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Feb 1, 1500
Outdoor Entertainment
1550-1700 – Introduction of outdoor entertainment including bowling, primitive amusement rides, music and dancing. -
Baseball
Fans paid to attend a baseball game between two teams in the New York City area at Fashion Rack Course in Queens. -
NCAA
National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) was officially formed to govern collegiate athletics. -
Film
Development of recording of sound on motion picture film. -
First Commercial
First commercial radio stations with regularly scheduled broadcasts. -
RCA
RCA established the National Broadcasting Company (NBC) -
First TV
Farnsworth transmits first electronic television picture; receives patent. -
CBS
The Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) is founded. -
Great Depression
The Stock Market Crash leads to the Great Depression closing nearly three-fourths of amusement parks. -
Wheaties
Lou Gehrig appeared on a Wheaties box. -
Sold
First television is sold. -
Girls Baseball
All-American Girls Professional Baseball League was formed due to many Major League Baseball players serving in WWII. -
Million
Televisions are in over one million homes. -
Babe
Wilson Sporting Goods signed golfer Babe Didrickson Zaharias to an endorsement contract for $100,000 per year. -
Color
Color television is introduced. -
Disneyland
Disneyland in Anaheim, California opens costing $17 million to build.
3.8 million visitors come the first year -
100 Million
Over 100 million television sets are in homes around the world. -
Six Flags
Six Flags opens in Texas
First regional theme park -
Nike
Phil Knight opens Blue Ribbon Sports. In 1972, the name is changed to Nike. -
IX
Title IX is enacted, mandating equal access to educational opportunities for men and women. -
Bills
Rich Foods pays $60,000/year for the naming rights to the Buffalo Bills football stadium. -
Boycotts
The US boycotts the Summer Olympics in Moscow. -
Olympics
The Olympics becomes commercialized. Peter Ueberoth helps to make the Olympics profitable. -
Bombing
Olympic Park in Atlanta, GA is bombed.