What Happened in 1958

Boris Pasternak is Awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature

The Nobel Prize in Literature 1958 was awarded to Boris Pasternak "for his important achievement both in contemporary lyrical poetry and in the... Read more

Kellogg's Cocoa Krispies Hits Stores

Cocoa Krispies (known as Choco Krispis, Choco Krispies, or Coco Pops outside of the United States) is a breakfast cereal produced by Kellogg's. It... Read more

Porsche 718 is First Produced

The Porsche 718 is an automobile from Porsche released in 1958 and built until 1962. It is a mid-engined race car based on the Porsche 550.... Read more

'Things Fall Apart' is Published

However remarkable on this score, Achebe's first novel achieved far more than revealing genuine African voices. Things Fall Apart was the first... Read more

Robert Byrd Elected to Senate

Serving first in the House of Representatives before his election to the Senate in 1958, he is the only person ever elected to nine full Senate... Read more

Tennis for Two, the "First Video Game"

Tennis for Two was a game developed in 1958 on an analog computer, which simulates a game of tennis or ping pong on an oscilloscope. Created by... Read more

"Look Back In Anger" Is Released

Look Back in Anger is a 1958 British film starring Richard Burton, Claire Bloom and Mary Ure and directed by Tony Richardson. It is based on John... Read more

Karl Beyer Creates Cholorothiazide (Diuril) to Lower Blood Pressure

The most important breakthrough in the history of the drug treatment of hypertension came with the discovery of the orally effective diuretic,... Read more

Malcolm X marries Betty Sanders

On January 14, 1958, Malcolm X married Betty X (née Sanders) in Lansing, Michigan. The two had been friends for about a year and—although they had... Read more

Paul McCartney invited George Harrison to watch the Quarrymen

According to George Harrison, the first time he saw the Quarry Men was at the Wilson Hall, opposite the bus depot in Garston, Liverpool. According... Read more

Munich Air Disaster

As the plane gathered speed, throwing up slush as it went, Captain Thain called out the velocities in ten-knot increments. At 85 knots, the port... Read more

"South Pacific" Is Released

South Pacific is a 1958 film adaptation of the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical South Pacific, which was based on James A. Michener's Tales of the... Read more

Kentucky Beats Seattle in Final Four

The eventual national champion turned out to be ninth-ranked Kentucky, giving coach Adolph Rupp four NCAA titles. The Wildcats reached the Final... Read more

30th Academy Awards

The 30th Academy Awards was the first time the entire ceremony was broadcast live. The Oscar for Writing Based on Material From Another Medium... Read more

Arnold Palmer wins the 22nd Masters Tournament

The 1958 Masters is where Palmer became the biggest star in golf. It was his first major championship victory, and the first of his eventual four... Read more

'Yertle the Turtle and Other Stories' is Published

Most people know Dr. Seuss as the man behind 'The Cat in the Hat'. But how many know that Yertle the Turtle was modeled after Hitler-or that Dr.... Read more

Montreal Canadiens win Stanley Cup

The 1958 Stanley Cup Final NHL championship series was contested by the defending champion Montreal Canadiens and the Boston Bruins in a rematch of... Read more

Fulgencio Batista launches Operation Verano

n May 1958, Batista launched Operation Verano aiming to crush Castro and other anti-government groups. It was called La Ofensiva ("The Offensive")... Read more

"Mon Oncle" Is Released

Five years after his first appearance, Jacques Tati's M. Hulot returns with Mon Oncle, a film set along the dividing line between Paris' past and... Read more

"Gigi" Is Released

Gigi is a 1958 American musical film directed by Vincente Minnelli. The screenplay by Alan Jay Lerner is based on the 1944 novella of the same name... Read more

Ronald Prescott Reagan is Born

Reagan grew up in Los Angeles and then Sacramento, while his father was Governor of California from 1967 to 1975. He has a sister, Patti Davis,... Read more

Nelson Mandela marries Winnie Madikizela

Mandela's second wife, Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, also came from the Transkei area, although they, too, met in Johannesburg, where she was the... Read more

Pizza Hut is Founded

The history of Pizza Hut began in 1958 when Frank and Dan Carney opened the first store in Wichita Kansas. Frank and Dan were brothers and best... Read more

Brazil Defeats Sweden to Win the 1958 FIFA World Cup

The 1958 FIFA World Cup Final took place in Råsunda Stadium, Solna, Sweden on 29 June 1958. Brazil won the World Cup by defeating Sweden, and thus... Read more

"Big Deal On Madonna Street" Is Released

Big Deal on Madonna Street (Italian: I soliti ignoti, also released as Persons Unknown in the UK) is a 1958 Italian criminal-comedy film, directed... Read more