Historical Events: 1956-1960

1956- On October 3th, 1956 the first game of the Baseball World Series between The New York Yankees and Brooklyn Dodgers. The Yankees won the Series in seven games, 4-3. On the first and second games the Brooklyn Dodgers won 6:3 and 13:8.  The Yankees stepped up their game and beat the Dodgers on October 6^th, 5:3 and on October 7^th, 6:2. The Yankees beat the Dodgers again on the fifth game 2:0 where Don Larsen pitched the first and only perfect no-hitter in World Series History. The Dodgers beat the Yankees 1:0 because Junior Gilliam, moved to second on bunt, and scored when Jackie Robinson drove a single over Slaughter’s head and scored a win. Game 7 was an easy win when the Yankees scored twice in the first inning, two more in the third, and ended up with a 9-0 score! 

Video- This video shows that last game of the World Series, first showing Dodger’s Pitcher Don Newcombe, pitches to Yogi Berra and he scores a homerun. Bases are loaded when Bill Scowron scores another homerun for the Yankees leaving the score 9:0. Next pitcher is Johnny Cooks with Jackie Robinson at base. Jackie strikes out but the umpire does not catch the ball. Jackie runs to first base only to get a strike.  The Yankees win their sixth championship with Coach Casey Stegal. 

1956- Elvis Presley Releases single Heart Break Hotel selling 300,000 copies in the first week. Elvis gains popularity and makes six appearances on the Jackie Gleason- Produced stage show on CBS. His first album is sold on March 13^th, selling over a million becoming his first Gold Album. He signs a seven year contract with Paramount Pictures in April. On November 16^th Elvis’s first movie “Love Me Tender” premieres. Throughout the year Elvis performs songs, Love Me Tender, Don’t Be Cruel, Ready Teddy, Hound Dog, Blue Suede Shoes, Heartbreak Hotel, That All Right, and Blue Moon of Kentucky.  Elvis Presley inspired a new generation of music for the 1950’s!

1957- On December 29^th, 1957 the Detroit Lions won the NFL Championship against the Cleveland Browns. Starting quarterback Bobby Lane was injured, so back-up quarterback Tobin Rote had to take his place. Detroit Lions scored two touchdowns every quarter, with an extra point from a field goal in the first. Quarterback Tobin Rote scored one touchdown and completed 12 out of 18 passes for 280 yards. Cleveland Browns only scored two touchdowns throughout the whole game. The Detroit Lions dominated the Browns winning the Super Bowl 59:14.   

1958- On February 6^th, 1958 the airplane carrying players and backroom staff of Manchester United, a number of journalist and supporters crashed in a blizzard on its third attempt to take off from Munich Airport. Manchester United was just returning from Belgrade where they just finished beating Red Star Belgrade in the European Cup. Twenty-three of forty-four passengers passed away. Eight players of Manchester United passed away due to the Munich Air Disaster. Roger Bryne, Mark Jones, Duncan Edwards, Tommy Taylor, Eddie Coleman, Liam Whelan, David Pegg, and Geoff Bent were the players of Manchester United that did not survive the crash.  The people that passed away due to the air disaster will always be remembered. 

Video- This video was made for the 50^th anniversary of the Munich Air Disaster. Survivors of the Munich Air Disaster relive the day of the disaster. The video was supported with videos and pictures of the crash. Sir Bobby Charlton was a survivor of the terrible event. Gerald said he woke up after the place crash 20 yards away from the plane and doesn’t understand why he survived the crash, which he should have died during the crash and let another person of the disaster live. Manchester United player Harry Gregg was also a survivor of the crash and he showed how he tried to rescue as many players as he could.  Manager, Matt Busby and others were critically injured and struggling to stay alive.  All of the people that passed away during the air crash will be remembered.

1958- On July 29^th, 1958 the U.S Congress passed legislation establishing the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).  NASA was an agency that could be responsible for America’s expeditions in America.  NASA would provide expeditions and experiments that would provide important information about the solar system and universe.   NASA was created after the Soviet Union launched its first satellite in 1957. The “Sputnik” launch caught Americans by surprise and feared that the Soviets would be capable of sending nuclear missile’s from Europe to America.  The first successful satellite was on January 31^st, 1958 when it orbited the Earth. NASA has provided the world with great information about Earth, the Solar System, and     the Universe with hopefully many more to come!

<!--[if !vml]--><!--[endif]-->1959- On January 1st, 1959 Cuban leader Fulgencio Batista fled to Dominican Republic after Fidel Castro forced him to. Fidel became the Prime Minister of Cuba in February and soon suspended all elections and named himself “President for Life”. Fidel then established a communist government and jailed or executed all who opposed him. The Cuban Revolution started after Fulgencio Batista overthrew the President of Cuba, this upsetting Fidel Castro beginning “The Cuban Revolution”. “The Cuban Revolution” was a turning point in history. Cubans began to leave Cuba and find jobs in America to make a living there. Fidel Castro gave his power to his brother Raul Castro now the President of Cuba, but his government is still used in Cuba.

1959- on September 26^th, 1959 one of the most destructive typhoons in Japanese History, struck the Ise Bay Region on the southern coast of Japan’s main island Honshu. The storm killed more than 5,000 people and left about 1.5 million homeless, and injured almost 39,000 people. The storm began as a low-pressure area in the Pacific Ocean gaining strength as it moved to the Northwest. It was classified as a typhoon on the 21^st of September and continued to become more destructive as it headed towards Japan. Once the typhoon

struck Japan its winds were as high as 160 miles per hour, which is equal to a category five storm on the Simpson Hurricane scale. The typhoon damaged coastal sea walls,  caused widespread flooding, destroyed thousands of buildings, and in various area’s contaminate drinking water, flood rivers, ruin crops, and leave thousands of citizens stranded with no shelter. The damage of the typhoon, followed with the Japanese Government creating a disaster management council to ensure national and regional governments place measures to provide more effective emergency assistance in the aftermath of future storms.

1960- This was the year Skateboarding and Skateboards were invented! Skateboards originated form surfboards with roller-skates on the front and back of the board.  The pieces of wood tuned into planks, and companies began to manufactures “pressed layers of wood” as the “deck”. Skateboarding became a big hit and it was a great way to get from Point A to Point B. Skateboarder of that time did “freestyle” which was dancing ballet or ice skating with a skateboard. Throughout the years skateboard went from pressed layer of wood, to boards with a kick tail at the end of the board. Skateboarding has evolved from blocks of wood, to extreme ramps and tricks, and it’s more popular then ever!

Video- This video has skaters Tony Hawk, Tom Sims, James Cassimus, Stacy Peralta, and Tony Alva from the 1960’s and up explaining the history of skateboarding. Skateboarding was modeled from surfing movement. Videos of teenagers surfing were included during the video. They were showing low turns and pivots on the board which were considered tricks. In the early 70’s skateboarding became famous when “freestyle” became famous. Freestyle involved wheelies, handstands, and jumping off benches. Ramps were made to represent waves as a surfer would ride the waves. Surfing started a revolution of kids skateboarding!