1963 History, Trivia and Fun Facts

1963 History, Trivia and Fun Facts

Quick Facts from 1963:

• World Changing Event: President John F. Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas, Texas, on Nov. 22, 1963.
• Another World Changing Event: Thich Quang Duc’s self-immolation caused many Americans to question why we were in Vietnam.
• The Top Song was Sugar Shack by Jimmy Gilmore and the Fireballs
• The Movies to Watch include Cleopatra and Dr. No
• The Most Famous Person in America was probably Doris Day
• Notable books include: Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak and The Feminine Mystiqueby Betty Friedan
• Soviet cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova became the first woman to travel into space, giving them bonus points in The Space Race.
• Price of a postage stamp in 1963: 5 cents
  Turtle kit (bowl, food, ornament & gravel): 44 cents
  Turtle: 21-49 cents each
• The Funny Late Show Host: Steve Allen
  The Funny Lady was: Moms Mabley
• The Crazy Conspiracy: Bob Dylan stole Blowin’ in the Wind from New Jersey high-school student, Lorre Wyatt.
• The Feminine Revolution: Betty Friedan’s The Feminine Mystique inaugurated the modern women’s rights movement.

“The Quotes:”
“From Dallas, Texas, the flash, apparently official… President Kennedy died at 1 p.m. Central Standard Time, 2:00 Eastern Standard Time, some 38 minutes ago.”
– Walter Cronkite

In 1963, Hall of Fame pitcher Gaylord Perry remarked, “They’ll put a man on the moon before I hit a home run.” On July 20, 1969, a few hours after Neil Armstrong set foot on the moon, Perry hit his first and only home run.

“Oh, I wish I were an Oscar Meyer wiener. That is what I truly want to be.”
– Oscar Meyer Hot Dog Commercial

Pop Culture Facts:
June 17 – The Supreme Court ruled that laws requiring reciting The Lord’s Prayer or Bible versus in public schools were unconstitutional.

Valentia Tershkova was the first woman in space, on the Vostok 6. She orbited Earth 48 times.

Kodak introduced the Instamatic camera.

‘Ma’ Bell Telephone introduced the push button telephone

Boxer Sonny Liston was the first to win a million dollars in a single bout when he beat Floyd Patterson, in Chicago on September 25th.

Elizabeth Taylor was the first actress to earn $1,000,000 for a single film – ‘Cleopatra.’

Vietnamese Buddhist monk Thich Quang Duc publicly immolated himself on a street in Saigon to protest the anti-Buddhist policies of President Ngo Dinh Diem.

Mississippi physician James D. Hardy performed the first successful lung transplant.

Doomsday Clock:
12 minutes to midnight, according to the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists.
1963: “After a decade of almost non-stop nuclear tests, the United States and Soviet Union sign the Partial Test Ban Treaty, which ends all atmospheric nuclear testing. While it does not outlaw underground testing, the treaty represents progress in at least slowing the arms race. It also signals awareness among the Soviets and United States that they need to work together to prevent nuclear annihilation.”

1963 Billboard Number One Songs

December 22, 1962 – January 11, 1963:
Telstar – The Tornadoes

January 12 – January 25:
Go Away Little Girl – Steve Lawrence

January 26 – February 8:
Walk Right In – The Rooftop Singers

February 9 – March 1:
Hey Paula – Paul & Paula

March 2 – March 22:
Walk Like A Man – The Four Seasons

March 23 – March 29:
Our Day Will Come – Ruby & The Romantics

March 30 – April 26:
He’s So Fine – The Chiffons

April 27 – May 17:
I Will Follow Him – Little Peggy March

May 18 – May 30:
If You Wanna Be Happy – Jimmy Soul

June 1 – June 14:
It’s My Party – Lesley Gore

June 15 – July 5:
Sukiyaki – Kyu Sakamoto

July 6 – July 19:
Easier Said Than Done – The Essex

July 20 – August 2:
Surf City – Jan & Dean

August 3 – August 9:
So Much In Love – The Tymes

August 10 – August 30:
Fingertips – Pt 2 – Little Stevie Wonder

August 31 – September 20:
My Boyfriend’s Back – The Angels

September 21 – October 11:
Blue Velvet – Bobby Vinton

October 12 – November 15:
Sugar Shack – Jimmy Gilmer & The Fireballs

November 16 – November 22:
Deep Purple – Nino Tempo & April Stevens

November 23 – December 6:
I’m Leaving It Up To You – Dale & Grace

December 7, 1963 – January 3, 1964:
Dominique – The Singing Nun