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Period: to
1950's-70's
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first credit card introduced
McNamara thought of a way for customers to have just one credit card that they could use at multiple stores. McNamara discussed the idea with two colleagues and the three pooled some money and started a new company in 1950 which they called the Diners Club. -
colored TV invented/first colored baseball game colored
CBS broadcast the very first commercial color TV program. Unfortunately, nearly no one could watch it on their black-and-white televisions. This first color program was a variety show simply called, "Premiere." CBS aired the first baseball game in color. The game was between the Brooklyn Dodgers and the Boston Braves at Ebbets Field in Brooklyn, New York. -
the great smog
a thick fog settled on London. This fog mixed with trapped black smoke to create a deadly layer of smog. Although there was no great panic at the time, the smog proved deadly. In the five days it hovered over London, the smog killed 4,000 people. -
First PlayBoy Magazine
27-year-old Hugh Hefner published the very first Playboy magazine. This first edition of Playboy was 44-pages long and had no date on its cover because Hefner wasn't sure there would be a second edition. -
World Series New York Giants
The 1954 World Series matched the National League champion New York Giants against the American League champion Cleveland Indians. The Giants swept the Series in four games to win their first championship since 1933 -
Rosa Parks
a 42-year-old African-American seamstress, refused to give up her seat to a white man while riding on a city bus in Montgomery, Alabama. For doing this, Rosa Parks was arrested and fined for breaking the laws of segregation. -
Olympics
The 1956 Games were held in Melbourne, Australia. Over 3,000 athletes participated from 67 countries. These Olympics were the first where athletic events took place in two countries. This was because the health services of Australia did not allow the horse-back riding events to be carried out in their country. -
Laika first animal in orbit
Soviets launched their second satellite (Sputnik 2) on November 3, 1957 with a living animal (Laika the dog) on board. Laika lived through the launch, but died in space since no return plan had been created for her. -
LEGO invention
The company that makes the famous, little, plastic, interlocking bricks known as LEGO started as a small shop in Billund, Denmark. Established in 1932 by master carpenter Ole Kirk Christiansen -
Fidel Castro Dictator of Cuba
Ever since General Fulgencio Batista's successful coup in 1952, Fidel Castro had worked to oust Batista from Cuba. At first, Castro used the legal system but when that didn't work, he resorted to violence. -
LASER invention
In 1954, Charles Townes and Arthur Schawlow invented the maser (microwave amplification by stimulated emission of radiation), using ammonia gas and microwave radiation - the maser was invented before the (optical) laser. -
Adolf Hitler on trial
After being found and captured in Argentina, Nazi leader Adolf Eichmann, known as the architect of the Final Solution, was put on trial in Israel in 1961. -
First Wal-Mart
Samuel Moore Walton of Bentonville, Arkansas was far and away one of Ben Franklin’s most successful franchisees. Starting with a lone store in Newport, Arkansas in 1945, by 1962 he had 16 profitable stores in Arkansas, Missouri and Oklahoma. -
JFK assasinated
the youth and idealism of America in the 1960s faltered as its young President, John F. Kennedy, was assassinated by Lee Harvey Oswald while riding in a motorcade through Dealey Plaza in Dallas, Texas. -
Beatles become popular in U.S
The Beatles shaped not only music but also an entire generation. People mimicked all that they did, including haircuts, clothing, and outlook. Their style and innovative music set the standard for all musicians to follow. -
Dawn Fraser suspended
Australia suspends champ swimmer Dawn Fraser for 10-yrs for misconduct to the officials -
New Cigarette label
All U.S. cigarette packs have to carry "Caution Cigarette smoking may be hazardous to your health" -
First heart transplant
South African surgeon Christiaan Barnard conducted the first heart transplant on 53-year-old Lewis Washkansky. The surgery was a success. -
Martin Luther Assasinated
At 6:01 p.m. on April 4, 1968, civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was hit by a sniper's bullet. King had been standing on the balcony in front of his room at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennessee, when, without warning, he was shot. The .30-caliber rifle bullet entered King's right cheek, traveled through his neck, and finally stopped at his shoulder blade. King was immediately taken to a nearby hospital but was pronounced dead at 7:05 p.m. -
Neil Armstrong
As part of the Apollo 11 mission, astronaut Neil Armstrong opened the hatch of the lunar module (nicknamed Eagle) and stepped out onto the ladder. Once at the bottom of the ladder, Armstrong stepped onto the surface of the moon and became the very first man on the moon. -
Women foortball player
Patricia Palinkas becomes the first woman to play in a professional football game for the Orlando Panthers in the Atlantic Coast Football League.
