I have received a contract offer from the Philadelphia club, but I believe I have the right to consider offers from other clubs before making any decisions. I, therefore, request that you make known to all the major league clubs my feelings in this matter and advise them of my availability for the 1970 season.” Flood and the Major League Baseball Players Association union would lose a lawsuit against the league that went all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court. But within the next decade, the players would win the right to free agency. Flood sat out the entire 1970 season and would only play 13 more games in his MLB career, with the Washington Senators in 1971. The three-time All-Star and seven-time Gold Glove winner was done with professional baseball at just 33 years old.
December 25
James William Buffett was born to James Delaney Buffett Jr. and Mary Lorraine on December 25, 1946, in Pascagoula, Miss. After seeing a folk music ensemble in Biloxi, Miss. in 1961, Buffett knew he wanted to be a musician. He would embark on a career as a singer-songwriter, specializing in a form of country-and-folk-rock based on the ocean life, that wouldn’t garner him many Billboard hits but an adoring fan base that would make him among the most popular touring musicians in the world. Buffett would also become a shrewd businessman, turning his easy-going lifestyle into its own brand with restaurants, stores, resorts, etc. Buffett died at age 76 on September 1, 2023, due to complications from Merkel-cell carcinoma, a rare and aggressive form of skin cancer.
December 26
The Boston Red Sox reached an agreement with the New York Yankees to trade slugger and pitcher Babe Ruth to the Yankees on December 26, 1919. The reasons why Red Sox owner Harry Frazee sold Ruth’s contract have never really been figured out, with one of Ruth’s biographers Jim Reisler stating, “why Frazee needed cash in 1919 – and large infusions of it quickly – is still, more than 80 years later, a bit of a mystery. The popular rumor was that Frazee needed the money to finance his Broadway musical “No, No, Nanette,” but that play didn’t open until 1925 after he had sold the Red Sox. Whatever the reason for the deal, Ruth would go on to be considered the greatest baseball player of all time with his tenure on the Yankees, where he would drop pitching and become an everyday slugger. The sale of Ruth from the Red Sox to the Yankees is the moment that led to the “Curse of the Bambino” sports superstition when the Red Sox didn’t win another World Series until 2004.
December 27
Mario Lemieux, an NHL legend with the Pittsburgh Penguins who had been forced to retire in 1997 at age 31 due to injury problems and lingering bouts with cancer, made his return to the league for the Penguins, whom he now partially owned, on December 27, 2000. Lemieux would score a goal and record two assists in the 5-0 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs. Lemieux would play for five more seasons, dealing with injury issues in all but two of them. He would retire for good after the 2005-06 season at age 40, nine years after having been inducted into the sport’s hall of fame.
December 28
In what’s often called “The Greatest Game Ever Played" the Baltimore Colts won the 26th NFL championship against the New York Giants 23-17 at Yankee Stadium in the first-ever sudden-death overtime game in NFL history on December 28, 1958. Colts running back Alan Ameche would score the game-winning touchdown on a one-yard run in the overtime session. Seventeen future members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame were involved in the game, including Colts quarterback Johnny Unitas and New York Giants running back Frank Gifford.
December 29
Elvis Presley had an amazing, and at the time historical, achievement on December 29, 1956, when he had 10 different singles among the Billboard Hot 100 (then called “Top 100”). Among the songs Presley had in the “Top 100” at the time included four No. 1 hits: “Heartbreak Hotel,” “Hound Dog,” “Don’t Be Cruel” and “Love Me Tender.”
December 30
Frank Sinatra recorded “My Way,” which would arguably become his signature song, on December 30, 1968. The song’s lyrics were written by singer Paul Anka after hearing the 1967 French song “Comme d’habitude” by Jacques Revaux while on vacation in the south of France. Anka’s lyrics were simply set to the tune and unrelated to the French lyrics in the song. Anka flew to Paris where he received the rights to adapt, record and publish the song. Anka knew the song had to be cut by Sinatra (Anka would record his own version shortly after Sinatra cut it). Sinatra recorded the song on one take and it would appear on his 1969 album My Way. “My Way” was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2000.
December 31
The Green Bay Packers defeated the Dallas Cowboys 21-17 in the NFL Championship game on December 31, 1967, in a game that would become known as “The Ice Bowl” as it’s played in temperatures as low as 13 degrees below zero at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisc. The Packers would take the lead with 16 seconds remaining in the game when Packers quarterback Bart Starr would QB sneak from less than a yard out of the endzone for the game-winner.
December 17 - 23
December 17
The animated TV series “The Simpsons,” created by Matt Groening, premieres on Fox on December 17, 1989, with the episode “Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire.” The family originally appeared as cartoon shorts in the Fox sketch comedy series “The Tracey Ullman Show,” beginning in 1987. “The Simpsons” is still airing new episodes on Fox to this date and is the longest-running primetime TV show in American television history with 34 seasons and 750 episodes and counting.
December 18
The Christmas TV special “Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas!” premieres on CBS on December 18, 1966. Based on the 1957 children’s book by Dr. Seuss, the special tells the story of the Grinch, who tries to ruin Christmas for the people of Whoville. The special, which would go on to become an annual Christmas tradition for many, featured horror film legend Boris Karloff as the voice of The Grinch, as well as the narrator of the special, with original songs written by Albert Hague and performed by Thurl Ravenscroft. Chuck Jones developed the special, which took 11 to 14 months of production time to complete.
December 19
Director James Cameron’s epic tragedy “Titanic,” a fictional love story set aboard the real Titanic disaster of 1912, premieres in theaters on December 19, 1997. The film, starring Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio, would go on to become the highest-grossing film in box office history earning more than $2.2 billion, a feat it would hold until another James Cameron film, “Avatar,” would surpass it in 2010. “Titanic” would go on to tie Academy Awards records with 14 nominations and 11 wins, including Best Picture.
December 20
Director Francis Ford Coppola’s “The Godfather Part II,” the sequel to his 1972 Best Picture Oscar-winning mafia epic “The Godfather,” premieres on December 20, 1974. The film would continue the story of the Corleone family and much like the first film it too would go on to much critical acclaim and Oscar success winning Best Picture. “The Godfather Part II” would take home six Oscars in total, including Best Director for Coppola and Best Supporting Actor for Robert De Niro.
December 21
The first ever game of basketball was played on December 21, 1891, in Springfield, Mass. when educator James Naismith taught the rules to students at the International YMCA Training School who then participated in the first game. The game was created by Naismith cutting a hole out of the bottom of a peach basket, attaching it high on a wall and attempting to toss a ball into it. The game of basketball would go on to be one of the most popular sports worldwide.
December 22
New Orleans Saints wide receiver Michael Thomas set the NFL record for most receptions in the season when he made catch number 144 in a 38-28 win over the Tennessee Titans on December 22, 2019. Thomas broke the 17-year-old record that had been set by Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Marvin Harrison. Thomas would go on to finish the season with 149 receptions.
December 23
After an appearance on the TV show “Shindig!,” where they performed their Christmas hit “Little Saint Nick,” on December 23, 1964, The Beach Boys’ Brian Wilson has a nervous breakdown on a flight to Houston where the popular group was to begin a two-week tour. Wilson would perform the show in Houston but would be replaced by session guitarist (and future country music sensation) Glen Campbell for the remainder of the tour. Wilson would retire from full-time touring with the group to focus on songwriting and recording, which would lead to critically-acclaimed hits like Pet Sounds in 1966. It, unfortunately, wouldn’t be the last of Wilson’s nervous breakdowns but he’s still alive and kicking today at age 81.
The animated TV series “The Simpsons,” created by Matt Groening, premieres on Fox on December 17, 1989, with the episode “Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire.” The family originally appeared as cartoon shorts in the Fox sketch comedy series “The Tracey Ullman Show,” beginning in 1987. “The Simpsons” is still airing new episodes on Fox to this date and is the longest-running primetime TV show in American television history with 34 seasons and 750 episodes and counting.
December 18
The Christmas TV special “Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas!” premieres on CBS on December 18, 1966. Based on the 1957 children’s book by Dr. Seuss, the special tells the story of the Grinch, who tries to ruin Christmas for the people of Whoville. The special, which would go on to become an annual Christmas tradition for many, featured horror film legend Boris Karloff as the voice of The Grinch, as well as the narrator of the special, with original songs written by Albert Hague and performed by Thurl Ravenscroft. Chuck Jones developed the special, which took 11 to 14 months of production time to complete.
December 19
Director James Cameron’s epic tragedy “Titanic,” a fictional love story set aboard the real Titanic disaster of 1912, premieres in theaters on December 19, 1997. The film, starring Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio, would go on to become the highest-grossing film in box office history earning more than $2.2 billion, a feat it would hold until another James Cameron film, “Avatar,” would surpass it in 2010. “Titanic” would go on to tie Academy Awards records with 14 nominations and 11 wins, including Best Picture.
December 20
Director Francis Ford Coppola’s “The Godfather Part II,” the sequel to his 1972 Best Picture Oscar-winning mafia epic “The Godfather,” premieres on December 20, 1974. The film would continue the story of the Corleone family and much like the first film it too would go on to much critical acclaim and Oscar success winning Best Picture. “The Godfather Part II” would take home six Oscars in total, including Best Director for Coppola and Best Supporting Actor for Robert De Niro.
December 21
The first ever game of basketball was played on December 21, 1891, in Springfield, Mass. when educator James Naismith taught the rules to students at the International YMCA Training School who then participated in the first game. The game was created by Naismith cutting a hole out of the bottom of a peach basket, attaching it high on a wall and attempting to toss a ball into it. The game of basketball would go on to be one of the most popular sports worldwide.
December 22
New Orleans Saints wide receiver Michael Thomas set the NFL record for most receptions in the season when he made catch number 144 in a 38-28 win over the Tennessee Titans on December 22, 2019. Thomas broke the 17-year-old record that had been set by Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Marvin Harrison. Thomas would go on to finish the season with 149 receptions.
December 23
After an appearance on the TV show “Shindig!,” where they performed their Christmas hit “Little Saint Nick,” on December 23, 1964, The Beach Boys’ Brian Wilson has a nervous breakdown on a flight to Houston where the popular group was to begin a two-week tour. Wilson would perform the show in Houston but would be replaced by session guitarist (and future country music sensation) Glen Campbell for the remainder of the tour. Wilson would retire from full-time touring with the group to focus on songwriting and recording, which would lead to critically-acclaimed hits like Pet Sounds in 1966. It, unfortunately, wouldn’t be the last of Wilson’s nervous breakdowns but he’s still alive and kicking today at age 81.
December 10 - December 16
December 10
The first issue of Playboy magazine was published by Hugh Hefner and his associates on December 10, 1953, featuring actress Marilyn Monroe as its first cover model. The Monroe photos in the magazine weren’t specifically taken for Playboy but for a calendar four years before and the cover shot was taken of her at the 1952 Miss America Pageant. Monroe didn’t consent to the photos being used in the magazine but they certainly helped sell out the inaugural issue and confirm her status as a sex symbol.
December 11
In one of the most shocking scandals in pop culture history, hit rock & roll musician Jerry Lee Lewis married his 13-year-old cousin Myra Gale Brown on December 11, 1957. Lewis had been one of the biggest stars of the new rock & roll genre with hits like “Whole Lot of Shakin’ Goin’ On” and “Great Balls of Fire” but the controversial marriage hurt his career and he was never a major pop star again – though he did have a second career with some hits on country radio. The marriage to Myra, the daughter of Lewis’s bass player J.W. Brown, lasted 14 years.
December 12
Puerto Rican reggaeton superstar Bad Bunny hits No. 1 on the Billboard 200 albums chart with his third studio album El Ultimo Tour Del Mundo on December 12, 2020, making it the first ever entirely Spanish-language album to top the Billboard albums chart. The album would go on to win the Grammy Award for Best Musica Urbana Album.
December 13
On December 13, 1997, University of Michigan cornerback Charles Woodson was named college football’s Heisman Trophy winner as the best player of the season. It is the first time, and to this day, the only time a defensive player has ever won the honor in the award’s 86-year history. Woodson would go on to have a Hall of Fame career in the National Football League playing for the Oakland Raiders and Green Bay Packers from 1998-2015.
December 14
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) was founded by a committee headed up by organizer Bill France Sr. at the Streamline Hotel in Daytona Beach, Fla. on December 14, 1947. Stock car racing had become a popular event, especially in the Southern United States, after bootleggers began racing each other in their vehicles but it wasn’t properly organized or sanctioned until NASCAR came along. The inaugural NASCAR season would be in 1948 and the sport celebrated its 75th anniversary in 2023.
December 15
The epic nearly four-hour film “Gone With the Wind,” based on the best-selling Margaret Mitchell novel, premieres in Atlanta, Ga. on December 15, 1939. The film tells the story of Scarlett O’Hara (played by Vivien Leigh), the strong-willed daughter of a plantation owner, following her romantic interests of two men, Ashley Wilkes (played by Leslie Howard) and Rhett Butler (played by Clark Gable). The film would go on to win 10 Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Director for Victor Fleming, Best Actress for Leigh and Best Supporting Actress for Hattie McDaniel, making her the first African-American Oscar winner.
December 16
“Dragnet,” one of the first popular police procedurals in television history, premiered on NBC on December 16, 1951. The series starred Jack Webb, who also produced it, as police sergeant (later lieutenant) Joe Friday as he solved crimes in Los Angeles. The popularity of “Dragnet” would lead to decades of hit police shows, which continue on network television to this day.
The first issue of Playboy magazine was published by Hugh Hefner and his associates on December 10, 1953, featuring actress Marilyn Monroe as its first cover model. The Monroe photos in the magazine weren’t specifically taken for Playboy but for a calendar four years before and the cover shot was taken of her at the 1952 Miss America Pageant. Monroe didn’t consent to the photos being used in the magazine but they certainly helped sell out the inaugural issue and confirm her status as a sex symbol.
December 11
In one of the most shocking scandals in pop culture history, hit rock & roll musician Jerry Lee Lewis married his 13-year-old cousin Myra Gale Brown on December 11, 1957. Lewis had been one of the biggest stars of the new rock & roll genre with hits like “Whole Lot of Shakin’ Goin’ On” and “Great Balls of Fire” but the controversial marriage hurt his career and he was never a major pop star again – though he did have a second career with some hits on country radio. The marriage to Myra, the daughter of Lewis’s bass player J.W. Brown, lasted 14 years.
December 12
Puerto Rican reggaeton superstar Bad Bunny hits No. 1 on the Billboard 200 albums chart with his third studio album El Ultimo Tour Del Mundo on December 12, 2020, making it the first ever entirely Spanish-language album to top the Billboard albums chart. The album would go on to win the Grammy Award for Best Musica Urbana Album.
December 13
On December 13, 1997, University of Michigan cornerback Charles Woodson was named college football’s Heisman Trophy winner as the best player of the season. It is the first time, and to this day, the only time a defensive player has ever won the honor in the award’s 86-year history. Woodson would go on to have a Hall of Fame career in the National Football League playing for the Oakland Raiders and Green Bay Packers from 1998-2015.
December 14
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) was founded by a committee headed up by organizer Bill France Sr. at the Streamline Hotel in Daytona Beach, Fla. on December 14, 1947. Stock car racing had become a popular event, especially in the Southern United States, after bootleggers began racing each other in their vehicles but it wasn’t properly organized or sanctioned until NASCAR came along. The inaugural NASCAR season would be in 1948 and the sport celebrated its 75th anniversary in 2023.
December 15
The epic nearly four-hour film “Gone With the Wind,” based on the best-selling Margaret Mitchell novel, premieres in Atlanta, Ga. on December 15, 1939. The film tells the story of Scarlett O’Hara (played by Vivien Leigh), the strong-willed daughter of a plantation owner, following her romantic interests of two men, Ashley Wilkes (played by Leslie Howard) and Rhett Butler (played by Clark Gable). The film would go on to win 10 Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Director for Victor Fleming, Best Actress for Leigh and Best Supporting Actress for Hattie McDaniel, making her the first African-American Oscar winner.
December 16
“Dragnet,” one of the first popular police procedurals in television history, premiered on NBC on December 16, 1951. The series starred Jack Webb, who also produced it, as police sergeant (later lieutenant) Joe Friday as he solved crimes in Los Angeles. The popularity of “Dragnet” would lead to decades of hit police shows, which continue on network television to this day.
December 3 - December 9
December 3
Real Madrid midfielder Luka Modric wins the Ballon d'Or as the best men's soccer player in the world on December 3, 2018, marking the first time in more than a decade that either Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo didn't win the most coveted honor in professional soccer. For the first time, a women's soccer honor of the same caliber is given out as Norwegian striker Ada Hegerberg is named the inaugural Ballon d'Or Feminin.
December 4
During a Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention concert at the Montreux Casino on the shoreline of Lake Geneva in Montreux, Switzerland on December 4, 1971, some stupid with a flare gun in the audience fired a shot a burned the place to the ground. The English rock band Deep Purple was in Montreux to record an album using a mobile recording studio on loan from the Rolling Stones and witnessed the whole event with the smoke from the fire over Lake Geneva giving the inspiration, story and title to what would become their signature song “Smoke on the Water.”
December 5
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced the banning of Russia from competing in the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics in South Korea on December 5, 2017, due to widespread state-sponsored doping. The IOC had found evidence of an “unprecedented systematic manipulation” of the anti-doping system used to ensure fair play at the games.
December 6
The Altamont Speedway Free Festival in Tracy, Calif., which was headlined by the Rolling Stones, ended in tragedy with the stabbing death of concertgoer Meredith Hunter by Hells Angels members being used as security at the event on December 6, 1969. The Altamont show, which also featured performances by Santana, Jefferson Airplane, and Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, was supposed to be essentially the “Woodstock of the West” but proved to be anything but. Rolling Stones singer Mick Jagger was reportedly punched in the head by a concertgoer shortly after emerging on-site via helicopter and urged the crowd to “just be cool down in the front there, don’t push around” early on during the show. By the band’s third song on their set, “Sympathy for the Devil,” a fight broke out in front of the stage prompting the band to pause the show, while the Hells Angels serving as security tried to restore order or beat folks into submission (depending on whom you ask). The show would continue, but during the band’s performance of “Under My Thumb,” the Hells Angels and Hunter got into an incident that would result in Hunter’s death. The band was unaware of what happened until after the show. Footage of the event, including Hunter’s killing, was filmed by documentarians Albert and David Maysles and appeared in the 1970 film “Gimme Shelter.”
December 7
The first use of instant replay in an American broadcast sporting event took place during the Army/Navy college football game on CBS on December 7, 1963. Instant replay was invented by Tony Verna, a 30-year-old director of the telecast who had been working on the idea for several years to take a play that had just occurred during a game and show it again to the audience. In the fourth quarter of the game, Army quarterback Carl “Rollie” Stichweh faked a handoff and ran into the end zone for a touchdown at Philadelphia’s Municipal Stadium. The event then happened again on the broadcast with CBS play-by-play announcer Lindsey Nelson telling the audience: “Ladies and gentlemen, Army did not score again!.” Instant replay has been a vital part of all sports broadcasting in the decades since.
December 8
John Lennon, legendary musician and former member of The Beatles, was shot and killed outside of his New York City apartment by a deranged fan named Mark David Chapman on December 8, 1980. At approximately 5 p.m. that afternoon, Lennon autographed a copy of his album Double Fantasy for Chapman before leaving The Dakota apartment building with his wife Yoko Ono to go to a recording session at the Record Plant. Lennon and Ono returned to the building around 10:50 p.m. and upon walking through the archway of the building, Lennon was shot four times by Chapman at close range, twice in the back and twice in the shoulder. Lennon was placed into a police cruiser and rushed to a nearby hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival at 11:15 p.m. Much of the country would find out about Lennon’s murder during the ABC broadcast of Monday Night Football in which commentator Howard Cosell announced it on air having gotten the word by happenstance from a NYC ABC affiliate producer having been in the hospital E.R. waiting for treatment due to a motorcycle accident. Lennon was 40 at the time of his death. Chapman pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and was sentenced to 20 years to life in prison, where he remains to this day.
December 9
New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady passed Peyton Manning on the NFL’s all-time touchdown passes list with three T.D. passes against the Miami Dolphins on December 9, 2018. Brady’s 580th touchdown pass, which was caught by receiver Julian Edelman, broke Manning’s record for most in the regular season and postseason combined. Brady would go on to play four more seasons and retire with 737 total touchdown passes.
Real Madrid midfielder Luka Modric wins the Ballon d'Or as the best men's soccer player in the world on December 3, 2018, marking the first time in more than a decade that either Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo didn't win the most coveted honor in professional soccer. For the first time, a women's soccer honor of the same caliber is given out as Norwegian striker Ada Hegerberg is named the inaugural Ballon d'Or Feminin.
December 4
During a Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention concert at the Montreux Casino on the shoreline of Lake Geneva in Montreux, Switzerland on December 4, 1971, some stupid with a flare gun in the audience fired a shot a burned the place to the ground. The English rock band Deep Purple was in Montreux to record an album using a mobile recording studio on loan from the Rolling Stones and witnessed the whole event with the smoke from the fire over Lake Geneva giving the inspiration, story and title to what would become their signature song “Smoke on the Water.”
December 5
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced the banning of Russia from competing in the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics in South Korea on December 5, 2017, due to widespread state-sponsored doping. The IOC had found evidence of an “unprecedented systematic manipulation” of the anti-doping system used to ensure fair play at the games.
December 6
The Altamont Speedway Free Festival in Tracy, Calif., which was headlined by the Rolling Stones, ended in tragedy with the stabbing death of concertgoer Meredith Hunter by Hells Angels members being used as security at the event on December 6, 1969. The Altamont show, which also featured performances by Santana, Jefferson Airplane, and Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, was supposed to be essentially the “Woodstock of the West” but proved to be anything but. Rolling Stones singer Mick Jagger was reportedly punched in the head by a concertgoer shortly after emerging on-site via helicopter and urged the crowd to “just be cool down in the front there, don’t push around” early on during the show. By the band’s third song on their set, “Sympathy for the Devil,” a fight broke out in front of the stage prompting the band to pause the show, while the Hells Angels serving as security tried to restore order or beat folks into submission (depending on whom you ask). The show would continue, but during the band’s performance of “Under My Thumb,” the Hells Angels and Hunter got into an incident that would result in Hunter’s death. The band was unaware of what happened until after the show. Footage of the event, including Hunter’s killing, was filmed by documentarians Albert and David Maysles and appeared in the 1970 film “Gimme Shelter.”
December 7
The first use of instant replay in an American broadcast sporting event took place during the Army/Navy college football game on CBS on December 7, 1963. Instant replay was invented by Tony Verna, a 30-year-old director of the telecast who had been working on the idea for several years to take a play that had just occurred during a game and show it again to the audience. In the fourth quarter of the game, Army quarterback Carl “Rollie” Stichweh faked a handoff and ran into the end zone for a touchdown at Philadelphia’s Municipal Stadium. The event then happened again on the broadcast with CBS play-by-play announcer Lindsey Nelson telling the audience: “Ladies and gentlemen, Army did not score again!.” Instant replay has been a vital part of all sports broadcasting in the decades since.
December 8
John Lennon, legendary musician and former member of The Beatles, was shot and killed outside of his New York City apartment by a deranged fan named Mark David Chapman on December 8, 1980. At approximately 5 p.m. that afternoon, Lennon autographed a copy of his album Double Fantasy for Chapman before leaving The Dakota apartment building with his wife Yoko Ono to go to a recording session at the Record Plant. Lennon and Ono returned to the building around 10:50 p.m. and upon walking through the archway of the building, Lennon was shot four times by Chapman at close range, twice in the back and twice in the shoulder. Lennon was placed into a police cruiser and rushed to a nearby hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival at 11:15 p.m. Much of the country would find out about Lennon’s murder during the ABC broadcast of Monday Night Football in which commentator Howard Cosell announced it on air having gotten the word by happenstance from a NYC ABC affiliate producer having been in the hospital E.R. waiting for treatment due to a motorcycle accident. Lennon was 40 at the time of his death. Chapman pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and was sentenced to 20 years to life in prison, where he remains to this day.
December 9
New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady passed Peyton Manning on the NFL’s all-time touchdown passes list with three T.D. passes against the Miami Dolphins on December 9, 2018. Brady’s 580th touchdown pass, which was caught by receiver Julian Edelman, broke Manning’s record for most in the regular season and postseason combined. Brady would go on to play four more seasons and retire with 737 total touchdown passes.
November 26 - December 2
November 26
“Casablanca,” generally considered one of the five greatest American films ever made, premiered at the Hollywood Theater in New York City on November 26, 1942. The World War II romantic drama about an American ex-pat (played by Humphrey Bogart) who runs a nightclub in the titular city in Morocco and is reunited with an ex-lover (played by Ingrid Bergman) and must decide between love or helping her husband, a Czech resistance leader, escape the city to continue fighting the Nazis, is one of the most quoted movies in cinema history with notable lines like: “Here’s looking at you, kid” and “We’ll always have Paris.”
November 27
Frank Sinatra, a young 23-year-old nightclub singer at the time, was arrested on November 27, 1938, by the Bergen County Sheriff’s Department in New Jersey on a charge of “seduction.” The charge was later withdrawn when the authorities found out the woman involved was married and Sinatra’s charge was amended to adultery. Sinatra paid his bail and was released having only spent a few hours in jail. The adultery charge was later dropped. In the decades after his arrest, Sinatra’s mug shot has become one of the most popular in pop culture history.
November 28
Chicago Cardinals fullback Ernie Nevers set an NFL record for most points scored in a game when he scored all 40 of the Cardinals' points in a 40-6 drubbing of the Chicago Bears on November 28, 1929. Nevers rushed for six touchdowns during the game and converted four extra points. His six rushing touchdowns were also an NFL record that would be a solo one for Nevers until Alvin Kamara rushed for six touchdowns for the New Orleans Saints in a 2020 game against the Minnesota Vikings.
November 29
Bobby Darin had a big night at the 2nd Annual Grammy Awards on November 29, 1960, when he won Record of the Year for his hit “Mack the Knife” and Best New Artist. The 1960 Grammy Awards, which were the first to be televised, would see Frank Sinatra win Album of the Year for Come Dance with Me! and Jimmy Driftwood win Song of the Year for writing “The Battle of New Orleans,” which was a crossover hit for country singer Johnny Horton.
November 30
“Jeopardy” champion Ken Jennings finally lost after a record 74 consecutive wins on the popular American daily game show on November 30, 2004. Jennings won $2,520,700, television’s all-time biggest game show haul at the time, during his streak. He’s defeated by Nancy Zerg in his 75th appearance on the show. Today, Jennings is one of two hosts of the long-running game show and has been nominated for an Emmy Award for his role.
December 1
Director Edwin S. Porter’s silent film “The Great Train Robbery,” one of cinema’s first Western films, premiered on December 1, 1903. Some have claimed that the image of a train arriving at a station, coming straight at the audience onscreen, was so lifelike to some within the theater that it frightened them and had some even ducking out of the way. The film is also known for a close-up of a gunfighter emptying his weapon at the screen, which because it was unconnected to the overall story allowed the projectionist to either begin or end the film with.
December 2
Michael Jackson’s music video for “Thriller,” considered by many to be the greatest music video of all time, debuts on MTV on December 2, 1983. The 14-minute long “Thriller” music video short film was directed by “Animal House” and “An American Werewolf in London” director John Landis and featured Jackson turning into a werewolf and leading a dance routine with the undead. In 2009, “Thriller” became the first music video inducted into the U.S. National Film Registry by the Library of Congress for its significance to the medium.
“Casablanca,” generally considered one of the five greatest American films ever made, premiered at the Hollywood Theater in New York City on November 26, 1942. The World War II romantic drama about an American ex-pat (played by Humphrey Bogart) who runs a nightclub in the titular city in Morocco and is reunited with an ex-lover (played by Ingrid Bergman) and must decide between love or helping her husband, a Czech resistance leader, escape the city to continue fighting the Nazis, is one of the most quoted movies in cinema history with notable lines like: “Here’s looking at you, kid” and “We’ll always have Paris.”
November 27
Frank Sinatra, a young 23-year-old nightclub singer at the time, was arrested on November 27, 1938, by the Bergen County Sheriff’s Department in New Jersey on a charge of “seduction.” The charge was later withdrawn when the authorities found out the woman involved was married and Sinatra’s charge was amended to adultery. Sinatra paid his bail and was released having only spent a few hours in jail. The adultery charge was later dropped. In the decades after his arrest, Sinatra’s mug shot has become one of the most popular in pop culture history.
November 28
Chicago Cardinals fullback Ernie Nevers set an NFL record for most points scored in a game when he scored all 40 of the Cardinals' points in a 40-6 drubbing of the Chicago Bears on November 28, 1929. Nevers rushed for six touchdowns during the game and converted four extra points. His six rushing touchdowns were also an NFL record that would be a solo one for Nevers until Alvin Kamara rushed for six touchdowns for the New Orleans Saints in a 2020 game against the Minnesota Vikings.
November 29
Bobby Darin had a big night at the 2nd Annual Grammy Awards on November 29, 1960, when he won Record of the Year for his hit “Mack the Knife” and Best New Artist. The 1960 Grammy Awards, which were the first to be televised, would see Frank Sinatra win Album of the Year for Come Dance with Me! and Jimmy Driftwood win Song of the Year for writing “The Battle of New Orleans,” which was a crossover hit for country singer Johnny Horton.
November 30
“Jeopardy” champion Ken Jennings finally lost after a record 74 consecutive wins on the popular American daily game show on November 30, 2004. Jennings won $2,520,700, television’s all-time biggest game show haul at the time, during his streak. He’s defeated by Nancy Zerg in his 75th appearance on the show. Today, Jennings is one of two hosts of the long-running game show and has been nominated for an Emmy Award for his role.
December 1
Director Edwin S. Porter’s silent film “The Great Train Robbery,” one of cinema’s first Western films, premiered on December 1, 1903. Some have claimed that the image of a train arriving at a station, coming straight at the audience onscreen, was so lifelike to some within the theater that it frightened them and had some even ducking out of the way. The film is also known for a close-up of a gunfighter emptying his weapon at the screen, which because it was unconnected to the overall story allowed the projectionist to either begin or end the film with.
December 2
Michael Jackson’s music video for “Thriller,” considered by many to be the greatest music video of all time, debuts on MTV on December 2, 1983. The 14-minute long “Thriller” music video short film was directed by “Animal House” and “An American Werewolf in London” director John Landis and featured Jackson turning into a werewolf and leading a dance routine with the undead. In 2009, “Thriller” became the first music video inducted into the U.S. National Film Registry by the Library of Congress for its significance to the medium.
November 19 - November 25
November 19
“One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest,” the film adaptation of author Ken Kesey’s 1962 novel, premieres on November 19, 1975. The film tells the story of Randle Patrick McMurphy (Jack Nicholson), a rebellious new patient at a mental hospital run by the strict Nurse Ratched (Louise Fletcher). The film, directed by Milos Forman, would go on to sweep the biggest categories at the Oscars winning Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor for Nicholson, Best Actress for Fletcher and Best Adapted Screenplay. At the time it would be just the second film (“It Happened One Night” was the first) ever to sweep the major honors at the Academy Awards (The Silence of the Lambs would eventually become the third). In 2007, the American Film Institute ranked it as the No. 33 greatest American film of all time.
November 20
Jimmie Johnson, driving the No. 48 Chevrolet for Hendrick Motorsports, won the season-ending Ford EcoBoost 400 at the Homestead-Miami Speedway to clinch his NASCAR record-tying seventh championship on November 20, 2016. The seven titles tied Johnson with Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt for the most in the sport’s history. Johnson had previously won a record five straight titles from 2006-2010 and his sixth in 2013. Johnson won five of his 83 career wins in his final championship season of 2016.
November 21
Something truly unique and fascinating happened on the Billboard Hot 100 on November 21, 1987, when Billy Idol’s “Mony, Mony” topped the chart supplanting the previous No. 1 of “I Think We’re Alone Now” by Tiffany as the top song in pop music. What’s the unique and fascinating thing about one song replacing another atop the Billboard Hot 100? Well, both “Mony, Mony” and “I Think We’re Alone Now” were covers of original versions done in the ‘60s by the same group – Tommy James & the Shondells. The original versions by Tommy James & the Shondells never quite made it to the top of the charts with “I Think We’re Alone Now” going to No. 4 in 1967 and “Mony, Mony” going to No. 3 in 1968.
November 22
What’s considered to be the first scripted interracial kiss in U.S. television history takes place on November 22, 1968, in the season three episode “Plato’s Stepchildren” of NBC’s sci-fi series “Star Trek” between William Shatner’s Capt. James T. Kirk and Nichelle Nichols’s Nyota Uhura. NBC executives were concerned the scene, in which the kiss is forced by psychokinesis, wouldn’t go over well in the Deep South and tried to have it changed or altered, but Shatner refused insisting the show should stick with the original script. According to Nichols’ 1994 book Beyond Uhura, there was no record of complaints made about the kiss.
November 23
On November 23, 1991, Queen frontman Freddie Mercury issued a statement confirming that he had AIDS. He wrote: “I felt it correct to keep this information private to date to protect the privacy of those around me. However, the time has come now for my friends and fans around the world to know the truth and I hope that everyone will join with my doctors and all those worldwide in the fight against this terrible disease. Mercury would die the next day at age 45.
November 24
Wanted! The Outlaws the country music collaboration between Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, Jessi Colter and Tompall Glaser, which helped to usher in the Outlaw Movement within the genre, became the first country music album to ever be certified Platinum on November 24, 1976. The album, which had been released in January of ’76, quickly topped the Billboard country chart and peaked at No. 10 on the pop chart. The album featured Waylon and Willie’s “Good Hearted Woman,” a cover of Elvis Presley’s “Suspicious Minds” between Waylon and Colter (his wife) and Nelson’s “Me & Paul.”
November 25
The first systematic Hollywood blacklist was instituted on November 25, 1947, one day after 10 writers and directors (who would become known as The Hollywood Ten) were cited for contempt of Congress for refusing to testify before the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) during the Red Scare of the era. The communist witch hunt would become one of the darkest moments in Hollywood history and cost many talented individuals their careers with the blacklist lasting more than a decade.
“One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest,” the film adaptation of author Ken Kesey’s 1962 novel, premieres on November 19, 1975. The film tells the story of Randle Patrick McMurphy (Jack Nicholson), a rebellious new patient at a mental hospital run by the strict Nurse Ratched (Louise Fletcher). The film, directed by Milos Forman, would go on to sweep the biggest categories at the Oscars winning Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor for Nicholson, Best Actress for Fletcher and Best Adapted Screenplay. At the time it would be just the second film (“It Happened One Night” was the first) ever to sweep the major honors at the Academy Awards (The Silence of the Lambs would eventually become the third). In 2007, the American Film Institute ranked it as the No. 33 greatest American film of all time.
November 20
Jimmie Johnson, driving the No. 48 Chevrolet for Hendrick Motorsports, won the season-ending Ford EcoBoost 400 at the Homestead-Miami Speedway to clinch his NASCAR record-tying seventh championship on November 20, 2016. The seven titles tied Johnson with Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt for the most in the sport’s history. Johnson had previously won a record five straight titles from 2006-2010 and his sixth in 2013. Johnson won five of his 83 career wins in his final championship season of 2016.
November 21
Something truly unique and fascinating happened on the Billboard Hot 100 on November 21, 1987, when Billy Idol’s “Mony, Mony” topped the chart supplanting the previous No. 1 of “I Think We’re Alone Now” by Tiffany as the top song in pop music. What’s the unique and fascinating thing about one song replacing another atop the Billboard Hot 100? Well, both “Mony, Mony” and “I Think We’re Alone Now” were covers of original versions done in the ‘60s by the same group – Tommy James & the Shondells. The original versions by Tommy James & the Shondells never quite made it to the top of the charts with “I Think We’re Alone Now” going to No. 4 in 1967 and “Mony, Mony” going to No. 3 in 1968.
November 22
What’s considered to be the first scripted interracial kiss in U.S. television history takes place on November 22, 1968, in the season three episode “Plato’s Stepchildren” of NBC’s sci-fi series “Star Trek” between William Shatner’s Capt. James T. Kirk and Nichelle Nichols’s Nyota Uhura. NBC executives were concerned the scene, in which the kiss is forced by psychokinesis, wouldn’t go over well in the Deep South and tried to have it changed or altered, but Shatner refused insisting the show should stick with the original script. According to Nichols’ 1994 book Beyond Uhura, there was no record of complaints made about the kiss.
November 23
On November 23, 1991, Queen frontman Freddie Mercury issued a statement confirming that he had AIDS. He wrote: “I felt it correct to keep this information private to date to protect the privacy of those around me. However, the time has come now for my friends and fans around the world to know the truth and I hope that everyone will join with my doctors and all those worldwide in the fight against this terrible disease. Mercury would die the next day at age 45.
November 24
Wanted! The Outlaws the country music collaboration between Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, Jessi Colter and Tompall Glaser, which helped to usher in the Outlaw Movement within the genre, became the first country music album to ever be certified Platinum on November 24, 1976. The album, which had been released in January of ’76, quickly topped the Billboard country chart and peaked at No. 10 on the pop chart. The album featured Waylon and Willie’s “Good Hearted Woman,” a cover of Elvis Presley’s “Suspicious Minds” between Waylon and Colter (his wife) and Nelson’s “Me & Paul.”
November 25
The first systematic Hollywood blacklist was instituted on November 25, 1947, one day after 10 writers and directors (who would become known as The Hollywood Ten) were cited for contempt of Congress for refusing to testify before the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) during the Red Scare of the era. The communist witch hunt would become one of the darkest moments in Hollywood history and cost many talented individuals their careers with the blacklist lasting more than a decade.
November 12 - November 18
November 12
Pop superstar Britney Spears, who had been under a court-ordered conservatorship led by her father, Jamie Spears, since 2008 was freed from the conservatorship on November 12, 2021, when Judge Brenda Penny terminated it. Spears posted on her social media: “Best day ever … praise the Lord.” The conservatorship of Britney Spears came under controversy in 2019 when a fan podcast, “Britney’s Gram,” played a voicemail from a source who claimed to have been a former member of Spears’ legal team alleging that Spears’ father had canceled her Las Vegas residency over the artist’s refusal to take her medication and that her conservatorship was supposed to have ended 10 years prior. This led to the #FreeBritney campaign and the documentary “Framing Britney Spears.”
November 13
In one of the most tragic moments in entertainment history, the American rock band Eagles of Death Metal are in the middle of their song “Kiss the Devil” at a sold-out show at the Le Bataclan venue in Paris, France on November 13, 2015, when the venue is attacked by terrorists using automatic rifles, grenades and suicide vests in one of multiple attacks taking place across the city at the same time. The members of the band are able to escape without harm through a backstage door but 89 audience members, including the band’s merchandise manager Nick Alexander, are killed.
November 14
Miami Dolphins coach Don Shula became the winningest coach in NFL history on November 14, 1993, when his Dolphins squad defeated the Philadelphia Eagles 19-14 for career win No. 325 to surpass George Halas. Shula would retire after the 1995 season with 347 wins. Among the highlights of Shula’s coaching career were leading the Dolphins to two Super Bowl titles in the ‘70s, including the only undefeated season in NFL history in 1972. Shula would be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1997. Shula is still the winningest coach in NFL history to this day.
November 15
Dale Earnhardt clinches his first career NASCAR Cup Series championship on November 15, 1980, with a fifth-place finish in the Los Angeles Times 500 at Ontario Motor Speedway in Ontario, Calif. to beat Cale Yarborough by 19 points in the season-long standings. Earnhardt, who had one career win in his rookie season of 1979, won five races in 1980 with Rod Osterlund Racing. It would be the first of a NASCAR record-tying seven championships for Earnhardt, who would win the other six in the late ‘80s and early ‘90s with Richard Childress Racing.
November 16
“Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone” (known in some places as “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone”), the first film adaptation of J.K. Rowling’s fantasy book series, premieres in the United States on November 16, 2001. The film would star Daniel Radcliffe as the titular Harry Potter and go on to produce eight films between 2001 and 2011 becoming one of the most popular and successful film series in cinema history.
November 17
The controversial “Heidi Game” between the Oakland Raiders and the visiting New York Jets didn’t finish airing on the East Coast on the evening of November 17, 1968, when NBC opted to break away from the NFL broadcast to broadcast the regularly scheduled made-for-TV movie “Heidi.” At the time of NBC cutting away from the game, it appeared the Jets were on the way to victory, but the Raiders would score two touchdowns in the game’s final minutes after the East Coast had already begun “Heidi” to win the game 43-32 in a thrilling finish missed by much of the country.
November 18
“Steamboat Willie,” an animated Disney short film considered to be the debut of both Mickey and Minnie Mouse, premieres on November 18, 1928. Mickey and Minnie had appeared several months earlier as part of the test screening of “Plane Crazy,” but “Steamboat Willie” was the public’s first chance to see the characters created by Walt Disney and Ub Iwerks. “Steamboat Willie” was also one of the first cartoons with synchronized sound and featuring a fully post-produced soundtrack.
Pop superstar Britney Spears, who had been under a court-ordered conservatorship led by her father, Jamie Spears, since 2008 was freed from the conservatorship on November 12, 2021, when Judge Brenda Penny terminated it. Spears posted on her social media: “Best day ever … praise the Lord.” The conservatorship of Britney Spears came under controversy in 2019 when a fan podcast, “Britney’s Gram,” played a voicemail from a source who claimed to have been a former member of Spears’ legal team alleging that Spears’ father had canceled her Las Vegas residency over the artist’s refusal to take her medication and that her conservatorship was supposed to have ended 10 years prior. This led to the #FreeBritney campaign and the documentary “Framing Britney Spears.”
November 13
In one of the most tragic moments in entertainment history, the American rock band Eagles of Death Metal are in the middle of their song “Kiss the Devil” at a sold-out show at the Le Bataclan venue in Paris, France on November 13, 2015, when the venue is attacked by terrorists using automatic rifles, grenades and suicide vests in one of multiple attacks taking place across the city at the same time. The members of the band are able to escape without harm through a backstage door but 89 audience members, including the band’s merchandise manager Nick Alexander, are killed.
November 14
Miami Dolphins coach Don Shula became the winningest coach in NFL history on November 14, 1993, when his Dolphins squad defeated the Philadelphia Eagles 19-14 for career win No. 325 to surpass George Halas. Shula would retire after the 1995 season with 347 wins. Among the highlights of Shula’s coaching career were leading the Dolphins to two Super Bowl titles in the ‘70s, including the only undefeated season in NFL history in 1972. Shula would be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1997. Shula is still the winningest coach in NFL history to this day.
November 15
Dale Earnhardt clinches his first career NASCAR Cup Series championship on November 15, 1980, with a fifth-place finish in the Los Angeles Times 500 at Ontario Motor Speedway in Ontario, Calif. to beat Cale Yarborough by 19 points in the season-long standings. Earnhardt, who had one career win in his rookie season of 1979, won five races in 1980 with Rod Osterlund Racing. It would be the first of a NASCAR record-tying seven championships for Earnhardt, who would win the other six in the late ‘80s and early ‘90s with Richard Childress Racing.
November 16
“Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone” (known in some places as “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone”), the first film adaptation of J.K. Rowling’s fantasy book series, premieres in the United States on November 16, 2001. The film would star Daniel Radcliffe as the titular Harry Potter and go on to produce eight films between 2001 and 2011 becoming one of the most popular and successful film series in cinema history.
November 17
The controversial “Heidi Game” between the Oakland Raiders and the visiting New York Jets didn’t finish airing on the East Coast on the evening of November 17, 1968, when NBC opted to break away from the NFL broadcast to broadcast the regularly scheduled made-for-TV movie “Heidi.” At the time of NBC cutting away from the game, it appeared the Jets were on the way to victory, but the Raiders would score two touchdowns in the game’s final minutes after the East Coast had already begun “Heidi” to win the game 43-32 in a thrilling finish missed by much of the country.
November 18
“Steamboat Willie,” an animated Disney short film considered to be the debut of both Mickey and Minnie Mouse, premieres on November 18, 1928. Mickey and Minnie had appeared several months earlier as part of the test screening of “Plane Crazy,” but “Steamboat Willie” was the public’s first chance to see the characters created by Walt Disney and Ub Iwerks. “Steamboat Willie” was also one of the first cartoons with synchronized sound and featuring a fully post-produced soundtrack.
November 5 - November 11
November 5
George Foreman had a storied boxing career that included winning a gold medal at the 1968 Mexico City Olympics, winning the heavyweight title in professional boxing stunning Joe Frazier in 1973, losing the heavyweight title to Muhammad Ali in the legendary Rumble in the Jungle in 1974 and didn’t receive another title opportunity before retiring in 1977 to focus on religion and becoming an ordained Christian minister. Then in the early ‘90s he returned to boxing, and on November 5, 1994, Foreman had the most remarkable moment in his career when he once again became the heavyweight champion of the world at age 45 when he knocked out Michael Moorer, nearly 20 years his junior. He relinquished his title on June 28, 1995, at 46 years and 169 days old, the oldest heavyweight champion in boxing history.
November 6
“24,” the Fox drama series starring Kiefer Sutherland as U.S. counter-terrorist federal agent Jack Bauer, premiered on November 6, 2001. Each season featured a unique format of storytelling showing 24 hours in Bauer’s life as he tries to keep the country safe from all forms of terrorism. “24” would air 204 episodes over nine seasons, winning 20 Emmy Awards, including Outstanding Drama Series in 2006 and Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series for Sutherland the same year.
November 7
NBA superstar Magic Johnson shocked the world when he announced he had the HIV virus and retired from the Los Angeles Lakers on November 7, 1991. Johnson had been one of the league’s best and most exciting players in the league since his debut with the Lakers in 1979 winning five championships with the organization and three MVP awards in the league. Despite his retirement, Johnson was voted into the NBA’s 1992 All-Star Game and led the Western Conference to a huge win in the game scoring 25 points, 9 assists and 5 rebounds, winning MVP of the game. Despite his retirement, Johnson was also chosen as a member of the inaugural Dream Team at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, where he would win a gold medal. He would return briefly to the NBA for one season in 1995 at the age of 36 after missing four seasons. He would play power forward, instead of his natural point guard, in that final season averaging 14.6 points per game, 5.7 rebounds per game and 6.9 assists per game before retiring for good following the season.
November 8
Baltimore Orioles outfielder Frank Robinson would become the first player in Major League Baseball history to be named Most Valuable Player in both the National and American League when he was voted A.L. M.V.P. by the baseball writers on November 8, 1966, after winning the Triple Crown by hitting .316, 49 home runs and driving in 122 runs. Robinson had won the N.L. M.V.P. award in 1961, hitting .323 with 37 homers and 124 RBI. Robinson would finish his Hall of Fame career with a .294 batting average, 586 home runs and 1,812 RBI.
November 9
The first issue of Rolling Stone magazine, featuring John Lennon on its inaugural cover, was published on November 9, 1967. The magazine, which sought to cover the rock & roll and political scene of the era, was founded in San Francisco by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J. Gleason. The magazine, which is still in publication, has since expanded to cover a myriad of topics in both pop culture and hard news journalism. That first issue included stories on David Crosby, The Who and Country Joe McDonald.
November 10
“Sesame Street,” an educational children’s program combining live-action, sketch comedy, animation and puppetry, premiered on National Educational Television – the precursor to PBS – on November 10, 1969. The series would move to the free-to-air, non-commercial Public Broadcasting Service when it began airing in October of 1970, and it hasn’t left the network or air since – though it has also been broadcast on HBO (2016-2020) and streamed on Max (2020-present) in recent years. The show has aired more than 4,600 episodes in its 53 years of helping make our children smarter.
November 11
One week before the MTV premiere of his music video, “Black or White,” Michael Jackson’s people circulated a memo on November 11, 1991, per the musician’s wishes to the network instructing the on-air personalities to refer to Jackson as the “King of Pop” at least twice a week during the next two weeks. I guess no one told Jackson that you can’t just create your own nickname. It stuck, though.
George Foreman had a storied boxing career that included winning a gold medal at the 1968 Mexico City Olympics, winning the heavyweight title in professional boxing stunning Joe Frazier in 1973, losing the heavyweight title to Muhammad Ali in the legendary Rumble in the Jungle in 1974 and didn’t receive another title opportunity before retiring in 1977 to focus on religion and becoming an ordained Christian minister. Then in the early ‘90s he returned to boxing, and on November 5, 1994, Foreman had the most remarkable moment in his career when he once again became the heavyweight champion of the world at age 45 when he knocked out Michael Moorer, nearly 20 years his junior. He relinquished his title on June 28, 1995, at 46 years and 169 days old, the oldest heavyweight champion in boxing history.
November 6
“24,” the Fox drama series starring Kiefer Sutherland as U.S. counter-terrorist federal agent Jack Bauer, premiered on November 6, 2001. Each season featured a unique format of storytelling showing 24 hours in Bauer’s life as he tries to keep the country safe from all forms of terrorism. “24” would air 204 episodes over nine seasons, winning 20 Emmy Awards, including Outstanding Drama Series in 2006 and Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series for Sutherland the same year.
November 7
NBA superstar Magic Johnson shocked the world when he announced he had the HIV virus and retired from the Los Angeles Lakers on November 7, 1991. Johnson had been one of the league’s best and most exciting players in the league since his debut with the Lakers in 1979 winning five championships with the organization and three MVP awards in the league. Despite his retirement, Johnson was voted into the NBA’s 1992 All-Star Game and led the Western Conference to a huge win in the game scoring 25 points, 9 assists and 5 rebounds, winning MVP of the game. Despite his retirement, Johnson was also chosen as a member of the inaugural Dream Team at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, where he would win a gold medal. He would return briefly to the NBA for one season in 1995 at the age of 36 after missing four seasons. He would play power forward, instead of his natural point guard, in that final season averaging 14.6 points per game, 5.7 rebounds per game and 6.9 assists per game before retiring for good following the season.
November 8
Baltimore Orioles outfielder Frank Robinson would become the first player in Major League Baseball history to be named Most Valuable Player in both the National and American League when he was voted A.L. M.V.P. by the baseball writers on November 8, 1966, after winning the Triple Crown by hitting .316, 49 home runs and driving in 122 runs. Robinson had won the N.L. M.V.P. award in 1961, hitting .323 with 37 homers and 124 RBI. Robinson would finish his Hall of Fame career with a .294 batting average, 586 home runs and 1,812 RBI.
November 9
The first issue of Rolling Stone magazine, featuring John Lennon on its inaugural cover, was published on November 9, 1967. The magazine, which sought to cover the rock & roll and political scene of the era, was founded in San Francisco by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J. Gleason. The magazine, which is still in publication, has since expanded to cover a myriad of topics in both pop culture and hard news journalism. That first issue included stories on David Crosby, The Who and Country Joe McDonald.
November 10
“Sesame Street,” an educational children’s program combining live-action, sketch comedy, animation and puppetry, premiered on National Educational Television – the precursor to PBS – on November 10, 1969. The series would move to the free-to-air, non-commercial Public Broadcasting Service when it began airing in October of 1970, and it hasn’t left the network or air since – though it has also been broadcast on HBO (2016-2020) and streamed on Max (2020-present) in recent years. The show has aired more than 4,600 episodes in its 53 years of helping make our children smarter.
November 11
One week before the MTV premiere of his music video, “Black or White,” Michael Jackson’s people circulated a memo on November 11, 1991, per the musician’s wishes to the network instructing the on-air personalities to refer to Jackson as the “King of Pop” at least twice a week during the next two weeks. I guess no one told Jackson that you can’t just create your own nickname. It stuck, though.
October 29 - November 4
October 29
Golden State Warriors shooting guard Klay Thompson breaks the NBA record for most 3-pointers in a game, which was previously held by his teammate Stephen Curry, when he made 14 threes in a 149-124 win against the Chicago Bulls in Chicago on October 29, 2018. Thompson scored 52 points in the win in only 27 minutes on the court.
October 30
“The Rumble in the Jungle,” one of the most anticipated and then greatest boxing matches of all time, takes place in Kinshasa, Zaire on October 30, 1974, when Muhammad Ali and George Foreman compete for the heavyweight championship in front of 60,000 people in attendance and one of the most watched television events of the time. Foreman was the undefeated and undisputed heavyweight champion at the time but Ali, a 4-1 underdog, used his new “rope-a-dope” tactic to run the bigger Foreman down and wear him out, eventually leading to Ali knocking out the champ and regaining the heavyweight title in the eighth round of the fight.
October 31
Earl Lloyd became the first African-American to play in the National Basketball Association on October 31, 1950, when he debuted for the Washington Capitols in a loss against the Rochester Royals in the season opener. Lloyd scored six points in the game. Lloyd was one of three African-American players on NBA rosters to start the season, along with Chuck Cooper of the Boston Celtics and Nat “Sweetwater” Clifton of the New York Knicks, but due to the schedules of those other teams made his debut first. Lloyd would play nine seasons with the Capitols (which would actually fold during his rookie season), Syracuse Nationals and Detroit Pistons averaging 8.4 points per game. He won the championship with the Nationals in 1955 and was inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 2003. In 2021, 73.2 percent of the NBA consisted of African-American players.
November 1
One of the greatest horse races in American history took place on November 1, 1938, when 1937 Triple Crown winner War Admiral took on the underdog, much-beloved Seabiscuit in the two-horse Pimlico Special. Seabiscuit won 11 of the 15 races he ran in 1937 and won the most money of any horse in the U.S., but with War Admiral having won the Triple Crown (Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes) he was named American Horse of the Year, the highest honor given in American thoroughbred horse racing. For much of 1937 and ’38, the media speculated on whether there would be a match between Seabiscuit and War Admiral. A couple of matches were scheduled but scratched for one reason or another before the two finally met at the Pimlico Special, which was dubbed by the media as the “Match of the Century.” War Admiral was known as a fast starter, whereas Seabiscuit was known for late acceleration. Knowing Seabiscuit needed a hot start, trainer Tom Smith trained the horse to run against type and react to the starting bell with a burst of speed. Seabiscuit got out to a fast start leading by over a length after 20 seconds. War Admiral began to cut into the lead and even pulled ahead for a bit before Seabiscuit pulled away for good with about 200 yards remaining to win by four lengths. Seabiscuit would go on to win American Horse of the Year for 1938. The Seabiscuit story is told in the 2003 film of the same name directed by Gary Ross.
November 2
The “Curse of the Billy Goat” was finally snapped when the Chicago Cubs won the franchise’s first World Series title since 1908 when they defeated the Cleveland Indians in a dramatic game seven of the 2016 World Series on November 2, 2016. The Cubs led the game 6-3 in the eighth inning before closer Aroldis Chapman gave up a game-tying home run to the Indians' light-hitting outfielder Rajai Davis to tie the game. The game would remain tied at six runs apiece after nine innings. A sudden and quick storm hit Progressive Field in Cleveland leading to a 17-minute rain delay that allowed the Cubs to regroup a bit and allow outfielder Jason Heyward to give what would become one of baseball’s all-time great pep talks: “We’re the best team in baseball … for a reason … Stick together and we’re going to win this game.” When play resumed, Kyle Schwarber led off the top of the tenth inning with a single. He was replaced by pinch runner Albert Almora Jr. Almora tagged on a deep fly to center field by third baseman Kris Bryant and advanced to second base. He was then driven home to take the lead on a double by second baseman Ben Zobrist. The Cubs would tack on a second run – which would be greatly needed as they allowed one in the bottom of the tenth – which would be the deciding run in the series leading to the 8-7 victory.
November 3
In a moment that probably made most hip-hop artists cringe then and probably makes most cringe now, Vanilla Ice became the first rapper to top the Billboard Hot 100 chart on November 3, 1990, with “Ice Ice Baby” off his debut album To the Extreme. The song, which initially ripped off the baseline of the Queen and David Bowie hit “Under Pressure” without recognition, is considered by some to have helped diversify hip-hop by introducing it to a wider audience, as it was also a No. 1 hit in Australia, Belgium, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Ireland and the United Kingdom.
November 4
The 53rd annual Emmy Awards, which had been delayed nearly two months by the 9/11 terrorist attacks, saw big nights for “The West Wing,” “Sex and the City” and “The Sopranos” on November 4, 2001. Aaron Sorkin’s political drama “The West Wing” won its second consecutive Outstanding Drama Series honor and led all shows with four wins total. “Sex and the City” would take home Outstanding Comedy Series becoming the first premium channel series to win the honor. “The Sopranos” leads James Gandolfini and Edie Falco would win the coveted acting awards for a Drama Series.
Golden State Warriors shooting guard Klay Thompson breaks the NBA record for most 3-pointers in a game, which was previously held by his teammate Stephen Curry, when he made 14 threes in a 149-124 win against the Chicago Bulls in Chicago on October 29, 2018. Thompson scored 52 points in the win in only 27 minutes on the court.
October 30
“The Rumble in the Jungle,” one of the most anticipated and then greatest boxing matches of all time, takes place in Kinshasa, Zaire on October 30, 1974, when Muhammad Ali and George Foreman compete for the heavyweight championship in front of 60,000 people in attendance and one of the most watched television events of the time. Foreman was the undefeated and undisputed heavyweight champion at the time but Ali, a 4-1 underdog, used his new “rope-a-dope” tactic to run the bigger Foreman down and wear him out, eventually leading to Ali knocking out the champ and regaining the heavyweight title in the eighth round of the fight.
October 31
Earl Lloyd became the first African-American to play in the National Basketball Association on October 31, 1950, when he debuted for the Washington Capitols in a loss against the Rochester Royals in the season opener. Lloyd scored six points in the game. Lloyd was one of three African-American players on NBA rosters to start the season, along with Chuck Cooper of the Boston Celtics and Nat “Sweetwater” Clifton of the New York Knicks, but due to the schedules of those other teams made his debut first. Lloyd would play nine seasons with the Capitols (which would actually fold during his rookie season), Syracuse Nationals and Detroit Pistons averaging 8.4 points per game. He won the championship with the Nationals in 1955 and was inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 2003. In 2021, 73.2 percent of the NBA consisted of African-American players.
November 1
One of the greatest horse races in American history took place on November 1, 1938, when 1937 Triple Crown winner War Admiral took on the underdog, much-beloved Seabiscuit in the two-horse Pimlico Special. Seabiscuit won 11 of the 15 races he ran in 1937 and won the most money of any horse in the U.S., but with War Admiral having won the Triple Crown (Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes) he was named American Horse of the Year, the highest honor given in American thoroughbred horse racing. For much of 1937 and ’38, the media speculated on whether there would be a match between Seabiscuit and War Admiral. A couple of matches were scheduled but scratched for one reason or another before the two finally met at the Pimlico Special, which was dubbed by the media as the “Match of the Century.” War Admiral was known as a fast starter, whereas Seabiscuit was known for late acceleration. Knowing Seabiscuit needed a hot start, trainer Tom Smith trained the horse to run against type and react to the starting bell with a burst of speed. Seabiscuit got out to a fast start leading by over a length after 20 seconds. War Admiral began to cut into the lead and even pulled ahead for a bit before Seabiscuit pulled away for good with about 200 yards remaining to win by four lengths. Seabiscuit would go on to win American Horse of the Year for 1938. The Seabiscuit story is told in the 2003 film of the same name directed by Gary Ross.
November 2
The “Curse of the Billy Goat” was finally snapped when the Chicago Cubs won the franchise’s first World Series title since 1908 when they defeated the Cleveland Indians in a dramatic game seven of the 2016 World Series on November 2, 2016. The Cubs led the game 6-3 in the eighth inning before closer Aroldis Chapman gave up a game-tying home run to the Indians' light-hitting outfielder Rajai Davis to tie the game. The game would remain tied at six runs apiece after nine innings. A sudden and quick storm hit Progressive Field in Cleveland leading to a 17-minute rain delay that allowed the Cubs to regroup a bit and allow outfielder Jason Heyward to give what would become one of baseball’s all-time great pep talks: “We’re the best team in baseball … for a reason … Stick together and we’re going to win this game.” When play resumed, Kyle Schwarber led off the top of the tenth inning with a single. He was replaced by pinch runner Albert Almora Jr. Almora tagged on a deep fly to center field by third baseman Kris Bryant and advanced to second base. He was then driven home to take the lead on a double by second baseman Ben Zobrist. The Cubs would tack on a second run – which would be greatly needed as they allowed one in the bottom of the tenth – which would be the deciding run in the series leading to the 8-7 victory.
November 3
In a moment that probably made most hip-hop artists cringe then and probably makes most cringe now, Vanilla Ice became the first rapper to top the Billboard Hot 100 chart on November 3, 1990, with “Ice Ice Baby” off his debut album To the Extreme. The song, which initially ripped off the baseline of the Queen and David Bowie hit “Under Pressure” without recognition, is considered by some to have helped diversify hip-hop by introducing it to a wider audience, as it was also a No. 1 hit in Australia, Belgium, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Ireland and the United Kingdom.
November 4
The 53rd annual Emmy Awards, which had been delayed nearly two months by the 9/11 terrorist attacks, saw big nights for “The West Wing,” “Sex and the City” and “The Sopranos” on November 4, 2001. Aaron Sorkin’s political drama “The West Wing” won its second consecutive Outstanding Drama Series honor and led all shows with four wins total. “Sex and the City” would take home Outstanding Comedy Series becoming the first premium channel series to win the honor. “The Sopranos” leads James Gandolfini and Edie Falco would win the coveted acting awards for a Drama Series.
October 22 - October 28
October 22
The Supremes, the Motown group featuring Diana Ross, Florence Ballard and Mary Wilson, became the first girl group to have a No. 1 album in the United States when The Supremes A’ Go-Go topped the Billboard 200 album chart on October 22, 1966, unseating The Beatles’ Revolver atop the chart. The album featured the No. 1 single “You Can’t Hurry Love.”
October 23
The Toronto Blue Jays clinch the franchise’s second consecutive World Series title on October 23, 1993, in game six of the 1993 World Series against the Philadelphia Phillies when outfielder Joe Carter hits a game-winning, three-run home run off Phillies reliever Mitch Williams to win the game 8-6. It marked only the second time in baseball history that a World Series had ended on a home run (Bill Mazeroski did so in game seven of the 1960 World Series for the Pittsburgh Pirates over the New York Yankees).
The Supremes, the Motown group featuring Diana Ross, Florence Ballard and Mary Wilson, became the first girl group to have a No. 1 album in the United States when The Supremes A’ Go-Go topped the Billboard 200 album chart on October 22, 1966, unseating The Beatles’ Revolver atop the chart. The album featured the No. 1 single “You Can’t Hurry Love.”
October 23
The Toronto Blue Jays clinch the franchise’s second consecutive World Series title on October 23, 1993, in game six of the 1993 World Series against the Philadelphia Phillies when outfielder Joe Carter hits a game-winning, three-run home run off Phillies reliever Mitch Williams to win the game 8-6. It marked only the second time in baseball history that a World Series had ended on a home run (Bill Mazeroski did so in game seven of the 1960 World Series for the Pittsburgh Pirates over the New York Yankees).
October 24
John Fogerty’s trial where he is sued for plagiarizing himself begins on October 24, 1988. John Fogerty, who had been the lead singer and songwriter for the popular rock band Creedence Clearwater Revival in the late ‘60s and early ‘70s, had written and recorded “Run Through the Jungle,” the rights of which were owned by Fantasy Records. In 1985, Fogerty released the similar-sounding single “The Old Man Down the Road” and was sued for copyright infringement by Fantasy Records, despite the fact he had written both songs. The case was litigated through a jury trial with the jury finding in favor of Fogerty that he hadn’t infringed on the copyright.
October 25
German (though he competed under an Austrian license) Formula 1 driver Jochen Rindt became the first (and thankfully to this date the only) posthumous champion in the series history on October 25, 1970, almost two months after dying in a practice session for the Italian Grand Prix at Monza on September 5. Rindt had won six of the season’s first nine events and despite dying with four races remaining in the season had enough points to win the title at season’s end over Jacky Ickx.
October 26
The New York Yankees dynasty of the late ‘90s/early ’00s began when they clinched the 1996 World Series over the Atlanta Braves in game six at Yankee Stadium on October 26, 1996. The Yankees had dropped the series' first two games to the Braves before coming back to win four in a row against the defending champions. It was the team’s 23rd World Series title. The Yankees would go on to win four championships in a five-year span.
October 27
In what is often considered both the greatest World Series game of all time and the greatest World Series period, the Minnesota Twins clinch the 1991 championship in game seven of the series at home against the Atlanta Braves on October 27, 1991. The game, which saw both teams having come from last place during the regular season, all the way to the brink of a championship featured a pitcher’s duel between Twins veteran ace Jack Morris and Braves up-and-comer John Smoltz. Both pitchers took shutouts into the eighth inning before Braves manager Bobby Cox went to his bullpen. Twins skipper Tom Kelly stuck with Morris the whole way and would be rewarded with 10 shutout innings and the Twins walking off in the bottom of the ninth on a pinch-hit single by Gene Larkin.
October 28
The NBA announced the hiring of Dee Kantner and Violet Palmer as officials on October 28, 1997, making them the first women to officiate a major-league all-male sports league in sports history. Kantner officiated in the NBA until 2002. Palmer, who would become the first female official to officiate a playoff game in 2006, stayed with the league until her retirement in 2016 officiating more than 900 games during her career.
John Fogerty’s trial where he is sued for plagiarizing himself begins on October 24, 1988. John Fogerty, who had been the lead singer and songwriter for the popular rock band Creedence Clearwater Revival in the late ‘60s and early ‘70s, had written and recorded “Run Through the Jungle,” the rights of which were owned by Fantasy Records. In 1985, Fogerty released the similar-sounding single “The Old Man Down the Road” and was sued for copyright infringement by Fantasy Records, despite the fact he had written both songs. The case was litigated through a jury trial with the jury finding in favor of Fogerty that he hadn’t infringed on the copyright.
October 25
German (though he competed under an Austrian license) Formula 1 driver Jochen Rindt became the first (and thankfully to this date the only) posthumous champion in the series history on October 25, 1970, almost two months after dying in a practice session for the Italian Grand Prix at Monza on September 5. Rindt had won six of the season’s first nine events and despite dying with four races remaining in the season had enough points to win the title at season’s end over Jacky Ickx.
October 26
The New York Yankees dynasty of the late ‘90s/early ’00s began when they clinched the 1996 World Series over the Atlanta Braves in game six at Yankee Stadium on October 26, 1996. The Yankees had dropped the series' first two games to the Braves before coming back to win four in a row against the defending champions. It was the team’s 23rd World Series title. The Yankees would go on to win four championships in a five-year span.
October 27
In what is often considered both the greatest World Series game of all time and the greatest World Series period, the Minnesota Twins clinch the 1991 championship in game seven of the series at home against the Atlanta Braves on October 27, 1991. The game, which saw both teams having come from last place during the regular season, all the way to the brink of a championship featured a pitcher’s duel between Twins veteran ace Jack Morris and Braves up-and-comer John Smoltz. Both pitchers took shutouts into the eighth inning before Braves manager Bobby Cox went to his bullpen. Twins skipper Tom Kelly stuck with Morris the whole way and would be rewarded with 10 shutout innings and the Twins walking off in the bottom of the ninth on a pinch-hit single by Gene Larkin.
October 28
The NBA announced the hiring of Dee Kantner and Violet Palmer as officials on October 28, 1997, making them the first women to officiate a major-league all-male sports league in sports history. Kantner officiated in the NBA until 2002. Palmer, who would become the first female official to officiate a playoff game in 2006, stayed with the league until her retirement in 2016 officiating more than 900 games during her career.
October 15 - October 21
October 15
“I Love Lucy,” starring comedic actress Lucille Ball and her real-life musician husband Desi Arnaz, debuts on CBS on October 15, 1951. The show, based loosely on the couple's marriage, would become one of the most influential shows in television history in many ways – from becoming the first to prove re-runs could be profitable to being the first interracial marriage on TV. “I Love Lucy” aired 180 episodes over six seasons.
October 16
American track & field competitors Tommie Smith and John Carlos famously (though considered infamously by many at the time) give the “Black Power” salute on the medal stand at the 1968 Mexico City Summer Olympics on October 16, 1968, after Smith won gold in the 200m event and Carlos won bronze. The gesture was a protest against racism and injustice against African Americans in the United States. Smith and Carlos also wore Olympic Project for Human Rights, which had initially advocated a boycott of the games if certain race-related conditions weren’t met, badges on their uniforms. Australian silver medalist Peter Norman also wore an O.P.H.R. badge on his uniform during the medal ceremony. Though, immediately hailed by many in their community as heroes, Smith and Carlos were expelled from the remainder of the games for what International Olympic Committee president Avery Brundage, whom the O.P.H.R. wanted removed from his power, deemed as a political statement unfit for an apolitical, international event. Brundage had notably been the President of the United States Olympic Committee during the 1936 Berlin Olympics and had made no statements against Nazi salutes at those games, in fact, he argued that they were the national salute at the time, which was acceptable in a competition of nations. Brundage is possibly getting pitchforked in the ass by the devil at this very moment.
October 17
Willie Park Sr. wins the inaugural Open (British) Men’s Golf Championship on October 17, 1860, defeating fellows Scotsman Tom Morris Sr. by two strokes at the Prestwick Golf Course in South Ayrshire, Scotland, where the event would be contested its first 12 competitions. Park would go on to win the tournament three more times (1863, 1866 and 1875). His son, Willie Park Jr., won the tournament twice (1887 and 1889).
October 18
Singer Al Green was assaulted by his girlfriend Mary Woodson on October 18, 1974, in a tragic event that would result in Woodson’s death by suicide. Despite being already married with three children, unbeknownst to Green, Woodson became irate when Green refused to marry her and doused the soul singer with a pot of boiling grits as he was in the bathroom preparing for bed. This caused second-degree burns to Green’s back, stomach and arms, which required skin grafts. Woodson then went to another room of the house and shot and killed herself with Green’s .38 handgun. Green cited the incident as a wake-up call to change his life and gave up his pop career to focus on recording gospel music and preaching.
October 19
Scotsman Jackie Stewart finishes fourth in the season-ending Mexican Grand Prix to clinch his first career Formula 1 World Drivers Championship by 26 points over Belgium racer Jacky Ickx on October 19, 1969. Stewart won six races in 1969 and became the first (and to this day only) driver to lead a lap in every race of the season. Stewart would win two more championships in his F1 career (1971 and 1973) before retiring after the ’73 season. At the time of his retirement, his 27 wins were the most in F1 history, a record that would stand for 14 years until surpassed by Alain Prost.
October 20
Lynyrd Skynyrd members Ronnie Van Zant (vocalist), Steve Gaines (guitarist) and Cassie Gaines (backup singer) are killed along with the group’s assistant road manager and two pilots when the band’s chartered plane crashes in a wooded area near Gillsburg, Miss. on October 20, 1977. The group was heading to Baton Rouge, La. from Greenville, S.C. as part of its recently started Street Survivors tour. Twenty of the flight’s 26 occupants survived the crash, but most with serious injuries. The tragedy put an end to the promising future of the already popular Southern Rock band, though it would re-form with Ronnie’s brother Johnny in the vocalist role and many of the surviving band members 10 years after the crash.
October 21
The Philadelphia Phillies captured the first World Series title in the franchise’s 98-year history on October 21, 1980, when they defeated the American League champion Kansas City Royals 4-1 at Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia to win the series in six games. Future hall of fame third baseman Mike Schmidt would win World Series MVP for hitting two home runs and driving in seven runs in the series. Schmidt would also be named National League MVP for the 1980 season.
“I Love Lucy,” starring comedic actress Lucille Ball and her real-life musician husband Desi Arnaz, debuts on CBS on October 15, 1951. The show, based loosely on the couple's marriage, would become one of the most influential shows in television history in many ways – from becoming the first to prove re-runs could be profitable to being the first interracial marriage on TV. “I Love Lucy” aired 180 episodes over six seasons.
October 16
American track & field competitors Tommie Smith and John Carlos famously (though considered infamously by many at the time) give the “Black Power” salute on the medal stand at the 1968 Mexico City Summer Olympics on October 16, 1968, after Smith won gold in the 200m event and Carlos won bronze. The gesture was a protest against racism and injustice against African Americans in the United States. Smith and Carlos also wore Olympic Project for Human Rights, which had initially advocated a boycott of the games if certain race-related conditions weren’t met, badges on their uniforms. Australian silver medalist Peter Norman also wore an O.P.H.R. badge on his uniform during the medal ceremony. Though, immediately hailed by many in their community as heroes, Smith and Carlos were expelled from the remainder of the games for what International Olympic Committee president Avery Brundage, whom the O.P.H.R. wanted removed from his power, deemed as a political statement unfit for an apolitical, international event. Brundage had notably been the President of the United States Olympic Committee during the 1936 Berlin Olympics and had made no statements against Nazi salutes at those games, in fact, he argued that they were the national salute at the time, which was acceptable in a competition of nations. Brundage is possibly getting pitchforked in the ass by the devil at this very moment.
October 17
Willie Park Sr. wins the inaugural Open (British) Men’s Golf Championship on October 17, 1860, defeating fellows Scotsman Tom Morris Sr. by two strokes at the Prestwick Golf Course in South Ayrshire, Scotland, where the event would be contested its first 12 competitions. Park would go on to win the tournament three more times (1863, 1866 and 1875). His son, Willie Park Jr., won the tournament twice (1887 and 1889).
October 18
Singer Al Green was assaulted by his girlfriend Mary Woodson on October 18, 1974, in a tragic event that would result in Woodson’s death by suicide. Despite being already married with three children, unbeknownst to Green, Woodson became irate when Green refused to marry her and doused the soul singer with a pot of boiling grits as he was in the bathroom preparing for bed. This caused second-degree burns to Green’s back, stomach and arms, which required skin grafts. Woodson then went to another room of the house and shot and killed herself with Green’s .38 handgun. Green cited the incident as a wake-up call to change his life and gave up his pop career to focus on recording gospel music and preaching.
October 19
Scotsman Jackie Stewart finishes fourth in the season-ending Mexican Grand Prix to clinch his first career Formula 1 World Drivers Championship by 26 points over Belgium racer Jacky Ickx on October 19, 1969. Stewart won six races in 1969 and became the first (and to this day only) driver to lead a lap in every race of the season. Stewart would win two more championships in his F1 career (1971 and 1973) before retiring after the ’73 season. At the time of his retirement, his 27 wins were the most in F1 history, a record that would stand for 14 years until surpassed by Alain Prost.
October 20
Lynyrd Skynyrd members Ronnie Van Zant (vocalist), Steve Gaines (guitarist) and Cassie Gaines (backup singer) are killed along with the group’s assistant road manager and two pilots when the band’s chartered plane crashes in a wooded area near Gillsburg, Miss. on October 20, 1977. The group was heading to Baton Rouge, La. from Greenville, S.C. as part of its recently started Street Survivors tour. Twenty of the flight’s 26 occupants survived the crash, but most with serious injuries. The tragedy put an end to the promising future of the already popular Southern Rock band, though it would re-form with Ronnie’s brother Johnny in the vocalist role and many of the surviving band members 10 years after the crash.
October 21
The Philadelphia Phillies captured the first World Series title in the franchise’s 98-year history on October 21, 1980, when they defeated the American League champion Kansas City Royals 4-1 at Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia to win the series in six games. Future hall of fame third baseman Mike Schmidt would win World Series MVP for hitting two home runs and driving in seven runs in the series. Schmidt would also be named National League MVP for the 1980 season.
October 8 - October 14
October 8
New York Yankees hurler Don Larsen pitches the first and only perfect game in World Series history on October 8, 1965, in a 2-0 win over the Brooklyn Dodgers in game five of the series at Yankee Stadium. In the ninth inning, Larsen retired Dodgers outfielder Carl Furillo on a flyout, catcher Roy Campanella on a grounder to second and struck out pinch hitter Dale Mitchell for the 27th and final out before Yankees catcher Yogi Berra leaped into Larsen’s arms in celebration. The Yankees would win the World Series in seven games. It would be the only no-hitter in World Series history until the Houston Astros used four pitchers to no-hit the Philadelphia Phillies in 2022.
October 9
Comedian Joan Rivers became the first woman to host a U.S. late-night TV talk show when “The Late Show with Joan Rivers” debuted on the new Fox network on October 9, 1986. Rivers had been a frequent guest host on “The Tonight Show starring Johnny Carson,” and her taking her own late-night rival show actually caused a rift in their friendship and Carson never spoke to her again. Due to low ratings, likely because of Fox being such a new network (it launched the same night “The Late Show with Joan Rivers” did) and some affiliates refusing to air it, Rivers was fired from the show in May of 1987. Arsenio Hall, in his first late-night hosting gig, would be Rivers’ replacement, but the show was ultimately canceled after another season. Fox would once again try a late-night talk show in 1993 with actor Chevy Chase but it would also fail to garner an audience and was canceled after just six weeks.
October 10
Nicholas Johnson, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) commissioner, released a stern statement to U.S. Vice President Spiro Agnew following Agnew’s complaint that radio stations were playing too many songs about drugs. The statement read: “If we really want to do something about drugs, let’s do something about life … The song writers are trying to help us understand our plight and deal with it. It’s about the only leadership we’re getting. They’re not really urging you to adopt a heroin distribution program, Mr. Vice President.” Johnson served as FCC commissioner from July 1, 1966 to December 5, 1973 under Presidents Lyndon B. Johnson and Richard Nixon. Agnew resigned as Vice President in disgrace in 1973.
October 11
“Saturday Night,” which would later change its name to “Saturday Night Live,” premieres on NBC on October 11, 1975, with comedian George Carlin as guest host and Janis Ian and Billy Preston as musical guests. The sketch comedy variety show introduced the American TV audience to its cast of “Not Ready for Primetime Players”: Dan Aykroyd, John Belushi, Chevy Chase, Jane Curtin, Garrett Morris, Laraine Newman and Gilda Radner. The show has gone on to become the longest-running sketch comedy series in TV history with its 49th season set to premiere this upcoming weekend.
October 12
Sid Vicious, the bassist for the British punk rock group The Sex Pistols, is arrested for the murder of his girlfriend Nancy Spungen on October 12, 1978. Spungen was found stabbed to death in the bathroom of their motel room in New York City on October 11. Vicious, born Simon John Ritchie, died of a heroin overdose on February 2, 1979, at age 21 before he could be tried for the murder.
October 13
Pittsburgh Pirates second baseman Bill Mazeroski becomes the first player in baseball history to hit a walk-off (game-winning) home run in the deciding game seven of a World Series on October 13, 1960. Mazeroski led off the ninth inning in a 9-9 tie facing New York Yankees pitcher Ralph Terry when he hit a line drive to left field that cleared the wall for the game-winning homer, giving the Pirates their first championship since 1925. NBC’s Mel Allen had the memorable call: “There’s a drive into deep left field, look out now! That ball us going … going … gone! The World Series is over! Mazeroski hits it over the left field fence for a home run, and the Pirates win it 10-9 and win the World Series! And the fans go wild.” It’s still the only game-seven walk-off home run in World Series history, though Toronto Blue Jays outfielder Joe Carter would hit a game-six walk-off homer in the 1993 World Series against the Philadelphia Phillies to clinch that series.
New York Yankees hurler Don Larsen pitches the first and only perfect game in World Series history on October 8, 1965, in a 2-0 win over the Brooklyn Dodgers in game five of the series at Yankee Stadium. In the ninth inning, Larsen retired Dodgers outfielder Carl Furillo on a flyout, catcher Roy Campanella on a grounder to second and struck out pinch hitter Dale Mitchell for the 27th and final out before Yankees catcher Yogi Berra leaped into Larsen’s arms in celebration. The Yankees would win the World Series in seven games. It would be the only no-hitter in World Series history until the Houston Astros used four pitchers to no-hit the Philadelphia Phillies in 2022.
October 9
Comedian Joan Rivers became the first woman to host a U.S. late-night TV talk show when “The Late Show with Joan Rivers” debuted on the new Fox network on October 9, 1986. Rivers had been a frequent guest host on “The Tonight Show starring Johnny Carson,” and her taking her own late-night rival show actually caused a rift in their friendship and Carson never spoke to her again. Due to low ratings, likely because of Fox being such a new network (it launched the same night “The Late Show with Joan Rivers” did) and some affiliates refusing to air it, Rivers was fired from the show in May of 1987. Arsenio Hall, in his first late-night hosting gig, would be Rivers’ replacement, but the show was ultimately canceled after another season. Fox would once again try a late-night talk show in 1993 with actor Chevy Chase but it would also fail to garner an audience and was canceled after just six weeks.
October 10
Nicholas Johnson, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) commissioner, released a stern statement to U.S. Vice President Spiro Agnew following Agnew’s complaint that radio stations were playing too many songs about drugs. The statement read: “If we really want to do something about drugs, let’s do something about life … The song writers are trying to help us understand our plight and deal with it. It’s about the only leadership we’re getting. They’re not really urging you to adopt a heroin distribution program, Mr. Vice President.” Johnson served as FCC commissioner from July 1, 1966 to December 5, 1973 under Presidents Lyndon B. Johnson and Richard Nixon. Agnew resigned as Vice President in disgrace in 1973.
October 11
“Saturday Night,” which would later change its name to “Saturday Night Live,” premieres on NBC on October 11, 1975, with comedian George Carlin as guest host and Janis Ian and Billy Preston as musical guests. The sketch comedy variety show introduced the American TV audience to its cast of “Not Ready for Primetime Players”: Dan Aykroyd, John Belushi, Chevy Chase, Jane Curtin, Garrett Morris, Laraine Newman and Gilda Radner. The show has gone on to become the longest-running sketch comedy series in TV history with its 49th season set to premiere this upcoming weekend.
October 12
Sid Vicious, the bassist for the British punk rock group The Sex Pistols, is arrested for the murder of his girlfriend Nancy Spungen on October 12, 1978. Spungen was found stabbed to death in the bathroom of their motel room in New York City on October 11. Vicious, born Simon John Ritchie, died of a heroin overdose on February 2, 1979, at age 21 before he could be tried for the murder.
October 13
Pittsburgh Pirates second baseman Bill Mazeroski becomes the first player in baseball history to hit a walk-off (game-winning) home run in the deciding game seven of a World Series on October 13, 1960. Mazeroski led off the ninth inning in a 9-9 tie facing New York Yankees pitcher Ralph Terry when he hit a line drive to left field that cleared the wall for the game-winning homer, giving the Pirates their first championship since 1925. NBC’s Mel Allen had the memorable call: “There’s a drive into deep left field, look out now! That ball us going … going … gone! The World Series is over! Mazeroski hits it over the left field fence for a home run, and the Pirates win it 10-9 and win the World Series! And the fans go wild.” It’s still the only game-seven walk-off home run in World Series history, though Toronto Blue Jays outfielder Joe Carter would hit a game-six walk-off homer in the 1993 World Series against the Philadelphia Phillies to clinch that series.
October 14
In what many baseball historians consider one of the greatest games in Major League Baseball history, the Atlanta Braves defeated the Pittsburgh Pirates in the deciding game seven of the National League Championship on the most improbable of walk-off hits on October 14, 1992. With two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning of game seven and down 2-1, the Braves had the bases loaded against Pirates relief pitcher Stan Belinda with the little-used, light-hitting reserve catcher Francisco Cabrera coming to the plate to pinch hit in the pitcher’s spot in the lineup. On a 2-1 count, Cabrera hit Belinda’s pitch on a line to left field. David Justice, who had been on third base for the Braves scored the game-tying run. Despite the hobbled, slow-footed first baseman Sid Bream being the Braves runner at second base, Braves third base coach Jimy Williams decided to send Bream to the plate, forcing Pirates All-Star left fielder Barry Bonds to make a throw to Pirates catcher Mike LaValliere. Bream just barely beat the throw and tag at home plate for the winning run to send the Braves to the World Series. The Braves would lose the 1992 World Series to the Toronto Blue Jays.
October 1 - October 7
October 1
New York Yankees slugger Babe Ruth has his legendary “call his own shot” moment in game three of the World Series on October 1, 1932, when he points to center field before hitting a home run into the Wrigley Field bleacher in Chicago against the Cubs in the fifth inning. There had been growing animosity between the Yankees and Cubs in the series due to at least a couple of factors, but one of which being Ruth allegedly telling Cubs player Mark Koenig, who had previously been his Yankees teammate, that his Cub teammates were “cheap bums.” Throughout the series, both dugouts would be shouting insults at one another and in game three the Cubs dugout had been riding Ruth mercilessly. With the game tied at four in the fifth inning, Ruth gestured twice, with the intent being disputed over the years, while at-bat against Cubs hurler Charlie Root. But after the second gesture, Ruth blasted a ball to the deepest part of Wrigley Field in center field. Some say Ruth was likely pointing at Root or the Cubs dugout, but others are adamant he called his own shot.
October 2
“The Twilight Zone,” the anthology series created by Rod Serling in which characters often found themselves dealing with disturbing or unusual events, premiered on CBS on October 2, 1959. The series would become known for its science fiction, dystopian drama, suspense, horror, supernatural and fantasy stories and would frequently wrap up with an unexpected twist. Serling, who also served as the show’s narrator, penned 92 of the show’s 156 episodes himself. The series would run for five seasons until 1964 receiving two Emmys for writing (both to Serling) along the way. Rolling Stone magazine named “The Twilight Zone” the 12th greatest TV series ever in 2022.
October 3
Sinead O’Connor caused quite the stir on the October 3, 1992, episode of “Saturday Night Live,” in which she was the show’s musical guest, when she ended a performance of Bob Marley’s “War” by ripping up a photograph of Pope John Paul II on live television while exclaiming, “fight the real enemy.” The protest was in response to the physical, sexual and emotional abuse she said she had suffered as a child from the Catholic Church. She claimed Catholic priests had been abusing children for years, which is something that would later be proven to be true. Her public protest of the Church caused many complaints and from viewers of ‘SNL’ and drew condemnation from the Catholic Church and would have a harsh impact on her career and popularity. O’Connor never regretted the act and would later be seen by many as an early outer of the Church’s abuse and misuse of power. O’Connor died in 2023 at 56.
October 4
Raspy-voiced singer-songwriter Janis Joplin’s whose music ranged from psychedelic rock to soul to blues was found dead on the evening of Sunday, October 4, 1970, on the floor of her room at the Landmark Motor Hotel in Los Angeles at the age of 27. Joplin’s cause of death was a heroin overdose, possibly compounded by alcohol. She was cremated and her ashes scattered from a plane into the Pacific Ocean. Her album Pearl was released three months after her death in early 1971 and featured the posthumous No. 1 hit “Me and Bobby McGee.”
October 5
The inaugural Cannes Film Festival wraps in Cannes, France on October 5, 1946, after two weeks of films being presented from 21 countries. Among the films that competed for Grand Prix (which would later be renamed the Palme d’Or) were Jean Cocteau’s “Beauty and the Beast,” David Lean’s “Brief Encounter,” George Cukor’s “Gaslight,” Billy Wilder’s “The Last Weekend” and Alfred Hitchcock’s “Notorious.” Eleven films received the Grand Prix honor, including “Brief Encounter” and “The Lost Weekend.”
October 6
“The Jazz Singer,” produced by Warner Bros., directed by Alan Crosland and starring Al Jolson, ushered in the sound era of motion pictures when it premiered in New York City on October 6, 1927. “The Jazz Singer” was the first feature-length motion picture with both synchronized recorded music and lip-synchronous singing and speech, most notably Jolson’s line “wait a minute, wait a minute, you ain’t heard nothin’ yet!” “The Jazz Singer” essentially was the death knell for the silent film era. It’s remembered today for its importance to film history, but doesn’t hold up well in modern times, especially with its performances done in blackface.
October 7
Country music superstar Garth Brooks confuses listeners with his release of The Life of Chris Gaines on October 7, 1999, in which he assumed the fictitious character of an Australian rock artist who was a huge star before suffering career setbacks. The character was originally conceived for a movie called “The Lamb,” in which Brooks would act as the character, but the album was released a year in advance in hopes of capturing interest and piquing mystery in the character. When that interest didn’t really manifest, although the album did debut at No. 2 on Billboard, the movie was canned.
New York Yankees slugger Babe Ruth has his legendary “call his own shot” moment in game three of the World Series on October 1, 1932, when he points to center field before hitting a home run into the Wrigley Field bleacher in Chicago against the Cubs in the fifth inning. There had been growing animosity between the Yankees and Cubs in the series due to at least a couple of factors, but one of which being Ruth allegedly telling Cubs player Mark Koenig, who had previously been his Yankees teammate, that his Cub teammates were “cheap bums.” Throughout the series, both dugouts would be shouting insults at one another and in game three the Cubs dugout had been riding Ruth mercilessly. With the game tied at four in the fifth inning, Ruth gestured twice, with the intent being disputed over the years, while at-bat against Cubs hurler Charlie Root. But after the second gesture, Ruth blasted a ball to the deepest part of Wrigley Field in center field. Some say Ruth was likely pointing at Root or the Cubs dugout, but others are adamant he called his own shot.
October 2
“The Twilight Zone,” the anthology series created by Rod Serling in which characters often found themselves dealing with disturbing or unusual events, premiered on CBS on October 2, 1959. The series would become known for its science fiction, dystopian drama, suspense, horror, supernatural and fantasy stories and would frequently wrap up with an unexpected twist. Serling, who also served as the show’s narrator, penned 92 of the show’s 156 episodes himself. The series would run for five seasons until 1964 receiving two Emmys for writing (both to Serling) along the way. Rolling Stone magazine named “The Twilight Zone” the 12th greatest TV series ever in 2022.
October 3
Sinead O’Connor caused quite the stir on the October 3, 1992, episode of “Saturday Night Live,” in which she was the show’s musical guest, when she ended a performance of Bob Marley’s “War” by ripping up a photograph of Pope John Paul II on live television while exclaiming, “fight the real enemy.” The protest was in response to the physical, sexual and emotional abuse she said she had suffered as a child from the Catholic Church. She claimed Catholic priests had been abusing children for years, which is something that would later be proven to be true. Her public protest of the Church caused many complaints and from viewers of ‘SNL’ and drew condemnation from the Catholic Church and would have a harsh impact on her career and popularity. O’Connor never regretted the act and would later be seen by many as an early outer of the Church’s abuse and misuse of power. O’Connor died in 2023 at 56.
October 4
Raspy-voiced singer-songwriter Janis Joplin’s whose music ranged from psychedelic rock to soul to blues was found dead on the evening of Sunday, October 4, 1970, on the floor of her room at the Landmark Motor Hotel in Los Angeles at the age of 27. Joplin’s cause of death was a heroin overdose, possibly compounded by alcohol. She was cremated and her ashes scattered from a plane into the Pacific Ocean. Her album Pearl was released three months after her death in early 1971 and featured the posthumous No. 1 hit “Me and Bobby McGee.”
October 5
The inaugural Cannes Film Festival wraps in Cannes, France on October 5, 1946, after two weeks of films being presented from 21 countries. Among the films that competed for Grand Prix (which would later be renamed the Palme d’Or) were Jean Cocteau’s “Beauty and the Beast,” David Lean’s “Brief Encounter,” George Cukor’s “Gaslight,” Billy Wilder’s “The Last Weekend” and Alfred Hitchcock’s “Notorious.” Eleven films received the Grand Prix honor, including “Brief Encounter” and “The Lost Weekend.”
October 6
“The Jazz Singer,” produced by Warner Bros., directed by Alan Crosland and starring Al Jolson, ushered in the sound era of motion pictures when it premiered in New York City on October 6, 1927. “The Jazz Singer” was the first feature-length motion picture with both synchronized recorded music and lip-synchronous singing and speech, most notably Jolson’s line “wait a minute, wait a minute, you ain’t heard nothin’ yet!” “The Jazz Singer” essentially was the death knell for the silent film era. It’s remembered today for its importance to film history, but doesn’t hold up well in modern times, especially with its performances done in blackface.
October 7
Country music superstar Garth Brooks confuses listeners with his release of The Life of Chris Gaines on October 7, 1999, in which he assumed the fictitious character of an Australian rock artist who was a huge star before suffering career setbacks. The character was originally conceived for a movie called “The Lamb,” in which Brooks would act as the character, but the album was released a year in advance in hopes of capturing interest and piquing mystery in the character. When that interest didn’t really manifest, although the album did debut at No. 2 on Billboard, the movie was canned.
September 24 - September 30
September 24
“60 Minutes,” the oldest and longest-running newsmagazine on primetime television, debuted on September 24, 1968, on CBS. The show, created by TV news producer Don Hewitt (who helmed it until 2004), stood out from other news programs of its time because of its unique style of reporter-centered investigation. It’s the only news program to be the most-watched show on TV, a feat it’s accomplished on five occasions. In 2003, TV Guide named “60 Minutes” the sixth greatest show in TV history.
September 25
One of the most outstanding, highlight reel basketball plays in the history of the sport happened at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, Australia on September 25, 2000, in a game between the United States and France when Team USA guard Vince Carter (star of the NBA’s Toronto Raptors at the time) jumped over 7-foot 2-inch French center Frederic Weis in what would become known in France as “le dunk de la mort” (the dunk of death!). The play was the definition of the term “posterized” and would propel the Americans to a 106-94 win over France in the preliminary round of the tournament. The two teams would match up again in the Gold Medal game on October 1, 2000, which the U.S.A. would win 85-75. Weis had been drafted in the first round of the 1999 NBA Draft by the New York Knicks but would never play a game in the league – perhaps too scared to be posterized by Carter and his ilk on a nightly basis?
“60 Minutes,” the oldest and longest-running newsmagazine on primetime television, debuted on September 24, 1968, on CBS. The show, created by TV news producer Don Hewitt (who helmed it until 2004), stood out from other news programs of its time because of its unique style of reporter-centered investigation. It’s the only news program to be the most-watched show on TV, a feat it’s accomplished on five occasions. In 2003, TV Guide named “60 Minutes” the sixth greatest show in TV history.
September 25
One of the most outstanding, highlight reel basketball plays in the history of the sport happened at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, Australia on September 25, 2000, in a game between the United States and France when Team USA guard Vince Carter (star of the NBA’s Toronto Raptors at the time) jumped over 7-foot 2-inch French center Frederic Weis in what would become known in France as “le dunk de la mort” (the dunk of death!). The play was the definition of the term “posterized” and would propel the Americans to a 106-94 win over France in the preliminary round of the tournament. The two teams would match up again in the Gold Medal game on October 1, 2000, which the U.S.A. would win 85-75. Weis had been drafted in the first round of the 1999 NBA Draft by the New York Knicks but would never play a game in the league – perhaps too scared to be posterized by Carter and his ilk on a nightly basis?
September 26
In one of the most competitive and heated Ryder Cup matches in the history of the golf tournament between the United States and Europe, the U.S.A. squad conducted a huge comeback on the final day of the tournament after trailing 10-6 heading into the singles matches on September 26, 1999, at The Country Club in Brookline, Mass. The U.S. would come out hot and take the lead by winning the first six matches of the singles round with Tom Lehman, Hal Sutton, Phil Mickelson, Davis Love III, Tiger Woods and David Duval all coming out victorious. The event o would come down to the match between Jose Maria Olazabal for Team Europe and Justin Leonard for Team USA with Leonard coming back from being down by four holes with just seven to play to halve the match and secure the half-point the U.S.A. needed to win. The crowd went into a frenzy and its reactions, as well as the reactions of the U.S.A. players and family members, as well as an NBC cameraman covering the event stepping in Olazabal’s putt line, were heavily criticized by many, especially in Europe, and seen as a breach of golfing etiquette.
September 27
Phil Spector, one of the most legendary and important producers in the history of pop music, was indicted by a jury for the February 2003 murder of actress Lana Clarkson at his estate in Alhambra, Calif. on September 27, 2004. Spector’s creation of the “Wall of Sound,” a production style geared to exploit the possibilities of studio recording to create an unusually dense orchestral aesthetic that would come across well on radios and jukeboxes, revolutionized modern pop music and would inspire artists and records for decades to come. Despite being a music visionary, Spector was abusive and experienced bouts of rage that may have been aided by mental illness. This culminated with the murder of Clarkson on February 3, 2003. Spector’s murder trial wouldn’t begin until March of 2007 and would be declared a mistrial on September 26 of that year because of a hung jury. Spector’s retrial began on October 20, 2008, and on April 13, 2009, the jury found Spector guilty of murder. Spector would be sentenced to 19 years to life in prison. He died at 81 on January 16, 2021, from complications of COVID-19.
September 28
Boston Red Sox all-star slugger Ted Williams ended the Major League Baseball season with a .406 batting average on September 28, 1941, making him the last player in MLB history (to this date) to hit .400 or higher in a season. Williams had finished September 27 with a batting average of .3995, which would’ve been rounded up to .400, but despite having a doubleheader scheduled against the Philadelphia Athletics on the final day of the season Williams opted to play in both games. He went 6-for-8 in those games upping that average to the final .406. He was the first .400 hitter in a season since Bill Terry in 1931. Despite leading the league in average, home runs, runs scored, walks, on-base percentage slugging percentage lost the American League Most Valuable Player award to the lovable Joe DiMaggio of the New York Yankees.
September 29
New York Giants all-star center fielder Willie Mays makes what’s often considered the greatest catch in the history of Major League Baseball in game one of the World Series on September 29, 1954, when he makes a running, over-the-shoulder snag on an estimated 420-foot (yes, the dimensions at the Polo Grounds were ludicrous!) blast by Cleveland Indians first baseman Vic Wertz. Some estimate Wertz’s drive may have been as far as 460 feet when Mays made the play that would become simply known as, “The Catch.” The hit would’ve been a home run in most ballparks even at that time, which would’ve given Cleveland a 5-2 lead in the eighth inning. The Giants would go on to win game one of the series 5-2 in extra innings. Wertz had four hits in the game for Cleveland, despite his furthest drive being his only out. The Giants would win the World Series in a four-game sweep.
September 30
James Dean, already an American acting star and cultural icon at just 24, is killed in a car crash in Cholame, Calif. on September 30, 1955. Dean had just acquired a 1955 Porsche 550 Spyder, known as “Little Bastard,” for his racing passion and was encouraged to drive it from Los Angeles to Salinas, Calif. to break it in before an upcoming race in Salinas. At approximately 5:45 p.m. on September 30, Dean was driving westbound on U.S. Route 466 near Cholame when a 23-year-old driving a 1950 Ford Tudor traveling east made a left turn onto Highway 41 headed north ahead of the upcoming Porsche driven by Dean. Unable to stop in time, Dean slammed into the side of the Ford, sending his Porsche across the pavement onto the side of the road. Dean’s passenger, a mechanic Rolf Wutherich, was thrown from the vehicle suffering jaw, hip and femur injuries. Dean had suffered a broken neck on impact and likely died instantaneously. Later findings show he had not been speeding at the time of the accident. At the time of his death, Dean had only had one film starring role in director Elia Kazan’s “East of Eden.” His second film “Rebel without a Cause” would be released less than a month after his death. His third and final starring role would be in “Giant,” released in 1956. He was posthumously nominated for an Oscar for his performance in “East of Eden.”
September 17 - September 23
September 17
The Doors made their first and only appearance on the popular variety series “The Ed Sullivan Show” on September 17, 1967, to perform their hit “Light My Fire.” Shortly before airtime, a producer for the show approached the band and informed them they would need to change a lyric in their song from: “Girl, we couldn’t get much higher” to “Girl, we couldn’t get much better” fearing that the original line might be construed as a reference to drugs. Instead of making the lyric change, The Door frontman Jim Morrison sang the original line. According to edsullivan.com, the show’s producers told the band: “Mr. Sullivan wanted you for six more shows, but you’ll never work ‘The Ed Sullivan Show’ again.” Morrison reportedly replied: “Hey, man. We just did the Sullivan show.”
The Doors made their first and only appearance on the popular variety series “The Ed Sullivan Show” on September 17, 1967, to perform their hit “Light My Fire.” Shortly before airtime, a producer for the show approached the band and informed them they would need to change a lyric in their song from: “Girl, we couldn’t get much higher” to “Girl, we couldn’t get much better” fearing that the original line might be construed as a reference to drugs. Instead of making the lyric change, The Door frontman Jim Morrison sang the original line. According to edsullivan.com, the show’s producers told the band: “Mr. Sullivan wanted you for six more shows, but you’ll never work ‘The Ed Sullivan Show’ again.” Morrison reportedly replied: “Hey, man. We just did the Sullivan show.”
September 18
Jimi Hendrix was found unresponsive in his girlfriend Monika Dannemann’s apartment at the Samarkand Hotel in London on the morning of September 18, 1970. Hendrix was taken to a local hospital where attempts to resuscitate him were unsuccessful. He was pronounced dead at age 27 at 12:45 p.m. The post-mortem examination concluded Hendrix aspirated on his own vomit and died of asphyxia due to barbiturate and alcohol intoxication. Hendrix was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1992. His legacy as one of the most talented electric guitarists in pop and rock music remains and Rolling Stone magazine has ranked him as the greatest guitarist of all time.
September 19
“The Mary Tyler Moore Show” premiered on CBS on September 19, 1970, starring Mary Tyler Moore as Mary Richards, a single woman who moves to Minneapolis, Minn. to become associate producer of the local 6 p.m. news. The show, created by James L. Brooks and Allan Burns, is considered an important moment in the era of feminism with a central female character neither married nor dependent on a man for her success, a rarity for American television at the time. The series would win 29 Primetime Emmy Awards, including Outstanding Comedy Series three consecutive years (1975-1977). Moore would win four Emmys for her performance in the series. Ed Asner, Valerie Harper, Ted Knight, Cloris Leachman and Betty White would also win Emmys for their performances on the show.
September 20
“Law & Order: Special Victims Unit,” a spinoff of the popular Dick Wolf-produced crime procedural “Law & Order,” premiered on NBC on September 20, 1999. The series followed the style of the original loosely basing some of its storylines off real crimes that received media attention but with ‘SVU’ focused on sexually-based offenses. The series featured Olivia Benson and Christopher Meloni in the lead roles as detectives Olivia Benson and Elliot Stabler. When the series began its 21st season in 2019 it surpassed “Gunsmoke” (1955-1975) as the longest-running primetime drama series in television history. As of this writing, ‘SVU’ has aired 24 seasons and 538 episodes.
September 21
“Monday Night Football,” the creation of ABC Sports President Roone Arledge, debuted on September 21, 1970, with a game between the New York Jets and Cleveland Browns in Cleveland, which the Browns won 31-21. It wouldn’t take long for ‘MNF’ to become a pop culture phenomenon bringing the action of the NFL to primetime with the flamboyant and contentious broadcasting booth of Keith Jackson, Howard Cosell and Don Meredith with Cosell and Meredith often bumping heads. In 2006, ‘MNF’ moved from ABC to ESPN, where it still airs to this day. Now in its 54th season, ‘MNF’ has broadcast more than 700 NFL games.
September 22
Billy Porter became the first openly gay actor to win a Primetime Emmy Award for lead actors in a drama series when he won for the FX series “Pose” on September 22, 2019. Porter played “Pray” Tell, emcee of the ball culture, an LGBTQ subculture in the African-American and Latino communities of New York City in the ‘80s.
September 23
With the Detroit Tigers' 100th win of the Major League Baseball season on September 23, 1984, Tigers manager Sparky Anderson became the first baseball manager to win 100 games in a season in both the American and National Leagues. Anderson led the Cincinnati Reds to three 100-win seasons in the ‘70s, including back-to-back World Series titles in 1975 and 1976. He would lead the Tigers to the World Series title in ’84 with a 104-58 record in the regular season. This feat would also make him the first manager in baseball history to win titles in both leagues (Tony La Russa has been the only manager to do it since). Anderson’s 2,194 wins are the sixth most in MLB history. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2000.
September 10 - September 16
September 10
Nirvana released the single “Smells Like Teen Spirit” on September 10, 1991, forever changing the popular music world by bringing a whole new meaning to “alternative” and adding a new word to the musical lexicon, “grunge.” The Seattle-based band featured Kurt Cobain on vocals and guitar, Krist Novoselic on bass and Dave Grohl on drums. The band released an independent debut album Bleach in 1989 but after signing to the label DGC Records in 1991 they had an unexpected mainstream hit with “Smells Like Teen Spirit,” a song described as an anthem for the apathy of Generation X. The success of the single helped Nirvana’s second album Nevermind become a smash.
September 11
Ty Cobb’s Major League Baseball record for most career hits with 4,191 (although that number has shrunk by three since 1985 due to corrected errors) seemed like one of the potentially unbreakable baseball records. Hank Aaron had come the closest but he retired more than 400 hits shy of Cobb’s record. However, on September 10, 1985, Cincinnati Reds player-manager Pete Rose would become the game’s new “Hit King” with career hit number 4,190, a single to left-center field at Cincinnati’s Riverfront Stadium off San Diego Padres pitcher Eric Show. Rose would finish his career following the 1986 season with 4,256 hits.
September 12
The music world was saddened by the death of Johnny Cash, one of the few country music artists able to appeal across genres, from complications of diabetes at age 71 on September 11, 2003. Cash’s death came less than four months after the death of his wife June Carter Cash at age 73 in mid-May. His death also came midst another late-career resurgence thanks to his fantastic cover of the Nine Inch Nails song “Hurt” and the devastatingly emotional music video, which was a hit both on CMT and MTV, on his 2022 album American IV: The Man Comes Around. Cash had been inducted into both the Country Music Hall of Fame and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as one of the most influential musicians of all time.
September 13
When Taylor Swift won the MTV Video Music Award for Best Female Video for “You Belong with Me” she was interrupted mid-acceptance speech by hip-hop star Kanye West who walked upon the stage, took the microphone from Swift and exclaimed that Beyonce had been robbed of the honor for her video “Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It). West exclaimed: “Yo, Taylor, I’m really happy for you, I’mma let you finish, but Beyonce had one of the best videos of all time!” Swift looked shocked on stage as the live audience booed West’s interruption. West handed the mic back to Swift, flipped the middle finger to the audience and walked off stage. Later in the telecast when Beyonce won Video of the Year for ‘Single Ladies’ she invited Swift back to the stage to finish her speech. West was condemned for his antics as high as the oval office with President Barack Obama notably calling him a “jackass.” It wouldn’t be the last time West would interrupt a live acceptance speech at an award show in favor of Beyonce, as he would do so again at the 2015 Grammy Awards when Beck’s Morning Phase won Album of the Year over Beyonce’s self-titled album.
September 14
Madonna stole the spotlight at the first-ever MTV Video Music Awards ceremony on September 14, 1984, with a performance of her hit “Like a Virgin” in a white wedding gown while writhing on the floor of the stage for a portion of it. The Cars may have won the first ever Video of the Year honor for “You Might Think” and Herbie Hancock and Michael Jackson won five and three awards respectively, but it was the performance by Madonna that left the audience both watching in the auditorium and from home breathless. It was the moment that marked she would be a superstar.
September 15
The National Hockey League’s all-time leading goal scorer at the time with 544 career goals, Maurice Richard would announce his retirement from the league on September 15, 1960. Richard, who played his entire career (1942-1960) with the Montreal Canadiens, had been the league’s Most Valuable Player in 1947, played in 13 NHL All-Star Games and became the first player in the league to score 50 goals in a season in the 1944-45 season. Richard won eight Stanley Cup championships with the Canadiens, including a record five straight from 1956-1960. Upon his retirement, the Canadiens retired his No. 9 jersey and he would be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame one year later in 1961. Richard would die at age 78 on May 27, 2000.
September 16
“Frasier,” a spinoff of the hit NBC sitcom “Cheers” featuring the character of Frasier Crane as played by Kelsey Grammer, premiered on NBC on September 16, 1993. The series sees Frasier return to his hometown of Seattle from Boston to begin a career as a radio psychiatrist and reconnect with his father Martin (John Mahoney), a retired police officer, and his brother Niles (David Hyde Pierce), a fellow psychiatrist. The series would go on to win a record 37 Primetime Emmy Awards for a comedy series, including Outstanding Comedy Series a record five-straight years from 1994-1998. This award tally would make “Frasier” the most successful spinoff in television history. It ran for 11 seasons before coming to an end in 2004.
Nirvana released the single “Smells Like Teen Spirit” on September 10, 1991, forever changing the popular music world by bringing a whole new meaning to “alternative” and adding a new word to the musical lexicon, “grunge.” The Seattle-based band featured Kurt Cobain on vocals and guitar, Krist Novoselic on bass and Dave Grohl on drums. The band released an independent debut album Bleach in 1989 but after signing to the label DGC Records in 1991 they had an unexpected mainstream hit with “Smells Like Teen Spirit,” a song described as an anthem for the apathy of Generation X. The success of the single helped Nirvana’s second album Nevermind become a smash.
September 11
Ty Cobb’s Major League Baseball record for most career hits with 4,191 (although that number has shrunk by three since 1985 due to corrected errors) seemed like one of the potentially unbreakable baseball records. Hank Aaron had come the closest but he retired more than 400 hits shy of Cobb’s record. However, on September 10, 1985, Cincinnati Reds player-manager Pete Rose would become the game’s new “Hit King” with career hit number 4,190, a single to left-center field at Cincinnati’s Riverfront Stadium off San Diego Padres pitcher Eric Show. Rose would finish his career following the 1986 season with 4,256 hits.
September 12
The music world was saddened by the death of Johnny Cash, one of the few country music artists able to appeal across genres, from complications of diabetes at age 71 on September 11, 2003. Cash’s death came less than four months after the death of his wife June Carter Cash at age 73 in mid-May. His death also came midst another late-career resurgence thanks to his fantastic cover of the Nine Inch Nails song “Hurt” and the devastatingly emotional music video, which was a hit both on CMT and MTV, on his 2022 album American IV: The Man Comes Around. Cash had been inducted into both the Country Music Hall of Fame and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as one of the most influential musicians of all time.
September 13
When Taylor Swift won the MTV Video Music Award for Best Female Video for “You Belong with Me” she was interrupted mid-acceptance speech by hip-hop star Kanye West who walked upon the stage, took the microphone from Swift and exclaimed that Beyonce had been robbed of the honor for her video “Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It). West exclaimed: “Yo, Taylor, I’m really happy for you, I’mma let you finish, but Beyonce had one of the best videos of all time!” Swift looked shocked on stage as the live audience booed West’s interruption. West handed the mic back to Swift, flipped the middle finger to the audience and walked off stage. Later in the telecast when Beyonce won Video of the Year for ‘Single Ladies’ she invited Swift back to the stage to finish her speech. West was condemned for his antics as high as the oval office with President Barack Obama notably calling him a “jackass.” It wouldn’t be the last time West would interrupt a live acceptance speech at an award show in favor of Beyonce, as he would do so again at the 2015 Grammy Awards when Beck’s Morning Phase won Album of the Year over Beyonce’s self-titled album.
September 14
Madonna stole the spotlight at the first-ever MTV Video Music Awards ceremony on September 14, 1984, with a performance of her hit “Like a Virgin” in a white wedding gown while writhing on the floor of the stage for a portion of it. The Cars may have won the first ever Video of the Year honor for “You Might Think” and Herbie Hancock and Michael Jackson won five and three awards respectively, but it was the performance by Madonna that left the audience both watching in the auditorium and from home breathless. It was the moment that marked she would be a superstar.
September 15
The National Hockey League’s all-time leading goal scorer at the time with 544 career goals, Maurice Richard would announce his retirement from the league on September 15, 1960. Richard, who played his entire career (1942-1960) with the Montreal Canadiens, had been the league’s Most Valuable Player in 1947, played in 13 NHL All-Star Games and became the first player in the league to score 50 goals in a season in the 1944-45 season. Richard won eight Stanley Cup championships with the Canadiens, including a record five straight from 1956-1960. Upon his retirement, the Canadiens retired his No. 9 jersey and he would be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame one year later in 1961. Richard would die at age 78 on May 27, 2000.
September 16
“Frasier,” a spinoff of the hit NBC sitcom “Cheers” featuring the character of Frasier Crane as played by Kelsey Grammer, premiered on NBC on September 16, 1993. The series sees Frasier return to his hometown of Seattle from Boston to begin a career as a radio psychiatrist and reconnect with his father Martin (John Mahoney), a retired police officer, and his brother Niles (David Hyde Pierce), a fellow psychiatrist. The series would go on to win a record 37 Primetime Emmy Awards for a comedy series, including Outstanding Comedy Series a record five-straight years from 1994-1998. This award tally would make “Frasier” the most successful spinoff in television history. It ran for 11 seasons before coming to an end in 2004.
September 3 - September 9
September 3
The inaugural competition of the United States National Championship of men’s tennis wraps up at the Newport Casino in Newport, R.I. on September 3, 1881, when Richard Sears of Boston defeats William E. Glyn of England 6-0, 6-3, 6-2 to be crowned the first-ever champion of the U.S. Open. Only United States National Lawn Tennis Association members were eligible to participate in the first U.S. Open, which included 24 players in the men’s singles tournament. Sears would go on to win the first seven U.S. Open tournaments before retiring on top of the game. The U.S. Open is the second oldest tennis major with Wimbledon having begun in 1877, though there have been more U.S. Open tournaments due to Wimbledon having to be canceled because of World War I, World War II and the 2020 Covid-19 pandemic.
September 4
Kelly Clarkson was crowned as the first “American Idol” champion on the Fox reality singing competition program when fans across America dialed her in as the winner over Justin Guarini on September 4, 2002. Clarkson would go on to be one of the most successful “American Idol” winners with over 25 million albums sold worldwide to this date, three No. 1 singles (including her ‘Idol’ winning song “A Moment Like This”) and three Grammy Awards, which included becoming the first solo female to win Best Pop Vocal Album twice. She’s also gone on to a successful second career as the host of the Emmy-winning daytime talk show “The Kelly Clarkson Show,” which has seen her win three consecutive Emmys for Outstanding Entertainment Talk Show Host.
September 5
In the darkest moment in modern Olympic history, 11 Israeli athletes were taken hostage and later killed by the Palestinian Black September terrorist group at the Munich Summer Games on September 5, 1972. Eight Black September members infiltrated the Olympic Village where the athletes of all countries were staying, broke into the building housing the Israeli Olympic athletes, killed two members on site and then held nine others hostage. The terrorist group demanded the release of 234 Palestinian prisoners being held in Israeli jails. The German officials concocted a plan to rescue the nine hostages at a military airport some 15 miles from the Olympic Village under the guise of letting the terrorist fly to safety in Cairo, Egypt. The German authorities failed miserably in their rescue attempt and by 12:04 a.m., nearly 20 hours after the Black September attack had begun, all nine Israeli hostages had been murdered. All in all, 17 people died from the beginning to the end of the attack: six Israeli coaches or officials (Moshe Weinberg, Yakov Springer, Yossef Gutfreund, Kehat Shorr, Andre Spitzer and Amitzur Shapira), five Israeli athletes (Yossef Romano, Ze’ev Friedman, David Berger, Eliezer Halfin and Mark Slavin), one West Germany police officer and five of the eight Black September terrorists. ABC’s Jim McKay, lead host for the American broadcast of the games, covered the event for 14 hours without a break and was the first to break the news to American audiences: “When I was a kid my father used to say, ‘Our greatest hopes and our worst fear are seldom realized.’ Our worst fears have been realized tonight. They have now said there were 11 hostages; two were killed in their room yesterday morning, nine were killed at the airport tonight. They’re all gone.” Willi Daume, president of the Munich organizing committee for the games, initially sought to cancel the remainder of the games which were in their second and final week. International Olympic Committee president Avery Brundage stated: “The Games must go on, and we must continue our efforts to keep them clean, pure and honest.” The decision was endorsed by the Israeli government. A few nations and athletes backed out of the games in sympathy with the fallen Israelis.
September 6
Elton John performed a reworked version of his 1973 classic “Candle in the Wind” paying tribute to Diana, Princess of Wales at her funeral in Westminster Abbey in London on September 6, 1997. Princess Diana had died in a car accident on August 31. It would be the only time Elton John would perform the “Candle in the Wind 1997” (also known as “Goodbye England’s Rose”) version live. Elton John had asked his lyricist Bernie Taupin to help rework their tribute to the late actress Marilyn Monroe into one for Princess Diana after being contacted by business magnate Richard Branson to do so; Elton John believed Branson had been contacted by the Spencer (Diana’s) Family. Elton John recorded the single at Townhouse Studios in London immediately after the funeral. The song was released as a single on September 13 with proceeds going to Princess Diana’s charities. The song would go to No. 1 in the U.K., U.S. and many other countries. It would win Elton John a Grammy Award for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance at the 40th Grammy Awards.
September 7
The Entertainment and Sports Programming Network (ESPN) premiered on September 7, 1979. The 24/7 sports programming cable network was founded by Bill Rasmussen, Scott Rasmussen and Ed Eagan and debuted with an episode of “SportsCenter,” which would go on to become its longest-running and still active sports news program, co-hosted by George Grande and Lee Leonard. The network, headquartered in tiny Bristol, Conn., was broadcast to 1.4 million cable subscribers on day one. The network would grow over the years with marquee events like the early rounds of the NCAA Division I men’s college basketball tournament and the NFL Draft but in its early years would broadcast anything and everything that could be classified as sport. The network would truly turn into a sports broadcasting juggernaut in the ‘90s and has never turned back.
September 8
Director Alfred Hitchcock’s horror classic “Psycho” premiered nationwide on September 8, 1960, shocking the world with its subject matter, which included the death of its lead actress midway through the film. “Psycho” starred Janet Leigh as Marion Crane, a bank secretary who absconds with $40,000 and flees Los Angeles before arriving late at night at the Bates Motel, run by a peculiar man named Norman Bates (played by Anthony Perkins). Things get a bit, well psychotic, from that point. “Psycho” was a marketing sensation with Hitchcock having theaters refuse admittance to anybody after the film began so as to not ruin the surprise. “Psycho” was nominated for four Academy Awards, including Best Director for Hitchcock and Best Actress for Leigh.
September 9
iTunes users across the United States were irate to find out they had music by Irish rockers U2 on their phones on September 9, 2014, when the band’s latest album Songs of Innocence popped up in their music libraries for free but without seeking permission. The album automatically uploaded to 500 million iTunes users many of whom were confused by the addition, while others were perturbed by the audacity of both the band and Apple.
The inaugural competition of the United States National Championship of men’s tennis wraps up at the Newport Casino in Newport, R.I. on September 3, 1881, when Richard Sears of Boston defeats William E. Glyn of England 6-0, 6-3, 6-2 to be crowned the first-ever champion of the U.S. Open. Only United States National Lawn Tennis Association members were eligible to participate in the first U.S. Open, which included 24 players in the men’s singles tournament. Sears would go on to win the first seven U.S. Open tournaments before retiring on top of the game. The U.S. Open is the second oldest tennis major with Wimbledon having begun in 1877, though there have been more U.S. Open tournaments due to Wimbledon having to be canceled because of World War I, World War II and the 2020 Covid-19 pandemic.
September 4
Kelly Clarkson was crowned as the first “American Idol” champion on the Fox reality singing competition program when fans across America dialed her in as the winner over Justin Guarini on September 4, 2002. Clarkson would go on to be one of the most successful “American Idol” winners with over 25 million albums sold worldwide to this date, three No. 1 singles (including her ‘Idol’ winning song “A Moment Like This”) and three Grammy Awards, which included becoming the first solo female to win Best Pop Vocal Album twice. She’s also gone on to a successful second career as the host of the Emmy-winning daytime talk show “The Kelly Clarkson Show,” which has seen her win three consecutive Emmys for Outstanding Entertainment Talk Show Host.
September 5
In the darkest moment in modern Olympic history, 11 Israeli athletes were taken hostage and later killed by the Palestinian Black September terrorist group at the Munich Summer Games on September 5, 1972. Eight Black September members infiltrated the Olympic Village where the athletes of all countries were staying, broke into the building housing the Israeli Olympic athletes, killed two members on site and then held nine others hostage. The terrorist group demanded the release of 234 Palestinian prisoners being held in Israeli jails. The German officials concocted a plan to rescue the nine hostages at a military airport some 15 miles from the Olympic Village under the guise of letting the terrorist fly to safety in Cairo, Egypt. The German authorities failed miserably in their rescue attempt and by 12:04 a.m., nearly 20 hours after the Black September attack had begun, all nine Israeli hostages had been murdered. All in all, 17 people died from the beginning to the end of the attack: six Israeli coaches or officials (Moshe Weinberg, Yakov Springer, Yossef Gutfreund, Kehat Shorr, Andre Spitzer and Amitzur Shapira), five Israeli athletes (Yossef Romano, Ze’ev Friedman, David Berger, Eliezer Halfin and Mark Slavin), one West Germany police officer and five of the eight Black September terrorists. ABC’s Jim McKay, lead host for the American broadcast of the games, covered the event for 14 hours without a break and was the first to break the news to American audiences: “When I was a kid my father used to say, ‘Our greatest hopes and our worst fear are seldom realized.’ Our worst fears have been realized tonight. They have now said there were 11 hostages; two were killed in their room yesterday morning, nine were killed at the airport tonight. They’re all gone.” Willi Daume, president of the Munich organizing committee for the games, initially sought to cancel the remainder of the games which were in their second and final week. International Olympic Committee president Avery Brundage stated: “The Games must go on, and we must continue our efforts to keep them clean, pure and honest.” The decision was endorsed by the Israeli government. A few nations and athletes backed out of the games in sympathy with the fallen Israelis.
September 6
Elton John performed a reworked version of his 1973 classic “Candle in the Wind” paying tribute to Diana, Princess of Wales at her funeral in Westminster Abbey in London on September 6, 1997. Princess Diana had died in a car accident on August 31. It would be the only time Elton John would perform the “Candle in the Wind 1997” (also known as “Goodbye England’s Rose”) version live. Elton John had asked his lyricist Bernie Taupin to help rework their tribute to the late actress Marilyn Monroe into one for Princess Diana after being contacted by business magnate Richard Branson to do so; Elton John believed Branson had been contacted by the Spencer (Diana’s) Family. Elton John recorded the single at Townhouse Studios in London immediately after the funeral. The song was released as a single on September 13 with proceeds going to Princess Diana’s charities. The song would go to No. 1 in the U.K., U.S. and many other countries. It would win Elton John a Grammy Award for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance at the 40th Grammy Awards.
September 7
The Entertainment and Sports Programming Network (ESPN) premiered on September 7, 1979. The 24/7 sports programming cable network was founded by Bill Rasmussen, Scott Rasmussen and Ed Eagan and debuted with an episode of “SportsCenter,” which would go on to become its longest-running and still active sports news program, co-hosted by George Grande and Lee Leonard. The network, headquartered in tiny Bristol, Conn., was broadcast to 1.4 million cable subscribers on day one. The network would grow over the years with marquee events like the early rounds of the NCAA Division I men’s college basketball tournament and the NFL Draft but in its early years would broadcast anything and everything that could be classified as sport. The network would truly turn into a sports broadcasting juggernaut in the ‘90s and has never turned back.
September 8
Director Alfred Hitchcock’s horror classic “Psycho” premiered nationwide on September 8, 1960, shocking the world with its subject matter, which included the death of its lead actress midway through the film. “Psycho” starred Janet Leigh as Marion Crane, a bank secretary who absconds with $40,000 and flees Los Angeles before arriving late at night at the Bates Motel, run by a peculiar man named Norman Bates (played by Anthony Perkins). Things get a bit, well psychotic, from that point. “Psycho” was a marketing sensation with Hitchcock having theaters refuse admittance to anybody after the film began so as to not ruin the surprise. “Psycho” was nominated for four Academy Awards, including Best Director for Hitchcock and Best Actress for Leigh.
September 9
iTunes users across the United States were irate to find out they had music by Irish rockers U2 on their phones on September 9, 2014, when the band’s latest album Songs of Innocence popped up in their music libraries for free but without seeking permission. The album automatically uploaded to 500 million iTunes users many of whom were confused by the addition, while others were perturbed by the audacity of both the band and Apple.
August 27 - September 2
August 27
Walt Disney’s live-action musical “Mary Poppins,” starring Julie Andrews and Dick Van Dyke, premieres nationwide on August 27, 1964. It’s the first film role for Andrews who was already a star on Broadway and would go on to win the Academy Award for Best Actress for the performance. “Mary Poppins” would win five Oscars in total, including the coveted Best Picture honor.
August 28
In one of the most memorable moments in the history of the MTV Video Music Awards, Madonna, Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera share a kiss during the opening performance of the show while performing a medley of “Like a Virgin” and “Hollywood” on August 28, 2003, which the director of the telecast nearly misses because they’re more interested in Justin Timberlake’s reaction to it from the audience.
August 29
The series finale of ABC’s crime drama “The Fugitive” airs on August 29, 1967, drawing 78 million viewers making it the most-watched episode of television at the time (it’s only since been passed by the “M*A*S*H” series finale and the “Who Done It” episode of “Dallas”). The 78 million viewers tuned in to see if Dr. Richard Kimble (David Janssen) would finally seek justice for the murder of his wife.
August 30
The inaugural season of the WNBA (Women’s National Basketball Association) wraps up on August 30, 1997, with the Houston Comets defeating the New York Liberty for the first-ever WNBA championship. The Comets, led by future Pro Basketball Hall of Famers Cynthia Cooper, Sheryl Swoopes and Tina Thompson, defeated the Liberty 65-51 in the title game behind Cooper’s 25 points. Cooper was named the Finals MVP and had been named the league’s first MVP earlier in the week. The Comets would win championships in the first four WNBA seasons becoming the league’s first dynasty. The franchise would fold in 2008.
August 31
In one of the most “minor-league” moments in the history of minor-league baseball, Williamsport Bills catcher Dave Bresnahan attempted to lure an opposing baserunner off of third base using a potato he had carved to look like a baseball on August 31, 1987. During the fifth inning of a game against the Reading Phillies in the final weekend of the AA-Eastern League season, Bresnahan, who had stashed the potato in his backup catcher’s mitt in the dugout, informed the umpire he needed to switch mitts. He returned with the potato and when the pitch was made, Bresnahan threw the spud into left field over his third baseman’s head to entice Rick Lundblade, the baserunner, to break for home, where he was tagged out with the real baseball. When the umpires realized the “ball” thrown into left field was a potato they ruled Lundblade safe – Bresnahan thought they would just send him back to third base and eject him from the ballgame. Bresnahan was removed from the game immediately by his manager Orlando Gomez, who also fined him $50. He was released from the organization the following day – he had known before trying to pull off “The Great Potato Incident” that he was probably done with professional baseball anyway. Bresnahan went on to become a successful real estate mogul in Arizona.
September 1
The Pittsburgh Pirates became the first franchise in Major League Baseball to start an entire lineup of players of color on September 1, 1971, in a 10-7 win against the Philadelphia Phillies. Pirates manager Danny Murtaugh penciled in a lineup of Rennie Stennett, Gene Clines, Roberto Clemente (future Hall of Famer), Willie Stargell (future Hall of Famer), Manny Sanguillen, Dave Cash, Al Oliver, Jackie Hernandez and Dock Ellis on that day. Murtaugh said of his lineup: “When it comes to making out the lineup I’m colorblind and my athletes know it.” The Pirates would dominate the National League in 1971 and would go on to defeat the Baltimore Orioles to win the World Series at the season’s end.
September 2
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame had been established in 1983 and had been inducting artists since 1986 but hadn’t had a physical location until opening a building designed by architect I.M. Pei in Cleveland, Ohio on September 2, 1995, with a star-studded opening ceremony performance that included then and future Hall of Famers like Bob Dylan, James Brown, Chuck Berry, Aretha Franklin, Little Richard, Al Green, Jerry Lee Lewis, Johnny Cash, John Fogerty, Bruce Springsteen and more.
Walt Disney’s live-action musical “Mary Poppins,” starring Julie Andrews and Dick Van Dyke, premieres nationwide on August 27, 1964. It’s the first film role for Andrews who was already a star on Broadway and would go on to win the Academy Award for Best Actress for the performance. “Mary Poppins” would win five Oscars in total, including the coveted Best Picture honor.
August 28
In one of the most memorable moments in the history of the MTV Video Music Awards, Madonna, Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera share a kiss during the opening performance of the show while performing a medley of “Like a Virgin” and “Hollywood” on August 28, 2003, which the director of the telecast nearly misses because they’re more interested in Justin Timberlake’s reaction to it from the audience.
August 29
The series finale of ABC’s crime drama “The Fugitive” airs on August 29, 1967, drawing 78 million viewers making it the most-watched episode of television at the time (it’s only since been passed by the “M*A*S*H” series finale and the “Who Done It” episode of “Dallas”). The 78 million viewers tuned in to see if Dr. Richard Kimble (David Janssen) would finally seek justice for the murder of his wife.
August 30
The inaugural season of the WNBA (Women’s National Basketball Association) wraps up on August 30, 1997, with the Houston Comets defeating the New York Liberty for the first-ever WNBA championship. The Comets, led by future Pro Basketball Hall of Famers Cynthia Cooper, Sheryl Swoopes and Tina Thompson, defeated the Liberty 65-51 in the title game behind Cooper’s 25 points. Cooper was named the Finals MVP and had been named the league’s first MVP earlier in the week. The Comets would win championships in the first four WNBA seasons becoming the league’s first dynasty. The franchise would fold in 2008.
August 31
In one of the most “minor-league” moments in the history of minor-league baseball, Williamsport Bills catcher Dave Bresnahan attempted to lure an opposing baserunner off of third base using a potato he had carved to look like a baseball on August 31, 1987. During the fifth inning of a game against the Reading Phillies in the final weekend of the AA-Eastern League season, Bresnahan, who had stashed the potato in his backup catcher’s mitt in the dugout, informed the umpire he needed to switch mitts. He returned with the potato and when the pitch was made, Bresnahan threw the spud into left field over his third baseman’s head to entice Rick Lundblade, the baserunner, to break for home, where he was tagged out with the real baseball. When the umpires realized the “ball” thrown into left field was a potato they ruled Lundblade safe – Bresnahan thought they would just send him back to third base and eject him from the ballgame. Bresnahan was removed from the game immediately by his manager Orlando Gomez, who also fined him $50. He was released from the organization the following day – he had known before trying to pull off “The Great Potato Incident” that he was probably done with professional baseball anyway. Bresnahan went on to become a successful real estate mogul in Arizona.
September 1
The Pittsburgh Pirates became the first franchise in Major League Baseball to start an entire lineup of players of color on September 1, 1971, in a 10-7 win against the Philadelphia Phillies. Pirates manager Danny Murtaugh penciled in a lineup of Rennie Stennett, Gene Clines, Roberto Clemente (future Hall of Famer), Willie Stargell (future Hall of Famer), Manny Sanguillen, Dave Cash, Al Oliver, Jackie Hernandez and Dock Ellis on that day. Murtaugh said of his lineup: “When it comes to making out the lineup I’m colorblind and my athletes know it.” The Pirates would dominate the National League in 1971 and would go on to defeat the Baltimore Orioles to win the World Series at the season’s end.
September 2
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame had been established in 1983 and had been inducting artists since 1986 but hadn’t had a physical location until opening a building designed by architect I.M. Pei in Cleveland, Ohio on September 2, 1995, with a star-studded opening ceremony performance that included then and future Hall of Famers like Bob Dylan, James Brown, Chuck Berry, Aretha Franklin, Little Richard, Al Green, Jerry Lee Lewis, Johnny Cash, John Fogerty, Bruce Springsteen and more.
August 20 - August 26
August 20
Tiger Woods became the first golfer to win three major tournaments in the same year since Ben Hogan in 1953 when he defeated Bob May in a three-hole playoff to win his second consecutive PGA Championship on August 20, 2000, at Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, Ky. Earlier in the year, Woods won the U.S. Open in dominating fashion at Pebble Beach Golf Links in Pebble Beach, Calif. and The Open Championship at the Old Course in St. Andrews, Scotland. Woods would go on to win the Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Ga. in April of 2001 to complete what is known as the “Tiger Slam,” winning all four golf majors in the span of a year.
August 21
American folk singer Barry McGuire releases “Eve of a Destruction,” written by P.F. Sloan, on August 21, 1965, and references numerous issues facing the United States and the world at the time including the Vietnam War, the Civil Rights Movement, the threat of nuclear war and more. It would top the Billboard Hot 100 chart a month later becoming one of the most serious No. 1 hits in American music history. The tide of popular music was turning and important, worldwide themes and topics would become more prevalent in all genres of music – though rarely with as much success as “Eve of Destruction.”
Tiger Woods became the first golfer to win three major tournaments in the same year since Ben Hogan in 1953 when he defeated Bob May in a three-hole playoff to win his second consecutive PGA Championship on August 20, 2000, at Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, Ky. Earlier in the year, Woods won the U.S. Open in dominating fashion at Pebble Beach Golf Links in Pebble Beach, Calif. and The Open Championship at the Old Course in St. Andrews, Scotland. Woods would go on to win the Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Ga. in April of 2001 to complete what is known as the “Tiger Slam,” winning all four golf majors in the span of a year.
August 21
American folk singer Barry McGuire releases “Eve of a Destruction,” written by P.F. Sloan, on August 21, 1965, and references numerous issues facing the United States and the world at the time including the Vietnam War, the Civil Rights Movement, the threat of nuclear war and more. It would top the Billboard Hot 100 chart a month later becoming one of the most serious No. 1 hits in American music history. The tide of popular music was turning and important, worldwide themes and topics would become more prevalent in all genres of music – though rarely with as much success as “Eve of Destruction.”
August 22
The Texas Rangers set a Major League Baseball record when they score 30 runs in a game against the Baltimore Orioles on August 22, 2007. Amazingly, the Orioles held the Rangers scoreless through the first three innings of the game before the onslaught began with a five-run fourth inning. The Rangers would score nine runs in the sixth inning, 10 runs in the eighth and six in the ninth inning. Rangers outfielder David Murphy would go five-for-seven in the game with five runs scored. Catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia and infielder Ramon Vazquez would each drive in seven runs during the game. The Rangers recorded 29 hits during the 30-3 win.
August 23
On August 23, 1993, while testifying in court against his former bandmate Steven Adler, who was suing Guns N’ Roses for firing him in 1990, Duff McKagan (the band’s bassist) was asked by Adler’s attorney to explain “the spaghetti incident,” with “spaghetti” allegedly being Adler’s code word for his stash of drugs. The band found the phrase so humorous they would name their next album The Spaghetti Incident, released in November of 1993. It would be the band’s worst-selling album.
August 24
Ray Caldwell, who had been released by the Boston Red Sox a month earlier, makes his debut on the mound for the Cleveland Indians against the Philadelphia Athletics on August 24, 1919, at League Park in Cleveland in front of around 20,000 fans. Caldwell is on top of his game that day with his devastating spitball carving up Athletics hitters. He’s only allowed four hits and a walk through eight and two-thirds innings and just needs one more out for a complete game shutout. Before the beginning of the ninth inning, a cloud had rolled in from off Lake Erie and it had begun to rain. After the first two outs of the inning, the wind began to blow heavily. Just as Caldwell gets set to pitch to what he hoped to be the final batter of the game a flash of lightning comes down from the sky, sending the Indians infielders diving for safety. A few seconds after the bolt struck the players looked around the field and noticed Caldwell sprawled out on his back with his arms spread out wide and he was unconscious. Caldwell’s chest was reportedly smoldering from the bolt strike and the first person to reach his body is jolted by electricity when he attempts to revive him. His teammates and those in attendance at the game believe Caldwell has been killed. Then the 31-year-old begins to groan, he crawls to his knees and then stands up. His teammates offer to walk him off the field and get him to a local hospital. But Caldwell knows he still has one out left to get in the game. He talks his manager (and teammate) Tris Speaker into letting him finish the game. Caldwell only needs one more pitch to finish off the game. Caldwell simply told the Cleveland Plain Dealer: “Felt like somebody came up with a board and hit me on top of the head and knocked me down.”
August 25
Lauryn Hill, of the hip-hop group The Fugees, releases her solo debut album The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill on August 25, 1998. The album is a mixture of many genres of music including R&B, hip hop, soul and reggae, and contains Hill’s first (and to this date only) Billboard No. 1 hit in “Doo Wop (That Thing),” which was the first hip hop song by a soloist to debut at No. 1. The album won Album of the Year at the Grammy Awards, making it the first Album of the Year winner to feature hip hop. In 2020, Rolling Stone magazine ranked The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill as the 10th greatest album of all time.
August 26
Magician Harry Houdini would pull off one of the greatest tricks and feats in his career and in the history of magic when he escaped from handcuffs and chains underwater at San Francisco’s Aquatic Park on August 26, 1907. Houdini had his hands handcuffed behind his back and more than 75 pounds of ball and chain locked to his body when he jumped into the San Francisco Bay. Houdini managed to escape his shackles in 57 seconds.
August 13 - August 19
August 13
In perhaps the greatest single day in Olympic history, American swimmer Michael Phelps won two gold medals in world record time at the Beijing Summer Olympics on August 13, 2008. Phelps’ gold medal in the 200m butterfly event was the tenth of his Olympic career, surpassing U.S. track star Carl Lewis, Finnish runner Paavo Nurmi and Soviet gymnast Larisa Latynina for the most in Olympic history. About an hour later Phelps would add to his tally with his second gold of the day in the 4 x 200m freestyle relay. Phelps retired after the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games with 23 gold medals.
August 14
Paul McCartney had advised his friend and fellow music superstar Michael Jackson to invest in publishing. But it seems the former Beatle didn’t realize how seriously his friend would take the advice. Jackson would make the winning bid of $47.5 million for the rights to over 250 John Lennon-Paul McCartney-written Beatles songs owned by ATV Publishing on August 14, 1985. McCartney, who had been offered the catalog in 1981 for $40 million, didn’t pursue the catalog because he didn’t want to be the sole owner of The Beatles’ songs. The deal would prove very profitable for Jackson but killed the friendship between Jackson and McCartney, which had seen the hit duet “The Girl Is Mine” three years prior. A decade after purchasing the catalog, Jackson would sell 50 percent to Sony for $95 million. In 2016, seven years after Jackson’s death Sony Music took full control of the catalog agreeing to pay the late performer's estate $750 million. The Beatles catalog is now estimated to be worth more than $1 billion.
August 15
“The Wizard of Oz,” the fantasy movie based on the L. Frank Baum book, premieres at the Grauman’s Chinese Theater in Hollywood on August 15, 1939. The film, directed by Victor Fleming (with the help of others), featured teenager Judy Garland in the lead role of Dorothy, a Kansan who’s whisked away, along with her Cairn terrier Toto, to the fantasy-land of Oz, where she meets a Scarecrow, Tin Man, Cowardly Lion and has to fend off the Wicked Witch and her flying monkeys. “The Wizard of Oz” would be nominated for five Academy Awards, including Best Picture. The film would win for its beautiful original song “Over the Rainbow,” written by Harold Arlen and E.Y. Harburg and for its original score composed by Herbert Stothart. “The Wizard of Oz” has become one of the essential American classic films and was ranked as the 10th greatest American movie ever by the American Film Institute.
August 16
The music world is shocked on August 16, 1977, by the death of the “King of Rock ‘n’ Roll” Elvis Presley. Presley was just 42 years old. Presley was scheduled for an evening flight to Portland, Maine to begin a tour on the evening of August 16 when he was found unresponsive on his bathroom floor at his home in Graceland in Memphis, Tenn. Attempts to revive him failed and he was pronounced dead at 3:30 p.m. at Baptist Memorial Hospital in Memphis. President Jimmy Carter issues a statement saying Presley had “permanently changed the face of American popular culture.” Presley’s cause of death was cardiac arrest exacerbated by amphetamine use.
August 17
In one of those “what are the percentages of this happening?” moments, Philadelphia Phillies All-Star Richie Ashburn hits the most unusual “double” in baseball history. The odds of catching a foul ball at a Major League Baseball game are about 1 in 835, according to the website Foul Ballz. But what about the odds of being struck by foul balls twice in the same at-bat? That’s exactly what happened to spectator Alice Roth at a Philadelphia Phillies game at Connie Mack Stadium on August 17, 1957, during an at-bat by future Hall of Famer Richie Ashburn. Roth was struck in the nose by a foul ball off the bat of Ashburn. The Phillies staff rushed to her aid, put her on a stretcher and covered her nose as somebody led her grandsons, Preston and Tom, 10 and 7 years old, out of the stadium as they tried to get Roth to a local hospital. As she was being carried away, Ashburn was still at bat when he hit another foul ball in the direction of Roth being led off on a stretcher, this time striking her in the leg. She suffered a broken nose. Ashburn would go to the hospital several times to visit with Roth until she went home. He never missed sending her a Christmas card or birthday card until she passed away in 1987. Later that month, the Phillies tried to make good on the unfortunate accident for Roth and her grandsons, allowing the kids to watch the Phillies take batting practice from the home dugout and allowing the family to watch the ballgame from the press box.
August 18
Jimi Hendrix closes out the Woodstock music festival on the morning of August 18, 1969, with a memorable set that would partially be shared with the world when the “Woodstock” documentary came out a year later. Hendrix, the festival’s headliner, was supposed to end the multiple-day event the previous night but delays due to weather pushed him to 9 a.m. after many had already left the grounds (reportedly about half of those who attended were still in attendance for the set). Hendrix performed more than an hour-long set that included his hits “Fire,” “Voodoo Child (Slight Return),” “Purple Haze” and a memorable rendition of “Star Spangled Banner.”
In perhaps the greatest single day in Olympic history, American swimmer Michael Phelps won two gold medals in world record time at the Beijing Summer Olympics on August 13, 2008. Phelps’ gold medal in the 200m butterfly event was the tenth of his Olympic career, surpassing U.S. track star Carl Lewis, Finnish runner Paavo Nurmi and Soviet gymnast Larisa Latynina for the most in Olympic history. About an hour later Phelps would add to his tally with his second gold of the day in the 4 x 200m freestyle relay. Phelps retired after the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games with 23 gold medals.
August 14
Paul McCartney had advised his friend and fellow music superstar Michael Jackson to invest in publishing. But it seems the former Beatle didn’t realize how seriously his friend would take the advice. Jackson would make the winning bid of $47.5 million for the rights to over 250 John Lennon-Paul McCartney-written Beatles songs owned by ATV Publishing on August 14, 1985. McCartney, who had been offered the catalog in 1981 for $40 million, didn’t pursue the catalog because he didn’t want to be the sole owner of The Beatles’ songs. The deal would prove very profitable for Jackson but killed the friendship between Jackson and McCartney, which had seen the hit duet “The Girl Is Mine” three years prior. A decade after purchasing the catalog, Jackson would sell 50 percent to Sony for $95 million. In 2016, seven years after Jackson’s death Sony Music took full control of the catalog agreeing to pay the late performer's estate $750 million. The Beatles catalog is now estimated to be worth more than $1 billion.
August 15
“The Wizard of Oz,” the fantasy movie based on the L. Frank Baum book, premieres at the Grauman’s Chinese Theater in Hollywood on August 15, 1939. The film, directed by Victor Fleming (with the help of others), featured teenager Judy Garland in the lead role of Dorothy, a Kansan who’s whisked away, along with her Cairn terrier Toto, to the fantasy-land of Oz, where she meets a Scarecrow, Tin Man, Cowardly Lion and has to fend off the Wicked Witch and her flying monkeys. “The Wizard of Oz” would be nominated for five Academy Awards, including Best Picture. The film would win for its beautiful original song “Over the Rainbow,” written by Harold Arlen and E.Y. Harburg and for its original score composed by Herbert Stothart. “The Wizard of Oz” has become one of the essential American classic films and was ranked as the 10th greatest American movie ever by the American Film Institute.
August 16
The music world is shocked on August 16, 1977, by the death of the “King of Rock ‘n’ Roll” Elvis Presley. Presley was just 42 years old. Presley was scheduled for an evening flight to Portland, Maine to begin a tour on the evening of August 16 when he was found unresponsive on his bathroom floor at his home in Graceland in Memphis, Tenn. Attempts to revive him failed and he was pronounced dead at 3:30 p.m. at Baptist Memorial Hospital in Memphis. President Jimmy Carter issues a statement saying Presley had “permanently changed the face of American popular culture.” Presley’s cause of death was cardiac arrest exacerbated by amphetamine use.
August 17
In one of those “what are the percentages of this happening?” moments, Philadelphia Phillies All-Star Richie Ashburn hits the most unusual “double” in baseball history. The odds of catching a foul ball at a Major League Baseball game are about 1 in 835, according to the website Foul Ballz. But what about the odds of being struck by foul balls twice in the same at-bat? That’s exactly what happened to spectator Alice Roth at a Philadelphia Phillies game at Connie Mack Stadium on August 17, 1957, during an at-bat by future Hall of Famer Richie Ashburn. Roth was struck in the nose by a foul ball off the bat of Ashburn. The Phillies staff rushed to her aid, put her on a stretcher and covered her nose as somebody led her grandsons, Preston and Tom, 10 and 7 years old, out of the stadium as they tried to get Roth to a local hospital. As she was being carried away, Ashburn was still at bat when he hit another foul ball in the direction of Roth being led off on a stretcher, this time striking her in the leg. She suffered a broken nose. Ashburn would go to the hospital several times to visit with Roth until she went home. He never missed sending her a Christmas card or birthday card until she passed away in 1987. Later that month, the Phillies tried to make good on the unfortunate accident for Roth and her grandsons, allowing the kids to watch the Phillies take batting practice from the home dugout and allowing the family to watch the ballgame from the press box.
August 18
Jimi Hendrix closes out the Woodstock music festival on the morning of August 18, 1969, with a memorable set that would partially be shared with the world when the “Woodstock” documentary came out a year later. Hendrix, the festival’s headliner, was supposed to end the multiple-day event the previous night but delays due to weather pushed him to 9 a.m. after many had already left the grounds (reportedly about half of those who attended were still in attendance for the set). Hendrix performed more than an hour-long set that included his hits “Fire,” “Voodoo Child (Slight Return),” “Purple Haze” and a memorable rendition of “Star Spangled Banner.”
August 19
“The Breaks” by Kurtis Blow becomes the first rap single certified Gold on August 19, 1980. The song, released two months prior, peaked on the Billboard Hot 100 at No. 87. Kurtis Blow had been performing live at block parties as an MC and breakdancer and the song was created as a tribute to the breakdancers of the South Bronx and Harlem around that time. Kurtis Blow told Songfacts.com: “I wanted to do a tribute song with many breaks so that the breakers could get down and do their thing. When we danced during the breaks of a song, that was our time to go off – to do our best moves.” While “The Breaks” was the first rap single certified Gold it almost certainly wouldn’t have been if the independent label Sugar Hill Records had sent The Sugarhill Gang’s “Rapper’s Delight,” released a year earlier, to the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for certification.
August 6 - August 12
August 6
Chubby Checker performs his cover of Hank Ballard’s “The Twist” on television for the first time on August 6, 1960, during an episode of “Dick Clark’s Saturday Night Beechnut Show.” Propelled by this performance, Checker’s version of “The Twist” would rocket to No. 1 on the Billboard chart and start a huge dance craze across the country. The song would re-chart again in 1962 becoming the first and to this date only song to ever hit No. 1 twice in different years. Checker would follow “The Twist” up again with the top-10 hit “Let’s Twist Again” in 1961.
Chubby Checker performs his cover of Hank Ballard’s “The Twist” on television for the first time on August 6, 1960, during an episode of “Dick Clark’s Saturday Night Beechnut Show.” Propelled by this performance, Checker’s version of “The Twist” would rocket to No. 1 on the Billboard chart and start a huge dance craze across the country. The song would re-chart again in 1962 becoming the first and to this date only song to ever hit No. 1 twice in different years. Checker would follow “The Twist” up again with the top-10 hit “Let’s Twist Again” in 1961.
August 7
Jim Furyk cards the lowest round in the history of the PGA Tour when he scores a 12-under par 58 in the final round of the Travelers Championship at TPC-River Highlands in Cromwell, Conn. on August 7, 2016. At that time only six sub-60 rounds had ever been carded on the PGA Tour. Remarkably one of the six had been Furyk himself at the BMW Championship at Olympia Fields Country Club in Olympia Field, Ill. in 2013. This means Furyk is the only golfer on the tour to shoot under-60 twice.
August 8
In what was certainly a surprise to no one, the “Dream Team,” the first American Olympic Basketball squad to feature professional NBA Players, completed its gold medal run winning in dominant fashion over Croatia 117-85 at the Barcelona Olympics on August 8, 1992. The “Dream Team” featured 11 future Pro Basketball Hall of Famers: Charles Barkley, Larry Bird, Clyde Drexler, Patrick Ewing, Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan, Karl Malone, Chris Mullin, Scottie Pippen, David Robinson and John Stockton. Jordan was the only star to start all eight games of the Olympic tournament. Barkley led the team in scoring, Malone and Ewing in rebounding and Pippen in assists.
August 9
Jesse Owens finished his 1936 Berlin Olympics dominance in gold-winning fashion winning his fourth gold medal of the games as part of the American 4 x 100m relay team. Owens had previously won gold medals at the games in the 100m, 200m and long jump. Most importantly, Owens won these golds in front of a seething Adolf Hitler, the leader of Nazi Germany, disproving in real-time Hitler’s theory of white supremacy with the stand-out athlete at the games being an African-American. On the first day of the Berlin Games eight days prior, Hitler had only congratulated the German winners of events. International Olympic Committee president Henri de Baillet-Latour insisted that Hitler greet every medalist or none and Hitler being the little bitch he was opted to skip all further medal presentations seemingly knowing what was to come ahead at the games. Owens was the first American to win four track & field golds in a single Olympics in the history of the event.
August 10
“Sunset Boulevard,” one of the finest film noirs in film history, premiered at Radio City Music Hall in New York City on August 10, 1950. The film, directed and co-written by Billy Wilder, starred William Holden as struggling screenwriter Joe Gillis, and resurrected the career of silent film star Gloria Swanson as Norma Desmond, also a former silent film star dreaming of making a triumphant return to the big screen. “Sunset Boulevard” was nominated for 11 Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Director for Wilder, Best Actor for Holden and Best Actress for Swanson. None of those were winners, but it did take home three statues for Best Writing, Best Art-Set Decoration and Best Original Score. In 2007, the American Film Institute ranked “Sunset Boulevard” as the 16th greatest American film ever made.
August 11
The birth of hip hop is officially dated back to August 11, 1973, when DJ Kool Herc DJ’d a dance party in the Bronx, N.Y. and a friend of his Coke La Rock MC’d over the extended instrumental breaks laying down the blueprint for what would become rap and hip hop. DJ Kool Herc would extend the instrumental by breaking – setting one record up on a dual turntable to the beginning of the break for a switch once the break on the first record came to an end – and by scratching the records. This allowed for extended periods of “break dancing” and time for a rap.
August 12
The Major League Baseball Players Association goes on strike on August 12, 1994, in objection to the MLB team owners’ proposal to institute a salary cap in Major League Baseball. The strike would wipe out the remainder of the 1994 season and mark the first time since 1904 in which there would be no World Series. The prolonged strike advanced into the beginning of the 1995 season, which would be cut short by 18 games. The strike would lead to much disillusionment among the game’s fan base with some fans taking years to return to the sport and to this date some former fans say they’ve never watched a game since.
Jim Furyk cards the lowest round in the history of the PGA Tour when he scores a 12-under par 58 in the final round of the Travelers Championship at TPC-River Highlands in Cromwell, Conn. on August 7, 2016. At that time only six sub-60 rounds had ever been carded on the PGA Tour. Remarkably one of the six had been Furyk himself at the BMW Championship at Olympia Fields Country Club in Olympia Field, Ill. in 2013. This means Furyk is the only golfer on the tour to shoot under-60 twice.
August 8
In what was certainly a surprise to no one, the “Dream Team,” the first American Olympic Basketball squad to feature professional NBA Players, completed its gold medal run winning in dominant fashion over Croatia 117-85 at the Barcelona Olympics on August 8, 1992. The “Dream Team” featured 11 future Pro Basketball Hall of Famers: Charles Barkley, Larry Bird, Clyde Drexler, Patrick Ewing, Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan, Karl Malone, Chris Mullin, Scottie Pippen, David Robinson and John Stockton. Jordan was the only star to start all eight games of the Olympic tournament. Barkley led the team in scoring, Malone and Ewing in rebounding and Pippen in assists.
August 9
Jesse Owens finished his 1936 Berlin Olympics dominance in gold-winning fashion winning his fourth gold medal of the games as part of the American 4 x 100m relay team. Owens had previously won gold medals at the games in the 100m, 200m and long jump. Most importantly, Owens won these golds in front of a seething Adolf Hitler, the leader of Nazi Germany, disproving in real-time Hitler’s theory of white supremacy with the stand-out athlete at the games being an African-American. On the first day of the Berlin Games eight days prior, Hitler had only congratulated the German winners of events. International Olympic Committee president Henri de Baillet-Latour insisted that Hitler greet every medalist or none and Hitler being the little bitch he was opted to skip all further medal presentations seemingly knowing what was to come ahead at the games. Owens was the first American to win four track & field golds in a single Olympics in the history of the event.
August 10
“Sunset Boulevard,” one of the finest film noirs in film history, premiered at Radio City Music Hall in New York City on August 10, 1950. The film, directed and co-written by Billy Wilder, starred William Holden as struggling screenwriter Joe Gillis, and resurrected the career of silent film star Gloria Swanson as Norma Desmond, also a former silent film star dreaming of making a triumphant return to the big screen. “Sunset Boulevard” was nominated for 11 Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Director for Wilder, Best Actor for Holden and Best Actress for Swanson. None of those were winners, but it did take home three statues for Best Writing, Best Art-Set Decoration and Best Original Score. In 2007, the American Film Institute ranked “Sunset Boulevard” as the 16th greatest American film ever made.
August 11
The birth of hip hop is officially dated back to August 11, 1973, when DJ Kool Herc DJ’d a dance party in the Bronx, N.Y. and a friend of his Coke La Rock MC’d over the extended instrumental breaks laying down the blueprint for what would become rap and hip hop. DJ Kool Herc would extend the instrumental by breaking – setting one record up on a dual turntable to the beginning of the break for a switch once the break on the first record came to an end – and by scratching the records. This allowed for extended periods of “break dancing” and time for a rap.
August 12
The Major League Baseball Players Association goes on strike on August 12, 1994, in objection to the MLB team owners’ proposal to institute a salary cap in Major League Baseball. The strike would wipe out the remainder of the 1994 season and mark the first time since 1904 in which there would be no World Series. The prolonged strike advanced into the beginning of the 1995 season, which would be cut short by 18 games. The strike would lead to much disillusionment among the game’s fan base with some fans taking years to return to the sport and to this date some former fans say they’ve never watched a game since.
July 30 - August 5
July 30
Uruguay defeated Argentina 4-2 at the Estadio Centenario in Montevideo, Uruguay on July 30, 1930, to win the first-ever FIFA World Cup of soccer/football. FIFA had chosen Uruguay as the first host nation of the event after the country had retained its football title at the 1928 Summer Olympics in Amsterdam and because the nation was celebrating the centenary of its first constitution. The first men’s World Cup featured 13 nations. Uruguay would win the World Cup again in 1950 in Brazil. The inaugural World Cup would mark the first of six World Cup events in which the host nation would win it all.
July 31
Country music Jim Reeves is killed when he crashes his private plane while flying over Brentwood, Tenn. in the midst of a thunderstorm on July 31, 1964. He was 40. His manager and pianist in his backing band, Dean Manuel, also perished in the crash. Known as “Gentleman Jim,” for his smooth vocals, Reeves had No. 1 country hits in the ‘50s and early ‘60s with “Mexican Joe,” “Bimbo,” “Four Walls,” “Billy Bayou” and “He’ll Have to Go.” Reeves would amazingly score six more No. 1s following his death with: “I Guess I’m Crazy,” “This Is It,” “Is It Really Over?,” “Distant Drums,” “Blue Side of Lonesome” and “I Won’t Come In While He’s There” (which came 2 ½ years after his death). Reeves was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1967.
August 1
MTV (Music Television) debuts at 12:01 a.m. on August 1, 1981, in the United States as the first-ever cable television network dedicated to airing non-stop music videos. The first music video aired on the network is aptly The Buggles' song “Video Killed the Radio Star.” MTV would become a huge pop culture touchstone throughout the ‘80s and into the mid-‘90s, but by the turn of the century had transitioned more toward reality TV programming, which is basically all it programs these days.
August 2
Director Norman Jewison’s crime-drama “In the Heat of the Night,” which would go on to win the coveted Best Picture honor at the Academy Awards, premieres in New York on August 2, 1967. The film, based on John Ball’s 1965 novel of the same name, stars Sidney Poitier as big city detective Virgil Tibbs, who’s visiting family in Mississippi where he becomes embroiled in a murder case, first as a suspect and later as help to the local police chief Bill Gillespie, played by Rod Steiger. The film would win four other Oscars in addition to Best Picture, including Best Actor for Steiger. It was ranked as the 75th greatest American movie of all time by the American Film Institute in 2007.
August 3
On August 3, 1921, Major League Baseball’s first commissioner Kenesaw Mountain Landis hands out a lifetime ban to the eight Chicago White Sox players – Joe Jackson, Eddie Cicotte, Chick Gandil, Buck Weaver, Happy Felsch, Fred McMullin, Swede Risberg and Lefty Williams – deemed to have been involved in the controversial “Black Sox Scandal” of throwing the 1919 World Series to the Cincinnati Reds in exchange for money from a gambling syndicate run by Arnold Rothstein. The lifetime bans were handed out to the players despite the fact that a Chicago jury had acquitted them in a 1921 trial.
August 4
Billboard magazine publishes its Billboard Hot 100 chart for the very first time on August 4, 1958. Ricky Nelson has the first No. 1 in the history of the chart with “Poor Little Fool,” an easy-listening heartbreak tune written by Sharon Sheeley when she was only 15 years old about a short-lived relationship with Don Everly of The Everly Brothers duo. The Billboard Hot 100 has been the predominant chart for hitmakers ever since and has had 1,151 No. 1s, as of July 30, 2023.
August 5
Actress Marilyn Monroe is found dead from a barbiturate overdose at the age of 36 in Los Angeles on August 5, 1962. It’s presumed she had died sometime between 8:30 p.m. and 10:30 p.m. the night before. Monroe, whose blonde bombshell good looks, made her potentially the most familiar face in America and around the world starred in movies like “All About Eve,” “Gentleman Prefer Blondes,” “The Seven Year Itch” and “Some Like It Hot.” She also had high-profile marriages to baseball player Joe DiMaggio and playwright Arthur Miller, as long as a rumored relationship with President John F. Kennedy, which has led to rumors and suspicions surrounding her death.
Uruguay defeated Argentina 4-2 at the Estadio Centenario in Montevideo, Uruguay on July 30, 1930, to win the first-ever FIFA World Cup of soccer/football. FIFA had chosen Uruguay as the first host nation of the event after the country had retained its football title at the 1928 Summer Olympics in Amsterdam and because the nation was celebrating the centenary of its first constitution. The first men’s World Cup featured 13 nations. Uruguay would win the World Cup again in 1950 in Brazil. The inaugural World Cup would mark the first of six World Cup events in which the host nation would win it all.
July 31
Country music Jim Reeves is killed when he crashes his private plane while flying over Brentwood, Tenn. in the midst of a thunderstorm on July 31, 1964. He was 40. His manager and pianist in his backing band, Dean Manuel, also perished in the crash. Known as “Gentleman Jim,” for his smooth vocals, Reeves had No. 1 country hits in the ‘50s and early ‘60s with “Mexican Joe,” “Bimbo,” “Four Walls,” “Billy Bayou” and “He’ll Have to Go.” Reeves would amazingly score six more No. 1s following his death with: “I Guess I’m Crazy,” “This Is It,” “Is It Really Over?,” “Distant Drums,” “Blue Side of Lonesome” and “I Won’t Come In While He’s There” (which came 2 ½ years after his death). Reeves was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1967.
August 1
MTV (Music Television) debuts at 12:01 a.m. on August 1, 1981, in the United States as the first-ever cable television network dedicated to airing non-stop music videos. The first music video aired on the network is aptly The Buggles' song “Video Killed the Radio Star.” MTV would become a huge pop culture touchstone throughout the ‘80s and into the mid-‘90s, but by the turn of the century had transitioned more toward reality TV programming, which is basically all it programs these days.
August 2
Director Norman Jewison’s crime-drama “In the Heat of the Night,” which would go on to win the coveted Best Picture honor at the Academy Awards, premieres in New York on August 2, 1967. The film, based on John Ball’s 1965 novel of the same name, stars Sidney Poitier as big city detective Virgil Tibbs, who’s visiting family in Mississippi where he becomes embroiled in a murder case, first as a suspect and later as help to the local police chief Bill Gillespie, played by Rod Steiger. The film would win four other Oscars in addition to Best Picture, including Best Actor for Steiger. It was ranked as the 75th greatest American movie of all time by the American Film Institute in 2007.
August 3
On August 3, 1921, Major League Baseball’s first commissioner Kenesaw Mountain Landis hands out a lifetime ban to the eight Chicago White Sox players – Joe Jackson, Eddie Cicotte, Chick Gandil, Buck Weaver, Happy Felsch, Fred McMullin, Swede Risberg and Lefty Williams – deemed to have been involved in the controversial “Black Sox Scandal” of throwing the 1919 World Series to the Cincinnati Reds in exchange for money from a gambling syndicate run by Arnold Rothstein. The lifetime bans were handed out to the players despite the fact that a Chicago jury had acquitted them in a 1921 trial.
August 4
Billboard magazine publishes its Billboard Hot 100 chart for the very first time on August 4, 1958. Ricky Nelson has the first No. 1 in the history of the chart with “Poor Little Fool,” an easy-listening heartbreak tune written by Sharon Sheeley when she was only 15 years old about a short-lived relationship with Don Everly of The Everly Brothers duo. The Billboard Hot 100 has been the predominant chart for hitmakers ever since and has had 1,151 No. 1s, as of July 30, 2023.
August 5
Actress Marilyn Monroe is found dead from a barbiturate overdose at the age of 36 in Los Angeles on August 5, 1962. It’s presumed she had died sometime between 8:30 p.m. and 10:30 p.m. the night before. Monroe, whose blonde bombshell good looks, made her potentially the most familiar face in America and around the world starred in movies like “All About Eve,” “Gentleman Prefer Blondes,” “The Seven Year Itch” and “Some Like It Hot.” She also had high-profile marriages to baseball player Joe DiMaggio and playwright Arthur Miller, as long as a rumored relationship with President John F. Kennedy, which has led to rumors and suspicions surrounding her death.
July 23 - July 29
July 23
Vanessa Williams, Miss New York beauty pageant contestant who was crowned the first-ever African American Miss America winner in September of 1983, resigns her title on July 23, 1984, after nude photos of her are published in Penthouse magazine. The photos published by the magazine were unauthorized but Williams was pressured to relinquish her historic title and the runner-up Suzette Charles (Miss New Jersey) was crowned in her place. On September 13, 2015, Miss America CEO Sam Haskell issues an apology to Williams for what happened to her in 1984. The controversy ultimately didn’t harm Williams’ career (she would even sing a hit song in a Disney movie!) as she would go on to become a multi-time Emmy Award nominee for acting and Grammy Award nominee for singing.
July 24
The infamous “Pine Tar Game” is played on July 24, 1983, between the Kansas City Royals and New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium. With the Royals trailing 4-3 in the top of the ninth inning, future Hall of Fame third baseman George Brett hit a go-ahead two-run homer off Yankees reliever (and future Hall of Famer) Goose Gossage. Yankees manager Billy Martin approached the umpires after the home run to inspect Brett’s bat, which he had noticed had a large amount of pine tar on it. The umpires ruled the amount of pine tar on Brett’s bat exceeded the allowed rule and ruled Brett out, the third out of the inning leading to the Yankees supposedly winning 4-3. Upon being ruled out by home plate umpire Tim McClelland, Brett sprung from the Royals’ dugout in a full sprint toward the umpires. Brett had to be physically restrained by his manager Dick Howser, several of his teammates and umpire crew chief Joe Brinkman. The Royals protested the game. Four days later, American League President Lee MacPhail ruled in favor of the Royals stating, the spirit of restriction of pine tar on bats was not out of fear of an unfair advantage, merely the economics of keeping balls from being discolored and discontinued. MacPhail ruled Brett had not violated the spirit of the rule. MacPhail restored Brett’s homer to give the Royals a 4-3 lead and ordered the game resumed with two outs in the top of the ninth. He would retroactively eject Brett from the remainder of the game due to his outburst against McClelland. The game would resume on August 18, 1983. In a symbolic protest of his owner, Martin played his best starting pitcher Ron Guidry in center field and first baseman Don Mattingly at second base in an effort to make a mockery of the situation. The Royals would win the game 4-3.
July 25
“Controversy” strikes the Newport Folk Festival on July 25, 1965, when musician Bob Dylan shocks the folkie world and crowd by plugging in his guitar for an electric set that included new songs “Maggie’s Farm” and “Like a Rolling Stone.” It was a moment that marked a change in Dylan’s music career from folk star to rock star. The sound of the electric music led to both boos and cheers from the Newport crowd, but it’s the boos that stand out in pop culture lore. History has seen a dispute as to whether the crowd was truly angry about Dylan “plugging in” or the poor sound quality and short duration of the set, as musician Al Kooper contends. Over the years some of the myths of the performance include iconic folk singer Pete Seeger attempting to cut the power cord with an axe (it never happened), which likely stems from a backstage quote from him that day: “Get that distortion out of his voice … it’s terrible. If I had an axe, I’d chop the microphone cable right now.”
July 26
Montreal Expos pitcher Mark Gardner sees the performance of his life turn into a loss on July 26, 1991, against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium. Gardner pitched a no-hitter through nine innings against the Dodgers that day but his Expos teammates couldn’t muster a single run in the game off Dodgers ace Orel Hershiser and reliever Kevin Gross and the game went to extra innings tied at zero. Expos manager Tom Runnells sent Gardner back out to the mound for the tenth innings but he was met with a single by Lenny Harris to break up the no-hitter. Future Hall of Fame first baseman Eddie Murray would then single off Gardner and Gardner was removed in favor of reliever Jeff Fassero. Fassero would immediately give up a hit to Dodgers right fielder Darryl Strawberry and the Dodgers walked off with a 1-0 win. Incredibly, Expos pitcher Dennis Martinez would pitch the 13th perfect game in Major League Baseball history two days later against the Dodgers becoming the first Latin American pitcher in league history to do so.
July 27
Bugs Bunny, one of the most iconic characters in the history of cartoons, officially makes his Warner Bros. debut in director Tex Avery’s comedy short “A Wild Hare” on July 27, 1940. In the short (potentially the most famous of any Looney Tunes short), Bugs Bunny, voiced by Mel Blanc, outsmarts hunter Elmer Fudd who’s hunting for him. While “A Wild Hare” was the official debut of the Bugs Bunny name, the character had appeared in previous shorts dating back to 1938’s “Porky’s Hare Hunt” as an unnamed rabbit. Animators Bob Givens, Chuck Jones and Robert McKinnon are credited with defining Bugs Bunny’s design.
July 28
“On the Waterfront,” directed by Elia Kazan and featuring a star-studded cast of Marlon Brando, Eva Marie Saint (in her film debut), Lee J. Cobb, Karl Malden and Rod Steiger, premiered on July 28, 1954. The film, which would go on to win the Academy Award for Best Picture in 1955, is the story of Brando’s Terry Malloy, a former prize fighter boxer who is coerced into helping with what turns into a murder, and the consequences of the action. The film would also garner Brando his first Best Actor Oscar, as well as six other Oscars including Best Director for Kazan and Best Supporting Actress for Saint. The American Film Institute has ranked “On the Waterfront” as the eighth greatest American film of all time.
July 29
Cass Elliott, one of the singers of the hit ‘60s pop group The Mamas and the Papas, dies of a heart attack in London on July 29, 1974, at just 32. Elliott was instrumental in the group’s hits like “California Dreamin’,” “Monday, Monday” and “Dream a Little Dream of Me,” and recorded five solo albums to lesser success following the band’s dissolution in 1968. She was posthumously inducted with The Mamas and the Papas into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1998. Though her cause of death was a heart attack, one of pop culture’s most frequent myths is that Elliott died from choking on a ham sandwich, which began almost immediately following her death after her manager Allan Carr erroneously assumed such after seeing a half-eaten ham sandwich on the nightstand by where she died.
Vanessa Williams, Miss New York beauty pageant contestant who was crowned the first-ever African American Miss America winner in September of 1983, resigns her title on July 23, 1984, after nude photos of her are published in Penthouse magazine. The photos published by the magazine were unauthorized but Williams was pressured to relinquish her historic title and the runner-up Suzette Charles (Miss New Jersey) was crowned in her place. On September 13, 2015, Miss America CEO Sam Haskell issues an apology to Williams for what happened to her in 1984. The controversy ultimately didn’t harm Williams’ career (she would even sing a hit song in a Disney movie!) as she would go on to become a multi-time Emmy Award nominee for acting and Grammy Award nominee for singing.
July 24
The infamous “Pine Tar Game” is played on July 24, 1983, between the Kansas City Royals and New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium. With the Royals trailing 4-3 in the top of the ninth inning, future Hall of Fame third baseman George Brett hit a go-ahead two-run homer off Yankees reliever (and future Hall of Famer) Goose Gossage. Yankees manager Billy Martin approached the umpires after the home run to inspect Brett’s bat, which he had noticed had a large amount of pine tar on it. The umpires ruled the amount of pine tar on Brett’s bat exceeded the allowed rule and ruled Brett out, the third out of the inning leading to the Yankees supposedly winning 4-3. Upon being ruled out by home plate umpire Tim McClelland, Brett sprung from the Royals’ dugout in a full sprint toward the umpires. Brett had to be physically restrained by his manager Dick Howser, several of his teammates and umpire crew chief Joe Brinkman. The Royals protested the game. Four days later, American League President Lee MacPhail ruled in favor of the Royals stating, the spirit of restriction of pine tar on bats was not out of fear of an unfair advantage, merely the economics of keeping balls from being discolored and discontinued. MacPhail ruled Brett had not violated the spirit of the rule. MacPhail restored Brett’s homer to give the Royals a 4-3 lead and ordered the game resumed with two outs in the top of the ninth. He would retroactively eject Brett from the remainder of the game due to his outburst against McClelland. The game would resume on August 18, 1983. In a symbolic protest of his owner, Martin played his best starting pitcher Ron Guidry in center field and first baseman Don Mattingly at second base in an effort to make a mockery of the situation. The Royals would win the game 4-3.
July 25
“Controversy” strikes the Newport Folk Festival on July 25, 1965, when musician Bob Dylan shocks the folkie world and crowd by plugging in his guitar for an electric set that included new songs “Maggie’s Farm” and “Like a Rolling Stone.” It was a moment that marked a change in Dylan’s music career from folk star to rock star. The sound of the electric music led to both boos and cheers from the Newport crowd, but it’s the boos that stand out in pop culture lore. History has seen a dispute as to whether the crowd was truly angry about Dylan “plugging in” or the poor sound quality and short duration of the set, as musician Al Kooper contends. Over the years some of the myths of the performance include iconic folk singer Pete Seeger attempting to cut the power cord with an axe (it never happened), which likely stems from a backstage quote from him that day: “Get that distortion out of his voice … it’s terrible. If I had an axe, I’d chop the microphone cable right now.”
July 26
Montreal Expos pitcher Mark Gardner sees the performance of his life turn into a loss on July 26, 1991, against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium. Gardner pitched a no-hitter through nine innings against the Dodgers that day but his Expos teammates couldn’t muster a single run in the game off Dodgers ace Orel Hershiser and reliever Kevin Gross and the game went to extra innings tied at zero. Expos manager Tom Runnells sent Gardner back out to the mound for the tenth innings but he was met with a single by Lenny Harris to break up the no-hitter. Future Hall of Fame first baseman Eddie Murray would then single off Gardner and Gardner was removed in favor of reliever Jeff Fassero. Fassero would immediately give up a hit to Dodgers right fielder Darryl Strawberry and the Dodgers walked off with a 1-0 win. Incredibly, Expos pitcher Dennis Martinez would pitch the 13th perfect game in Major League Baseball history two days later against the Dodgers becoming the first Latin American pitcher in league history to do so.
July 27
Bugs Bunny, one of the most iconic characters in the history of cartoons, officially makes his Warner Bros. debut in director Tex Avery’s comedy short “A Wild Hare” on July 27, 1940. In the short (potentially the most famous of any Looney Tunes short), Bugs Bunny, voiced by Mel Blanc, outsmarts hunter Elmer Fudd who’s hunting for him. While “A Wild Hare” was the official debut of the Bugs Bunny name, the character had appeared in previous shorts dating back to 1938’s “Porky’s Hare Hunt” as an unnamed rabbit. Animators Bob Givens, Chuck Jones and Robert McKinnon are credited with defining Bugs Bunny’s design.
July 28
“On the Waterfront,” directed by Elia Kazan and featuring a star-studded cast of Marlon Brando, Eva Marie Saint (in her film debut), Lee J. Cobb, Karl Malden and Rod Steiger, premiered on July 28, 1954. The film, which would go on to win the Academy Award for Best Picture in 1955, is the story of Brando’s Terry Malloy, a former prize fighter boxer who is coerced into helping with what turns into a murder, and the consequences of the action. The film would also garner Brando his first Best Actor Oscar, as well as six other Oscars including Best Director for Kazan and Best Supporting Actress for Saint. The American Film Institute has ranked “On the Waterfront” as the eighth greatest American film of all time.
July 29
Cass Elliott, one of the singers of the hit ‘60s pop group The Mamas and the Papas, dies of a heart attack in London on July 29, 1974, at just 32. Elliott was instrumental in the group’s hits like “California Dreamin’,” “Monday, Monday” and “Dream a Little Dream of Me,” and recorded five solo albums to lesser success following the band’s dissolution in 1968. She was posthumously inducted with The Mamas and the Papas into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1998. Though her cause of death was a heart attack, one of pop culture’s most frequent myths is that Elliott died from choking on a ham sandwich, which began almost immediately following her death after her manager Allan Carr erroneously assumed such after seeing a half-eaten ham sandwich on the nightstand by where she died.
July 16 - July 22
July 16
New York Yankees outfielder Joe DiMaggio goes 3-for-4 against the Cleveland Indians on July 16, 1941, to extend his Major League Baseball record hitting streak to 56 games, which would end the following day against Cleveland. DiMaggio’s streak began on May 15 against the Chicago White Sox. On July 2 against the Boston Red Sox, DiMaggio broke the longest single-season hit streak in baseball history of 44 games by Willie Keeler in 1897. Nobody has gotten to within 10 games of DiMaggio’s hit streak since 1941 with Pete Rose coming the closest with a 44-game hit streak in 1978. DiMaggio’s 56-game hit streak is considered “unbreakable” by some.
July 17
Disneyland, the first theme park from The Walt Disney Company, opened in Anaheim, Calif. on July 17, 1955, and was unveiled with a parade broadcast live on ABC. Disneyland would be the only Disney theme park designed and constructed under the direct supervision of Walt Disney himself. The theme park has the largest number of cumulative attendance than any other in the world with more than 774 million visits since it opened. Disneyland had approximately 16.9 million visits in 2022, making it the second most visited theme park in the world behind only Magic Kingdom, the Disney park it inspired and opened in 1971 in Orlando, Fla.
July 18
Fourteen-year-old Romanian gymnast Nadia Comaneci became the first gymnast to be awarded a perfect score of 10.0 at the Olympic Games on July 18, 1976, at the Montreal Games when she performed a perfect routine on the uneven bars. Comaneci would go on to record an incredible six more perfect 10s during the games, including three more on uneven bars. Comaneci would win three gold medals at the Montreal games in All-Around, Uneven Bars and Balance Beam. She would win two more golds at the 1980 Moscow Games.
July 19
The critically-acclaimed drama “Mad Men,” created by Matthew Weiner, premiered on July 19, 2007, and instantly turned AMC, once known for showing movies, into a network for serious, award-winning dramas. The series starred Jon Hamm as advertising executive Don Draper and would air 92 episodes over seven seasons. “Mad Men” won 16 Emmy Awards during its run, including Outstanding Drama Series for each of its first four seasons.
July 20
Few, if any, events throughout the history of television have seen people in the United States and around the globe gather around their TV sets to watch a significantly historical event like the Apollo 11 moon landing and moonwalk on July 20, 1969. It is expected that 650 million people around the world watched astronaut Neil Armstrong make that “giant leap for mankind” that day with over 53 million U.S. households tuning in across the two weeks of the Apollo 11 mission, making it the most watched TV programming to that date. In England, the BBC ran 11 continuous hours of coverage. All three major networks – ABC, CBS and NBC – covered the event in the U.S. with CBS and venerable newsman Walter Cronkite dominating the ratings. And, for those who believe the entire moon landing and moonwalk were faked, well, it’s still pop culture history if you believe “2001: A Space Odyssey” director Stanley Kubrick helped concoct the whole thing.
July 21
R&B duo Milli Vanilli, which consisted of French artist Fab Morvan and German artist Rob Pilatus, is busted for lip-synching on July 21, 1989, when performing on the Club MTV tour in Bristol, Conn. when the track to their hit “Girl You Know It’s True” screws up and repeats “girl you know it’s” over and over, ironically cutting off before the word “true.” The duo panicked and ran off the stage. The show, which was being broadcast live on MTV, continued after MTV VJ “Downtown” Julie Brown convinced the duo to finish, with the crowd not seeming to care about the mishap. The duo would even go on to win the Grammy Award for Best New Artist in 1990 after this experience and after singer Charles Shaw revealed in December of 1989 that he was one of three vocalists who sang on the duo’s album and Morvan and Pilatus were imposters. It wasn’t until November of 1990 that record producer Frank Farian, who orchestrated the entire charade, announced the duo hadn’t been the real singers after firing both because they demanded to sing for real on the next album. The Recording Academy revoked Milli Vanilli’s Best New Artist honor the next week. In 1998, Morvan and Pilatus recorded a comeback album with their own voices titled Back and in Attack, but the release was canceled following Pilatus’ death in April after an accidental overdose of alcohol and prescription drugs at 32.
July 22
Greg Maddux is one of the greatest pitchers in the history of baseball but potentially the finest performance of his career, which happened on July 22, 1997, is nearly hard to believe today. On that date, Maddux pitched a complete game 4-1 victory for the Atlanta Braves over the Chicago Cubs throwing just 77 pitches. Maddux allowed five hits that day but didn’t walk a batter and none of the Cubs hitters worked a count past two balls – only two even got to two balls. Maddux struck out six Cubs that day while throwing 63 of his 77 pitches for strikes. Maddux, who was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2014 in his first year of eligibility, would go on to record a 19-4 record in 1997 with a 2.20 earned run average, and didn’t even win the National League Cy Young Award (Pedro Martinez did), as he had in four consecutive seasons from 1992-1995. Maddux has an entire baseball statistic named after him – simply called a ‘Maddux’ – which is when a pitcher throws a shutout of nine (or more) innings with fewer than 100 pitches. Ironically, that day in 1997 wouldn’t have even qualified because Maddux allowed one run on a single, stolen base and two groundouts. New York Yankees pitcher Domingo German’s perfect game against the Oakland Athletics on June 28 is the only ‘Maddux’ to occur in the 2023 season thus far.
New York Yankees outfielder Joe DiMaggio goes 3-for-4 against the Cleveland Indians on July 16, 1941, to extend his Major League Baseball record hitting streak to 56 games, which would end the following day against Cleveland. DiMaggio’s streak began on May 15 against the Chicago White Sox. On July 2 against the Boston Red Sox, DiMaggio broke the longest single-season hit streak in baseball history of 44 games by Willie Keeler in 1897. Nobody has gotten to within 10 games of DiMaggio’s hit streak since 1941 with Pete Rose coming the closest with a 44-game hit streak in 1978. DiMaggio’s 56-game hit streak is considered “unbreakable” by some.
July 17
Disneyland, the first theme park from The Walt Disney Company, opened in Anaheim, Calif. on July 17, 1955, and was unveiled with a parade broadcast live on ABC. Disneyland would be the only Disney theme park designed and constructed under the direct supervision of Walt Disney himself. The theme park has the largest number of cumulative attendance than any other in the world with more than 774 million visits since it opened. Disneyland had approximately 16.9 million visits in 2022, making it the second most visited theme park in the world behind only Magic Kingdom, the Disney park it inspired and opened in 1971 in Orlando, Fla.
July 18
Fourteen-year-old Romanian gymnast Nadia Comaneci became the first gymnast to be awarded a perfect score of 10.0 at the Olympic Games on July 18, 1976, at the Montreal Games when she performed a perfect routine on the uneven bars. Comaneci would go on to record an incredible six more perfect 10s during the games, including three more on uneven bars. Comaneci would win three gold medals at the Montreal games in All-Around, Uneven Bars and Balance Beam. She would win two more golds at the 1980 Moscow Games.
July 19
The critically-acclaimed drama “Mad Men,” created by Matthew Weiner, premiered on July 19, 2007, and instantly turned AMC, once known for showing movies, into a network for serious, award-winning dramas. The series starred Jon Hamm as advertising executive Don Draper and would air 92 episodes over seven seasons. “Mad Men” won 16 Emmy Awards during its run, including Outstanding Drama Series for each of its first four seasons.
July 20
Few, if any, events throughout the history of television have seen people in the United States and around the globe gather around their TV sets to watch a significantly historical event like the Apollo 11 moon landing and moonwalk on July 20, 1969. It is expected that 650 million people around the world watched astronaut Neil Armstrong make that “giant leap for mankind” that day with over 53 million U.S. households tuning in across the two weeks of the Apollo 11 mission, making it the most watched TV programming to that date. In England, the BBC ran 11 continuous hours of coverage. All three major networks – ABC, CBS and NBC – covered the event in the U.S. with CBS and venerable newsman Walter Cronkite dominating the ratings. And, for those who believe the entire moon landing and moonwalk were faked, well, it’s still pop culture history if you believe “2001: A Space Odyssey” director Stanley Kubrick helped concoct the whole thing.
July 21
R&B duo Milli Vanilli, which consisted of French artist Fab Morvan and German artist Rob Pilatus, is busted for lip-synching on July 21, 1989, when performing on the Club MTV tour in Bristol, Conn. when the track to their hit “Girl You Know It’s True” screws up and repeats “girl you know it’s” over and over, ironically cutting off before the word “true.” The duo panicked and ran off the stage. The show, which was being broadcast live on MTV, continued after MTV VJ “Downtown” Julie Brown convinced the duo to finish, with the crowd not seeming to care about the mishap. The duo would even go on to win the Grammy Award for Best New Artist in 1990 after this experience and after singer Charles Shaw revealed in December of 1989 that he was one of three vocalists who sang on the duo’s album and Morvan and Pilatus were imposters. It wasn’t until November of 1990 that record producer Frank Farian, who orchestrated the entire charade, announced the duo hadn’t been the real singers after firing both because they demanded to sing for real on the next album. The Recording Academy revoked Milli Vanilli’s Best New Artist honor the next week. In 1998, Morvan and Pilatus recorded a comeback album with their own voices titled Back and in Attack, but the release was canceled following Pilatus’ death in April after an accidental overdose of alcohol and prescription drugs at 32.
July 22
Greg Maddux is one of the greatest pitchers in the history of baseball but potentially the finest performance of his career, which happened on July 22, 1997, is nearly hard to believe today. On that date, Maddux pitched a complete game 4-1 victory for the Atlanta Braves over the Chicago Cubs throwing just 77 pitches. Maddux allowed five hits that day but didn’t walk a batter and none of the Cubs hitters worked a count past two balls – only two even got to two balls. Maddux struck out six Cubs that day while throwing 63 of his 77 pitches for strikes. Maddux, who was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2014 in his first year of eligibility, would go on to record a 19-4 record in 1997 with a 2.20 earned run average, and didn’t even win the National League Cy Young Award (Pedro Martinez did), as he had in four consecutive seasons from 1992-1995. Maddux has an entire baseball statistic named after him – simply called a ‘Maddux’ – which is when a pitcher throws a shutout of nine (or more) innings with fewer than 100 pitches. Ironically, that day in 1997 wouldn’t have even qualified because Maddux allowed one run on a single, stolen base and two groundouts. New York Yankees pitcher Domingo German’s perfect game against the Oakland Athletics on June 28 is the only ‘Maddux’ to occur in the 2023 season thus far.
July 9 - July 15
July 9
Bill Haley & His Comets have the very first rock & roll No. 1 hit when “Rock Around the Clock” takes the top spot on the Billboard Pop Chart on July 9, 1955, where it would remain for eight weeks. The song was originally the B-side to the group’s “Thirteen Women,” but became a huge hit in America following its appearance in Richard Brooks’ movie “Blackboard Jungle,” starring Glenn Ford, Anne Francis and Sidney Poitier, which had been released in March. “Rock Around the Clock” would help kickstart the burgeoning rock & roll genre in the U.S.
Bill Haley & His Comets have the very first rock & roll No. 1 hit when “Rock Around the Clock” takes the top spot on the Billboard Pop Chart on July 9, 1955, where it would remain for eight weeks. The song was originally the B-side to the group’s “Thirteen Women,” but became a huge hit in America following its appearance in Richard Brooks’ movie “Blackboard Jungle,” starring Glenn Ford, Anne Francis and Sidney Poitier, which had been released in March. “Rock Around the Clock” would help kickstart the burgeoning rock & roll genre in the U.S.
July 10
In one of the most exciting sporting events of the last quarter-century, the United States Women’s National Team would defeat China 5-4 on penalty kicks to win the 1999 FIFA Women’s World Cup at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif. on July 10, 1999. The win marked the second Women’s World Cup title for the U.S. The exciting ending is remembered for Brandi Chastain’s game-winning penalty goal and her celebration afterward in which she ripped off her U.S.A. jersey, revealing her sports bra underneath in one of the most iconic images in the history of women’s sports and sports in general.
July 11
Skylab, the first space station launched by NASA and the United States in May of 1973, re-enters the atmosphere and comes crashing back to Earth on July 11, 1979, after more than six years in space. The space station, which had been occupied by rotating astronaut crews from May 1973 – February 1974, mostly disintegrated upon re-entering the Earth’s atmosphere, scattering debris in the Indian Ocean and Western Australia. Now, you may be thinking, how is this scientific moment related to pop culture … well, British rock group Electric Light Orchestra made the genius decision to take out ads in many trade magazines at the time dedicating their latest single, “Don’t Bring Me Down,” to the fallen Skylab. “Don’t Bring Me Down” would become ELO’s highest charting hit in America topping out at No. 4 on Billboard.
July 12
What was meant to be a fun night at Comiskey Park, the home of the Chicago White Sox, on the night of July 12, 1979, turned into a disaster and forfeit for the home team when Disco Demolition Night goes array. Disco Demolition Night was a promotion created by DJ Steve Dahl, who had been a 24-year DJ for WDAI in Chicago in 1978 before being fired when the station switched formats from rock music to disco. Hired by another local rock format station WLUP, Dahl came up with the idea to try to kill disco music. In 1977, the White Sox had a Disco Night promotion, but when White Sox director of promotions Mike Veeck (whose father Bill owned the team and was perhaps the most infamous promoter in the game’s history) caught wind of Dahl wanting to blow up a crate of disco records, the idea for Disco Demolition Night at Comiskey Park was born and the record destruction was set for in-between a doubleheader between the Sox and the Detroit Tigers. The event drew more than twice the number of attendees as expected. After Dahl blew up the records between games, thousands of fans stormed onto the field and remained there trashing disco records and causing chaos until dispersed by riot police. The second game of the doubleheader had initially been postponed, but the next day American League President Lee MacPhail ordered it forfeited by the White Sox. Only one game – an August 1995 match between the Los Angeles Dodgers and St. Louis Cardinals in Los Angeles where fans pelted the field with promotional baseballs given out over an umpire’s call – has been forfeited in Major League Baseball since. Disco was pretty much over less than a year later by the turn of the decade.
July 13
One of the first major multi-artist charity concerts ever organized, Live Aid, takes place in Philadelphia and London on July 13, 1985, to raise money to relieve the 1983-’85 famine in Ethiopia in Africa. Bob Geldof, the singer and songwriter for the Irish rock band Boomtown Rats, and Midge Ure, a Scottish musician and producer, organized the event. The event, which was held simultaneously at London’s Wembley Stadium and Philadelphia’s John F. Kennedy Stadium was attended by more than 161,000 people and broadcast by MTV and partially ABC in the U.S. Some of the most legendary artists in the history of rock and pop music performed at the event, including Paul McCartney, David Bowie, Bob Dylan, Queen, Elton John, Led Zeppelin, Tina Turner, The Who, The Beach Boys, Sting, U2, Dire Straits, Run-D.M.C., The Pretenders, Madonna, Neil Young, Eric Clapton and Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers. Phil Collins managed to perform in both locations, performing with Sting and Branford Marsalis in London before taking a flight across the Atlantic Ocean to perform in Philadelphia. He performed his hits “Against All Odds (Take a Look at Me Now)” and “In the Air Tonight” at both locations. Some of the artists, particularly Queen, are thought to have given all-time great live performances at the event. The event raised around $127 million for the cause.
July 14
Mario Bros., an arcade game about an Italian-American plumber created and developed by the Japanese video game company Nintendo, is first released on July 14, 1983. There have often been conflicting release dates for the game in both Japan and America, but in a 2013 Nintendo Direct presentation, former Nintendo president Satoru Iwata gave July 14, 1983, as the official Japan release date. Mario Bros. was designed by Shigeru Miyamoto and Gunpei Yokoi and has gone on to be perhaps the most successful video game series of all time.
July 15
American athlete Jim Thorpe places top 4 in all 10 events of the Olympic Decathlon for an Olympic record 8,413 points to win the Decathlon gold medal at the 1912 Stockholm Olympics on July 15, 1912. Thorpe also won the gold medal in the pentathlon at the 1912 games. Thorpe would be stripped of his gold medal by the International Olympic Committee in 1913 after they learned Thorpe had accepted money for playing baseball before the 1912 games, violating the Olympic amateurism rules. In 1982, the I.O.C. was convinced that Thorpe’s disqualification had been improper, as no protest against his eligibility had been brought within the required 30 days. Thorpe’s gold medals were reinstated posthumously, 29 years after his death at 65 in 1953. It wasn’t until 2022 that Thorpe was declared the sole winner of the event by the I.O.C. Thorpe, a member of the Sac and Fox Nation, was the first Native American to win Olympic gold for the U.S. He is considered maybe the most versatile athlete of all-time having also played baseball, football and basketball in addition to his track and field skills.
In one of the most exciting sporting events of the last quarter-century, the United States Women’s National Team would defeat China 5-4 on penalty kicks to win the 1999 FIFA Women’s World Cup at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif. on July 10, 1999. The win marked the second Women’s World Cup title for the U.S. The exciting ending is remembered for Brandi Chastain’s game-winning penalty goal and her celebration afterward in which she ripped off her U.S.A. jersey, revealing her sports bra underneath in one of the most iconic images in the history of women’s sports and sports in general.
July 11
Skylab, the first space station launched by NASA and the United States in May of 1973, re-enters the atmosphere and comes crashing back to Earth on July 11, 1979, after more than six years in space. The space station, which had been occupied by rotating astronaut crews from May 1973 – February 1974, mostly disintegrated upon re-entering the Earth’s atmosphere, scattering debris in the Indian Ocean and Western Australia. Now, you may be thinking, how is this scientific moment related to pop culture … well, British rock group Electric Light Orchestra made the genius decision to take out ads in many trade magazines at the time dedicating their latest single, “Don’t Bring Me Down,” to the fallen Skylab. “Don’t Bring Me Down” would become ELO’s highest charting hit in America topping out at No. 4 on Billboard.
July 12
What was meant to be a fun night at Comiskey Park, the home of the Chicago White Sox, on the night of July 12, 1979, turned into a disaster and forfeit for the home team when Disco Demolition Night goes array. Disco Demolition Night was a promotion created by DJ Steve Dahl, who had been a 24-year DJ for WDAI in Chicago in 1978 before being fired when the station switched formats from rock music to disco. Hired by another local rock format station WLUP, Dahl came up with the idea to try to kill disco music. In 1977, the White Sox had a Disco Night promotion, but when White Sox director of promotions Mike Veeck (whose father Bill owned the team and was perhaps the most infamous promoter in the game’s history) caught wind of Dahl wanting to blow up a crate of disco records, the idea for Disco Demolition Night at Comiskey Park was born and the record destruction was set for in-between a doubleheader between the Sox and the Detroit Tigers. The event drew more than twice the number of attendees as expected. After Dahl blew up the records between games, thousands of fans stormed onto the field and remained there trashing disco records and causing chaos until dispersed by riot police. The second game of the doubleheader had initially been postponed, but the next day American League President Lee MacPhail ordered it forfeited by the White Sox. Only one game – an August 1995 match between the Los Angeles Dodgers and St. Louis Cardinals in Los Angeles where fans pelted the field with promotional baseballs given out over an umpire’s call – has been forfeited in Major League Baseball since. Disco was pretty much over less than a year later by the turn of the decade.
July 13
One of the first major multi-artist charity concerts ever organized, Live Aid, takes place in Philadelphia and London on July 13, 1985, to raise money to relieve the 1983-’85 famine in Ethiopia in Africa. Bob Geldof, the singer and songwriter for the Irish rock band Boomtown Rats, and Midge Ure, a Scottish musician and producer, organized the event. The event, which was held simultaneously at London’s Wembley Stadium and Philadelphia’s John F. Kennedy Stadium was attended by more than 161,000 people and broadcast by MTV and partially ABC in the U.S. Some of the most legendary artists in the history of rock and pop music performed at the event, including Paul McCartney, David Bowie, Bob Dylan, Queen, Elton John, Led Zeppelin, Tina Turner, The Who, The Beach Boys, Sting, U2, Dire Straits, Run-D.M.C., The Pretenders, Madonna, Neil Young, Eric Clapton and Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers. Phil Collins managed to perform in both locations, performing with Sting and Branford Marsalis in London before taking a flight across the Atlantic Ocean to perform in Philadelphia. He performed his hits “Against All Odds (Take a Look at Me Now)” and “In the Air Tonight” at both locations. Some of the artists, particularly Queen, are thought to have given all-time great live performances at the event. The event raised around $127 million for the cause.
July 14
Mario Bros., an arcade game about an Italian-American plumber created and developed by the Japanese video game company Nintendo, is first released on July 14, 1983. There have often been conflicting release dates for the game in both Japan and America, but in a 2013 Nintendo Direct presentation, former Nintendo president Satoru Iwata gave July 14, 1983, as the official Japan release date. Mario Bros. was designed by Shigeru Miyamoto and Gunpei Yokoi and has gone on to be perhaps the most successful video game series of all time.
July 15
American athlete Jim Thorpe places top 4 in all 10 events of the Olympic Decathlon for an Olympic record 8,413 points to win the Decathlon gold medal at the 1912 Stockholm Olympics on July 15, 1912. Thorpe also won the gold medal in the pentathlon at the 1912 games. Thorpe would be stripped of his gold medal by the International Olympic Committee in 1913 after they learned Thorpe had accepted money for playing baseball before the 1912 games, violating the Olympic amateurism rules. In 1982, the I.O.C. was convinced that Thorpe’s disqualification had been improper, as no protest against his eligibility had been brought within the required 30 days. Thorpe’s gold medals were reinstated posthumously, 29 years after his death at 65 in 1953. It wasn’t until 2022 that Thorpe was declared the sole winner of the event by the I.O.C. Thorpe, a member of the Sac and Fox Nation, was the first Native American to win Olympic gold for the U.S. He is considered maybe the most versatile athlete of all-time having also played baseball, football and basketball in addition to his track and field skills.
July 2 - July 8
July 2
Washington Senators outfielder Ed Delahanty, one of the greatest players of baseball’s early years, disappears after being removed by force from a train for being intoxicated on July 2, 1903. The conductor said Delahanty was brandishing a straight razor and threatening passengers after consuming five whiskeys. It seems Delahanty attempted to walk across the International Railway Bridge connecting Buffalo, New York with Fort Erie near Niagara Falls and either fell or jumped off the bridge. His body was found two weeks later at the bottom of Niagara Falls. Delahanty’s .346 batting average is the fifth-highest in Major League Baseball history. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1945.
July 3
Jim Morrison, the vocalist for the Californian rock band The Doors, is found dead in his apartment’s bathtub in Paris, France around 6 a.m. on July 3, 1971. He was 27. While drug overdose is suspected, no autopsy is performed and the official cause of death is listed as a heart attack induced by respiratory problems. Morrison was buried in a private burial in Paris’ Pere Lachaise Cemetery, which has become one of the city’s most visited tourist attractions, and also features the grave sites of playwright and author Oscar Wilde and French cabaret singer Edith Piaf. Morrison, along with the rest of the members of The Doors, was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1993.
July 4
New York Yankees legend Lou Gehrig becomes the first Major League Baseball player to ever have his jersey number (No. 4) retired on his Appreciation Day at Yankee Stadium on July 4, 1939. It is on this date that Gehrig gives his famous “Luckiest Man” speech, which is likely the most famous speech in sports history and one of the most famous in general. His final game had come just over two months before on April 30. On June 19, 1939, Gehrig was officially diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), which would commonly go on to be referred to as Lou Gehrig’s Disease. Gehrig died on June 2, 1941, from the disease. He was 37.
Washington Senators outfielder Ed Delahanty, one of the greatest players of baseball’s early years, disappears after being removed by force from a train for being intoxicated on July 2, 1903. The conductor said Delahanty was brandishing a straight razor and threatening passengers after consuming five whiskeys. It seems Delahanty attempted to walk across the International Railway Bridge connecting Buffalo, New York with Fort Erie near Niagara Falls and either fell or jumped off the bridge. His body was found two weeks later at the bottom of Niagara Falls. Delahanty’s .346 batting average is the fifth-highest in Major League Baseball history. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1945.
July 3
Jim Morrison, the vocalist for the Californian rock band The Doors, is found dead in his apartment’s bathtub in Paris, France around 6 a.m. on July 3, 1971. He was 27. While drug overdose is suspected, no autopsy is performed and the official cause of death is listed as a heart attack induced by respiratory problems. Morrison was buried in a private burial in Paris’ Pere Lachaise Cemetery, which has become one of the city’s most visited tourist attractions, and also features the grave sites of playwright and author Oscar Wilde and French cabaret singer Edith Piaf. Morrison, along with the rest of the members of The Doors, was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1993.
July 4
New York Yankees legend Lou Gehrig becomes the first Major League Baseball player to ever have his jersey number (No. 4) retired on his Appreciation Day at Yankee Stadium on July 4, 1939. It is on this date that Gehrig gives his famous “Luckiest Man” speech, which is likely the most famous speech in sports history and one of the most famous in general. His final game had come just over two months before on April 30. On June 19, 1939, Gehrig was officially diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), which would commonly go on to be referred to as Lou Gehrig’s Disease. Gehrig died on June 2, 1941, from the disease. He was 37.
July 5
Larry Doby becomes the first African American ballplayer in Major League Baseball’s American League when he debuts for the Cleveland Indians on July 5, 1947. Doby’s debut in the A.L. came less than three months after Jackie Robinson integrated baseball with the Brooklyn Dodgers. Doby struck out as a pinch hitter against the Chicago White Sox in his debut but would go on to become a seven-time All-Star, a two-time A.L. home run champ and along with teammate Satchel Paige, the first black player to win a World Series when Cleveland did so in 1948. Doby was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1998.
July 6
In what would be a moment that would lead to one of the biggest, greatest and most important bands in pop music history, Paul McCartney and John Lennon meet for the first time at the Village Fete in the suburb of Woolton, in Liverpool, England on July 6, 1957. Lennon’s group, The Quarrymen, is performing at the venue. At the next meeting of the two Lennon would ask McCartney to join the band. George Harrison would join the group in early 1958 at the recommendation of McCartney, despite Lennon’s initial resistance as Harrison was only 14 at the time. In 1960, The Quarrymen would change its name to The Beatles. Ringo Starr would join the band as drummer in 1962 replacing Pete Best. The Beatles would soon become the biggest band in the world.
July 7
In one of the most emotional victories in the history of NASCAR Dale Earnhardt Jr. wins the Pepsi 400 at Daytona International Speedway on July 7, 2001, in his first race back at the track since the death of his father, seven-time NASCAR champion Dale Earnhardt on February 18 in the Daytona 500. Running in seventh place with less than 10 laps remaining in the race, Earnhardt Jr. makes his way through the draft to first place defeating teammate Michael Waltrip, who had won the Daytona 500 in February. The two teammates had an emotional celebration in the track’s infield following the race.
July 8
The Go-Go’s released their debut album Beauty and the Beat on July 8, 1981. The all-girl group featuring Belinda Carlisle (vocals), Charlotte Caffey (lead guitar and keyboards), Jane Wiedlin (rhythm guitar), Kathy Valentine (bass) and Gina Schock (drums) have hits “We Got the Beat” and “Our Lips Are Sealed” on the debut. When the album reaches No. 1 on the Billboard album chart on March 6, 1982, it made The Go-Go’s the first all-female band to have a No. 1 album in the U.S.
Larry Doby becomes the first African American ballplayer in Major League Baseball’s American League when he debuts for the Cleveland Indians on July 5, 1947. Doby’s debut in the A.L. came less than three months after Jackie Robinson integrated baseball with the Brooklyn Dodgers. Doby struck out as a pinch hitter against the Chicago White Sox in his debut but would go on to become a seven-time All-Star, a two-time A.L. home run champ and along with teammate Satchel Paige, the first black player to win a World Series when Cleveland did so in 1948. Doby was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1998.
July 6
In what would be a moment that would lead to one of the biggest, greatest and most important bands in pop music history, Paul McCartney and John Lennon meet for the first time at the Village Fete in the suburb of Woolton, in Liverpool, England on July 6, 1957. Lennon’s group, The Quarrymen, is performing at the venue. At the next meeting of the two Lennon would ask McCartney to join the band. George Harrison would join the group in early 1958 at the recommendation of McCartney, despite Lennon’s initial resistance as Harrison was only 14 at the time. In 1960, The Quarrymen would change its name to The Beatles. Ringo Starr would join the band as drummer in 1962 replacing Pete Best. The Beatles would soon become the biggest band in the world.
July 7
In one of the most emotional victories in the history of NASCAR Dale Earnhardt Jr. wins the Pepsi 400 at Daytona International Speedway on July 7, 2001, in his first race back at the track since the death of his father, seven-time NASCAR champion Dale Earnhardt on February 18 in the Daytona 500. Running in seventh place with less than 10 laps remaining in the race, Earnhardt Jr. makes his way through the draft to first place defeating teammate Michael Waltrip, who had won the Daytona 500 in February. The two teammates had an emotional celebration in the track’s infield following the race.
July 8
The Go-Go’s released their debut album Beauty and the Beat on July 8, 1981. The all-girl group featuring Belinda Carlisle (vocals), Charlotte Caffey (lead guitar and keyboards), Jane Wiedlin (rhythm guitar), Kathy Valentine (bass) and Gina Schock (drums) have hits “We Got the Beat” and “Our Lips Are Sealed” on the debut. When the album reaches No. 1 on the Billboard album chart on March 6, 1982, it made The Go-Go’s the first all-female band to have a No. 1 album in the U.S.
June 25 - July 1
June 25
June 25 was an important date in the career of Basketball Hall of Famer Tim Duncan and the San Antonio Spurs franchise. On June 25, 1997, Duncan was selected as the first overall pick in the NBA Draft out of Wake Forest by the Spurs. He would immediately pay huge dividends for the Spurs teaming with veteran center David Robinson to form the powerful twin towers on the court. Just two years later on the exact date, Duncan would help lead the Spurs to their first-ever NBA title, defeating the New York Knicks in the NBA Finals in the strike-shortened 1998-99 season, his second season in the league. Duncan would go on to lead the Spurs to five titles over his 19-year career as one of the game’s all-time greats.
June 26
The Byrds, the mid-‘60s California rock band known for its signature jingle-jangle sound, took the Bob Dylan-penned “Mr. Tambourine Man” to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart on June 26, 1965, marking the only time in Dylan’s illustrious career as performer and songwriter that one of his songs would top the chart. The Byrds would go on to record numerous Dylan songs, including “Lay Lady Lay,” “My Back Pages,” “All I Really Want to Do” and “You Ain’t Goin’ Nowhere” throughout the ‘60s. They would have a second No. 1 hit at the end of ’65 with their folk-rock take on another folk legend’s work, Pete Seeger’s “Turn! Turn! Turn!.” Dylan’s highest-charting single of his career would be 1965’s “Like a Rolling Stone” and 1966’s “Rainy Day Women #12 & #35,” both of which went to No. 2.
June 25 was an important date in the career of Basketball Hall of Famer Tim Duncan and the San Antonio Spurs franchise. On June 25, 1997, Duncan was selected as the first overall pick in the NBA Draft out of Wake Forest by the Spurs. He would immediately pay huge dividends for the Spurs teaming with veteran center David Robinson to form the powerful twin towers on the court. Just two years later on the exact date, Duncan would help lead the Spurs to their first-ever NBA title, defeating the New York Knicks in the NBA Finals in the strike-shortened 1998-99 season, his second season in the league. Duncan would go on to lead the Spurs to five titles over his 19-year career as one of the game’s all-time greats.
June 26
The Byrds, the mid-‘60s California rock band known for its signature jingle-jangle sound, took the Bob Dylan-penned “Mr. Tambourine Man” to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart on June 26, 1965, marking the only time in Dylan’s illustrious career as performer and songwriter that one of his songs would top the chart. The Byrds would go on to record numerous Dylan songs, including “Lay Lady Lay,” “My Back Pages,” “All I Really Want to Do” and “You Ain’t Goin’ Nowhere” throughout the ‘60s. They would have a second No. 1 hit at the end of ’65 with their folk-rock take on another folk legend’s work, Pete Seeger’s “Turn! Turn! Turn!.” Dylan’s highest-charting single of his career would be 1965’s “Like a Rolling Stone” and 1966’s “Rainy Day Women #12 & #35,” both of which went to No. 2.
June 27
Aerosmith would become the first major-label band to allow its fans to freely download a new single on the Internet when they released “Head First” on June 27, 1994. The song was an unused take from the ‘Get a Grip’ sessions and used as part of a week-long promotion by the company CompuServe, during which fans could download the band’s music from the net. Aerosmith frontman Steven Tyler said: “If our fans are out there driving down that information superhighway then we want to be playing at the truck stop. This is the future – so let’s get it going.” Tyler was right. For better or worse music on the Internet was the future of the medium, though, the use of “information superhighway” does date the quote quite a bit.
June 28
On June 28, 1971, the U.S. Supreme Court (which once did good things!) overturns the draft evasion conviction of boxer Muhammad Ali with an 8-0 vote. Ali had been arrested and convicted for refusing induction into the U.S. Armed Forces on April 28, 1967. He stated that the Vietnam War was against his religion as a Muslim. Later that day, the New York State Athletic Commission suspended his boxing license and the World Boxing Association stripped him of his title as heavyweight champion. Some people believe Ali was intentionally sought out for induction into the war as a means of silencing a strong, vocal black Muslim man. The conviction, which happened on June 20, 1967, came with the possibility of five years in prison. Ali managed to stay out of prison during his appeals to the Supreme Court.
June 29
For the first time in Major League Baseball history, no-hitters are thrown in both leagues on the same day on June 29, 1990, when Oakland Athletics ace Dave Stewart no-hits the Toronto Blue Jays in a 5-0 win in the American League and over in the National League Los Angeles Dodgers hurler Fernando Valenzuela no-hit the St. Louis Cardinals in a 6-0 win. It was only the second time (and first since 1898) that multiple no-hitters were thrown on the same day. It hasn’t happened since.
June 30
French acrobat Charles Blondin became the first person to cross Niagara Falls on the Canada-United States border by walking across a tightrope on June 30, 1859. The wire, which was just three inches thick, was 1,100 feet long (2,200 feet round trip). The tightrope was 160 feet above the water. Blondin made the trek across and back in about 23 minutes. Blondin died in London of diabetes complications in 1897 at 72. He had walked across Waterloo Lake in Leeds, England just two years prior.
July 1
The Basketball Association of America, which would change its name to the National Basketball Association (NBA) two years later, held its first-ever collegiate player draft on July 1, 1947. The first selection in the draft was Texas Wesleyan University forward Clifton McNeely, who was selected by the Pittsburgh Ironmen. McNeely opted to focus on a high school coaching career and never played a professional game. The Ironmen, along with the Toronto Huskies who also participated in the draft, would fold before the season opened. Four of the top 10 selections in the draft would never play in the league. Three players from the inaugural draft – Harry Gallatin (fourth round), Andy Phillip (fifth round) and Jim Pollard (seventh round) – would be inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame. The New York Knicks’ selection of Utah-born, Japanese descendant Wataru Misaka would make him the first non-white player in league history when he played in three games for the Knicks in the 1947-48 season.
Aerosmith would become the first major-label band to allow its fans to freely download a new single on the Internet when they released “Head First” on June 27, 1994. The song was an unused take from the ‘Get a Grip’ sessions and used as part of a week-long promotion by the company CompuServe, during which fans could download the band’s music from the net. Aerosmith frontman Steven Tyler said: “If our fans are out there driving down that information superhighway then we want to be playing at the truck stop. This is the future – so let’s get it going.” Tyler was right. For better or worse music on the Internet was the future of the medium, though, the use of “information superhighway” does date the quote quite a bit.
June 28
On June 28, 1971, the U.S. Supreme Court (which once did good things!) overturns the draft evasion conviction of boxer Muhammad Ali with an 8-0 vote. Ali had been arrested and convicted for refusing induction into the U.S. Armed Forces on April 28, 1967. He stated that the Vietnam War was against his religion as a Muslim. Later that day, the New York State Athletic Commission suspended his boxing license and the World Boxing Association stripped him of his title as heavyweight champion. Some people believe Ali was intentionally sought out for induction into the war as a means of silencing a strong, vocal black Muslim man. The conviction, which happened on June 20, 1967, came with the possibility of five years in prison. Ali managed to stay out of prison during his appeals to the Supreme Court.
June 29
For the first time in Major League Baseball history, no-hitters are thrown in both leagues on the same day on June 29, 1990, when Oakland Athletics ace Dave Stewart no-hits the Toronto Blue Jays in a 5-0 win in the American League and over in the National League Los Angeles Dodgers hurler Fernando Valenzuela no-hit the St. Louis Cardinals in a 6-0 win. It was only the second time (and first since 1898) that multiple no-hitters were thrown on the same day. It hasn’t happened since.
June 30
French acrobat Charles Blondin became the first person to cross Niagara Falls on the Canada-United States border by walking across a tightrope on June 30, 1859. The wire, which was just three inches thick, was 1,100 feet long (2,200 feet round trip). The tightrope was 160 feet above the water. Blondin made the trek across and back in about 23 minutes. Blondin died in London of diabetes complications in 1897 at 72. He had walked across Waterloo Lake in Leeds, England just two years prior.
July 1
The Basketball Association of America, which would change its name to the National Basketball Association (NBA) two years later, held its first-ever collegiate player draft on July 1, 1947. The first selection in the draft was Texas Wesleyan University forward Clifton McNeely, who was selected by the Pittsburgh Ironmen. McNeely opted to focus on a high school coaching career and never played a professional game. The Ironmen, along with the Toronto Huskies who also participated in the draft, would fold before the season opened. Four of the top 10 selections in the draft would never play in the league. Three players from the inaugural draft – Harry Gallatin (fourth round), Andy Phillip (fifth round) and Jim Pollard (seventh round) – would be inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame. The New York Knicks’ selection of Utah-born, Japanese descendant Wataru Misaka would make him the first non-white player in league history when he played in three games for the Knicks in the 1947-48 season.
June 18 - 24
June 18
Golfing hero Arnold Palmer sets the biggest comeback in U.S. Open tournament history on June 18, 1960, when he erases a seven-stroke deficit on the final day of the tournament to win by two strokes over up-and-comer (and future legend) Jack Nicklaus at Cherry Hills Country Club in Colorado. Palmer would win seven major tournaments during his Hall of Fame career, but this would be his only U.S. Open title.
June 19
Jim Bouton’s controversial memoir Ball Four, about his 1969 Major League Baseball season which began with the Seattle Pilots and ended with the Houston Astros, is published on June 19, 1970. The book was controversial as it highlighted the behind-the-scenes of professional baseball like obscene jokes, drug use, alcoholism and womanizing. It also didn’t take it easy on the legends of the game with Bouton essentially outing New York Yankees legend, and former teammate, Mickey Mantle as an alcoholic, something which had mostly been kept quiet from the press. Ball Four was commercially successful, but MLB commissioner Bowie Kuhn called it “detrimental to baseball” and attempted to force Bouton to sign a statement saying the book was completely fictional. The book made Bouton unpopular with those within the game and likely played a role in his career coming to an end shortly after its publication.
June 20
Director Steven Spielberg’s “Jaws,” based on a novel by Peter Benchley, about a shark terrorizing a New England town premieres on June 20, 1975, instantaneously making a star out of its director and ushering in the Summer Blockbuster term. The film, starring Roy Scheider, Richard Dreyfuss and Robert Shaw, would become the highest-grossing film at the box office in film history (until “Star Wars” in 1977).
June 21
The first-ever Bonnaroo Music Festival held on a 700-acre farm in Manchester, Tenn. begins on June 21, 2002, and showcases four days of music – mostly jam bands and folk acts – including headliner Widespread Panic, Ben Harper, Jack Johnson and The String Cheese Incident. The name “Bonnaroo,” which is Creole slang for “good stuff,” is taken from a Dr. John album. The event has grown in popularity over the years showcasing some of the biggest stars in rock, pop, rap and country music.
June 22
Entertainer Judy Garland, who came to superstardom in the lead role of Dorothy in the 1939 film classic “The Wizard of Oz,” was found dead of a barbiturate overdose in London at the age of 47 on June 22, 1969. Garland had battled drug and alcohol abuse throughout her adult life. She left behind three children, including actress Liza Minnelli.
June 23
Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music, the landmark album by R&B/soul musician Ray Charles hits No. 1 on the American pop charts on June 23, 1962, becoming the first majorly successful country music album by an African-American performer. The album saw Charles take country music standards like Eddy Arnold’s “You Don’t Know Me,” Don Gibson’s “I Can’t Stop Loving You” and Hank Williams’ “Hey, Good Lookin’” and “You Win Again” and putting his own soulful, jazz spin on them. The album helped bring Charles to more white audiences and country music to more black audiences and music writer Daniel Cooper attributed it to helping the country music genre’s profile with a wider audience.
June 24
Mary Pickford becomes Hollywood’s first million-dollar star when she signs a contract with Paramount Pictures on June 24, 1916, guaranteeing her full authority over the production of films in which she starred and a record-breaking salary of $10,000 a week, along with half of a film’s profits, with a guarantee of $1.04 million. Pickford, known as America’s first Hollywood sweetheart, began starring in films in 1909 and, along with Charlie Chaplin, was one of the most famous faces in the early days of the film industry. Among her achievements was helping to form the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in 1927, which led to the annual Academy Awards. Her stardom would fall in the late ‘20s/early ‘30s with the advent of the “talkies.” Pickford died in 1979 at 87.
Golfing hero Arnold Palmer sets the biggest comeback in U.S. Open tournament history on June 18, 1960, when he erases a seven-stroke deficit on the final day of the tournament to win by two strokes over up-and-comer (and future legend) Jack Nicklaus at Cherry Hills Country Club in Colorado. Palmer would win seven major tournaments during his Hall of Fame career, but this would be his only U.S. Open title.
June 19
Jim Bouton’s controversial memoir Ball Four, about his 1969 Major League Baseball season which began with the Seattle Pilots and ended with the Houston Astros, is published on June 19, 1970. The book was controversial as it highlighted the behind-the-scenes of professional baseball like obscene jokes, drug use, alcoholism and womanizing. It also didn’t take it easy on the legends of the game with Bouton essentially outing New York Yankees legend, and former teammate, Mickey Mantle as an alcoholic, something which had mostly been kept quiet from the press. Ball Four was commercially successful, but MLB commissioner Bowie Kuhn called it “detrimental to baseball” and attempted to force Bouton to sign a statement saying the book was completely fictional. The book made Bouton unpopular with those within the game and likely played a role in his career coming to an end shortly after its publication.
June 20
Director Steven Spielberg’s “Jaws,” based on a novel by Peter Benchley, about a shark terrorizing a New England town premieres on June 20, 1975, instantaneously making a star out of its director and ushering in the Summer Blockbuster term. The film, starring Roy Scheider, Richard Dreyfuss and Robert Shaw, would become the highest-grossing film at the box office in film history (until “Star Wars” in 1977).
June 21
The first-ever Bonnaroo Music Festival held on a 700-acre farm in Manchester, Tenn. begins on June 21, 2002, and showcases four days of music – mostly jam bands and folk acts – including headliner Widespread Panic, Ben Harper, Jack Johnson and The String Cheese Incident. The name “Bonnaroo,” which is Creole slang for “good stuff,” is taken from a Dr. John album. The event has grown in popularity over the years showcasing some of the biggest stars in rock, pop, rap and country music.
June 22
Entertainer Judy Garland, who came to superstardom in the lead role of Dorothy in the 1939 film classic “The Wizard of Oz,” was found dead of a barbiturate overdose in London at the age of 47 on June 22, 1969. Garland had battled drug and alcohol abuse throughout her adult life. She left behind three children, including actress Liza Minnelli.
June 23
Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music, the landmark album by R&B/soul musician Ray Charles hits No. 1 on the American pop charts on June 23, 1962, becoming the first majorly successful country music album by an African-American performer. The album saw Charles take country music standards like Eddy Arnold’s “You Don’t Know Me,” Don Gibson’s “I Can’t Stop Loving You” and Hank Williams’ “Hey, Good Lookin’” and “You Win Again” and putting his own soulful, jazz spin on them. The album helped bring Charles to more white audiences and country music to more black audiences and music writer Daniel Cooper attributed it to helping the country music genre’s profile with a wider audience.
June 24
Mary Pickford becomes Hollywood’s first million-dollar star when she signs a contract with Paramount Pictures on June 24, 1916, guaranteeing her full authority over the production of films in which she starred and a record-breaking salary of $10,000 a week, along with half of a film’s profits, with a guarantee of $1.04 million. Pickford, known as America’s first Hollywood sweetheart, began starring in films in 1909 and, along with Charlie Chaplin, was one of the most famous faces in the early days of the film industry. Among her achievements was helping to form the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in 1927, which led to the annual Academy Awards. Her stardom would fall in the late ‘20s/early ‘30s with the advent of the “talkies.” Pickford died in 1979 at 87.
June 11 - June 17
June 11
“American Idol,” likely the most successful singing competition reality series in television history, premieres on Fox on June 11, 2002. The show features young singers vying for the title of “American Idol,” as judged by record executive Simon Cowell, singer Paula Abdul and musician/record exec Randy Jackson and an American call-in vote. Kelly Clarkson would win the first season and go on to pop music stardom. The series, created by Simon Fuller, would run on Fox from 2002-2016 before being rebooted with new judges on ABC in 2018, where it remains to this day.
June 12
Pittsburgh Pirates hurler Doc Ellis pitches a no-hitter against the San Diego Padres on June 12, 1970, at San Diego Stadium in a 2-0 Pirates win. The no-hitter was special enough, but what makes it stand out in both baseball and pop culture lore is that Ellis would later admit to pitching the no-hitter under the influence of LSD. Despite the no-hitter, Ellis actually walked eight Padres hitters that day – likely because he couldn’t see where the hell they or his catcher were and had no feeling for the ball in his hand, as he would later state. Pitching a no-hitter on LSD is a wild feat, but unfortunately, other substance issues would catch up with Ellis causing an erratic career and helping to lead to his death in 2008 of liver failure at 63.
June 13
San Francisco Giants pitcher Matt Cain became the 20th pitcher in modern baseball history (since 1900) to pitch a perfect game on June 13, 2012, when he did so against the Houston Astros in a 10-0 Giants win at AT&T Park in San Francisco. It was the first perfect game in Giants franchise history. Cain struck out 14 Astros hitters that night.
June 14
Michael Jordan hit what might be the most iconic shot of his career in the final seconds of game six of the 1998 NBA Finals against the Utah Jazz when he made a jumper over Jazz defender Bryon Russell to clinch an 87-86 victory and a third consecutive championship for the Chicago Bulls on June 14, 1998. It would mark the sixth title in eight years for Jordan and the Bulls and the end of Jordan’s career with the Bulls as he would announce his retirement during the offseason. He would return to the league in 2001 for a two-year stint with the Washington Wizards, in which he had an ownership stake.
June 15
The first ever moving pictures captured by a camera, using 12 cameras each taking one photo, are taken by English photographer Eadweard Muybridge on June 15, 1878. The feat is done to see if all four of a horse’s hooves leave the ground when at a gallop. 1878’s “Horse in Motion” would become the first example of chronophotography recording the passage of time. It was an integral step in the future development of motion pictures.
June 16
The inaugural Monterey International Pop Festival, a three-day music festival in Monterey Country, Calif., opened on June 16, 1967. The event, which many credits as the unofficial beginning of the “Summer of Love,” featured some of the biggest acts in rock, pop, folk, R&B and other genres at the time, including Jimi Hendrix (where he infamously set his guitar on fire at the end of his set), The Who, Grateful Dead, Otis Redding, Janis Joplin, Jefferson Airplane and others. The concert would be immortalized in the 1968 concert film “Monterey Pop,” by documentarian D.A. Pennebaker.
June 17
Pro Football Hall of Fame running back and NFL announcer O.J. Simpson embarks on a 90-minute police chase through the highways of Los Angeles, while in the backseat of his Ford Bronco with his friend and former teammate Al Cowlings behind the wheel on June 17, 1994, after failing to turn himself in on murder charges of his ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her boyfriend Ron Goldman. The police chase took the nation by storm, and even caused NBC to break into its coverage of the NBA Finals between the Houston Rockets and New York Knicks for a split-screen. Roughly 95 million people watched the chase that night. Simpson would be found “not guilty” for the two murders on Oct. 3, 1995.
“American Idol,” likely the most successful singing competition reality series in television history, premieres on Fox on June 11, 2002. The show features young singers vying for the title of “American Idol,” as judged by record executive Simon Cowell, singer Paula Abdul and musician/record exec Randy Jackson and an American call-in vote. Kelly Clarkson would win the first season and go on to pop music stardom. The series, created by Simon Fuller, would run on Fox from 2002-2016 before being rebooted with new judges on ABC in 2018, where it remains to this day.
June 12
Pittsburgh Pirates hurler Doc Ellis pitches a no-hitter against the San Diego Padres on June 12, 1970, at San Diego Stadium in a 2-0 Pirates win. The no-hitter was special enough, but what makes it stand out in both baseball and pop culture lore is that Ellis would later admit to pitching the no-hitter under the influence of LSD. Despite the no-hitter, Ellis actually walked eight Padres hitters that day – likely because he couldn’t see where the hell they or his catcher were and had no feeling for the ball in his hand, as he would later state. Pitching a no-hitter on LSD is a wild feat, but unfortunately, other substance issues would catch up with Ellis causing an erratic career and helping to lead to his death in 2008 of liver failure at 63.
June 13
San Francisco Giants pitcher Matt Cain became the 20th pitcher in modern baseball history (since 1900) to pitch a perfect game on June 13, 2012, when he did so against the Houston Astros in a 10-0 Giants win at AT&T Park in San Francisco. It was the first perfect game in Giants franchise history. Cain struck out 14 Astros hitters that night.
June 14
Michael Jordan hit what might be the most iconic shot of his career in the final seconds of game six of the 1998 NBA Finals against the Utah Jazz when he made a jumper over Jazz defender Bryon Russell to clinch an 87-86 victory and a third consecutive championship for the Chicago Bulls on June 14, 1998. It would mark the sixth title in eight years for Jordan and the Bulls and the end of Jordan’s career with the Bulls as he would announce his retirement during the offseason. He would return to the league in 2001 for a two-year stint with the Washington Wizards, in which he had an ownership stake.
June 15
The first ever moving pictures captured by a camera, using 12 cameras each taking one photo, are taken by English photographer Eadweard Muybridge on June 15, 1878. The feat is done to see if all four of a horse’s hooves leave the ground when at a gallop. 1878’s “Horse in Motion” would become the first example of chronophotography recording the passage of time. It was an integral step in the future development of motion pictures.
June 16
The inaugural Monterey International Pop Festival, a three-day music festival in Monterey Country, Calif., opened on June 16, 1967. The event, which many credits as the unofficial beginning of the “Summer of Love,” featured some of the biggest acts in rock, pop, folk, R&B and other genres at the time, including Jimi Hendrix (where he infamously set his guitar on fire at the end of his set), The Who, Grateful Dead, Otis Redding, Janis Joplin, Jefferson Airplane and others. The concert would be immortalized in the 1968 concert film “Monterey Pop,” by documentarian D.A. Pennebaker.
June 17
Pro Football Hall of Fame running back and NFL announcer O.J. Simpson embarks on a 90-minute police chase through the highways of Los Angeles, while in the backseat of his Ford Bronco with his friend and former teammate Al Cowlings behind the wheel on June 17, 1994, after failing to turn himself in on murder charges of his ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her boyfriend Ron Goldman. The police chase took the nation by storm, and even caused NBC to break into its coverage of the NBA Finals between the Houston Rockets and New York Knicks for a split-screen. Roughly 95 million people watched the chase that night. Simpson would be found “not guilty” for the two murders on Oct. 3, 1995.
June 4 - June 10
June 4
On June 4, 1970, just one month after the Ohio National Guard opened fire on students protesting the expanding involvement of the Vietnam War into Cambodia on the campus of Kent State University in Kent, Ohio killing four and wounding nine unarmed students, the rock band Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young releases the protest song “Ohio,” written by Neil Young. Young wrote the lyrics of the song after seeing images of the massacre in Life magazine. In 2009, the song was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.
June 5
On June 5, 1952, the first nationally televised sporting event in TV history takes place when the 15-round heavyweight boxing title match between Jersey Joe Walcott and Ezzard Charles is broadcast (nowhere on the Internet seems to have what network broadcast the fight!). Walcott beat Charles to retain the heavyweight title in the fourth and final matchup between the two. The boxers went 2-2 against each other.
June 6
Jockey Victor Espinoza leads American Pharoah to victory in the 147th running of the Belmont Stakes in Elmont, N.Y. on June 6, 2015, to complete the first Triple Crown victory in horse racing in 37 years. Trained by Bob Baffert and owned by Ahmed Zayat, American Pharoah also won the Breeders Cup Classic in 2015 making for one of the greatest years in horse racing history. American Pharoah was the 12th horse to win the Triple Crown.
On June 4, 1970, just one month after the Ohio National Guard opened fire on students protesting the expanding involvement of the Vietnam War into Cambodia on the campus of Kent State University in Kent, Ohio killing four and wounding nine unarmed students, the rock band Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young releases the protest song “Ohio,” written by Neil Young. Young wrote the lyrics of the song after seeing images of the massacre in Life magazine. In 2009, the song was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.
June 5
On June 5, 1952, the first nationally televised sporting event in TV history takes place when the 15-round heavyweight boxing title match between Jersey Joe Walcott and Ezzard Charles is broadcast (nowhere on the Internet seems to have what network broadcast the fight!). Walcott beat Charles to retain the heavyweight title in the fourth and final matchup between the two. The boxers went 2-2 against each other.
June 6
Jockey Victor Espinoza leads American Pharoah to victory in the 147th running of the Belmont Stakes in Elmont, N.Y. on June 6, 2015, to complete the first Triple Crown victory in horse racing in 37 years. Trained by Bob Baffert and owned by Ahmed Zayat, American Pharoah also won the Breeders Cup Classic in 2015 making for one of the greatest years in horse racing history. American Pharoah was the 12th horse to win the Triple Crown.
June 7
On June 7, 1993, music superstar Prince changes his name to an unpronounceable symbol on the occasion of his 35th birthday. The symbol, which became known as “The Love Symbol,” was done in hopes of voiding an unfavorable contract with Warner Bros. In a 2016 episode of ABC’s “20/20,” Prince’s former lawyer Londell McMillan said: “In Prince’s mind, by changing his name to a symbol, he thought he could rescind and void the contract. Because he was no longer a signatory under the name Prince Rogers Nelson. We now know that was not the case. However, it was still a very bold, courageous and clever move on his part.” Prince’s Warners deal expired in 1996 and the artist formerly known as Prince would once again resume recording and touring under his given name.
June 8
The CBS variety series “The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour,” hosted by brother comedians Tom and Dick Smothers, airs its final episode on June 8, 1969, when executives at the network fire the duo over controversies such as being critical of the Vietnam War and the political mainstream of the time while being sympathetic toward the emerging counterculture. The show ran for three seasons before the axe fell.
June 9
Secretariat, led by jockey Ron Turcotte, caps off the greatest run in Triple Crown horse racing history winning the 105th running of Belmont Stakes in Elmont, N.Y. on June 9, 1973, by 31 lengths, the largest margin in Belmont history, to become the first Triple Crown winner since Citation in 1948. Secretariat’s winning time of two minutes and 24 seconds is still the American record for a mile and a half on dirt to this day.
June 10
“Made in America,” the 86th and final episode of HBO’s critically-acclaimed drama “The Sopranos,” airs on June 10, 2007, and has many Americans wondering if their cable/satellite or DVR went out with the unique ending that abruptly cuts to black. The series, created by David Chase, would run for six award-winning seasons, which included 21 Primetime Emmy Award wins. In 2022, Rolling Stone magazine ranked “The Sopranos” as the greatest television series of all time.
May 28 - June 3
May 28
Jazz musician Herb Alpert and his band the Tijuana Brass have four of the top 10 albums on the Billboard chart at the same time on May 28, 1966, setting a record for most albums in the top 10 at once. The albums are What Now My Love, Whipped Cream and Other Delights, South of the Border and Going Places.
May 29
Janet Guthrie becomes the first female racer to qualify for the Indianapolis 500 and competes in the race on May 29, 1977. Guthrie had first attempted to qualify for the Indy 500 in 1976 but failed to make the field. Guthrie started the ’77 race in 26th position before falling out of the race with an engine failure having completed only 27 laps. A.J. Foyt would win his record fourth Indianapolis 500 that day and it would become the last time the winning car would be built entirely within the United States. Guthrie would go on to compete in two more Indy 500s with a best finish of ninth in 1978. In 1977, Guthrie also became the first female driver to start in NASCAR’s Daytona 500.
May 30
The inaugural Indianapolis 500 is held on May 30, 1911, when Ray Harroun came out of retirement to wheel a Marmon Wasp for the Nordyke & Marmon Company to victory with an average speed of 74.602 mph. Harroun, who collected $10,000 for winning, retired for good following the race. The inaugural race took 6 hours and 42 minutes to complete.
May 31
On May 31, 1985, the Parents Music Resource Center (PMRC), led by Tipper Gore – the wife of then Tennessee Senator (and future Vice President) Al Gore, sent its first letter to the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) requesting a ratings system for albums. Despite the objections of many artists, the end result is record labels placing warning stickers on albums containing “offensive” lyrics. Some artists would soon find that the parental advisory stickers made their albums more successful with younger music listeners.
June 1
Leslie Howard, a British actor who was one of the biggest box office draws of the 1930s and played the role of Ashley Wilkes in 1939’s “Gone with the Wind,” is killed along with 16 others when a civilian flight from Lisbon, Portugal to London, England was shot down by a Nazi aircraft on June 1, 1943. Howard had been in Portugal to help promote the British cause during World War II.
June 2
The crime drama “The Wire,” created by David Simon, premiered on HBO on June 2, 2002. The show, set in Baltimore, Md., introduced a different institution of the city and its relationship to law enforcement in each season, focusing on the illegal drug trade, the port system, government bureaucracy and more. The cast featured Dominic West, Idris Elba and Michael K. Williams in star making turns. The series, which ran for 60 episodes over five seasons, was never greatly watched at the time of its airing and has largely become considered as the greatest series of all-time to never win an Emmy Award. The series was ranked as the fourth best in television history by Rolling Stone magazine in 2022.
June 3
The iconic poem “Casey at the Bat,” written by Ernest Thayer is first published in the San Francisco Examiner (then called The Daily Examiner) on June 3, 1888. The “mock-heroic” poem, published under the pen name “Phin,” is a dramatic telling of a baseball game in which the home team Mudville is losing in the final inning and the crowd believes they can win if the team’s star player Casey gets to bat (but he’s scheduled fifth in the inning). The overconfident Casey winds up batting, strikes out swinging and sends the crowd home unhappy. “Casey at the Bat” has become one of the most known poems in American literature.
Jazz musician Herb Alpert and his band the Tijuana Brass have four of the top 10 albums on the Billboard chart at the same time on May 28, 1966, setting a record for most albums in the top 10 at once. The albums are What Now My Love, Whipped Cream and Other Delights, South of the Border and Going Places.
May 29
Janet Guthrie becomes the first female racer to qualify for the Indianapolis 500 and competes in the race on May 29, 1977. Guthrie had first attempted to qualify for the Indy 500 in 1976 but failed to make the field. Guthrie started the ’77 race in 26th position before falling out of the race with an engine failure having completed only 27 laps. A.J. Foyt would win his record fourth Indianapolis 500 that day and it would become the last time the winning car would be built entirely within the United States. Guthrie would go on to compete in two more Indy 500s with a best finish of ninth in 1978. In 1977, Guthrie also became the first female driver to start in NASCAR’s Daytona 500.
May 30
The inaugural Indianapolis 500 is held on May 30, 1911, when Ray Harroun came out of retirement to wheel a Marmon Wasp for the Nordyke & Marmon Company to victory with an average speed of 74.602 mph. Harroun, who collected $10,000 for winning, retired for good following the race. The inaugural race took 6 hours and 42 minutes to complete.
May 31
On May 31, 1985, the Parents Music Resource Center (PMRC), led by Tipper Gore – the wife of then Tennessee Senator (and future Vice President) Al Gore, sent its first letter to the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) requesting a ratings system for albums. Despite the objections of many artists, the end result is record labels placing warning stickers on albums containing “offensive” lyrics. Some artists would soon find that the parental advisory stickers made their albums more successful with younger music listeners.
June 1
Leslie Howard, a British actor who was one of the biggest box office draws of the 1930s and played the role of Ashley Wilkes in 1939’s “Gone with the Wind,” is killed along with 16 others when a civilian flight from Lisbon, Portugal to London, England was shot down by a Nazi aircraft on June 1, 1943. Howard had been in Portugal to help promote the British cause during World War II.
June 2
The crime drama “The Wire,” created by David Simon, premiered on HBO on June 2, 2002. The show, set in Baltimore, Md., introduced a different institution of the city and its relationship to law enforcement in each season, focusing on the illegal drug trade, the port system, government bureaucracy and more. The cast featured Dominic West, Idris Elba and Michael K. Williams in star making turns. The series, which ran for 60 episodes over five seasons, was never greatly watched at the time of its airing and has largely become considered as the greatest series of all-time to never win an Emmy Award. The series was ranked as the fourth best in television history by Rolling Stone magazine in 2022.
June 3
The iconic poem “Casey at the Bat,” written by Ernest Thayer is first published in the San Francisco Examiner (then called The Daily Examiner) on June 3, 1888. The “mock-heroic” poem, published under the pen name “Phin,” is a dramatic telling of a baseball game in which the home team Mudville is losing in the final inning and the crowd believes they can win if the team’s star player Casey gets to bat (but he’s scheduled fifth in the inning). The overconfident Casey winds up batting, strikes out swinging and sends the crowd home unhappy. “Casey at the Bat” has become one of the most known poems in American literature.
May 21 - May 27
May 21
The final episode of Bob Newhart’s second successful television sitcom, “Newhart,” airs on CBS on May 21, 1990, with a memorable twist ending that paid tribute to Newhart’s first successful sitcom, “The Bob Newhart Show,” which aired on CBS from 1972-1978. “Newhart” lasted longer than the comedian’s first series, running for 184 episodes over eight seasons from 1982-1990.
May 22
Johnny Carson hosts his final episode of NBC’s “The Tonight Show” after 30 years and 4,531 episodes on May 22, 1992, at the helm of the program that made him one of the most famous faces and names in American pop culture. Carson’s final episode included many clips of his storied run as host of “The Tonight Show.” His final guests, the night before, had been comedian/actor Robin Williams and entertainer Bette Midler.
May 23
The U.S. Library of Congress hands out the first-ever Gershwin Award to Paul Simon on May 23, 2007. The Gershwin Award recognizes a “performer whose lifetime contributions exemplify the standard of excellence associated with the Gershwins.” Simon’s career, which began in 1964 with Simon & Garfunkel and has continued as a solo artist for 50-plus years, has included such lasting hits as “The Sound of Silence,” “Bridge Over Troubled Water,” “The Boxer,” “Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard,” “You Can Call Me Al” and “Graceland.”
May 24
The first Major League Baseball night game takes place on May 24, 1935, at Cincinnati’s Crosley Field, where the hometown Reds take on the Philadelphia Phillies in front of 25,000 fans. U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt symbolically switched on the lights from Washington D.C. and poof the lights lit up Crosley Field in Cincy. The Reds defeated the Phillies 2-1. It wouldn’t be long before night games were regularly played among all teams, though Wrigley Field in Chicago would hold out for an incredible 53 more seasons before its first night game on August 8, 1988.
May 25
“The Dick Van Dyke Show” dominates the 16th annual Emmy Awards for excellence in primetime television on May 25, 1964. The CBS series would win Outstanding Comedy Series for the second straight year (it would go on to win three in a row). Dick Van Dyke won his first of three straight Emmys for his role as Rob Petrie on the show and Mary Tyler Moore won the first of her two Emmys for her portrayal of Rob’s wife Laura on the show. “The Defenders” (CBS) would win its third consecutive Emmy for Outstanding Drama Series that night.
May 26
Danny Sullivan wins the Indianapolis 500 on May 26, 1985, in one of the most memorable, exciting and unbelievable fashions. Sullivan was passing Mario Andretti for the lead of the race on lap 120 (the 60 percent point of the race) when he lost control of his car and spun directly in front of Andretti doing a complete 360-degree spin. Andretti veered to the inside of Sullivan’s spinning car unscathed and Sullivan somehow avoided contact with the track’s wall. Sullivan gathered up his car, continued and amazingly passed Andretti for the lead again 20 laps later. Sullivan would go on to win the race by 24 seconds over Andretti in a moment that would forever be known as the “Spin and Win.”
May 27
One of the funniest moments to ever take place on a baseball diamond happened on May 27, 1981, when Seattle Mariners third baseman Lenny Randle took to his hands and knees to attempt to blow a slow-rolling dribbler down the third base line by Kansas City Royals outfielder Amos Otis into foul territory. Randle was successful in his attempt to blow the ball into foul territory but the umpires ruled Randle’s action illegal and ruled Otis safe. There is no written rule in the Major League Baseball rulebook against blowing a ball foul, but rule 9.01(c) gives umps the discretion to make any ruling on anything not covered in the rulebook.
The final episode of Bob Newhart’s second successful television sitcom, “Newhart,” airs on CBS on May 21, 1990, with a memorable twist ending that paid tribute to Newhart’s first successful sitcom, “The Bob Newhart Show,” which aired on CBS from 1972-1978. “Newhart” lasted longer than the comedian’s first series, running for 184 episodes over eight seasons from 1982-1990.
May 22
Johnny Carson hosts his final episode of NBC’s “The Tonight Show” after 30 years and 4,531 episodes on May 22, 1992, at the helm of the program that made him one of the most famous faces and names in American pop culture. Carson’s final episode included many clips of his storied run as host of “The Tonight Show.” His final guests, the night before, had been comedian/actor Robin Williams and entertainer Bette Midler.
May 23
The U.S. Library of Congress hands out the first-ever Gershwin Award to Paul Simon on May 23, 2007. The Gershwin Award recognizes a “performer whose lifetime contributions exemplify the standard of excellence associated with the Gershwins.” Simon’s career, which began in 1964 with Simon & Garfunkel and has continued as a solo artist for 50-plus years, has included such lasting hits as “The Sound of Silence,” “Bridge Over Troubled Water,” “The Boxer,” “Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard,” “You Can Call Me Al” and “Graceland.”
May 24
The first Major League Baseball night game takes place on May 24, 1935, at Cincinnati’s Crosley Field, where the hometown Reds take on the Philadelphia Phillies in front of 25,000 fans. U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt symbolically switched on the lights from Washington D.C. and poof the lights lit up Crosley Field in Cincy. The Reds defeated the Phillies 2-1. It wouldn’t be long before night games were regularly played among all teams, though Wrigley Field in Chicago would hold out for an incredible 53 more seasons before its first night game on August 8, 1988.
May 25
“The Dick Van Dyke Show” dominates the 16th annual Emmy Awards for excellence in primetime television on May 25, 1964. The CBS series would win Outstanding Comedy Series for the second straight year (it would go on to win three in a row). Dick Van Dyke won his first of three straight Emmys for his role as Rob Petrie on the show and Mary Tyler Moore won the first of her two Emmys for her portrayal of Rob’s wife Laura on the show. “The Defenders” (CBS) would win its third consecutive Emmy for Outstanding Drama Series that night.
May 26
Danny Sullivan wins the Indianapolis 500 on May 26, 1985, in one of the most memorable, exciting and unbelievable fashions. Sullivan was passing Mario Andretti for the lead of the race on lap 120 (the 60 percent point of the race) when he lost control of his car and spun directly in front of Andretti doing a complete 360-degree spin. Andretti veered to the inside of Sullivan’s spinning car unscathed and Sullivan somehow avoided contact with the track’s wall. Sullivan gathered up his car, continued and amazingly passed Andretti for the lead again 20 laps later. Sullivan would go on to win the race by 24 seconds over Andretti in a moment that would forever be known as the “Spin and Win.”
May 27
One of the funniest moments to ever take place on a baseball diamond happened on May 27, 1981, when Seattle Mariners third baseman Lenny Randle took to his hands and knees to attempt to blow a slow-rolling dribbler down the third base line by Kansas City Royals outfielder Amos Otis into foul territory. Randle was successful in his attempt to blow the ball into foul territory but the umpires ruled Randle’s action illegal and ruled Otis safe. There is no written rule in the Major League Baseball rulebook against blowing a ball foul, but rule 9.01(c) gives umps the discretion to make any ruling on anything not covered in the rulebook.
May 14 - May 20
May 14
“Jeanne Dielman, 23 Quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles,” a cult feminist film written and directed by Chantal Ackerman and starring Delphine Seyrig premieres at the 1975 Cannes Film Festival. The film is a slice-of-life depiction of a widowed housewife over the course of three days told in long takes, static camerawork and with a restrained pace. The film topped the once-a-decade Sight and Sound Greatest Films of All Time list in 2022.
May 15
Hip-hop legend Jay-Z made rap history when he became the first rapper ever inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame on May 15, 2017. The Hall of Fame, currently located in the Grammy Museum in Los Angeles, was founded in 1969. Shawn “Jay-Z” Carter was inducted alongside Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds, Berry Gordy, Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis and Robert Lamm & James Pankow.
May 16
The first-ever Academy Awards, presented by the newly founded Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences, for excellence in the film industry, are held on May 16, 1929, at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel in Los Angeles. The inaugural event, which lasted only 15 minutes, is the only ceremony in the history of the awards to not be broadcast on either radio or television. “Wings,” directed by William A. Wellman, won the first Best Picture award, although there were kind of two “Best Pictures” with F.W. Murnau’s “Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans” winning Best Unique and Artistic Picture. Emil Jannings was the first Best Actor winner for his performances in “The Last Command” and “The Way of All Flesh” and Janet Gaynor was the first Best Actress winner for “7th Heaven,” “Street Angel” and “Sunrise.”
May 17
New York Yankees pitcher David Wells pitches the 13th perfect game in modern Major League Baseball history (since 1903) in a 4-0 win against the Minnesota Twins on May 17, 1998. Wells pitched the perfect game in front of nearly 50,000 at Yankee Stadiums in New York City. Wells struck out 11 Twins batters en route to the perfect game. He would help lead the Yankees to the 1998 World Series title against the San Diego Padres that season.
May 18
“Shrek,” one of the biggest releases in the history of DreamWorks Pictures, premieres in the United States on May 18, 2001. The film stars Mike Myers as the titular giant green ogre and Eddie Murphy as his sidekick Donkey who find their home in the swamp overrun by fairy tale characters banished from Lord Farquadd (John Lithgow) and make a deal to get it back by rescuing Princess Fiona (Cameron Diaz). “Shrek” would go on to win the inaugural Academy Award for Best Animated Feature and it was the fourth highest-grossing film of 2001. There have been five sequels and spin-offs of the movie in the 22 years since its premiere.
May 19
Actress Marilyn Monroe memorably sings “Happy Birthday, Mr. President” in an intimate, sultry way to President John F. Kennedy in front of 15,000 attendees at a gala held for his 45th birthday at Madison Square Garden in New York City. It’s long been rumored, but never proven that Monroe and Kennedy had an affair. Both Monroe and Kennedy would be dead by the end of the next year. The gala for President Kennedy was one of Monroe’s final public appearances with her death from an overdose on August 4, 1962, coming at 36. President Kennedy would be assassinated on November 22, 1963, in Dallas, Texas at 46.
May 20
After 33 years on late night television between NBC’s ‘Late Night’ and CBS’s ‘Late Show,’ David Letterman hosts the ‘Late Show’ for the final time on May 20, 2015. The final episode, which ran 17 minutes longer than the typical 60-minute episode length, was Letterman’s 6,028th show as a late-night host. The show featured a top-10 list presented by some of the show’s most memorable guests over the years like Bill Murray, Jerry Seinfeld, Steve Martin, Chris Rock and Tina Fey and the final musical guest was the Foo Fighters, who played Letterman’s favorite song “Everlong” as a montage of Letterman’s 33 years in late night aired on the screen.
“Jeanne Dielman, 23 Quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles,” a cult feminist film written and directed by Chantal Ackerman and starring Delphine Seyrig premieres at the 1975 Cannes Film Festival. The film is a slice-of-life depiction of a widowed housewife over the course of three days told in long takes, static camerawork and with a restrained pace. The film topped the once-a-decade Sight and Sound Greatest Films of All Time list in 2022.
May 15
Hip-hop legend Jay-Z made rap history when he became the first rapper ever inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame on May 15, 2017. The Hall of Fame, currently located in the Grammy Museum in Los Angeles, was founded in 1969. Shawn “Jay-Z” Carter was inducted alongside Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds, Berry Gordy, Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis and Robert Lamm & James Pankow.
May 16
The first-ever Academy Awards, presented by the newly founded Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences, for excellence in the film industry, are held on May 16, 1929, at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel in Los Angeles. The inaugural event, which lasted only 15 minutes, is the only ceremony in the history of the awards to not be broadcast on either radio or television. “Wings,” directed by William A. Wellman, won the first Best Picture award, although there were kind of two “Best Pictures” with F.W. Murnau’s “Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans” winning Best Unique and Artistic Picture. Emil Jannings was the first Best Actor winner for his performances in “The Last Command” and “The Way of All Flesh” and Janet Gaynor was the first Best Actress winner for “7th Heaven,” “Street Angel” and “Sunrise.”
May 17
New York Yankees pitcher David Wells pitches the 13th perfect game in modern Major League Baseball history (since 1903) in a 4-0 win against the Minnesota Twins on May 17, 1998. Wells pitched the perfect game in front of nearly 50,000 at Yankee Stadiums in New York City. Wells struck out 11 Twins batters en route to the perfect game. He would help lead the Yankees to the 1998 World Series title against the San Diego Padres that season.
May 18
“Shrek,” one of the biggest releases in the history of DreamWorks Pictures, premieres in the United States on May 18, 2001. The film stars Mike Myers as the titular giant green ogre and Eddie Murphy as his sidekick Donkey who find their home in the swamp overrun by fairy tale characters banished from Lord Farquadd (John Lithgow) and make a deal to get it back by rescuing Princess Fiona (Cameron Diaz). “Shrek” would go on to win the inaugural Academy Award for Best Animated Feature and it was the fourth highest-grossing film of 2001. There have been five sequels and spin-offs of the movie in the 22 years since its premiere.
May 19
Actress Marilyn Monroe memorably sings “Happy Birthday, Mr. President” in an intimate, sultry way to President John F. Kennedy in front of 15,000 attendees at a gala held for his 45th birthday at Madison Square Garden in New York City. It’s long been rumored, but never proven that Monroe and Kennedy had an affair. Both Monroe and Kennedy would be dead by the end of the next year. The gala for President Kennedy was one of Monroe’s final public appearances with her death from an overdose on August 4, 1962, coming at 36. President Kennedy would be assassinated on November 22, 1963, in Dallas, Texas at 46.
May 20
After 33 years on late night television between NBC’s ‘Late Night’ and CBS’s ‘Late Show,’ David Letterman hosts the ‘Late Show’ for the final time on May 20, 2015. The final episode, which ran 17 minutes longer than the typical 60-minute episode length, was Letterman’s 6,028th show as a late-night host. The show featured a top-10 list presented by some of the show’s most memorable guests over the years like Bill Murray, Jerry Seinfeld, Steve Martin, Chris Rock and Tina Fey and the final musical guest was the Foo Fighters, who played Letterman’s favorite song “Everlong” as a montage of Letterman’s 33 years in late night aired on the screen.
May 7 - May 13
May 7
The Denver Nuggets pulled off an overtime stunner on May 7, 1994, when the team beat the Seattle SuperSonics 98-94 becoming the first No. 8 seed in NBA playoff history to upset a No. 1 seed since the NBA adopted its current playoff format a decade prior. The SuperSonics had won a franchise record 63 games before running into Denver coach Dan Issel’s squad led by big men Dikembe Mutombo, LaPhonso Ellis and Brian Williams forcing Seattle’s stars Shawn Kemp and Gary Payton into ineffective game 7 performances. The most memorable image from Denver’s historic win was Mutombo lying on the court with the ball in his hands screaming and crying tears of joy. Since that date, the No. 8 seed has gone on to upset the No. 1 seed four more times, including the current NBA Playoffs in which the Miami Heat did so to the Milwaukee Bucks.
May 8
“Dr. No,” the first James Bond movie, directed by Terence Young and starring Sean Connery in the lead role as Agent 007, premiered on May 8, 1963, in the United States. The character based on the series of spy novels by British novelist Ian Fleming would be sent to Jamaica in “Dr. No” to investigate the disappearance of a fellow British agent while coming across the nefarious Dr. Julius No plotting to disrupt an American space launch with a radio beam weapon. “Dr. No” would earn $59.5 million worldwide and lead to a series that has spanned 25 films and six actors (and counting) as Bond.
May 9
On May 1974, Bruce Springsteen receives a career boost when he gets the chance to open for Bonnie Raitt at her Boston Arena show. Raitt insisted Springsteen play a full two-hour, unusual for an opening act, and he was so impressive it led to journalist Jon Landau writing in Boston’s The Real Paper: “I saw rock and roll future, and its name is Bruce Springsteen. And on a night when I needed to feel young, he made me feel like I was hearing music for the very first time.” Landau would soon become Springsteen’s manager and producer and his career would skyrocket.
May 10
Boston Bruins superstar Bobby Orr scores his famous overtime winner in game four of the 1970 NHL Stanley Cup Final at the Boston Garden to lead the Bruins to a four-game sweep of the St. Louis Blues. It’s the Bruins’ first title since 1941. The image, captured by photographer Ray Lussier, of Orr flying through the air in celebration is one of the most famous in both hockey and sports history.
May 11
On May 11, 1981, reggae and Jamaican legend Bob Marley dies at age 36 following a long battle with cancer. Marley had done more than perhaps any other artist in the genre of reggae to bring it to the mainstream with albums like 1977’s Exodus and songs like “Get Up, Stand Up,” “I Shot the Sheriff,” “No Woman, No Cry” and “Three Little Birds.” Marley was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1994.
May 12
Folk star Bob Dylan refuses to appear on “The Ed Sullivan Show” when they won’t let him play the song “Talkin’ John Birch Paranoid Blues” on May 12, 1963. The song, which was intended for his 1963 album The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan, is a satire involving a paranoid narrator who is convinced communists are infiltrating the country and joins the anti-communist John Birch Society and begins to search the commies out. CBS worried that including the show on the show could result in a defamation lawsuit from the John Birch Society and wanted Dylan to perform a different song. He refused and walked off the set. The refusal led to national attention and Columbia Records, concerned about lawsuits and backlash, removed the track from the upcoming album.
May 13
The first-ever race of the newly created Formula 1 World Drivers Championship series was run at Silverstone, England on May 13, 1950, and won by Italian driver Giuseppe Farina in an Alfa Romeo. Farina would go on to win the championship by three points over future five-time champion Juan Manuel Fangio of Argentina.
The Denver Nuggets pulled off an overtime stunner on May 7, 1994, when the team beat the Seattle SuperSonics 98-94 becoming the first No. 8 seed in NBA playoff history to upset a No. 1 seed since the NBA adopted its current playoff format a decade prior. The SuperSonics had won a franchise record 63 games before running into Denver coach Dan Issel’s squad led by big men Dikembe Mutombo, LaPhonso Ellis and Brian Williams forcing Seattle’s stars Shawn Kemp and Gary Payton into ineffective game 7 performances. The most memorable image from Denver’s historic win was Mutombo lying on the court with the ball in his hands screaming and crying tears of joy. Since that date, the No. 8 seed has gone on to upset the No. 1 seed four more times, including the current NBA Playoffs in which the Miami Heat did so to the Milwaukee Bucks.
May 8
“Dr. No,” the first James Bond movie, directed by Terence Young and starring Sean Connery in the lead role as Agent 007, premiered on May 8, 1963, in the United States. The character based on the series of spy novels by British novelist Ian Fleming would be sent to Jamaica in “Dr. No” to investigate the disappearance of a fellow British agent while coming across the nefarious Dr. Julius No plotting to disrupt an American space launch with a radio beam weapon. “Dr. No” would earn $59.5 million worldwide and lead to a series that has spanned 25 films and six actors (and counting) as Bond.
May 9
On May 1974, Bruce Springsteen receives a career boost when he gets the chance to open for Bonnie Raitt at her Boston Arena show. Raitt insisted Springsteen play a full two-hour, unusual for an opening act, and he was so impressive it led to journalist Jon Landau writing in Boston’s The Real Paper: “I saw rock and roll future, and its name is Bruce Springsteen. And on a night when I needed to feel young, he made me feel like I was hearing music for the very first time.” Landau would soon become Springsteen’s manager and producer and his career would skyrocket.
May 10
Boston Bruins superstar Bobby Orr scores his famous overtime winner in game four of the 1970 NHL Stanley Cup Final at the Boston Garden to lead the Bruins to a four-game sweep of the St. Louis Blues. It’s the Bruins’ first title since 1941. The image, captured by photographer Ray Lussier, of Orr flying through the air in celebration is one of the most famous in both hockey and sports history.
May 11
On May 11, 1981, reggae and Jamaican legend Bob Marley dies at age 36 following a long battle with cancer. Marley had done more than perhaps any other artist in the genre of reggae to bring it to the mainstream with albums like 1977’s Exodus and songs like “Get Up, Stand Up,” “I Shot the Sheriff,” “No Woman, No Cry” and “Three Little Birds.” Marley was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1994.
May 12
Folk star Bob Dylan refuses to appear on “The Ed Sullivan Show” when they won’t let him play the song “Talkin’ John Birch Paranoid Blues” on May 12, 1963. The song, which was intended for his 1963 album The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan, is a satire involving a paranoid narrator who is convinced communists are infiltrating the country and joins the anti-communist John Birch Society and begins to search the commies out. CBS worried that including the show on the show could result in a defamation lawsuit from the John Birch Society and wanted Dylan to perform a different song. He refused and walked off the set. The refusal led to national attention and Columbia Records, concerned about lawsuits and backlash, removed the track from the upcoming album.
May 13
The first-ever race of the newly created Formula 1 World Drivers Championship series was run at Silverstone, England on May 13, 1950, and won by Italian driver Giuseppe Farina in an Alfa Romeo. Farina would go on to win the championship by three points over future five-time champion Juan Manuel Fangio of Argentina.
April 30 - May 6
April 30
Mr. Potato Head, a toy potato with a face invented by George Lerner and manufactured and distributed by Hasbro, was the first toy to ever be advertised on a television commercial on April 30, 1952. The toy didn’t look quite the way it does today – and has been called “nightmare-inducing” by some online. More than 70 years later, Mr. Potato Head (with its less scary appearance) toys can still be purchased. It was inducted into the National Toy Hall of Fame in 2000 and has appeared in all four of Pixar’s ‘Toy Story’ movies voiced by comedian Don Rickles.
May 1
Tennis legend Billie Jean King publicly acknowledged she was in a lesbian relationship with Marilyn Barnett on May 1, 1981, becoming the first prominent sportswoman to announce they were gay. King is one of the winningest women’s tennis players of all-time winning 12 singles major tournaments, including six Wimbledon titles, from 1966-1975. She famously defeated Bobby Riggs in the televised exhibition known as the “Battles of the Sexes” in 1973 at age 29. She competed in singles matches from 1959-1983. She’s also been a champion for pay equality both in tennis and other areas of life.
May 2
“Iron Man,” the first film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, is released in the United States on May 2, 2008. The film is directed by Jon Favreau and stars Robert Downey Jr. as the lead Tony Stark and the titular Iron Man superhero. “Iron Man” grossed over $585 million becoming the eighth-highest-grossing film of 2008 and it started the superhero era of filmmaking that’s taken over cinema over the last decade and a half.
May 3
Kitty Wells was a country music barrier breaker when her hit “It Wasn’t God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels” made her the first female country singer to top the U.S. country charts in 1952. The song, written by J.D. “Jay” Miller as a direct response to Hank Thompson’s hit “The Wild Side of Life,” was recorded by Wells on May 3, 1952. The song established Wells as a country music superstar and helped pave the way for future country music legends like Loretta Lynn, Tammy Wynette and Dolly Parton. The song was inducted into the Library of Congress’s National Recording Registry in 2007.
Mr. Potato Head, a toy potato with a face invented by George Lerner and manufactured and distributed by Hasbro, was the first toy to ever be advertised on a television commercial on April 30, 1952. The toy didn’t look quite the way it does today – and has been called “nightmare-inducing” by some online. More than 70 years later, Mr. Potato Head (with its less scary appearance) toys can still be purchased. It was inducted into the National Toy Hall of Fame in 2000 and has appeared in all four of Pixar’s ‘Toy Story’ movies voiced by comedian Don Rickles.
May 1
Tennis legend Billie Jean King publicly acknowledged she was in a lesbian relationship with Marilyn Barnett on May 1, 1981, becoming the first prominent sportswoman to announce they were gay. King is one of the winningest women’s tennis players of all-time winning 12 singles major tournaments, including six Wimbledon titles, from 1966-1975. She famously defeated Bobby Riggs in the televised exhibition known as the “Battles of the Sexes” in 1973 at age 29. She competed in singles matches from 1959-1983. She’s also been a champion for pay equality both in tennis and other areas of life.
May 2
“Iron Man,” the first film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, is released in the United States on May 2, 2008. The film is directed by Jon Favreau and stars Robert Downey Jr. as the lead Tony Stark and the titular Iron Man superhero. “Iron Man” grossed over $585 million becoming the eighth-highest-grossing film of 2008 and it started the superhero era of filmmaking that’s taken over cinema over the last decade and a half.
May 3
Kitty Wells was a country music barrier breaker when her hit “It Wasn’t God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels” made her the first female country singer to top the U.S. country charts in 1952. The song, written by J.D. “Jay” Miller as a direct response to Hank Thompson’s hit “The Wild Side of Life,” was recorded by Wells on May 3, 1952. The song established Wells as a country music superstar and helped pave the way for future country music legends like Loretta Lynn, Tammy Wynette and Dolly Parton. The song was inducted into the Library of Congress’s National Recording Registry in 2007.
May 4
The first-ever Grammy Awards are held in two different locations – Los Angeles and New York City – on May 4, 1959, recognizing the best musical accomplishments and performers for the year 1958. The first ever Record of the Year went to Domenico Modugno for “Nel Blu Dipinto di Blu (Volare).” Modugno and co-writer Franco Migliacci would win Song of the Year for the track. The first Album of the Year went to The Music from Peter Gunn by composer Henry Mancini. Other winners included Ella Fitzgerald, Count Basie, Perry Como, The Kingston Trio and The Champs.
May 5
Boston Americans ace pitcher Cy Young, who would one day become the name-bearer on the award given to the game’s best pitchers each season, pitched the first perfect game in modern-day baseball history (1901-present) in a 3-0 win over the Philadelphia Athletics on May 5, 1904. The 37-year-old hurler struck out eight Athletics hitters that day in front of more than 10,000 spectators at Boston’s Huntington Avenue Grounds.
May 6
English track athlete Roger Bannister, age 25, became the first athlete to record a sub-four-minute mile on May 6, 1954, during a British AAA and Oxford University meet at the Iffley Road Track in Oxford in front of about 3,000 spectators. The historical moment was almost postponed to another day by up to 25 MPH winds, but when they dropped just before the race was scheduled to begin, Bannister decided to give it a go. He completed the mile in 3:59.4. The current record for a mile run is 3:43.13 by Moroccan Hicham El Guerrouj, set in 1999. Bannister went on to be a neurologist following his track career and once said he was prouder of his academic medicine through research into the nervous system’s responses than the record-setting mile run. Bannister died at age 88 in 2018.
The first-ever Grammy Awards are held in two different locations – Los Angeles and New York City – on May 4, 1959, recognizing the best musical accomplishments and performers for the year 1958. The first ever Record of the Year went to Domenico Modugno for “Nel Blu Dipinto di Blu (Volare).” Modugno and co-writer Franco Migliacci would win Song of the Year for the track. The first Album of the Year went to The Music from Peter Gunn by composer Henry Mancini. Other winners included Ella Fitzgerald, Count Basie, Perry Como, The Kingston Trio and The Champs.
May 5
Boston Americans ace pitcher Cy Young, who would one day become the name-bearer on the award given to the game’s best pitchers each season, pitched the first perfect game in modern-day baseball history (1901-present) in a 3-0 win over the Philadelphia Athletics on May 5, 1904. The 37-year-old hurler struck out eight Athletics hitters that day in front of more than 10,000 spectators at Boston’s Huntington Avenue Grounds.
May 6
English track athlete Roger Bannister, age 25, became the first athlete to record a sub-four-minute mile on May 6, 1954, during a British AAA and Oxford University meet at the Iffley Road Track in Oxford in front of about 3,000 spectators. The historical moment was almost postponed to another day by up to 25 MPH winds, but when they dropped just before the race was scheduled to begin, Bannister decided to give it a go. He completed the mile in 3:59.4. The current record for a mile run is 3:43.13 by Moroccan Hicham El Guerrouj, set in 1999. Bannister went on to be a neurologist following his track career and once said he was prouder of his academic medicine through research into the nervous system’s responses than the record-setting mile run. Bannister died at age 88 in 2018.
April 23 - April 29
April 23
The Dallas Cowboys selected UCLA quarterback Troy Aikman as the first overall pick in the NFL Draft on April 23, 1989. Aikman was UCLA’s first Davey O’Brien Award winner given to college football’s best quarterback in his senior year. Aikman would lead the Cowboys to three Super Bowl titles during his 12-year hall-of-fame NFL career. Aikman would retire after the 2000 season with a 94-71 career record, almost 33,000 passing yards and 165 touchdown passes.
April 24
“Saturday Night Live” executive producer Lorne Michaels appears around the halfway point of the first season’s 18th episode hosted by actress Raquel Welch on April 24, 1976, to offer The Beatles $3,000 (union scale being the joke) to reunite on the show. Paul McCartney and John Lennon were actually watching the episode live from Lennon’s New York City apartment and considered showing up but ultimately passed on the opportunity. In November of that year, George Harrison would be the musical guest during a season two episode hosted by fellow musician Paul Simon in which he (jokingly) tried to accept Michaels’s offer with the producer explaining the check was for all four Beatles to appear together. The Beatles never reunited with the chance to do so ending with John Lennon’s death via assassination in 1980.
April 25
“Big River: The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn,” a musical based on Mark Twain’s classic 1884 novel, with a boom by William Hauptman and music and lyrics by country music superstar Roger Miller premieres on Broadway on April 25, 1985. The original production of ‘Big River’ would run for more than 1,000 performances and would go on to win seven Tony Awards, including Best Musical and Best Original Score for Miller.
April 26
The Baltimore Colts selected Stanford quarterback John Elway as the first overall pick in the NFL Draft on April 26, 1983, despite the QB’s warning that he would not play for the Colts, one of the league’s worst franchises at the time. Elway threatened to play Major League Baseball with the New York Yankees, who had drafted him if the Colts drafted him. The Colts selected him anyway with the first pick, and Elway stated in a press conference that day: “As I stand here right now, I’m playing baseball.” One week later the Colts traded Elway to the Denver Broncos for offensive lineman Chris Hinton (whom Denver drafted fourth overall in the same draft), backup quarterback Mark Herrmann and a first-round pick in the 1984 draft. The Colts would controversially relocate to Indianapolis in 1984. Elway would spend his 16-year hall-of-fame career in Denver, where he won back-to-back Super Bowls in his last two seasons.
April 27
Undefeated heavyweight boxing champion Rocky Marciano announced his retirement from the sport on April 27, 1956, at age 32 with a career record of 49-0. To this day, he’s the only heavyweight champion to have ever finished his career undefeated. He first took the heavyweight title from Jersey Joe Walcott in 1952 and defended it six times, against Walcott, Roland La Starza, Ezzard Charles (twice), Don Cockell and Archie Moore. Forty-three of his 49 career victories came via knockout. Marciano died on August 31, 1969, in a plane crash in Iowa at only 45.
April 28
Apple launched the iTunes store, the first widely successful legal music download app, on April 28, 2003, thanks to the emergence of the company’s mini music player known as the iPod. By July 11, 2004, the store had received 100 million song purchases. The 1 billion sold mark came on February 23, 2006, when Alex Ostrovsky of West Bloomfield, Mich. purchased Coldplay’s “Speed of Sound.” More than 35 billion songs have been sold on the iTunes store. The creation of iTunes was a boon to music fans who could now carry their entire library of music in their pockets but also proved controversial in changing the music industry to more of a singles purchase business than an album sales one.
April 29
On April 29, 2018, the Fox animated series “The Simpsons” aired its 636th episode, “Forgive and Regret,” which surpassed the 635-episode count of the long-running CBS Western “Gunsmoke” for most episodes aired by a television series in, at least, American television history. The series, featuring Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie Simpson, continues to this date and has aired 746 episodes thus far.
The Dallas Cowboys selected UCLA quarterback Troy Aikman as the first overall pick in the NFL Draft on April 23, 1989. Aikman was UCLA’s first Davey O’Brien Award winner given to college football’s best quarterback in his senior year. Aikman would lead the Cowboys to three Super Bowl titles during his 12-year hall-of-fame NFL career. Aikman would retire after the 2000 season with a 94-71 career record, almost 33,000 passing yards and 165 touchdown passes.
April 24
“Saturday Night Live” executive producer Lorne Michaels appears around the halfway point of the first season’s 18th episode hosted by actress Raquel Welch on April 24, 1976, to offer The Beatles $3,000 (union scale being the joke) to reunite on the show. Paul McCartney and John Lennon were actually watching the episode live from Lennon’s New York City apartment and considered showing up but ultimately passed on the opportunity. In November of that year, George Harrison would be the musical guest during a season two episode hosted by fellow musician Paul Simon in which he (jokingly) tried to accept Michaels’s offer with the producer explaining the check was for all four Beatles to appear together. The Beatles never reunited with the chance to do so ending with John Lennon’s death via assassination in 1980.
April 25
“Big River: The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn,” a musical based on Mark Twain’s classic 1884 novel, with a boom by William Hauptman and music and lyrics by country music superstar Roger Miller premieres on Broadway on April 25, 1985. The original production of ‘Big River’ would run for more than 1,000 performances and would go on to win seven Tony Awards, including Best Musical and Best Original Score for Miller.
April 26
The Baltimore Colts selected Stanford quarterback John Elway as the first overall pick in the NFL Draft on April 26, 1983, despite the QB’s warning that he would not play for the Colts, one of the league’s worst franchises at the time. Elway threatened to play Major League Baseball with the New York Yankees, who had drafted him if the Colts drafted him. The Colts selected him anyway with the first pick, and Elway stated in a press conference that day: “As I stand here right now, I’m playing baseball.” One week later the Colts traded Elway to the Denver Broncos for offensive lineman Chris Hinton (whom Denver drafted fourth overall in the same draft), backup quarterback Mark Herrmann and a first-round pick in the 1984 draft. The Colts would controversially relocate to Indianapolis in 1984. Elway would spend his 16-year hall-of-fame career in Denver, where he won back-to-back Super Bowls in his last two seasons.
April 27
Undefeated heavyweight boxing champion Rocky Marciano announced his retirement from the sport on April 27, 1956, at age 32 with a career record of 49-0. To this day, he’s the only heavyweight champion to have ever finished his career undefeated. He first took the heavyweight title from Jersey Joe Walcott in 1952 and defended it six times, against Walcott, Roland La Starza, Ezzard Charles (twice), Don Cockell and Archie Moore. Forty-three of his 49 career victories came via knockout. Marciano died on August 31, 1969, in a plane crash in Iowa at only 45.
April 28
Apple launched the iTunes store, the first widely successful legal music download app, on April 28, 2003, thanks to the emergence of the company’s mini music player known as the iPod. By July 11, 2004, the store had received 100 million song purchases. The 1 billion sold mark came on February 23, 2006, when Alex Ostrovsky of West Bloomfield, Mich. purchased Coldplay’s “Speed of Sound.” More than 35 billion songs have been sold on the iTunes store. The creation of iTunes was a boon to music fans who could now carry their entire library of music in their pockets but also proved controversial in changing the music industry to more of a singles purchase business than an album sales one.
April 29
On April 29, 2018, the Fox animated series “The Simpsons” aired its 636th episode, “Forgive and Regret,” which surpassed the 635-episode count of the long-running CBS Western “Gunsmoke” for most episodes aired by a television series in, at least, American television history. The series, featuring Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie Simpson, continues to this date and has aired 746 episodes thus far.
April 16-April 22
April 16
While on shore leave from the Merchant Marines, Woody Guthrie arrives at Folkway Records studio in New York City on April 16, 1944, to begin recording with the label’s founder Moses Asch. Among the songs recorded during what would become known as “The Asch Recordings” is the iconic protest anthem “This Land Is Your Land,” which frankly should be adopted as the new National Anthem for the United States of America.
April 17
“Game of Thrones,” based on the fantasy novels by author George R.R. Martin, premieres on HBO on April 17, 2011. The show, known at least partially at first for its shocking, graphic violence and large amounts of sex and nudity, would go on to become one of TV’s most beloved and talked about shows. The show, which ended in 2019, would win a record 59 Emmy Awards for a drama series over its eight seasons.
April 18
Boston Celtics superstar center Bill Russell becomes the first African American head coach in NBA history when he’s hired by Boston to replace the retiring legend, Red Auerbach. Russell was actually Auerbach and the team’s fourth choice after Frank Ramsay, Bob Cousy and Tom Heinsohn all turned down the job. On April 18, 1966, Russell agreed to become a player-coach for the team, which had won eight straight titles, at just 32 years old. Russell would coach the team to back-to-back titles in his second and third seasons as player-coach in 1968 and 1969. Russell is one of four NBA players to have been inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame as both a player and coach.
April 19
Actress Mae West is found guilty of “obscenity and corrupting the morals of youth” for her stage play “Sex,” which she wrote, directed and starred in, at the Jefferson Market Court House in New York City on April 19, 1927. West was sentenced to 10 days in prison. She could have paid a fine and forgone prison time, but she knew serving the time would be good publicity. She wound up serving eight days with two off for good behavior. The incident helped launch her Hollywood career.
April 20
On April 20, 2021, country music legend Willie Nelson and his Luck Reunion team called on President Joe Biden to declare April 20 a national marijuana holiday and start of a nine-day celebration leading up to Nelson’s birthday on April 29. The petition addressed to President Biden and the United State Congress read: “The fine people of Luck, Texas, and supporters of the great Willie Nelson, on behalf of cannabis users around the nation, are writing today to ask you to consider declaring the nine days spanning April 20 to April 29 an official national holiday: the ‘High Holidays.’ To this date, the petition has been unsuccessful.
April 21
The music world was shocked and saddened on April 21, 2016, when legendary singer, songwriter and guitarist Prince was found dead at his Minneapolis home. He was 57. The Rock & Roll Hall of Famer with massive hits like “When Doves Cry,” “Purple Rain” and “1999,” had been suffering from an opioid addiction and was found to have died via accidental overdose of fentanyl, contained in counterfeit pills meant to look like the painkiller hydrocodone.
April 22
Possibly the greatest episode in the 48-year history of NBC’s “Saturday Night Live” aired on April 22, 1978, in season three of the late-night sketch comedy show when comedian Steve Martin hosted with musical guest the Blues Brothers. Incredibly it was already the third episode that season hosted by Martin who would perform his novelty song “King Tut” on the broadcast comically paying homage to Egyptian pharaoh Tutankhamun and the traveling exhibit that toured multiple American cities in the late ‘70s. Following the performance on the show, “King Tut” would be released as a single, sell more than a million copies and even reach the top 20 on the Billboard Hot 100. That evening’s episode of ‘SNL’ was opened by another musical performance, the television debut of The Blues Brothers, the side project of ‘SNL’ cast members Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi, who performed “Hey Bartender” and “Soul Man.” Later in the episode, they would perform “I Don’t Know.” The popularity of the duo, which began through their mutual love of blues music, would lead to the popular 1980 comedy film “The Blues Brothers.” The show that night also featured the recurring characters the Festrunk Brothers (Aykroyd and Martin) and The Nerds (Bill Murray and Gilda Radner).
While on shore leave from the Merchant Marines, Woody Guthrie arrives at Folkway Records studio in New York City on April 16, 1944, to begin recording with the label’s founder Moses Asch. Among the songs recorded during what would become known as “The Asch Recordings” is the iconic protest anthem “This Land Is Your Land,” which frankly should be adopted as the new National Anthem for the United States of America.
April 17
“Game of Thrones,” based on the fantasy novels by author George R.R. Martin, premieres on HBO on April 17, 2011. The show, known at least partially at first for its shocking, graphic violence and large amounts of sex and nudity, would go on to become one of TV’s most beloved and talked about shows. The show, which ended in 2019, would win a record 59 Emmy Awards for a drama series over its eight seasons.
April 18
Boston Celtics superstar center Bill Russell becomes the first African American head coach in NBA history when he’s hired by Boston to replace the retiring legend, Red Auerbach. Russell was actually Auerbach and the team’s fourth choice after Frank Ramsay, Bob Cousy and Tom Heinsohn all turned down the job. On April 18, 1966, Russell agreed to become a player-coach for the team, which had won eight straight titles, at just 32 years old. Russell would coach the team to back-to-back titles in his second and third seasons as player-coach in 1968 and 1969. Russell is one of four NBA players to have been inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame as both a player and coach.
April 19
Actress Mae West is found guilty of “obscenity and corrupting the morals of youth” for her stage play “Sex,” which she wrote, directed and starred in, at the Jefferson Market Court House in New York City on April 19, 1927. West was sentenced to 10 days in prison. She could have paid a fine and forgone prison time, but she knew serving the time would be good publicity. She wound up serving eight days with two off for good behavior. The incident helped launch her Hollywood career.
April 20
On April 20, 2021, country music legend Willie Nelson and his Luck Reunion team called on President Joe Biden to declare April 20 a national marijuana holiday and start of a nine-day celebration leading up to Nelson’s birthday on April 29. The petition addressed to President Biden and the United State Congress read: “The fine people of Luck, Texas, and supporters of the great Willie Nelson, on behalf of cannabis users around the nation, are writing today to ask you to consider declaring the nine days spanning April 20 to April 29 an official national holiday: the ‘High Holidays.’ To this date, the petition has been unsuccessful.
April 21
The music world was shocked and saddened on April 21, 2016, when legendary singer, songwriter and guitarist Prince was found dead at his Minneapolis home. He was 57. The Rock & Roll Hall of Famer with massive hits like “When Doves Cry,” “Purple Rain” and “1999,” had been suffering from an opioid addiction and was found to have died via accidental overdose of fentanyl, contained in counterfeit pills meant to look like the painkiller hydrocodone.
April 22
Possibly the greatest episode in the 48-year history of NBC’s “Saturday Night Live” aired on April 22, 1978, in season three of the late-night sketch comedy show when comedian Steve Martin hosted with musical guest the Blues Brothers. Incredibly it was already the third episode that season hosted by Martin who would perform his novelty song “King Tut” on the broadcast comically paying homage to Egyptian pharaoh Tutankhamun and the traveling exhibit that toured multiple American cities in the late ‘70s. Following the performance on the show, “King Tut” would be released as a single, sell more than a million copies and even reach the top 20 on the Billboard Hot 100. That evening’s episode of ‘SNL’ was opened by another musical performance, the television debut of The Blues Brothers, the side project of ‘SNL’ cast members Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi, who performed “Hey Bartender” and “Soul Man.” Later in the episode, they would perform “I Don’t Know.” The popularity of the duo, which began through their mutual love of blues music, would lead to the popular 1980 comedy film “The Blues Brothers.” The show that night also featured the recurring characters the Festrunk Brothers (Aykroyd and Martin) and The Nerds (Bill Murray and Gilda Radner).
April 9 - April 15
April 9
Actress Linda Hunt makes history at the 56th annual Academy Awards on April 9, 1984, when she becomes the first person to win an Oscar for portraying a character of the opposite sex. Hunt portrayed photojournalist Billy Kwan in the film “The Year of Living Dangerously,” directed by Peter Weir, and won Best Supporting Actress for her performance. Hunt is the only actor to accomplish this in Oscars history.
April 10
Sam Kinison, a Pentecostal preacher turned brash stand-up comedian, was killed by a drunk driver near Needles, Calif. on April 10, 1992. He was 38. Kinison was one of the most popular stand-up comedians of the 1980s and early ‘90s and was one of the first to develop a persona of not caring whether or not the audience liked him. His style of comedy featuring loud tirades was inspired by his “fire and brimstone” style of preaching in his previous career.
April 11
“Singin’ in the Rain,” co-directed by Stanley Donen and Gene Kelly, premiered in the U.S. on April 11, 1952. The musical starred Kelly, Donald O’Connor and newcomer Debbie Reynolds as actors struggling to adapt to the invention of the “talkie” and features some of the most memorable musical movie scenes in Hollywood history. Though it wasn’t a huge success when released in 1952, the movie would go on to be remembered as one of the greatest musicals ever made. The American Film Institute named “Singin’ in the Rain” as the greatest American musical of all time in 2006.
April 12
Garth Brooks released his self-titled debut album on April 12, 1989. The album featured two No. 1 hits “If Tomorrow Never Comes” and “The Dance,” which would become Brooks classics. “The Dance” would win the American Country Music (ACM) award for Song of the Year in 1991. The album has gone on to sell more than 10 million copies in the U.S. and launched the career of potentially the most successful artist in country music history.
April 13
Jack Nicklaus won his professional golf record 18th major tournament on April 13, 1986, when he won the Masters Tournament in Augusta, Ga. by one-stroke over Tom Kite and Greg Norman in a come-from-behind win after shooting 65 (7-under) in the final round. It was Nicklaus’ record sixth Masters title and his first major victory in six years.
April 14
Tiger Woods accomplished what many golf fans believed he might never again when he won the Masters Tournament on April 14, 2019, for his first major tournament victory since the U.S. Open in 2008. Woods had suffered multiple injuries and a high-profile divorce in the years since his last major win. The Masters victory was the fifth of his career and his 15th career major title.
April 15
In potentially the greatest and most significant moment in sports history, Jackie Robinson integrated Major League Baseball by becoming the first African American in the league (at least in its modern era) when he made his debut with the Brooklyn Dodgers on April 15, 1947. Robinson would go on to win Rookie of the Year, National League M.V.P. in 1949, the World Series in 1955 and was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1962. Robinson’s No. 42 jersey number was retired league-wide in 1997 on the 50th anniversary of his debut.
Actress Linda Hunt makes history at the 56th annual Academy Awards on April 9, 1984, when she becomes the first person to win an Oscar for portraying a character of the opposite sex. Hunt portrayed photojournalist Billy Kwan in the film “The Year of Living Dangerously,” directed by Peter Weir, and won Best Supporting Actress for her performance. Hunt is the only actor to accomplish this in Oscars history.
April 10
Sam Kinison, a Pentecostal preacher turned brash stand-up comedian, was killed by a drunk driver near Needles, Calif. on April 10, 1992. He was 38. Kinison was one of the most popular stand-up comedians of the 1980s and early ‘90s and was one of the first to develop a persona of not caring whether or not the audience liked him. His style of comedy featuring loud tirades was inspired by his “fire and brimstone” style of preaching in his previous career.
April 11
“Singin’ in the Rain,” co-directed by Stanley Donen and Gene Kelly, premiered in the U.S. on April 11, 1952. The musical starred Kelly, Donald O’Connor and newcomer Debbie Reynolds as actors struggling to adapt to the invention of the “talkie” and features some of the most memorable musical movie scenes in Hollywood history. Though it wasn’t a huge success when released in 1952, the movie would go on to be remembered as one of the greatest musicals ever made. The American Film Institute named “Singin’ in the Rain” as the greatest American musical of all time in 2006.
April 12
Garth Brooks released his self-titled debut album on April 12, 1989. The album featured two No. 1 hits “If Tomorrow Never Comes” and “The Dance,” which would become Brooks classics. “The Dance” would win the American Country Music (ACM) award for Song of the Year in 1991. The album has gone on to sell more than 10 million copies in the U.S. and launched the career of potentially the most successful artist in country music history.
April 13
Jack Nicklaus won his professional golf record 18th major tournament on April 13, 1986, when he won the Masters Tournament in Augusta, Ga. by one-stroke over Tom Kite and Greg Norman in a come-from-behind win after shooting 65 (7-under) in the final round. It was Nicklaus’ record sixth Masters title and his first major victory in six years.
April 14
Tiger Woods accomplished what many golf fans believed he might never again when he won the Masters Tournament on April 14, 2019, for his first major tournament victory since the U.S. Open in 2008. Woods had suffered multiple injuries and a high-profile divorce in the years since his last major win. The Masters victory was the fifth of his career and his 15th career major title.
April 15
In potentially the greatest and most significant moment in sports history, Jackie Robinson integrated Major League Baseball by becoming the first African American in the league (at least in its modern era) when he made his debut with the Brooklyn Dodgers on April 15, 1947. Robinson would go on to win Rookie of the Year, National League M.V.P. in 1949, the World Series in 1955 and was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1962. Robinson’s No. 42 jersey number was retired league-wide in 1997 on the 50th anniversary of his debut.
April 2 - April 8
April 2
John Thompson became the first African American head coach to lead his team to any Division I title in collegiate sports when his Georgetown Hoyas squad defeated the Houston Cougars 84-75 on April 2, 1984, in the men’s college basketball championship game. Hoyas center (and future Basketball Hall of Famer) Patrick Ewing was named Most Outstanding Player of the tournament.
April 3
TV Guide, the magazine dedicated to giving American television viewers a programming schedule and television news, debuts with its inaugural issue on April 3, 1953, featuring “I Love Lucy” stars Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz’s new born baby boy Desiderio Alberto Arnaz IV with the headline “Lucy’s $50,000,000 Baby.” Founded by Walter Annenberg in New York City, TV Guide is still in operation 70 years later.
April 4
In one of the most exciting finishes in NCAA men’s college basketball championship game history, the North Carolina State Wolfpack defeat the Houston Cougars 54-52 on a buzzer-beating dunk by Lorenzo Charles after catching a desperation 30-foot airball from Dereck Whittenburg on April 4, 1983. The Wolfpack were a major underdog in the game that may be best known for N.C. State coach Jim Valvano’s exuberant celebration.
April 5
Nirvana vocalist and guitarist Kurt Cobain died via suicide at the age of 27 on April 5, 1994, in his home in Seattle. His body wouldn’t be found for three days when an electrician entered the home to install an alarm system. Cobain, who shot to fame in 1991 with his band’s release of the “album of a generation” Nevermind, had suffered from depression and heroin addiction in the years leading up to his death. He was survived by his wife Courtney Love and his less than two-year-old daughter Frances Bean.
April 6
The first modern-day Summer Olympic Games opened in Athens, Greece on April 6, 1896. The games, organized by the International Olympic Committee, which had been created by Frenchman Pierre de Coubertin, were inspired by the Ancient Olympic Games in Greece beginning around 776 B.C. According to the I.O.C., 14 nations and 241 athletes (all men) competed in the 1896 Summer Games. The U.S.A. would win the most gold medals with 11, while the home country Greece won the most total medals with 47.
April 7
Director John Schlesinger’s “Midnight Cowboy” becomes the first (and only) X-rated movie to win Best Picture at the 42nd Academy Awards ceremony on April 7, 1970. “Midnight Cowboy” features Jon Voight as young Texan Joe Buck, a dishwasher who quits his job and moves to New York City to become a male prostitute, where he reluctantly develops a friendship with a conman “Ratso” Rizzo, played by Dustin Hoffman. The film initially received an R-rating by the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA), but United Artists actually asked for it to be changed to an X-rating when its lead executive Arthur Krim consulted a psychiatrist who told him young people should not view the film’s gay sex scenes because it might influence them to live that lifestyle.
April 8
Atlanta Braves outfielder Hank Aaron breaks maybe the most beloved record in all of sports when he hits career home run No. 715 off of Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Al Downing on April 8, 1974, at Atlanta’s Fulton County Stadium to break the Major League Baseball home run record held by New York Yankees legend Babe Ruth. The record-breaking home run had a bigger impact on America than just the breaking of a treasured record, as Aaron, a black man from the south and playing baseball for the MLB’s only Southern team at that time, broke a record of a white hero while receiving death threats all the while.
John Thompson became the first African American head coach to lead his team to any Division I title in collegiate sports when his Georgetown Hoyas squad defeated the Houston Cougars 84-75 on April 2, 1984, in the men’s college basketball championship game. Hoyas center (and future Basketball Hall of Famer) Patrick Ewing was named Most Outstanding Player of the tournament.
April 3
TV Guide, the magazine dedicated to giving American television viewers a programming schedule and television news, debuts with its inaugural issue on April 3, 1953, featuring “I Love Lucy” stars Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz’s new born baby boy Desiderio Alberto Arnaz IV with the headline “Lucy’s $50,000,000 Baby.” Founded by Walter Annenberg in New York City, TV Guide is still in operation 70 years later.
April 4
In one of the most exciting finishes in NCAA men’s college basketball championship game history, the North Carolina State Wolfpack defeat the Houston Cougars 54-52 on a buzzer-beating dunk by Lorenzo Charles after catching a desperation 30-foot airball from Dereck Whittenburg on April 4, 1983. The Wolfpack were a major underdog in the game that may be best known for N.C. State coach Jim Valvano’s exuberant celebration.
April 5
Nirvana vocalist and guitarist Kurt Cobain died via suicide at the age of 27 on April 5, 1994, in his home in Seattle. His body wouldn’t be found for three days when an electrician entered the home to install an alarm system. Cobain, who shot to fame in 1991 with his band’s release of the “album of a generation” Nevermind, had suffered from depression and heroin addiction in the years leading up to his death. He was survived by his wife Courtney Love and his less than two-year-old daughter Frances Bean.
April 6
The first modern-day Summer Olympic Games opened in Athens, Greece on April 6, 1896. The games, organized by the International Olympic Committee, which had been created by Frenchman Pierre de Coubertin, were inspired by the Ancient Olympic Games in Greece beginning around 776 B.C. According to the I.O.C., 14 nations and 241 athletes (all men) competed in the 1896 Summer Games. The U.S.A. would win the most gold medals with 11, while the home country Greece won the most total medals with 47.
April 7
Director John Schlesinger’s “Midnight Cowboy” becomes the first (and only) X-rated movie to win Best Picture at the 42nd Academy Awards ceremony on April 7, 1970. “Midnight Cowboy” features Jon Voight as young Texan Joe Buck, a dishwasher who quits his job and moves to New York City to become a male prostitute, where he reluctantly develops a friendship with a conman “Ratso” Rizzo, played by Dustin Hoffman. The film initially received an R-rating by the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA), but United Artists actually asked for it to be changed to an X-rating when its lead executive Arthur Krim consulted a psychiatrist who told him young people should not view the film’s gay sex scenes because it might influence them to live that lifestyle.
April 8
Atlanta Braves outfielder Hank Aaron breaks maybe the most beloved record in all of sports when he hits career home run No. 715 off of Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Al Downing on April 8, 1974, at Atlanta’s Fulton County Stadium to break the Major League Baseball home run record held by New York Yankees legend Babe Ruth. The record-breaking home run had a bigger impact on America than just the breaking of a treasured record, as Aaron, a black man from the south and playing baseball for the MLB’s only Southern team at that time, broke a record of a white hero while receiving death threats all the while.
March 26-April 1
March 26
On March 26, 1979, Larry Bird and Earvin “Magic” Johnson would begin a decade-plus-long rivalry when their college basketball teams Indiana State and Michigan State matched up in the 41st NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship. Johnson’s Michigan State squad would defeat Bird’s Indiana State team 75-64 in the game, which would be the highest-rated game in the history of televised college basketball. Johnson would lead all scorers in the game with 25 points. Bird scored 19 points for the Sycamores. The two would go on to really form their rivalry in the NBA where they’d matchup three times in the NBA Finals in the ‘80s with Johnson’s Los Angeles Lakers beating Bird’s Boston Celtics twice. Johnson would win five total titles with the Lakers, while Bird won three with Boston.
March 27
“The Godfather” would be honored with American cinema’s greatest achievement on March 27, 1973, winning Best Picture at the 45th annual Academy Awards, but its win would be upstaged by Marlon Brando’s protest earlier in the evening when the actor won Best Actor for his portrayal of Vito Corleone in the film. Brando, who did not attend the ceremony due to Hollywood and America’s treatment of Native Americans, sent activist Sacheen Littlefeather in his stead to decline the award and give a prepared statement. It was a moment that would cause much controversy within the Academy and the industry.
March 28
Things got a little scary on the March 28, 1978, episode of “The Muppet Show” when shock rocker Alice Cooper joined the cast of lovable Jim Henson-created puppets to perform his hits “Welcome to My Nightmare” and “School’s Out.” Cooper offered the Muppets fame and fortune if they signed over their souls to him – this left Kermit the Frog aghast and Gonzo searching for a pen the entire episode.
March 29
“One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” made Oscars and Hollywood history on March 29, 1976, when it became the second film in Academy Awards history to sweep all of the major categories at the ceremony winning Best Picture, Best Director for Milos Forman, Best Actor for Jack Nicholson, Best Actress for Louise Fletcher and Best Screenplay (Adapted) for Lawrence Hauben and Bo Goldman. Director Frank Capra’s “It Happened One Night” from 1934 was the only other time it had happened in Oscars history.
March 30
“The Silence of the Lambs” made Oscars and Hollywood history on March 30, 1992, when it became the third (and to this date, there hasn’t been another) film in Academy Awards history to sweep all of the major categories at the ceremony winning Best Picture, Best Director for Jonathan Demme, Best Actor for Anthony Hopkins, Best Actress for Jodie Foster and Best Screenplay (Adapted) for Ted Tally. Director Frank Capra’s “It Happened One Night” from 1934 and Milos Forman’s “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” from 1975 were the only other films to accomplish this feat in Oscars history.
March 31
Tejano music superstar Selena Quintanilla (stage name Selena) was shot and killed by her former assistant and former fan club president Yolanda Saldivar in Corpus Christi, Texas at just 23 years old on March 31, 1995. In October of that year, a Houston jury convicted Saldivar of first-degree murder and she was sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole beginning in 2025. Selena’s final album Dreaming of You would be released posthumously in June of 1995 and became the first predominantly Spanish-language album to debut atop the Billboard 200. Jennifer Lopez would portray Selena in a 1997 biopic.
April 1
One of the greatest pieces of April Fool’s Day journalism was published in the April 1, 1985, issue of Sports Illustrated when author/writer George Plimpton introduced the world to The Curious Case of Sidd Finch. Finch was an out-of-nowhere prospect in the New York Mets organization who was raised in an English orphanage, learned yoga in Tibet and could throw a fastball as fast as 168 miles per hour and did so wearing only one shoe – a hiker’s boot, according to Plimpton. Plimpton’s creation was discovered in Maine where he had randomly picked up the game of baseball because it was either a career in sports or one playing the French horn. The story was accompanied by photos of a young man in a Mets jersey, including one in which he’s speaking to Mets pitching coach Mel Stottlemyre. The person was Joe Berton, an art teacher in Illinois who was friends with SI photographer Lane Stewart. Despite the story being an obvious prank – I mean, a 168 mph fastball? – many readers fell for it with the magazine receiving many requests for more information on Finch. According to a New York Times piece in 2005, two MLB general managers even called baseball commissioner Peter Ueberroth to ask about Finch. The next week’s issue printed a smaller article announcing Finch’s retirement. The week following that SI announced the whole thing had been a hoax. In 1987, Plimpton would broaden his story into a novel.
On March 26, 1979, Larry Bird and Earvin “Magic” Johnson would begin a decade-plus-long rivalry when their college basketball teams Indiana State and Michigan State matched up in the 41st NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship. Johnson’s Michigan State squad would defeat Bird’s Indiana State team 75-64 in the game, which would be the highest-rated game in the history of televised college basketball. Johnson would lead all scorers in the game with 25 points. Bird scored 19 points for the Sycamores. The two would go on to really form their rivalry in the NBA where they’d matchup three times in the NBA Finals in the ‘80s with Johnson’s Los Angeles Lakers beating Bird’s Boston Celtics twice. Johnson would win five total titles with the Lakers, while Bird won three with Boston.
March 27
“The Godfather” would be honored with American cinema’s greatest achievement on March 27, 1973, winning Best Picture at the 45th annual Academy Awards, but its win would be upstaged by Marlon Brando’s protest earlier in the evening when the actor won Best Actor for his portrayal of Vito Corleone in the film. Brando, who did not attend the ceremony due to Hollywood and America’s treatment of Native Americans, sent activist Sacheen Littlefeather in his stead to decline the award and give a prepared statement. It was a moment that would cause much controversy within the Academy and the industry.
March 28
Things got a little scary on the March 28, 1978, episode of “The Muppet Show” when shock rocker Alice Cooper joined the cast of lovable Jim Henson-created puppets to perform his hits “Welcome to My Nightmare” and “School’s Out.” Cooper offered the Muppets fame and fortune if they signed over their souls to him – this left Kermit the Frog aghast and Gonzo searching for a pen the entire episode.
March 29
“One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” made Oscars and Hollywood history on March 29, 1976, when it became the second film in Academy Awards history to sweep all of the major categories at the ceremony winning Best Picture, Best Director for Milos Forman, Best Actor for Jack Nicholson, Best Actress for Louise Fletcher and Best Screenplay (Adapted) for Lawrence Hauben and Bo Goldman. Director Frank Capra’s “It Happened One Night” from 1934 was the only other time it had happened in Oscars history.
March 30
“The Silence of the Lambs” made Oscars and Hollywood history on March 30, 1992, when it became the third (and to this date, there hasn’t been another) film in Academy Awards history to sweep all of the major categories at the ceremony winning Best Picture, Best Director for Jonathan Demme, Best Actor for Anthony Hopkins, Best Actress for Jodie Foster and Best Screenplay (Adapted) for Ted Tally. Director Frank Capra’s “It Happened One Night” from 1934 and Milos Forman’s “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” from 1975 were the only other films to accomplish this feat in Oscars history.
March 31
Tejano music superstar Selena Quintanilla (stage name Selena) was shot and killed by her former assistant and former fan club president Yolanda Saldivar in Corpus Christi, Texas at just 23 years old on March 31, 1995. In October of that year, a Houston jury convicted Saldivar of first-degree murder and she was sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole beginning in 2025. Selena’s final album Dreaming of You would be released posthumously in June of 1995 and became the first predominantly Spanish-language album to debut atop the Billboard 200. Jennifer Lopez would portray Selena in a 1997 biopic.
April 1
One of the greatest pieces of April Fool’s Day journalism was published in the April 1, 1985, issue of Sports Illustrated when author/writer George Plimpton introduced the world to The Curious Case of Sidd Finch. Finch was an out-of-nowhere prospect in the New York Mets organization who was raised in an English orphanage, learned yoga in Tibet and could throw a fastball as fast as 168 miles per hour and did so wearing only one shoe – a hiker’s boot, according to Plimpton. Plimpton’s creation was discovered in Maine where he had randomly picked up the game of baseball because it was either a career in sports or one playing the French horn. The story was accompanied by photos of a young man in a Mets jersey, including one in which he’s speaking to Mets pitching coach Mel Stottlemyre. The person was Joe Berton, an art teacher in Illinois who was friends with SI photographer Lane Stewart. Despite the story being an obvious prank – I mean, a 168 mph fastball? – many readers fell for it with the magazine receiving many requests for more information on Finch. According to a New York Times piece in 2005, two MLB general managers even called baseball commissioner Peter Ueberroth to ask about Finch. The next week’s issue printed a smaller article announcing Finch’s retirement. The week following that SI announced the whole thing had been a hoax. In 1987, Plimpton would broaden his story into a novel.
March 19-March 25
March 19
Texas Western’s men’s college basketball team makes NCAA history when it starts five African American players (Bobby Joe Hill, Orsten Artis, Willie Worsley, Harry Flournoy and David Lattin) against the University of Kentucky in the national championship on March 19, 1966. The Texas Western Miners, led by coach Don Haskins, beat Kentucky’s all-white team 72-65 to become the first African American starting five to win the national college basketball title. The team would inspire the 2006 movie “Glory Road” and was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2007.
March 20
Pittsburgh Pirates baseball legend Roberto Clemente is elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame on March 20, 1973, just 11 weeks after his death at 38 in a plane crash while attempting to bring supplies to earthquake victims in Nicaragua. Clemente was elected to the Hall of Fame in a special election by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America, which waived the usual five-year waiting period following a player’s career. He was elected with 92.7 percent of the vote.
March 21
In perhaps the greatest (or at least most famous) cliffhanger in television history, the hit CBS drama “Dallas” leaves viewers wondering “Who shot J.R.?” all summer long when its third season ends on March 21, 1980, with main character J.R. Ewing (played by Larry Hagman) shot by a mysterious shooter. The answer to the question would be revealed in the fourth episode of season four, “Who Done It,” on November 21, 1980, which a then record number (between 83-90 million) of viewers watched in primetime. It’s still the second most watched scripted TV series episode of all time behind the “M*A*S*H” series finale.
March 22
Actor James Stewart, who had won the Best Actor Oscar for his role in “The Philadelphia Story” less than a month before, is inducted into the Army on March 22, 1941, becoming the first major American movie star to wear a military uniform in World War II. The uniform wasn’t just for show. Stewart flew many combat missions during the war, including three years later on March 22, 1944, when he leads the 2nd Bomb Wing attack on Berlin, Germany in his 12th combat mission. Stewart attained the rank of colonel during WWII and received several awards for his service. In 1959, he was made brigadier general in the Air Force Reserve and when he retired from the service in 1968 he was awarded the Air Force Distinguished Service Medal. Stewart would return to acting following WWII with notable roles in “It’s a Wonderful Life,” “Rear Window,” “Vertigo,” “The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance” and more.
March 23
Director James Cameron’s three-plus hour epic “Titanic” ties an Academy Awards record set by “Ben-Hur” (1959) when it wins 11 Oscars on March 22, 1998, at the 70th annual ceremony. The film, starring Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio as lovers on an ill-fated voyage, won Oscars for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Cinematography, Best Art-Set Direction, Best Costume Design, Best Sound, Best Editing, Best Effects – Sound Editing, Best Visual Effects, Best Original Song and Best Original Score.
March 24
Halle Berry makes history at the 74th annual Academy Awards when she wins Best Actress for her performance as Leticia Musgrove in “Monster’s Ball,” making her the first woman of color to win the honor in the history of the awards. To this date, only Michelle Yeoh (“Everything Everywhere All at Once”), who won at the 95th ceremony on March 12, 2023, has joined Berry as a woman of color to win Best Actress. Also, at the 74th Academy Awards, Denzel Washington won Best Actor for his performance as Alonzo Harris in “Training Day.” He joined Sidney Poitier as the only African American actors to win Best Actor at the time. Jamie Foxx, Forest Whitaker and Will Smith have since won Best Actor.
March 25
Horton Smith holes a 20-foot birdie putt on the 17th hole to go one-stroke ahead of Craig Wood and eventually win the inaugural Augusta National Invitation Tournament, which would become known as the “Masters,” in Augusta, Ga. on March 25, 1934. Bobby Jones, who co-founded the tournament (with investment banker Clifford Roberts), finished 13th, 10 strokes behind Smith. Smith won $1,500 for the event. He would win the Masters again in 1936.
Texas Western’s men’s college basketball team makes NCAA history when it starts five African American players (Bobby Joe Hill, Orsten Artis, Willie Worsley, Harry Flournoy and David Lattin) against the University of Kentucky in the national championship on March 19, 1966. The Texas Western Miners, led by coach Don Haskins, beat Kentucky’s all-white team 72-65 to become the first African American starting five to win the national college basketball title. The team would inspire the 2006 movie “Glory Road” and was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2007.
March 20
Pittsburgh Pirates baseball legend Roberto Clemente is elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame on March 20, 1973, just 11 weeks after his death at 38 in a plane crash while attempting to bring supplies to earthquake victims in Nicaragua. Clemente was elected to the Hall of Fame in a special election by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America, which waived the usual five-year waiting period following a player’s career. He was elected with 92.7 percent of the vote.
March 21
In perhaps the greatest (or at least most famous) cliffhanger in television history, the hit CBS drama “Dallas” leaves viewers wondering “Who shot J.R.?” all summer long when its third season ends on March 21, 1980, with main character J.R. Ewing (played by Larry Hagman) shot by a mysterious shooter. The answer to the question would be revealed in the fourth episode of season four, “Who Done It,” on November 21, 1980, which a then record number (between 83-90 million) of viewers watched in primetime. It’s still the second most watched scripted TV series episode of all time behind the “M*A*S*H” series finale.
March 22
Actor James Stewart, who had won the Best Actor Oscar for his role in “The Philadelphia Story” less than a month before, is inducted into the Army on March 22, 1941, becoming the first major American movie star to wear a military uniform in World War II. The uniform wasn’t just for show. Stewart flew many combat missions during the war, including three years later on March 22, 1944, when he leads the 2nd Bomb Wing attack on Berlin, Germany in his 12th combat mission. Stewart attained the rank of colonel during WWII and received several awards for his service. In 1959, he was made brigadier general in the Air Force Reserve and when he retired from the service in 1968 he was awarded the Air Force Distinguished Service Medal. Stewart would return to acting following WWII with notable roles in “It’s a Wonderful Life,” “Rear Window,” “Vertigo,” “The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance” and more.
March 23
Director James Cameron’s three-plus hour epic “Titanic” ties an Academy Awards record set by “Ben-Hur” (1959) when it wins 11 Oscars on March 22, 1998, at the 70th annual ceremony. The film, starring Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio as lovers on an ill-fated voyage, won Oscars for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Cinematography, Best Art-Set Direction, Best Costume Design, Best Sound, Best Editing, Best Effects – Sound Editing, Best Visual Effects, Best Original Song and Best Original Score.
March 24
Halle Berry makes history at the 74th annual Academy Awards when she wins Best Actress for her performance as Leticia Musgrove in “Monster’s Ball,” making her the first woman of color to win the honor in the history of the awards. To this date, only Michelle Yeoh (“Everything Everywhere All at Once”), who won at the 95th ceremony on March 12, 2023, has joined Berry as a woman of color to win Best Actress. Also, at the 74th Academy Awards, Denzel Washington won Best Actor for his performance as Alonzo Harris in “Training Day.” He joined Sidney Poitier as the only African American actors to win Best Actor at the time. Jamie Foxx, Forest Whitaker and Will Smith have since won Best Actor.
March 25
Horton Smith holes a 20-foot birdie putt on the 17th hole to go one-stroke ahead of Craig Wood and eventually win the inaugural Augusta National Invitation Tournament, which would become known as the “Masters,” in Augusta, Ga. on March 25, 1934. Bobby Jones, who co-founded the tournament (with investment banker Clifford Roberts), finished 13th, 10 strokes behind Smith. Smith won $1,500 for the event. He would win the Masters again in 1936.
March 12 - March 18
March 12
On March 12, 2020, the NCAA announces the cancellation of the men’s college basketball tournament over concerns over the spread of COVID-19. It marks the only time the annual college basketball tournament, known as “March Madness,” has been canceled since it began in 1939. The women’s college basketball tournament was also canceled.
March 13
The Four Seasons returned to the No. 1 spot on the Billboard Hot 100 chart on March 13, 1976, for the first time since 1964 (vocalist Frankie Valli did have a No. 1 in 1974 with “My Eyes Adored You”) with “December 1963 (Oh, What a Night).” It marked the group’s fifth and final No. 1 and it made them the only music group to have a No. 1 hit before, during and after The Beatles’ reign.
March 14
On March 14, 1998, weeks after Johnny Cash’s Unchained, the second album of his American Recordings series with producer Rick Rubin, won the Grammy Award for Best Country Album, Rubin placed a full-page ad in Billboard magazine with a photo of Cash giving the middle finger with the text: “American Recordings and Johnny Cash would like to acknowledge the Nashville music establishment and country radio for your support.” Mainstream country music had largely ignored Cash’s album despite critical acclaim and him being a legend within the genre.
March 15
“The Godfather,” directed by Francis Ford Coppola and based off the best-selling Mario Puzo novel (Puzo co-wrote the script), premieres in New York City. The first of an eventual trilogy tells the story of the Corleone crime family and featured Oscar-nominated performances from Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, Robert Duvall and James Caan (winning for Brando). The film won three Academy Awards, including Best Picture. “The Godfather” has since become regarded as one of the greatest and most influential films ever made and has been ranked as the second greatest American film ever made (behind “Citizen Kane”) by the American Film Institute.
March 16
Otis Redding’s “(Sittin’ On) The Dock of the Bay” hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart on March 16, 1968, making him the first artist to ever top the chart posthumously. Redding died in a plane crash in Madison, Wisc. on December 10, 1967, at age 26. The beautifully plaintive and melancholic R&B classic, co-written by Redding and guitarist Steve Cropper, had been recorded just three days before Redding’s death. It would be his only top-10 hit.
March 17
The term “greatest hits” is created for a compilation of songs recorded by Johnny Mathis and released on March 17, 1958. The compilation, the first reportedly ever designated with the “greatest hits” title, would become a massive hit remaining in the Billboard albums chart for more than 10 years holding the record for most consecutive weeks in the chart until being broken by Pink Floyd’s The Dark Side of the Moon in October of 1983. The success of Johnny’s Greatest Hits would lead to nearly every artist having a ”greatest hits” compilation.
March 18
NBA legend Michael Jordan releases a press release simply stating, “I’m back.” on March 18, 1995, ending his 17-month retirement from basketball. Jordan had retired following the Chicago Bulls’ third consecutive NBA title in 1993 to pursue a career in professional baseball, which never made it past the minor leagues. The next day Jordan suited up for the Bulls in a new No. 45 jersey (he had previously worn No. 23) against the Indiana Pacers, scoring 19 points in a loss. Jordan would go on to win three more championships with the Bulls.
On March 12, 2020, the NCAA announces the cancellation of the men’s college basketball tournament over concerns over the spread of COVID-19. It marks the only time the annual college basketball tournament, known as “March Madness,” has been canceled since it began in 1939. The women’s college basketball tournament was also canceled.
March 13
The Four Seasons returned to the No. 1 spot on the Billboard Hot 100 chart on March 13, 1976, for the first time since 1964 (vocalist Frankie Valli did have a No. 1 in 1974 with “My Eyes Adored You”) with “December 1963 (Oh, What a Night).” It marked the group’s fifth and final No. 1 and it made them the only music group to have a No. 1 hit before, during and after The Beatles’ reign.
March 14
On March 14, 1998, weeks after Johnny Cash’s Unchained, the second album of his American Recordings series with producer Rick Rubin, won the Grammy Award for Best Country Album, Rubin placed a full-page ad in Billboard magazine with a photo of Cash giving the middle finger with the text: “American Recordings and Johnny Cash would like to acknowledge the Nashville music establishment and country radio for your support.” Mainstream country music had largely ignored Cash’s album despite critical acclaim and him being a legend within the genre.
March 15
“The Godfather,” directed by Francis Ford Coppola and based off the best-selling Mario Puzo novel (Puzo co-wrote the script), premieres in New York City. The first of an eventual trilogy tells the story of the Corleone crime family and featured Oscar-nominated performances from Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, Robert Duvall and James Caan (winning for Brando). The film won three Academy Awards, including Best Picture. “The Godfather” has since become regarded as one of the greatest and most influential films ever made and has been ranked as the second greatest American film ever made (behind “Citizen Kane”) by the American Film Institute.
March 16
Otis Redding’s “(Sittin’ On) The Dock of the Bay” hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart on March 16, 1968, making him the first artist to ever top the chart posthumously. Redding died in a plane crash in Madison, Wisc. on December 10, 1967, at age 26. The beautifully plaintive and melancholic R&B classic, co-written by Redding and guitarist Steve Cropper, had been recorded just three days before Redding’s death. It would be his only top-10 hit.
March 17
The term “greatest hits” is created for a compilation of songs recorded by Johnny Mathis and released on March 17, 1958. The compilation, the first reportedly ever designated with the “greatest hits” title, would become a massive hit remaining in the Billboard albums chart for more than 10 years holding the record for most consecutive weeks in the chart until being broken by Pink Floyd’s The Dark Side of the Moon in October of 1983. The success of Johnny’s Greatest Hits would lead to nearly every artist having a ”greatest hits” compilation.
March 18
NBA legend Michael Jordan releases a press release simply stating, “I’m back.” on March 18, 1995, ending his 17-month retirement from basketball. Jordan had retired following the Chicago Bulls’ third consecutive NBA title in 1993 to pursue a career in professional baseball, which never made it past the minor leagues. The next day Jordan suited up for the Bulls in a new No. 45 jersey (he had previously worn No. 23) against the Indiana Pacers, scoring 19 points in a loss. Jordan would go on to win three more championships with the Bulls.
March 5-March 11
March 5
America learns of the death of Soviet Union dictator Joseph Stalin on March 5, 1953, when Air Force Staff Sergeant Johnny Cash intercepts a coded message from Russia. Cash, a future music legend, had enlisted in 1950 and was assigned to the 12th Radio Squadron Mobile of the U.S. Air Force Security Service at Landsberg, West Germany, where he was an expert in decoding Morse Code transmissions. While serving in the Air Force in Germany, Cash saw the film “Inside the Walls of Folsom Prison” and wrote one of his most iconic songs, “Folsom Prison Blues.”
March 6
On March 6, 1981, veteran newsman Walter Cronkite signed off for the last time as anchor of the CBS Evening News, which he had hosted for 19 years. During the ‘60s and ‘70s, Cronkite was often cited as “the most trusted man in America.” Among the historic moments he broadcast on CBS were President John F. Kennedy’s assassination, the Apollo 11 lunar landing mission that put the first men on the moon and the Vietnam War, which he helped change public opinion on with an on-location report in 1968. Cronkite was succeeded as anchor of the CBS Evening News by Dan Rather.
March 7
Licensed to Ill by the Beastie Boys becomes the first rap album to ever top the U.S. Billboard 200 albums chart on March 7, 1987. The album, which featured “(You Gotta) Fight for Your Right (To Party),” “No Sleep till Brooklyn” and “Paul Revere,” was released on November 15, 1986, and introduced the New York rap trio to the world. The album would remain at No. 1 for seven weeks.
March 8
On March 8, 1971, the heavyweight boxing title match billed “The Fight of the Century” between Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier took place at Madison Square Garden in New York City. Frazier was defending his heavyweight title, whereas Ali was attempting to regain the title he had been stripped of by boxing officials when he refused to submit to the draft for the Vietnam War. It marked the first heavyweight title fight between two undefeated boxers in boxing history. Frazier won the fight in 15 rounds by unanimous decision. Frazier and Ali would fight twice more – in 1974 and 1975 with Ali winning both times.
March 9
Christopher Wallace, better known to the world by his rap personas The Notorious B.I.G. and Biggie Smalls, is gunned down in Los Angeles in the early morning hours of March 9, 1997, following an after-party for the Soul Train Awards. Wallace’s vehicle had stopped at a red light, where a black Chevy Impala pulled alongside, an unidentified driver rolled down his window and fired. Wallace was hit four times. He was pronounced dead at 1:15 a.m. at just 24 years old. His death came just six months after the high-profile murder of rapper Tupac Shakur and some suggest Shakur’s death was a reason behind Wallace’s shooting. His second album, Life After Death, was released just two weeks later and would top the Billboard album chart. Wallace’s murder has never been solved.
March 10
On March 10, 2003, Natalie Maines, vocalist for The Chicks (at the time called the Dixie Chicks), sparks a political controversy in the United States in the run-up to the U.S. invasion of Iraq after telling a London audience: “Just so you know, we’re on the good side with y’all. We do not want this war, this violence, and we’re ashamed that the President of the United States is from Texas.” Simply for speaking her mind, the trio was effectively blacklisted from the country music genre, despite having many hits and winning many awards in the years prior. The trio would never again find success in the country music mainstream but would find major Grammy Awards success in 2007 winning five awards for their album Taking the Long Way and its pointed lead single “Not Ready to Make Nice,” which would win both Song and Record of the Year.
March 11
Contestant Charles Van Doren finally loses on the NBC game show “Twenty-One” on March 11, 1957, after winning $129,000 (the equivalent of over $1 million today). His win streak made him one of the most famous faces in America at the time, including a TIME magazine cover on February 11, 1957. However, controversy struck later when it was revealed that Van Doren and the producers of the show had cheated with the whole show essentially being choreographed and contestants given answers. The scandal, which would be brought to life in director Robert Redford’s 1994 Oscar-nominated film “Quiz Show” featuring Ralph Fiennes as Van Doren, almost brought the entire game show genre of television to an end.
America learns of the death of Soviet Union dictator Joseph Stalin on March 5, 1953, when Air Force Staff Sergeant Johnny Cash intercepts a coded message from Russia. Cash, a future music legend, had enlisted in 1950 and was assigned to the 12th Radio Squadron Mobile of the U.S. Air Force Security Service at Landsberg, West Germany, where he was an expert in decoding Morse Code transmissions. While serving in the Air Force in Germany, Cash saw the film “Inside the Walls of Folsom Prison” and wrote one of his most iconic songs, “Folsom Prison Blues.”
March 6
On March 6, 1981, veteran newsman Walter Cronkite signed off for the last time as anchor of the CBS Evening News, which he had hosted for 19 years. During the ‘60s and ‘70s, Cronkite was often cited as “the most trusted man in America.” Among the historic moments he broadcast on CBS were President John F. Kennedy’s assassination, the Apollo 11 lunar landing mission that put the first men on the moon and the Vietnam War, which he helped change public opinion on with an on-location report in 1968. Cronkite was succeeded as anchor of the CBS Evening News by Dan Rather.
March 7
Licensed to Ill by the Beastie Boys becomes the first rap album to ever top the U.S. Billboard 200 albums chart on March 7, 1987. The album, which featured “(You Gotta) Fight for Your Right (To Party),” “No Sleep till Brooklyn” and “Paul Revere,” was released on November 15, 1986, and introduced the New York rap trio to the world. The album would remain at No. 1 for seven weeks.
March 8
On March 8, 1971, the heavyweight boxing title match billed “The Fight of the Century” between Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier took place at Madison Square Garden in New York City. Frazier was defending his heavyweight title, whereas Ali was attempting to regain the title he had been stripped of by boxing officials when he refused to submit to the draft for the Vietnam War. It marked the first heavyweight title fight between two undefeated boxers in boxing history. Frazier won the fight in 15 rounds by unanimous decision. Frazier and Ali would fight twice more – in 1974 and 1975 with Ali winning both times.
March 9
Christopher Wallace, better known to the world by his rap personas The Notorious B.I.G. and Biggie Smalls, is gunned down in Los Angeles in the early morning hours of March 9, 1997, following an after-party for the Soul Train Awards. Wallace’s vehicle had stopped at a red light, where a black Chevy Impala pulled alongside, an unidentified driver rolled down his window and fired. Wallace was hit four times. He was pronounced dead at 1:15 a.m. at just 24 years old. His death came just six months after the high-profile murder of rapper Tupac Shakur and some suggest Shakur’s death was a reason behind Wallace’s shooting. His second album, Life After Death, was released just two weeks later and would top the Billboard album chart. Wallace’s murder has never been solved.
March 10
On March 10, 2003, Natalie Maines, vocalist for The Chicks (at the time called the Dixie Chicks), sparks a political controversy in the United States in the run-up to the U.S. invasion of Iraq after telling a London audience: “Just so you know, we’re on the good side with y’all. We do not want this war, this violence, and we’re ashamed that the President of the United States is from Texas.” Simply for speaking her mind, the trio was effectively blacklisted from the country music genre, despite having many hits and winning many awards in the years prior. The trio would never again find success in the country music mainstream but would find major Grammy Awards success in 2007 winning five awards for their album Taking the Long Way and its pointed lead single “Not Ready to Make Nice,” which would win both Song and Record of the Year.
March 11
Contestant Charles Van Doren finally loses on the NBC game show “Twenty-One” on March 11, 1957, after winning $129,000 (the equivalent of over $1 million today). His win streak made him one of the most famous faces in America at the time, including a TIME magazine cover on February 11, 1957. However, controversy struck later when it was revealed that Van Doren and the producers of the show had cheated with the whole show essentially being choreographed and contestants given answers. The scandal, which would be brought to life in director Robert Redford’s 1994 Oscar-nominated film “Quiz Show” featuring Ralph Fiennes as Van Doren, almost brought the entire game show genre of television to an end.
February 26-March 4
February 26
In perhaps the most shocking moment in the history of the Academy Awards on February 26, 2017, the wrong Best Picture-winning film “La La Land” is announced by presenters Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway instead of the actual winner “Moonlight” due to a mix-up when a PricewaterhouseCoopers accountant Brian Cullinan, not paying attention to his duties, handed the presenters the wrong envelope (which was the backup envelope for Best Actress winner Emma Stone (“La La Land”). The producers of “La La Land” Fred Berger and Jordan Horowitz were in the middle of their acceptance speech when Oscar crew members came to inspect the envelopes and let them know there was a mistake. Horowitz announced to the audience and millions watching at home on ABC: “There’s been a mistake. ‘Moonlight.’ You guys won.” “Moonlight” director Barry Jenkins came upon the stage to give the acceptance speech but unfortunately for the film and those who worked on it the moment wasn’t the celebration it should have been amidst the confusion.
February 27
On February 27, 1987, the most severe penalty in college sports history is handed down to Southern Methodist University’s football program by the NCAA when it was announced the entire 1987 schedule had been canceled due to gross violations of NCAA rules regarding athletic corruption. What became known as the “death penalty,” was handed down to the school due to repeated violations, most notably a slush fund used for under-the-table payments to athletes and their families to entice them to play for SMU. As part of the punishment the team also had its home games for the 1988 season stripped away and the team ultimately canceled the season unable to field a viable team. The severity of the penalty left the once national title holders in ruins as it would not have a winning season over the next 20 years.
February 28
The final episode of the long-running, award-winning CBS series “M*A*S*H” titled “Goodbye, Farewell, and Amen” aired on February 28, 1983, to a record 125 million viewers in the United States. It’s a record number of viewers for a non-sports television program that almost certainly will never be topped due to changes in how television is broadcast and viewed today. The two-hour feature-length episode was directed and co-written by series star Alan Alda and saw our lovable MASH 4077 unit doctors and nurses say goodbye to each other at the end of the Korean War, which was considerably shorter in real-life than the show that ran for 11 seasons.
March 1
Jim Morrison, the lead singer of the California rock band The Doors, is arrested following an incident at the Dinner Key Auditorium in Miami, Fla. on March 1, 1969, after allegedly exposing himself to the audience. Morrison had screamed “You wanna see my cock?” and other obscenities at the audience, but there’s seemingly no proof Morrison actually exposed his penis to the audience (all members of the band always denied he did). However, he was arrested and later convicted for indecent exposure and profanity by a Miami jury after a 16-day trial in September of 1970. He was sentenced to six months in prison and ordered to pay a $500 fine but remained free on a $50,000 bond. He would die of heart failure, likely caused by a drug overdose in Paris, France on July 3, 1971, at the age of 27. On December 8, 2010 – the 67th anniversary of Morrison’s birth – he was posthumously pardoned by Florida Gov. Charlie Crist.
March 2
In perhaps the most dominant display of athletic prowess ever seen in professional sports, Philadelphia Warriors center Wilt Chamberlain scores an NBA record 100 points in a 169-147 win over the New York Knicks held in Hershey, Penn. on March 2, 1962. Chamberlain shot 36-of-63 from the field in the game and 28-of-32 from the free-throw line. No video footage of the game exists due to the era and only audio recordings of the game’s fourth quarter exist. The closest any NBA player has ever come to Chamberlain’s record was when Kobe Bryant (Los Angeles Lakers) scored 81 points against the Toronto Raptors in 2006.
March 3
Madonna’s controversial music video for her song “Like a Prayer” hits MTV, one day after its partial debut in a two-minute Pepsi commercial and causes an uproar. The music video, directed by Mary Lambert, portrays Madonna witnessing a young white woman being killed by a group of white men but a black man is arrested for the murder. She hides in a church for safety seeking strength to come forward as a witness. The video transposes images of Catholic symbols and the Ku Klux Klan burning crosses and features a dream of her kissing a black saint. The Vatican condemned the video and many family and religious groups boycotted Pepsi products as a result of the song being featured in its commercial. The company canceled its contract with Madonna but allowed her to keep the $5 million fee. MTV kept the video in rotation. It would go on to win the Viewer’s Choice award at the 1989 MTV Video Music Awards. “Like a Prayer” topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart on April 22, 1989, where it would remain for three weeks.
In perhaps the most shocking moment in the history of the Academy Awards on February 26, 2017, the wrong Best Picture-winning film “La La Land” is announced by presenters Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway instead of the actual winner “Moonlight” due to a mix-up when a PricewaterhouseCoopers accountant Brian Cullinan, not paying attention to his duties, handed the presenters the wrong envelope (which was the backup envelope for Best Actress winner Emma Stone (“La La Land”). The producers of “La La Land” Fred Berger and Jordan Horowitz were in the middle of their acceptance speech when Oscar crew members came to inspect the envelopes and let them know there was a mistake. Horowitz announced to the audience and millions watching at home on ABC: “There’s been a mistake. ‘Moonlight.’ You guys won.” “Moonlight” director Barry Jenkins came upon the stage to give the acceptance speech but unfortunately for the film and those who worked on it the moment wasn’t the celebration it should have been amidst the confusion.
February 27
On February 27, 1987, the most severe penalty in college sports history is handed down to Southern Methodist University’s football program by the NCAA when it was announced the entire 1987 schedule had been canceled due to gross violations of NCAA rules regarding athletic corruption. What became known as the “death penalty,” was handed down to the school due to repeated violations, most notably a slush fund used for under-the-table payments to athletes and their families to entice them to play for SMU. As part of the punishment the team also had its home games for the 1988 season stripped away and the team ultimately canceled the season unable to field a viable team. The severity of the penalty left the once national title holders in ruins as it would not have a winning season over the next 20 years.
February 28
The final episode of the long-running, award-winning CBS series “M*A*S*H” titled “Goodbye, Farewell, and Amen” aired on February 28, 1983, to a record 125 million viewers in the United States. It’s a record number of viewers for a non-sports television program that almost certainly will never be topped due to changes in how television is broadcast and viewed today. The two-hour feature-length episode was directed and co-written by series star Alan Alda and saw our lovable MASH 4077 unit doctors and nurses say goodbye to each other at the end of the Korean War, which was considerably shorter in real-life than the show that ran for 11 seasons.
March 1
Jim Morrison, the lead singer of the California rock band The Doors, is arrested following an incident at the Dinner Key Auditorium in Miami, Fla. on March 1, 1969, after allegedly exposing himself to the audience. Morrison had screamed “You wanna see my cock?” and other obscenities at the audience, but there’s seemingly no proof Morrison actually exposed his penis to the audience (all members of the band always denied he did). However, he was arrested and later convicted for indecent exposure and profanity by a Miami jury after a 16-day trial in September of 1970. He was sentenced to six months in prison and ordered to pay a $500 fine but remained free on a $50,000 bond. He would die of heart failure, likely caused by a drug overdose in Paris, France on July 3, 1971, at the age of 27. On December 8, 2010 – the 67th anniversary of Morrison’s birth – he was posthumously pardoned by Florida Gov. Charlie Crist.
March 2
In perhaps the most dominant display of athletic prowess ever seen in professional sports, Philadelphia Warriors center Wilt Chamberlain scores an NBA record 100 points in a 169-147 win over the New York Knicks held in Hershey, Penn. on March 2, 1962. Chamberlain shot 36-of-63 from the field in the game and 28-of-32 from the free-throw line. No video footage of the game exists due to the era and only audio recordings of the game’s fourth quarter exist. The closest any NBA player has ever come to Chamberlain’s record was when Kobe Bryant (Los Angeles Lakers) scored 81 points against the Toronto Raptors in 2006.
March 3
Madonna’s controversial music video for her song “Like a Prayer” hits MTV, one day after its partial debut in a two-minute Pepsi commercial and causes an uproar. The music video, directed by Mary Lambert, portrays Madonna witnessing a young white woman being killed by a group of white men but a black man is arrested for the murder. She hides in a church for safety seeking strength to come forward as a witness. The video transposes images of Catholic symbols and the Ku Klux Klan burning crosses and features a dream of her kissing a black saint. The Vatican condemned the video and many family and religious groups boycotted Pepsi products as a result of the song being featured in its commercial. The company canceled its contract with Madonna but allowed her to keep the $5 million fee. MTV kept the video in rotation. It would go on to win the Viewer’s Choice award at the 1989 MTV Video Music Awards. “Like a Prayer” topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart on April 22, 1989, where it would remain for three weeks.
March 4
John Lennon is quoted in the London Evening Standard as saying: “Christianity will go. It will vanish and shrink. I needn’t argue about that; I’m right and I will be proved right. We’re more popular than Jesus now.” The remark goes mostly unnoticed in the U.K., but when it’s later reprinted in America’s Datebook magazine in September of 1966 it causes an uproar that leads to radio bans, boycotts and album burnings across the country, particularly in the Bible Belt American South. The biggest impact it would have on the band would be its tour being marred by protests, which would be one of the reasons the group would abstain from touring throughout the remainder of its tenure. Lennon was murdered on December 8, 1980, at age 40 by Mark David Chapman, who had been enraged by Lennon for various reasons including the “bigger than Jesus” remark. To this day both Christianity and The Beatles exist.
John Lennon is quoted in the London Evening Standard as saying: “Christianity will go. It will vanish and shrink. I needn’t argue about that; I’m right and I will be proved right. We’re more popular than Jesus now.” The remark goes mostly unnoticed in the U.K., but when it’s later reprinted in America’s Datebook magazine in September of 1966 it causes an uproar that leads to radio bans, boycotts and album burnings across the country, particularly in the Bible Belt American South. The biggest impact it would have on the band would be its tour being marred by protests, which would be one of the reasons the group would abstain from touring throughout the remainder of its tenure. Lennon was murdered on December 8, 1980, at age 40 by Mark David Chapman, who had been enraged by Lennon for various reasons including the “bigger than Jesus” remark. To this day both Christianity and The Beatles exist.
February 19-February 25
February 19
Ronald “Bon” Scott, the lead singer of hard rock band AC/DC, was found dead in London on February 19, 1980, following a night of heavy drinking. He was 33. The official report from the coroner concluded Scott had died of “acute alcohol poisoning.”
After Scott’s death, AC/DC briefly considered disbanding before deciding to continue with Brian Johnson as the group’s new singer. Their 1980 album Back in Black is a tribute to Scott. Scott performed with AC/DC on the band’s first seven albums, including Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap and Highway to Hell.
February 20
In one of the biggest tragedies in live music history, a fire broke out at a Great White (touring at the time as Jack Russell’s Great White) concert at The Station night club in West Warwick, R.I. on February 20, 2003, killing 100 people, including the band’s guitarist Ty Longley, and injuring another 230. The fire broke out when the band’s pyrotechnics created sparks that ignited the venue’s makeshift and either unapproved or unlisted foam soundproofing material affixed to the walls and ceiling.
February 21
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) is officially incorporated on February 21, 1948. Talks of forming a national touring stock car auto racing body began on December 14, 1947, when Daytona Beach, Fla. businessman and racing enthusiast Bill France organized a meeting between promoters and influential racers at the Streamline Hotel in Daytona Beach. It would be almost another year-and-a-half before the first NASCAR race was held at the Charlotte Speedway in North Carolina on June 19, 1949, where some 13,000 fans watched driver Glenn Dunnaway cross the finish line first, but he was later disqualified for illegal parts on his car leading to runner-up Jim Roper becoming the sport’s first winner.
February 22
In what’s often considered one of the greatest sporting events of all time, the United States Olympic Men’s Hockey Team stuns the heavily favorited and four-time defending gold medalist Soviet Union team 4-3 on February 22, 1980, at the 1980 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid, N.Y. Despite being an all-time classic, the game – now known as “The Miracle on Ice” thanks to commentator Al Michaels’ instant classic “Do you believe in miracles? YES!” call – was actually not seen live at the time, but tape-delayed for primetime broadcast on ABC. The U.S. Men’s Hockey Team would go on to win the gold medal over Finland two days later.
February 23
Five-time Formula 1 champion Juan Manuel Fangio, who dominated the racing circuit’s first decade in the 1950s, is kidnapped by two gunmen for Fidel Castro’s 26th of July Movement on February 23, 1958, in an attempt to embarrass the regime of Cuban President Fulgencio Batista. President Batista had established the non-Formula One Cuban Grand Prix in 1957, an event Fangio won. President Batista ordered the ’58 race to continue as usual while police attempted to track down the kidnappers. Fangio’s kidnappers allowed him to listen to the race on the radio and talked about their revolutionary plans – though Fangio had no interest in discussing politics. Upon the finish of the race, his captors handed the Argentinian driver over to the Argentine embassy. The kidnappers were never captured, and the Cuban Revolution took over the government in January 1959.
February 24
February 24 must be actor Daniel Day-Lewis’ lucky day as the three-time Oscar-winning actor took home two of his record three Best Actor Oscar statuettes on that day. On February 24, 2008, Day-Lewis won Best Actor for his performance of oilman Daniel Plainview in director Paul Thomas Anderson’s 2007 drama “There Will Be Blood.” On February 24, 2013, Day-Lewis won his record-breaking third Best Actor Oscar award for his portrayal of President Abraham Lincoln in director Steven Spielberg’s 2012 film “Lincoln.” Day-Lewis had won his first Best Actor award in 1990 for his performance in 1989’s “My Left Foot,” but that honor would fall on March 26 of that year.
February 25
Cassius Clay, who would adopt his Muslim name and “free name” Muhammad Ali just weeks later, won his first heavyweight boxing title in a thrilling match against Sonny Liston on February 25, 1964, in Miami. Clay was an 8-1 underdog but won in a major upset when Liston refused to come out to the ring to start the seventh round. Sports Illustrated magazine would name the match the fourth greatest sports moment of the twentieth century in 1998. Clay would announce he was a member of the Nation of Islam the following day. Ali would go on to be considered one of the greatest boxers and athletes of all time.
Ronald “Bon” Scott, the lead singer of hard rock band AC/DC, was found dead in London on February 19, 1980, following a night of heavy drinking. He was 33. The official report from the coroner concluded Scott had died of “acute alcohol poisoning.”
After Scott’s death, AC/DC briefly considered disbanding before deciding to continue with Brian Johnson as the group’s new singer. Their 1980 album Back in Black is a tribute to Scott. Scott performed with AC/DC on the band’s first seven albums, including Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap and Highway to Hell.
February 20
In one of the biggest tragedies in live music history, a fire broke out at a Great White (touring at the time as Jack Russell’s Great White) concert at The Station night club in West Warwick, R.I. on February 20, 2003, killing 100 people, including the band’s guitarist Ty Longley, and injuring another 230. The fire broke out when the band’s pyrotechnics created sparks that ignited the venue’s makeshift and either unapproved or unlisted foam soundproofing material affixed to the walls and ceiling.
February 21
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) is officially incorporated on February 21, 1948. Talks of forming a national touring stock car auto racing body began on December 14, 1947, when Daytona Beach, Fla. businessman and racing enthusiast Bill France organized a meeting between promoters and influential racers at the Streamline Hotel in Daytona Beach. It would be almost another year-and-a-half before the first NASCAR race was held at the Charlotte Speedway in North Carolina on June 19, 1949, where some 13,000 fans watched driver Glenn Dunnaway cross the finish line first, but he was later disqualified for illegal parts on his car leading to runner-up Jim Roper becoming the sport’s first winner.
February 22
In what’s often considered one of the greatest sporting events of all time, the United States Olympic Men’s Hockey Team stuns the heavily favorited and four-time defending gold medalist Soviet Union team 4-3 on February 22, 1980, at the 1980 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid, N.Y. Despite being an all-time classic, the game – now known as “The Miracle on Ice” thanks to commentator Al Michaels’ instant classic “Do you believe in miracles? YES!” call – was actually not seen live at the time, but tape-delayed for primetime broadcast on ABC. The U.S. Men’s Hockey Team would go on to win the gold medal over Finland two days later.
February 23
Five-time Formula 1 champion Juan Manuel Fangio, who dominated the racing circuit’s first decade in the 1950s, is kidnapped by two gunmen for Fidel Castro’s 26th of July Movement on February 23, 1958, in an attempt to embarrass the regime of Cuban President Fulgencio Batista. President Batista had established the non-Formula One Cuban Grand Prix in 1957, an event Fangio won. President Batista ordered the ’58 race to continue as usual while police attempted to track down the kidnappers. Fangio’s kidnappers allowed him to listen to the race on the radio and talked about their revolutionary plans – though Fangio had no interest in discussing politics. Upon the finish of the race, his captors handed the Argentinian driver over to the Argentine embassy. The kidnappers were never captured, and the Cuban Revolution took over the government in January 1959.
February 24
February 24 must be actor Daniel Day-Lewis’ lucky day as the three-time Oscar-winning actor took home two of his record three Best Actor Oscar statuettes on that day. On February 24, 2008, Day-Lewis won Best Actor for his performance of oilman Daniel Plainview in director Paul Thomas Anderson’s 2007 drama “There Will Be Blood.” On February 24, 2013, Day-Lewis won his record-breaking third Best Actor Oscar award for his portrayal of President Abraham Lincoln in director Steven Spielberg’s 2012 film “Lincoln.” Day-Lewis had won his first Best Actor award in 1990 for his performance in 1989’s “My Left Foot,” but that honor would fall on March 26 of that year.
February 25
Cassius Clay, who would adopt his Muslim name and “free name” Muhammad Ali just weeks later, won his first heavyweight boxing title in a thrilling match against Sonny Liston on February 25, 1964, in Miami. Clay was an 8-1 underdog but won in a major upset when Liston refused to come out to the ring to start the seventh round. Sports Illustrated magazine would name the match the fourth greatest sports moment of the twentieth century in 1998. Clay would announce he was a member of the Nation of Islam the following day. Ali would go on to be considered one of the greatest boxers and athletes of all time.
February 12-February 18
February 12
Beyonce Knowles became the first woman in entertainment history to have the No. 1 movie at the box office and No. 1 song on the Billboard chart in the same week on February 12, 2006 when “The Pink Panther” won the weekend at the box office while her song “Check On It,” which was used for the end credits of the movie, was at No. 1. “Check On It” was her third Billboard No. 1 as a solo artist and “The Pink Panther” her second film to top the box office (after 2002’s “Austin Powers in Goldmember.”)
February 13
The first Negro Baseball League – the Negro National League – was established when eight team owners met at the Kansas City YMCA on February 13, 1920. Former pitcher Rube Foster was named the league’s president. Prior to this league, black teams had barnstormed across the country without much organization. The NNL was the first African American league to achieve stability and last more than a single season. The NNL would feature future baseball hall of famers like Cool Papa Bell, Satchel Paige and Judy Johnson. The NNL would operate from 1920-1931. Other negro leagues would pop up following the NNL’s decline as a result of the Great Depression.
February 14
The 30th running of the Daytona 500, NASCAR’s biggest event, on February 14, 1988 was a family affair as 50-year-old Bobby Allison raced his son, Davey, to the finish line for the first father-son one-two finish in the history of the race (and the only one to this date). It would be Bobby’s 85th and final career NASCAR victory and his fourth Daytona 500 victory. Davey would go on to win the 1992 Daytona 500. This race was also notable for a scary roll-over wreck involving seven-time champion Richard Petty on lap 106 when his car lifted into the air before rolling over eight times and then being crashed into by another car – he would walk away uninjured.
February 15
In what’s potentially the greatest ending to a NASCAR race and Daytona 500 ever, Richard Petty and David Pearson – longtime rivals – duked it out on the final lap of the 1976 event on February 15, 1976 when Pearson passed Petty on the backstretch of the final lap. When Petty attempted to pass Pearson back in turn three he didn’t make it completely clear, and the two cars contacted each other and then the outside wall before both spun into the infield grass just yards from the finish line. Because both drivers had been two laps ahead of the next closest competitor they still had time to win the race. Petty’s car stalled in the infield, but Pearson was able to re-start his heavily damaged car and limp it across the finish line for his only career Daytona 500 victory.
Beyonce Knowles became the first woman in entertainment history to have the No. 1 movie at the box office and No. 1 song on the Billboard chart in the same week on February 12, 2006 when “The Pink Panther” won the weekend at the box office while her song “Check On It,” which was used for the end credits of the movie, was at No. 1. “Check On It” was her third Billboard No. 1 as a solo artist and “The Pink Panther” her second film to top the box office (after 2002’s “Austin Powers in Goldmember.”)
February 13
The first Negro Baseball League – the Negro National League – was established when eight team owners met at the Kansas City YMCA on February 13, 1920. Former pitcher Rube Foster was named the league’s president. Prior to this league, black teams had barnstormed across the country without much organization. The NNL was the first African American league to achieve stability and last more than a single season. The NNL would feature future baseball hall of famers like Cool Papa Bell, Satchel Paige and Judy Johnson. The NNL would operate from 1920-1931. Other negro leagues would pop up following the NNL’s decline as a result of the Great Depression.
February 14
The 30th running of the Daytona 500, NASCAR’s biggest event, on February 14, 1988 was a family affair as 50-year-old Bobby Allison raced his son, Davey, to the finish line for the first father-son one-two finish in the history of the race (and the only one to this date). It would be Bobby’s 85th and final career NASCAR victory and his fourth Daytona 500 victory. Davey would go on to win the 1992 Daytona 500. This race was also notable for a scary roll-over wreck involving seven-time champion Richard Petty on lap 106 when his car lifted into the air before rolling over eight times and then being crashed into by another car – he would walk away uninjured.
February 15
In what’s potentially the greatest ending to a NASCAR race and Daytona 500 ever, Richard Petty and David Pearson – longtime rivals – duked it out on the final lap of the 1976 event on February 15, 1976 when Pearson passed Petty on the backstretch of the final lap. When Petty attempted to pass Pearson back in turn three he didn’t make it completely clear, and the two cars contacted each other and then the outside wall before both spun into the infield grass just yards from the finish line. Because both drivers had been two laps ahead of the next closest competitor they still had time to win the race. Petty’s car stalled in the infield, but Pearson was able to re-start his heavily damaged car and limp it across the finish line for his only career Daytona 500 victory.
February 16
Lady Gaga’s “Born This Way” made pop music history when it became the 1,000th No. 1 single on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, which began in 1958, on February 16, 2011. Lady Gaga told Billboard: “It’s a tremendous honor. To be the 100th number one on Billboard. I would be silly not to say this is the greatest honor of my career.” “Born This Way” was Lady Gaga’s third career No. 1 hit. As of February 11, there have now been 1,145 different no. 1 songs in the chart’s history.
February 17
Comedian and former “Saturday Night Live” cast member Jimmy Fallon becomes the sixth host of NBC’s esteemed late-night talk show “The Tonight Show” when he debuts on February 17, 2014. Fallon took over for Jay Leno after Leno’s second stint as ‘Tonight Show’ host. Fallon’s first guests on “The Tonight Show” that night were Will Smith and U2. As of February 10, Fallon has hosted 1,795 episodes, the third most behind Leno and Johnny Carson.
February 18
Tragedy struck on the final lap of the 2001 Daytona 500 when seven-time champion and one of the sport’s most popular and famous drivers Dale Earnhardt is killed in a crash while following two cars he owned (Michael Waltrip and his son Dale Earnhardt Jr.) to the finish line. Earnhardt is killed instantly when his No. 3 Chevrolet struck the wall due to a basilar skull fracture. He was 49. Waltrip won his first career NASCAR Cup Series race on its biggest stage, but he and the rest of the NASCAR community would grieve the loss of a legend.
Lady Gaga’s “Born This Way” made pop music history when it became the 1,000th No. 1 single on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, which began in 1958, on February 16, 2011. Lady Gaga told Billboard: “It’s a tremendous honor. To be the 100th number one on Billboard. I would be silly not to say this is the greatest honor of my career.” “Born This Way” was Lady Gaga’s third career No. 1 hit. As of February 11, there have now been 1,145 different no. 1 songs in the chart’s history.
February 17
Comedian and former “Saturday Night Live” cast member Jimmy Fallon becomes the sixth host of NBC’s esteemed late-night talk show “The Tonight Show” when he debuts on February 17, 2014. Fallon took over for Jay Leno after Leno’s second stint as ‘Tonight Show’ host. Fallon’s first guests on “The Tonight Show” that night were Will Smith and U2. As of February 10, Fallon has hosted 1,795 episodes, the third most behind Leno and Johnny Carson.
February 18
Tragedy struck on the final lap of the 2001 Daytona 500 when seven-time champion and one of the sport’s most popular and famous drivers Dale Earnhardt is killed in a crash while following two cars he owned (Michael Waltrip and his son Dale Earnhardt Jr.) to the finish line. Earnhardt is killed instantly when his No. 3 Chevrolet struck the wall due to a basilar skull fracture. He was 49. Waltrip won his first career NASCAR Cup Series race on its biggest stage, but he and the rest of the NASCAR community would grieve the loss of a legend.
February 5 - February 11
February 5
The New England Patriots, led by quarterback Tom Brady, have the biggest comeback win in Super Bowl history over the Atlanta Falcons in Super Bowl LI. The Patriots trailed the Falcons 28-3 early in the second half and 28-9 heading into the fourth and final quarter. The Patriots managed to score 19 unanswered points in the fourth quarter to send the game to overtime (the first OT in Super Bowl history). The Patriots would complete their comeback win in overtime on a game-winning two-yard rush by running back James White. Tom Brady would win his record fourth Super Bowl MVP award with 466 passing yards and two touchdowns on 43-for-62 passing.
February 6
Charlie Chaplin, who was already well-known due to his comedic film short films, released his first full-length film “The Kid,” co-starring Jackie Coogan, on February 6, 1921. The silent film featured Chaplin’s The Tramp persona and would be the second highest-grossing film of 1921. Considered today one of the greatest films of the silent film era “The Kid” was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress in 2011, 90 years after its release.
February 7
Tom Brady may have switched teams during the NFL offseason – which was certainly a shock to many who believed he’d be a life-long New England Patriot – but he was still king of the football field when he led the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to the Super Bowl LV title over the Kansas City Chiefs in the Buccaneers’ own home-field on February 7, 2021. It would be Brady’s seventh career Super Bowl victory, which is one more than any single franchise has won in NFL history.
February 8
The very first NFL Draft is held at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Philadelphia on February 8, 1936, where NFL teams would select collegiate players to join their team. The draft was instituted in an effort to end bidding wars among the teams, and it was decided the draft order would be set in reverse order of the previous season’s standing. This meant the Philadelphia Eagles who went 2-9 in the 1935 season would have the first selection and they chose Jay Berwanger, a halfback from the University of Chicago who had been crowned the first-ever Heisman Trophy winner in ’35. Berwanger never played a single NFL game after salary disputes with the Eagles and later the Chicago Bears, something he admitted he regretted later in his life.
February 9
Beatlemania begins in the United States on February 9, 1964, when The Beatles come over from England for their first U.S. televised appearance on “The Ed Sullivan Show.” The group performed “All My Loving,” “Till There Was You,” “She Loves You,” “I Saw Her Standing There” and “I Want to Hold Your Hand” on the episode, which was seen by more than 73 million viewers, a TV ratings record at the time. The Beatles would perform twice more on the show that month.
February 10
Singer-songwriter Carole King releases her seminal album Tapestry on February 10, 1971. King had been one of pop music’s most successful songwriters of the early-to-mid ‘60s with her then-husband Gerry Goffin, but after their divorce, she took off for Los Angeles in pursuit of a recording career of her own. Her 1970 debut Writer didn’t really take off, but Tapestry the following year immediately became a hit with such classics as “It’s Too Late,” “I Feel the Earth Move” and “So Far Away.” The album would go on to win four Grammy Awards, including the coveted Album of the Year. In 2020, Rolling Stone magazine ranked it as the 25th greatest album of all time.
February 11
On February 11, 1990, in a world heavyweight boxing title match in Tokyo, Japan, the 41-to-1 underdog James “Buster” Douglas shocked the sports world when he knocked out the previously undefeated champion Mike Tyson to take the heavyweight crown. Douglas would hold onto the title for eight months before losing it to Evander Holyfield. Douglas’ knockout of Tyson is considered not only one of boxing’s biggest upsets, but one of the biggest in the entirety of sports history.
The New England Patriots, led by quarterback Tom Brady, have the biggest comeback win in Super Bowl history over the Atlanta Falcons in Super Bowl LI. The Patriots trailed the Falcons 28-3 early in the second half and 28-9 heading into the fourth and final quarter. The Patriots managed to score 19 unanswered points in the fourth quarter to send the game to overtime (the first OT in Super Bowl history). The Patriots would complete their comeback win in overtime on a game-winning two-yard rush by running back James White. Tom Brady would win his record fourth Super Bowl MVP award with 466 passing yards and two touchdowns on 43-for-62 passing.
February 6
Charlie Chaplin, who was already well-known due to his comedic film short films, released his first full-length film “The Kid,” co-starring Jackie Coogan, on February 6, 1921. The silent film featured Chaplin’s The Tramp persona and would be the second highest-grossing film of 1921. Considered today one of the greatest films of the silent film era “The Kid” was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress in 2011, 90 years after its release.
February 7
Tom Brady may have switched teams during the NFL offseason – which was certainly a shock to many who believed he’d be a life-long New England Patriot – but he was still king of the football field when he led the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to the Super Bowl LV title over the Kansas City Chiefs in the Buccaneers’ own home-field on February 7, 2021. It would be Brady’s seventh career Super Bowl victory, which is one more than any single franchise has won in NFL history.
February 8
The very first NFL Draft is held at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Philadelphia on February 8, 1936, where NFL teams would select collegiate players to join their team. The draft was instituted in an effort to end bidding wars among the teams, and it was decided the draft order would be set in reverse order of the previous season’s standing. This meant the Philadelphia Eagles who went 2-9 in the 1935 season would have the first selection and they chose Jay Berwanger, a halfback from the University of Chicago who had been crowned the first-ever Heisman Trophy winner in ’35. Berwanger never played a single NFL game after salary disputes with the Eagles and later the Chicago Bears, something he admitted he regretted later in his life.
February 9
Beatlemania begins in the United States on February 9, 1964, when The Beatles come over from England for their first U.S. televised appearance on “The Ed Sullivan Show.” The group performed “All My Loving,” “Till There Was You,” “She Loves You,” “I Saw Her Standing There” and “I Want to Hold Your Hand” on the episode, which was seen by more than 73 million viewers, a TV ratings record at the time. The Beatles would perform twice more on the show that month.
February 10
Singer-songwriter Carole King releases her seminal album Tapestry on February 10, 1971. King had been one of pop music’s most successful songwriters of the early-to-mid ‘60s with her then-husband Gerry Goffin, but after their divorce, she took off for Los Angeles in pursuit of a recording career of her own. Her 1970 debut Writer didn’t really take off, but Tapestry the following year immediately became a hit with such classics as “It’s Too Late,” “I Feel the Earth Move” and “So Far Away.” The album would go on to win four Grammy Awards, including the coveted Album of the Year. In 2020, Rolling Stone magazine ranked it as the 25th greatest album of all time.
February 11
On February 11, 1990, in a world heavyweight boxing title match in Tokyo, Japan, the 41-to-1 underdog James “Buster” Douglas shocked the sports world when he knocked out the previously undefeated champion Mike Tyson to take the heavyweight crown. Douglas would hold onto the title for eight months before losing it to Evander Holyfield. Douglas’ knockout of Tyson is considered not only one of boxing’s biggest upsets, but one of the biggest in the entirety of sports history.
January 29-February 4
January 29
On January 29, 1936, the inaugural class of the Baseball Hall of Fame is elected by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America which chose outfielder Ty Cobb, pitcher Walter Johnson, pitcher Christy Mathewson, outfielder Babe Ruth and shortstop Honus Wagner to be the first players enshrined. Ruth may have hit 714 career home runs and dominated the game like no other, but it was actually Cobb who gained the highest percentage of the vote among the group. Future Hall of Famers who would have to wait for another year included Cy Young, Lou Gehrig and Rogers Hornsby.
January 30
In what would wind up being their last public performance, The Beatles staged their famous rooftop concert on top of Apple Records in London on January 30, 1969. The impromptu event went on for 42 minutes before being shut down by the Metropolitan Police due to noise and crowd control. Among the songs performed by The Beatles were “Get Back,” “Don’t Let Me Down” and “I’ve Got a Feeling.” Much of the performance can be seen in director Peter Jackson’s documentary “Get Back” on Disney+.
On January 29, 1936, the inaugural class of the Baseball Hall of Fame is elected by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America which chose outfielder Ty Cobb, pitcher Walter Johnson, pitcher Christy Mathewson, outfielder Babe Ruth and shortstop Honus Wagner to be the first players enshrined. Ruth may have hit 714 career home runs and dominated the game like no other, but it was actually Cobb who gained the highest percentage of the vote among the group. Future Hall of Famers who would have to wait for another year included Cy Young, Lou Gehrig and Rogers Hornsby.
January 30
In what would wind up being their last public performance, The Beatles staged their famous rooftop concert on top of Apple Records in London on January 30, 1969. The impromptu event went on for 42 minutes before being shut down by the Metropolitan Police due to noise and crowd control. Among the songs performed by The Beatles were “Get Back,” “Don’t Let Me Down” and “I’ve Got a Feeling.” Much of the performance can be seen in director Peter Jackson’s documentary “Get Back” on Disney+.
January 31
Country music superstar Garth Brooks was set to perform the National Anthem ahead of Super Bowl XXVII on January 31, 1993, but when he wanted the network covering the event (NBC) to air the music video for his most recent song “We Shall Be Free” during the pregame show and they deemed it too controversial he took the matter into his own hands and left the stadium a mere 45 minutes before kickoff. As the network argued with Brooks to perform “The Star Spangled Banner,” producers spotted Jon Bon Jovi in attendance at the game and had him on standby if they couldn’t come to an agreement with Brooks. Ultimately, NBC relented and aired the “We Shall Be Free” video and Brooks performed the anthem. Following the event, producers of the biggest televised event of the year began requiring all performers to pre-record the anthem just in case.
February 1
Comedian David Letterman debuts “Late Night with David Letterman,” a late-night talk show following “The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson” on NBC on February 1, 1982. Letterman was a stand-up comedian who performed and guest hosted on “The Tonight Show,” as well as hosted a short-lived morning talk show in 1980. Letterman’s first guest on the show was comedic actor Bill Murray, who performed Olivia Newton-John’s “Physical” well doing an aerobic routine. Letterman would host the show until 1993 when he moved to CBS to host “Late Show with David Letterman” as a direct competitor to “The Tonight Show,” which he’d been passed over for. “Late Night” has been hosted by Conan O’Brien, Jimmy Fallon and Seth Meyers since.
February 2
On February 2, 1970, Louisiana State University star point guard Pete Maravich became the first player in college basketball to record 3,000 career points in a 109-91 victory over Mississippi State. Maravich would finish his three-year collegiate career (back then freshmen didn’t play) with 3,667 points and an average of 44.2 points per game, both of which remain college basketball records (and likely always will). His numbers would be considerably higher if he hadn’t played in the pre-three-point era. Only 10 other players have reached the 3,000-point total in the 53 years since Maravich became the first.
February 3
In one of the biggest shocks in Super Bowl history, the New York Giants, which were 10-6 during the regular season, upset the undefeated New England Patriots 17-14 in Super Bowl XLII in Glendale, Ariz. on February 3, 2008. The Patriots were trying to become the second team in NFL history to have a perfect season (joining the 1972 Miami Dolphins) and were an almost two-touchdown favorite. The Patriots took a 7-3 lead into the fourth quarter, but the Giants would quickly take the lead with a three-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Eli Manning to receiver David Tyree. The Pats regained the lead with 2:42 left in the game when quarterback Tom Brady connected with receiver Randy Moss on a six-yard touchdown. The Giants began their final drive, often regarded as the greatest in league history, on their own 17-yard line. The most memorable play of the drive was a third-down leaping, one-handed catch by Tyree who pinned the ball against his helmet to secure it. With 35 seconds remaining on the clock, Manning would hook up with receiver Plaxico Burress on a 13-yard touchdown for the ultimate game-winner.
February 4
Fleetwood Mac released their landmark Rumours album on February 4, 1977. The album would go on to set a record for the most weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard albums chart at 31 weeks and has continued as one of the biggest-selling albums in music history. The album was enhanced by the lore of the band, which included two couples breaking up around the time of its recording, coming to terms with failing relationships in the midst of the songwriting and recording process. Rumours would win the Grammy Award for Album of the Year and it was ranked as the seventh greatest album of all time on Rolling Stone’s 2020 list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.
January 22-January 28
January 22
Don McLean’s album American Pie rides its hit title track to No. 1 on the Billboard albums chart on January 22, 1972, where it would remain for seven weeks. The song “American Pie” had hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles list the previous week, where it remained for four weeks. The album was a major boon to McLean’s career. His previous album didn’t crack the top 100.
January 23
The critically-acclaimed, much-watched miniseries “Roots,” based on Alex Haley’s 1976 novel, premieres its first episode on ABC on January 23, 1977. The series, starring LeVar Burton, John Amos, Ben Vereen and many more, would air over eight consecutive nights on ABC drawing as much as an estimated 130-140 million viewers total (more than half of the U.S. population at the time). “Roots” would be nominated for 37 Emmy Awards, winning a total of nine including Outstanding Limited Series.
January 24
On January 24, 1961, a 19-year-old named Robert Zimmerman arrived in New York City after dropping out of the University of Minnesota in his home state. Almost immediately, the songwriter whose folk music hero is Woody Guthrie, gets to work playing a song at the Greenwich Village club Café Wha?. In August of 1962, Zimmerman would adopt the moniker Bob Dylan and release his debut album in November. It wouldn’t be long before he was one of the biggest music stars in the world.
January 25
Denver Broncos quarterback John Elway finally wins the Super Bowl on January 25, 1998 after three previous losses and many other heartbreaks when the Broncos defeat the Green Bay Packers 31-24 in Super Bowl XXXII at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego. Broncos running back Terrell Davis would be crowned M.V.P. of the game with 157 yards and three touchdowns on 30 carries. Elway, Davis and the Broncos would defend their title the next season and Elway would retire on top of the game.
January 26
On January 26, 2020, the basketball and pop culture world is shocked when NBA and Los Angeles Lakers legend Kobe Bryant is killed, along with eight others including his 13-year-old daughter Gianna, in a helicopter crash during foggy conditions in Calabasas, Calif. Bryant, who had retired from the NBA in 2016, was 41.
January 27
Michael Jackson is severely burned on the set of a Pepsi commercial. During the sixth take of the commercial Jackson veered too close to the pyrotechnics display, which had gone off a bit too early, while dancing and was set ablaze by the fireworks. Jackson suffered second-degree burns to his scalp. One month later, Jackson would make an appearance at the Grammy Awards, where he would have a record night (at the time) winning eight awards, including Album of the Year for Thriller and Record of the Year for “Beat It.”
January 28
On January 28, 1958, Brooklyn Dodgers All-Star catcher and three-time National League M.V.P. Roy Campanella was driving home from a liquor store he owned in Harlem when his car, traveling just 30 MPH, hit a patch of ice, slid out of control and hit a telephone pole where it overturned. Campanella broke his neck in the crash leaving him paralyzed from the shoulders down and ending his baseball career. Campanella was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1969. He died at the age of 71 in 1993.
Don McLean’s album American Pie rides its hit title track to No. 1 on the Billboard albums chart on January 22, 1972, where it would remain for seven weeks. The song “American Pie” had hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles list the previous week, where it remained for four weeks. The album was a major boon to McLean’s career. His previous album didn’t crack the top 100.
January 23
The critically-acclaimed, much-watched miniseries “Roots,” based on Alex Haley’s 1976 novel, premieres its first episode on ABC on January 23, 1977. The series, starring LeVar Burton, John Amos, Ben Vereen and many more, would air over eight consecutive nights on ABC drawing as much as an estimated 130-140 million viewers total (more than half of the U.S. population at the time). “Roots” would be nominated for 37 Emmy Awards, winning a total of nine including Outstanding Limited Series.
January 24
On January 24, 1961, a 19-year-old named Robert Zimmerman arrived in New York City after dropping out of the University of Minnesota in his home state. Almost immediately, the songwriter whose folk music hero is Woody Guthrie, gets to work playing a song at the Greenwich Village club Café Wha?. In August of 1962, Zimmerman would adopt the moniker Bob Dylan and release his debut album in November. It wouldn’t be long before he was one of the biggest music stars in the world.
January 25
Denver Broncos quarterback John Elway finally wins the Super Bowl on January 25, 1998 after three previous losses and many other heartbreaks when the Broncos defeat the Green Bay Packers 31-24 in Super Bowl XXXII at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego. Broncos running back Terrell Davis would be crowned M.V.P. of the game with 157 yards and three touchdowns on 30 carries. Elway, Davis and the Broncos would defend their title the next season and Elway would retire on top of the game.
January 26
On January 26, 2020, the basketball and pop culture world is shocked when NBA and Los Angeles Lakers legend Kobe Bryant is killed, along with eight others including his 13-year-old daughter Gianna, in a helicopter crash during foggy conditions in Calabasas, Calif. Bryant, who had retired from the NBA in 2016, was 41.
January 27
Michael Jackson is severely burned on the set of a Pepsi commercial. During the sixth take of the commercial Jackson veered too close to the pyrotechnics display, which had gone off a bit too early, while dancing and was set ablaze by the fireworks. Jackson suffered second-degree burns to his scalp. One month later, Jackson would make an appearance at the Grammy Awards, where he would have a record night (at the time) winning eight awards, including Album of the Year for Thriller and Record of the Year for “Beat It.”
January 28
On January 28, 1958, Brooklyn Dodgers All-Star catcher and three-time National League M.V.P. Roy Campanella was driving home from a liquor store he owned in Harlem when his car, traveling just 30 MPH, hit a patch of ice, slid out of control and hit a telephone pole where it overturned. Campanella broke his neck in the crash leaving him paralyzed from the shoulders down and ending his baseball career. Campanella was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1969. He died at the age of 71 in 1993.
January 15-January 21
January 15
On January 15, 1981, pop star Stevie Wonder led a rally in Washington, D.C. to get Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday declared an official holiday. At the rally Wonder performed his song “Happy Birthday,” written for King, which would become a rallying call for the movement. President Ronald Reagan would sign Martin Luther King Jr. Day into law in 1983, but the day wasn’t first observed until 1986. King’s birthday was January 15, but the holiday is observed on the third Monday of January annually.
January 16
The 432nd and final episode of the long-running TV Western “Bonanza” airs on NBC. “Bonanza,” premiered on September 13, 1959, and ran for 14 seasons featuring the wealthy Cartwright family of Virginia City, Nev. in the 1860s. The show was the most-watched series on television for three seasons from 1964-1967 and starred Lorne Greene, Pernell Roberts, Dan Blocker and Michael Landon. Only Greene and Landon remained with the series for all 14 seasons.
January 17
Dallas Cowboys linebacker Chuck Howley became the first (and to this day only) player to win Super Bowl MVP in a losing performance. Howley, who was also the first non-quarterback to win the honor, had two interceptions in the game. The Baltimore Colts would defeat the Cowboys 16-13 in what was called the “Blunder Bowl” and is considered one of the worst Super Bowls of all-time due to poor play with the teams combining for a record 11 turnovers, including five in the final quarter.
January 18
Willie O’Ree became the first African American to play in a National Hockey League (NHL) game when he suited up for the Boston Bruins against the Montreal Canadiens in a 3-0 Boston victory in Montreal on January 18, 1958. O’Ree would play in 45 games for the Bruins over two seasons (most of which came in the 1960-61 season). He compiled four career goals and 10 assists. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2018 and had his No. 22 jersey retired by the Bruins in 2022 on the 64th anniversary of his integrating the league.
January 19
Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks returned to Fleetwood Mac for a one-off performance at Bill Clinton’s Presidential inauguration ceremonies on January 19, 1993, to perform their 1977 hit “Don’t Stop,” which had been used as Clinton’s campaign song. Buckingham hadn’t performed with the band since 1987 and Nicks hadn’t since 1990. Both would reunite with the band to tour and record in 1997 with Nicks remaining to this day and Buckingham being with the group until 2018.
On January 15, 1981, pop star Stevie Wonder led a rally in Washington, D.C. to get Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday declared an official holiday. At the rally Wonder performed his song “Happy Birthday,” written for King, which would become a rallying call for the movement. President Ronald Reagan would sign Martin Luther King Jr. Day into law in 1983, but the day wasn’t first observed until 1986. King’s birthday was January 15, but the holiday is observed on the third Monday of January annually.
January 16
The 432nd and final episode of the long-running TV Western “Bonanza” airs on NBC. “Bonanza,” premiered on September 13, 1959, and ran for 14 seasons featuring the wealthy Cartwright family of Virginia City, Nev. in the 1860s. The show was the most-watched series on television for three seasons from 1964-1967 and starred Lorne Greene, Pernell Roberts, Dan Blocker and Michael Landon. Only Greene and Landon remained with the series for all 14 seasons.
January 17
Dallas Cowboys linebacker Chuck Howley became the first (and to this day only) player to win Super Bowl MVP in a losing performance. Howley, who was also the first non-quarterback to win the honor, had two interceptions in the game. The Baltimore Colts would defeat the Cowboys 16-13 in what was called the “Blunder Bowl” and is considered one of the worst Super Bowls of all-time due to poor play with the teams combining for a record 11 turnovers, including five in the final quarter.
January 18
Willie O’Ree became the first African American to play in a National Hockey League (NHL) game when he suited up for the Boston Bruins against the Montreal Canadiens in a 3-0 Boston victory in Montreal on January 18, 1958. O’Ree would play in 45 games for the Bruins over two seasons (most of which came in the 1960-61 season). He compiled four career goals and 10 assists. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2018 and had his No. 22 jersey retired by the Bruins in 2022 on the 64th anniversary of his integrating the league.
January 19
Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks returned to Fleetwood Mac for a one-off performance at Bill Clinton’s Presidential inauguration ceremonies on January 19, 1993, to perform their 1977 hit “Don’t Stop,” which had been used as Clinton’s campaign song. Buckingham hadn’t performed with the band since 1987 and Nicks hadn’t since 1990. Both would reunite with the band to tour and record in 1997 with Nicks remaining to this day and Buckingham being with the group until 2018.
January 20
Creator/producer Vince Gilligan’s crime drama “Breaking Bad” premiered on AMC on January 20, 2008, instantly becoming a hit with TV critics and later becoming a hit with fans after its debut on streaming services. The series starred Bryan Cranston as a high school chemistry teacher who partners with a former student, played by Aaron Paul, to make and distribute methamphetamine to secure his family’s financial future after being diagnosed with stage-three lung cancer. The show would run for five seasons winning 16 Emmy Awards. Rolling Stone magazine would rank it as the No. 3 greatest show of all time in 2022.
January 21
The Pittsburgh Steelers defeated the Dallas Cowboys 35-31 in Super Bowl XIII at the Orange Bowl in Miami on January 21, 1979, winning the franchise’s third championship in a five-year span. Quarterback Terry Bradshaw became the first quarterback to win three Super Bowls and would win the first of his two career Super Bowl MVP honors with four touchdown passes and 318 passing yards.
January 8 - January 14
January 8
The “Music City Miracle” is one of the most unbelievable and greatest endings to a playoff game in NFL history. The play happened at the end of the AFC Wild Card matchup between the Buffalo Bills and Tennessee Titans on January 8, 2000, just after the Bills had taken a 16-15 lead on a field goal with 16 seconds remaining on the clock. Bills kicker Steve Christie kicked the kickoff high and short, and it was recovered by Titans fullback Lorenzo Neal who immediately handed it off behind him to Titans tight end Frank Wycheck. Wycheck took a few steps before lateralling the ball (controversially) to wide receiver Kevin Dyson on the sideline who took the ball 75 yards down the sideline for the 22-16 victory.
January 9
Famed composer Andrew Lloyd Webber broke his own Broadway record when “The Phantom of the Opera,” which made its Broadway debut in 1988, marked its 7,486th performance at the Majestic Theater on January 9, 2006, breaking the previous record held by Webber’s “Cats.” The musical is still playing on Broadway to this day but will finally see the lights go out on April 16, 2023, after more than 35 years.
January 10
“The Sopranos,” created by David Chase, premiered on HBO on January 10, 1999. The drama series saw Tony Soprano, played by James Gandolfini, juggling problems in his family life, as well as with his mob family. The series, which co-starred Edie Falco, Lorraine Bracco and Michael Imperioli, ran for six seasons on HBO winning 21 Emmy Awards, including Outstanding Drama Series twice and Best Actor for Gandolfini three times. Rolling Stone magazine has twice ranked “The Sopranos” no. 1 on its list of the 100 greatest TV series of all time.
January 11
January 11, 1992 was a huge day for ‘90s grunge legends Nirvana as their second album (first in the mainstream) Nevermind topped the Billboard 200 album chart, unseating Michael Jackson’s Dangerous. Later that evening the band would make its “Saturday Night Live” debut in an episode hosted by actor Rob Morrow where they would perform their breakthrough hit “Smells Like Teen Spirits,” as well as “Territorial Pissings.”
January 12
Super Bowl III on January 12, 1969, was actually the first AFL-NFL Championship game to go by the moniker “Super Bowl.” Much attention was on the game as the AFL champion New York Jets were a huge 19.5-point underdog to the NFL champion Baltimore Colts. Despite this, the Jets’ brash, young quarterback Joe Namath had guaranteed his team’s victory three days prior at the Miami Touchdown Club. Namath completed 17 of 28 passes for 206 yards in leading his team to a 16-7 victory and winning the Super Bowl MVP honor.
January 13
Aretha Franklin, recently ranked as the greatest singer of all time by Rolling Stone magazine, performed the first of her two concerts at the New Temple Missionary Baptist Church in Los Angeles on January 13, 1972. The two performances were recorded for the live gospel album Amazing Grace, which would be released in June of that year and sell over 2 million copies. The shows were also performed for a documentary, but the footage would not be revealed until 2019, after Franklin’s death.
January 14
The Miami Dolphins complete the first (and thus far) only undefeated season in NFL history when defeating the Washington Redskins 14-7 in Super Bowl VII in Los Angeles on January 14, 1973. Dolphins safety Jake Scott would win MVP of the game with two interceptions for 63 return yards. The team, led by coach Don Shula, would go on to be named the greatest team in NFL history during the league’s 100th anniversary season in 2019.
The “Music City Miracle” is one of the most unbelievable and greatest endings to a playoff game in NFL history. The play happened at the end of the AFC Wild Card matchup between the Buffalo Bills and Tennessee Titans on January 8, 2000, just after the Bills had taken a 16-15 lead on a field goal with 16 seconds remaining on the clock. Bills kicker Steve Christie kicked the kickoff high and short, and it was recovered by Titans fullback Lorenzo Neal who immediately handed it off behind him to Titans tight end Frank Wycheck. Wycheck took a few steps before lateralling the ball (controversially) to wide receiver Kevin Dyson on the sideline who took the ball 75 yards down the sideline for the 22-16 victory.
January 9
Famed composer Andrew Lloyd Webber broke his own Broadway record when “The Phantom of the Opera,” which made its Broadway debut in 1988, marked its 7,486th performance at the Majestic Theater on January 9, 2006, breaking the previous record held by Webber’s “Cats.” The musical is still playing on Broadway to this day but will finally see the lights go out on April 16, 2023, after more than 35 years.
January 10
“The Sopranos,” created by David Chase, premiered on HBO on January 10, 1999. The drama series saw Tony Soprano, played by James Gandolfini, juggling problems in his family life, as well as with his mob family. The series, which co-starred Edie Falco, Lorraine Bracco and Michael Imperioli, ran for six seasons on HBO winning 21 Emmy Awards, including Outstanding Drama Series twice and Best Actor for Gandolfini three times. Rolling Stone magazine has twice ranked “The Sopranos” no. 1 on its list of the 100 greatest TV series of all time.
January 11
January 11, 1992 was a huge day for ‘90s grunge legends Nirvana as their second album (first in the mainstream) Nevermind topped the Billboard 200 album chart, unseating Michael Jackson’s Dangerous. Later that evening the band would make its “Saturday Night Live” debut in an episode hosted by actor Rob Morrow where they would perform their breakthrough hit “Smells Like Teen Spirits,” as well as “Territorial Pissings.”
January 12
Super Bowl III on January 12, 1969, was actually the first AFL-NFL Championship game to go by the moniker “Super Bowl.” Much attention was on the game as the AFL champion New York Jets were a huge 19.5-point underdog to the NFL champion Baltimore Colts. Despite this, the Jets’ brash, young quarterback Joe Namath had guaranteed his team’s victory three days prior at the Miami Touchdown Club. Namath completed 17 of 28 passes for 206 yards in leading his team to a 16-7 victory and winning the Super Bowl MVP honor.
January 13
Aretha Franklin, recently ranked as the greatest singer of all time by Rolling Stone magazine, performed the first of her two concerts at the New Temple Missionary Baptist Church in Los Angeles on January 13, 1972. The two performances were recorded for the live gospel album Amazing Grace, which would be released in June of that year and sell over 2 million copies. The shows were also performed for a documentary, but the footage would not be revealed until 2019, after Franklin’s death.
January 14
The Miami Dolphins complete the first (and thus far) only undefeated season in NFL history when defeating the Washington Redskins 14-7 in Super Bowl VII in Los Angeles on January 14, 1973. Dolphins safety Jake Scott would win MVP of the game with two interceptions for 63 return yards. The team, led by coach Don Shula, would go on to be named the greatest team in NFL history during the league’s 100th anniversary season in 2019.
January 1 - January 7
January 1
Johnny Cash played his first show at San Quentin State Prison in California on New Year’s Day 1959. It would be the first of many shows performed at San Quentin and various prisons throughout the country during his career. Cash felt compassion for those incarcerated and wanted to give them both something to look forward to and hope for the future. One such inmate at San Quentin during that 1959 New Year’s Day show that credits Cash’s performance for helping to turn his life around was Merle Haggard, sentenced there on burglary charges. Haggard would become a country music legend in his own right.
Cash would go on to record a live album At San Quentin in 1969, one year after his iconic and highly successful At Folsom Prison.
January 2
The Sid Vicious second-degree murder trial began in New York City on Jan. 2, 1979. Vicious (real name John Simon Ritchie) was the bassist for the British punk band The Sex Pistols who had been arrested and charged for the stabbing death of his girlfriend Nancy Spungen on October 12, 1978. Vicious had found Spungen dead in their Chelsea Hotel room after he awoke from a heroin-induced stupor. Vicious would die of a heroin overdose, while out on bail, on February 2 bringing the trial to an inconclusive end.
January 3
Radio engineer Sam Phillips opens his Memphis Recording Studio (later renamed Sun Records) on Jan 3, 1950. Phillips’ initial purpose of the studio was to record “negro artists of the South” who wanted to make a recording but had no place to do so. The studio would later be one of the most important and influential for the birth of Rock & Roll music when Phillips launched Elvis Presley's career. Sun Records would be the first studio of future legends like Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins, Jerry Lee Lewis, Roy Orbison and more. Today the studio can be visited by fans on tours at 706 Union Ave. in Memphis, Tenn.
January 4
One of the greatest games in college football history took place at the Rose Bowl on Jan. 4, 2006, when the University of Texas Longhorns faced the University of Southern California Trojans in the Bowl Championship Series National Championship Game. Texas and USC were the only two unbeaten teams of the season and matched up in an epic back-and-forth battle that ultimately was decided with 19 seconds left on the clock when Texas quarterback Vince Young facing a fourth-and-five from the nine-yard line received the shotgun snap, took off on a rush, received a big block from teammate Justin Blalock and scampered in for his third rushing touchdown of the game to win 41-38.
January 5
The memorable 12th episode of the first season of the Fox legal dramedy “Ally McBeal” titled “Cro-Magnon” airs featuring the titular character, played by Calista Flockhart, having a hallucinogenic moment where she sees a computer-generated baby dancing to Blue Swede’s “Hooked on a Feeling.” It was probably the most memorable moment of the show’s five-season run.
Johnny Cash played his first show at San Quentin State Prison in California on New Year’s Day 1959. It would be the first of many shows performed at San Quentin and various prisons throughout the country during his career. Cash felt compassion for those incarcerated and wanted to give them both something to look forward to and hope for the future. One such inmate at San Quentin during that 1959 New Year’s Day show that credits Cash’s performance for helping to turn his life around was Merle Haggard, sentenced there on burglary charges. Haggard would become a country music legend in his own right.
Cash would go on to record a live album At San Quentin in 1969, one year after his iconic and highly successful At Folsom Prison.
January 2
The Sid Vicious second-degree murder trial began in New York City on Jan. 2, 1979. Vicious (real name John Simon Ritchie) was the bassist for the British punk band The Sex Pistols who had been arrested and charged for the stabbing death of his girlfriend Nancy Spungen on October 12, 1978. Vicious had found Spungen dead in their Chelsea Hotel room after he awoke from a heroin-induced stupor. Vicious would die of a heroin overdose, while out on bail, on February 2 bringing the trial to an inconclusive end.
January 3
Radio engineer Sam Phillips opens his Memphis Recording Studio (later renamed Sun Records) on Jan 3, 1950. Phillips’ initial purpose of the studio was to record “negro artists of the South” who wanted to make a recording but had no place to do so. The studio would later be one of the most important and influential for the birth of Rock & Roll music when Phillips launched Elvis Presley's career. Sun Records would be the first studio of future legends like Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins, Jerry Lee Lewis, Roy Orbison and more. Today the studio can be visited by fans on tours at 706 Union Ave. in Memphis, Tenn.
January 4
One of the greatest games in college football history took place at the Rose Bowl on Jan. 4, 2006, when the University of Texas Longhorns faced the University of Southern California Trojans in the Bowl Championship Series National Championship Game. Texas and USC were the only two unbeaten teams of the season and matched up in an epic back-and-forth battle that ultimately was decided with 19 seconds left on the clock when Texas quarterback Vince Young facing a fourth-and-five from the nine-yard line received the shotgun snap, took off on a rush, received a big block from teammate Justin Blalock and scampered in for his third rushing touchdown of the game to win 41-38.
January 5
The memorable 12th episode of the first season of the Fox legal dramedy “Ally McBeal” titled “Cro-Magnon” airs featuring the titular character, played by Calista Flockhart, having a hallucinogenic moment where she sees a computer-generated baby dancing to Blue Swede’s “Hooked on a Feeling.” It was probably the most memorable moment of the show’s five-season run.
January 6
American figure skater Nancy Kerrigan is attacked at the Cobo Arena in Detroit while practicing for the U.S. Championships. It was later revealed that assailant Shane Stant, who had struck Kerrigan’s lower right thigh with a telescopic baton, was hired to do so by fellow figure skater Tonya Harding, who went on to win the U.S. Championships in Kerrigan’s absence. Harding would later be stripped of the title and banned for life from United States Figure Skating Association events. Kerrigan would recover from her injuries in time to win the silver medal at the 1994 Lillehammer Winter Olympics.
January 7
The Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Atlanta Hawks 105-95 to extend their already NBA record winning streak to 33 games (where it would come to an end). Thirty-three straight wins was 13 more than the previous record of 20 at the time set by the Washington Capitols over a two-season span in the late ‘40s and the Milwaukee Bucks in the 1970-71 season the year before. Twenty-eight straight wins is the closest any team has come to the Lakers’ 1971-72 streak since. The Lakers would go on to win the NBA title that season, the only one for legendary Jerry West.