Fun Facts from 1960

FUN FACTS FROM 1960--

• The federal debt: $290.5 billion
  
  
• United States Population: 180,671,158
  
  
• World Population: 3.039 billion
  
  
• American U-2 spy plane, piloted by Francis Gary Powers, shot down over Russia
  
  
• Unemployment: 5.5%
  
  
• Dwight D. Eisenhower was President and Richard M. Nixon was Vice President in 1960
  
  
• Life expectancy: 69.7 years
  
  
• Cost of a first class postage stamp: 4 cents
  
  
• Ninety percent of U.S. homes have a television set
  
  

• September 26: First American presidential debate televised, between Richard M. Nixon and John F. Kennedy
  
  
• September 29: "My Three Sons" premieres
  
  
• September 30: "The Flinstones" premieres
  
  
• October 3: "The Andy Griffith Show" premieres
  
  
• "Howdy Doody" comes to an end
  
  

• 1960 World Series: Pittsburgh vs NY Yankees (4-3)
  
  
• NFL: Philadelphia Eagles vs Green Bay Packers (17 -13)
  
  
• Kentucky Derby Champion: Venetian Way
  
  
• Stanley Cup: Montreal vs Toronto vs. (4-0)
  
  
• NCAA Basketball Championship: Ohio St. vs California (75-55)
  
  
• NBA Championship: Boston vs St. Louis Hawks (4-3)
  
  
• Boxing: Cassius Clay wins the gold medal in boxing at the Rome Olympic Games
  
  
• Golf: Arnold Palmer wins the Masters Tournament
  
  

• Awards for best in films of 1960 were held on April 17, 1961 at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium in Santa Monica, California. Hosted by Bob Hope.
  
  
• Best Motion Picture: "The Apartment"
  
  
• Best Director: Billy Wilder for "The Apartment"
  
  
• Best Actor: Burt Lancaster in "Elmer Gantry"
  
  
• Best Actress: Elizabeth Taylor in "Butterfield 8"

• Record of the Year: "Mack the Knife," Bobby Darin
  
  
• Album of the Year: "Come Dance With Me," Frank Sinatra
  
  
• Song of the Year: "The Battle of New Orleans," Jimmy Driftwood, songwriter
  
  
• August 1: The Beatles make their debut in Hamburg, Germany. The band at the time included John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, Stu Sutcliffe on bass and Pete Best on drums
  
  
• Elvis Presley has the hits "It's Now or Never" and "Are You Lonesome Tonight?"

• May 10: Bono
  
  
• June 28: John Elway
  
  
• August 7: David Duchovny
  
  
• August 17: Sean Penn
  
  
• August 24: Cal Ripken, Jr.
  
  
• August 26: Branford Marsalis
  
  
• December 3: Daryl Hannah and Julianne Moore