Events of the 1950s
1950 Notable Happenings In and Outside of Baseball
Around America !
1951 Remington Rand Corporation debuts the first commercial digital computer, The UNIVAC (Universal Automatic Computer). CBS introduces first color television in five USA cities.
1952 Jonas Salk develops the polio vaccine
1953 Korea War ends – 33,329 American lives are lost
1954 Supreme Court rules in Brown versus Board of Education Case that all forms of segregation are unconstitutional.
1955 Ray Kroc opens first MacDonald’s. Rosa Parks refuses to move from her seat, the Montgomery Bus boycott followed
1956 The Baltimore Colts win the NFL championship defeating the NY Giants in overtime.
1958 USA launches first satellite, Explorer 1 – one year after Russia launched its Sputnik satellite.
1958 Alaska and Hawaii admitted into the United States. One year later 50 Star flag is dedicated.
Entertainment Headlines
1950 Peanuts is published. Diners Club issues the first credit card.
1951 I Love Lucy premiered. Catcher in the Rye is published.
1954 Joe Dimaggio marries actress Marilyn Monroe.
1955 Actor James Dean dies in an automobile crash. Disneyland opens in California
1956 Elvis Presley releases his first million copies sold gold record, Heartbreak Hotel. Actress Grace Kelly marries Prince Ranier III of Monaco.
1959 Rock and Roll stars Buddy Holly, The Big Bopper and Richie Valens die in a plane crash in Clear Lake, Iowa. Bonanza becomes the first TV program in color.
Baseball Milestones
1950 Jackie Robinson signs a $35,000 contract, the highest of any Brooklyn Dodger.
1952 Boston Braves pitcher Warren Spahn posts 18 strikeouts in 15 inning game.
1953 Mickey Mantle hits a 564 ft home run off of Chuck Stobbs of the Washington Senators. Boston Braves move to Milwaukee
1956 Don Larsen pitches only perfect game in a World Series. Don Newcombe becomes the first recipient of the annual Cy Young Award.
1958 Dodger Catcher Roy Campanella is paralyzed from the waist down in a car crash.
1959 Pirates Harvey Haddix pitches perfect game for 12 innings before losing 1-0 in the 13th inning to the Milwaukee Braves.
1959 Last remaining teams in the Negro Baseball League are disbanded.
Next Week: Welcome to the 1960s