What Happened in July 1949

Historical Events

Historic Publication

Jul 1 "Magna Carta of the Information Age" "A Mathematical Theory of Communication", article of book by Claude Shannon and Warren Weaver laying foundation for information theory, published in "Scientific American" [1]

  • Jul 1 WBRC TV channel 6 in Birmingham, AL (ABC) begins broadcasting
  • Jul 1 WCCO TV channel 4 in Minneapolis-St Paul, MN (CBS) begins broadcasting
  • Jul 1 Wimbledon Men's Tennis: American Ted Schroeder beats Jaroslav Drobný 3-6, 6-0, 6-3, 4-6, 6-4 for his only Wimbledon singles title
  • Jul 2 "High Button Shoes" closes at Century Theater NYC after 727 performances
  • Jul 2 "Red Barber's Clubhouse" sports show premieres on CBS (later NBC) TV

Event of Interest

Jul 2 The State of Vietnam is internationally recognised, governing the southern half of Vietnam, with Bảo Đại as chief of state

Wimbledon Women's Tennis

Jul 2 Wimbledon Women's Tennis: Louise Brough beats fellow American Margaret Osborne duPont 10-8, 1-6, 10-8 for the second of 3 straight Wimbledon titles

  • Jul 6 Cincinnati Reds catcher Walker Cooper goes 6 for 7, (3 HRs, 3 singles, 5 runs scored, 10 RBI) in 23-4 win v Chicago Cubs
  • Jul 6 Freak heat wave sent central coast of Portugal to 158°F for 2 minutes
  • Jul 7 "Dragnet" premieres on NBC radio; also a TV series in 1951 & 1967
  • Jul 7 Musical revue "Cabatgata (A Night in Spain)" opens at the Broadway Theatre, NYC; runs for 76 performances
  • Jul 8 Monte Irvin & Hank Thompson, 1st black players for New York Giants, 4-3 loss to Brooklyn Dodgers at Ebbets Field
  • Jul 8 South Africa's Prohibition of Mixed Marriages Act commences, prohibiting marriage or a sexual relationship between White people and people of other races [1]

British Golf Open

Jul 9 British Open Men's Golf, Royal St.George's GC: South African Bobby Locke wins a 36-hole playoff by 12 strokes from Irishman Harry Bradshaw

  • Jul 10 1st practical rectangular TV tube announced in Toledo, Ohio
  • Jul 10 WJAR TV channel 10 in Providence, Rhode Island (NBC) begins broadcasting
  • Jul 12 16th All Star Baseball Game: AL wins 11-7 at Ebbets Field, Brooklyn
  • Jul 12 Baseball owners agree to erect warning paths before each fence
  • Jul 12 Dutch KLM Constellation crashes near Bombay, 45 die
  • Jul 12 LA Rams sign Norm Van Brocklin

Excommunication

Jul 13 Pope Pius XII excommunicates communist catholics

Spring Symphony

Jul 14 Benjamin Britten's choral symphony "Spring Symphony" premieres in Concertgebouw, Amsterdam

Sports History

Jul 14 Czech tennis stars Jaroslav Drobný and Vladimir Černík defect while playing in a tournament in Gstaad, Switzerland; Drobny accepts Egyptian citizenship

  • Jul 15 "Miss Liberty" opens at Imperial Theater NYC for 308 performances
  • Jul 15 WBTV TV channel 3 in Charlotte, North Carolina (CBS) begins broadcasting
  • Jul 19 Laos becomes associated state within French Union
  • Jul 20 Israel's 19 month war of independence ends
  • Jul 20 Vasil Kolarov elected Premier of Bulgaria
  • Jul 21 US Senate ratifies North Atlantic Treaty by a vote of 82-13 (NATO)
  • Jul 23 Test Cricket debut of England's Brian Close aged 18 years 149 days

Tour de France

Jul 24 36th Tour de France won by Fausto Coppi of Italy

  • Jul 24 Indian pitcher Bob Lemon hits 2 HRs to beat Senators, 7-5

Sports History

Jul 25 St Louis Cardinal Stan Musial hits for the cycle beating Bkln 14-1

  • Jul 26 WCPO TV channel 9 in Cincinnati, OH (CBS) begins broadcasting
  • Jul 27 1st jet-propelled airline (De Havilland Comet) flies
  • Jul 29 Moscow ends the blockade of West Berlin
  • Jul 30 British warship HMS Amethyst escapes down Yangtze River, having been refused a safe passage by Chinese Communists after 3-month standoff
1949 History

Famous Birthdays

  • Jul 1 John Farnham, English-Australian singer (Age of Reason), born in Dagenham, Essex, England
  • Jul 2 Hanno Pöschl, Austrian actor ("Exit...But No Panic"; "Tales from the Vienna Woods"), born in Vienna, Austria
  • Jul 2 Joe English, American musician and drummer (Wings; Sea Level), born in Rochester, New York
  • Jul 2 Roy Bittan, American rock piano and accordion player (E Street Band), sometimes referred to as "The Professor", born in Queens, New York
  • Jul 3 Jan Smithers, American actress (WKRP in Cincinnati - "Bailey"), born in Hollywood, California
  • Jul 3 Johnnie Wilder, Jr., American singer (Heatwave - "Always and Forever"), born in Dayton, Ohio (d. 2006)
  • Jul 3 Susan Penhaligon, British actress (Dracula, Nasty Habits), born in Manila, Philippines
  • Jul 4 James Stroud, American session drummer, keyboard player, and record producer, born in Shreveport, Louisiana
  • Jul 4 Tonio K. [Steven Krikorian], American singer (Romeo Unchained; 16 Tons of Monkeys), born in Palm Desert, California
  • Jul 5 Marilyn Cole, English Playmate model (Jan, 1972, Playmate of the Year 1973), born in Portsmouth, England
  • Jul 5 Tommy Eyre, British touring and session keyboardist, and musical director (Joe Cocker, Gerry Rafferty, Wham!), born in Sheffield, England (d. 2001)
  • Jul 6 Michael Shrieve, American drummer, percussionist, and composer (Santana), born in San Francisco, California
  • Jul 6 Shelley Hack, American actress (Tiffany Welles-Charlie's Angel), born in Greenwich, Connecticut

Shelley Duvall (74 years old)

Jul 7 American actress (Popeye;, Faery Tale Theater), born in Houston, Texas

  • Jul 8 Colin Walker, British cellist (Electric Light Orchestra, 1972-73; Orchestra of the Royal Opera House), born in Minchinhampton, Gloucestershire, England
  • Jul 8 Frank Delima, American comedian, born in Hawaii
  • Jul 8 Wolfgang Puck, Austrian-born celebrity chef, born in Sankt Veit an der Glan, Austria
  • Jul 10 Dave Smalley, American power pop guitarist and bassist (Raspberries - "Go All The Way"; "Tonight"), born in Oil City, Pennsylvania
  • Jul 10 Greg Kihn, American pop musician ("The Break-Up Song (They Don't Write 'Em)"; "Jeopardy"), radio personality (KFOX, 1996-2012), and novelist, born in Baltimore, Maryland
  • Jul 10 John C. Whitehead, American R&B singer (McFadden & Whitehead - "Ain't No Stoppin' Us Now"), born in Evanston, Illinois (d. 2004)
  • Jul 10 Mark Shera, American actor (SWAT; Barnaby Jones), born in Bayonne, New Jersey

Sunil Gavaskar (74 years old)

Jul 10 Indian cricket batsman and captain (125 Tests, 10,122 runs @ 51.12; 34 x 100, HS 236no; Bombay CA, Somerset CCC), born in Bombay, India

  • Jul 11 Liona Boyd, Canadian classical and new-age guitarist, and composer of Spanish and English heritage, born in London, England
  • Jul 12 Rick Hendrick, American NASCAR team owner (Hendrick Motorsports; 7 x NASCAR Cup Series titles), born in Palmer Springs, Virginia
  • Jul 13 Helena Fibingerova, Czech, shot putter (Olympic bronze 1976)
  • Jul 14 Niel Barnard, South African head of South Africa secret service (NIS), born in Otjiwarongo, South-West Africa
  • Jul 14 Tommy Mottola, American music executive (Sony/Columbia Records; Casablanca Records), husband of Mariah Carey (1993-98), born in The Bronx, New York
  • Jul 15 Aritana Yawalapiti, Brazilian indigenous cacique (leader) of Yawalapiti people, who sought to preserve the Amazon, born in Brazil (d. 2020)
  • Jul 15 Carl Bildt, Swedish politician (Prime Minister of Sweden 1991-94), born in Halmstad, Sweden
  • Jul 15 John Arthur Casken, British composer (The Dream of the Rood), born in Barnsley, South Yorkshire, England
  • Jul 15 Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister and ruler of the United Arab Emirates (2006-present), born in Al Shindagha, Dubai, Trucial States
  • Jul 15 Trevor Horn, British rock musician/producer (Buggles - "Video Killed The Radio Star"; Yes - Drama; Frankie Goes To Hollywood), born in Durham, England
  • Jul 15 WiIlliam Faure, South African film producer (Shaka Zulu), born in South Africa (d. 1994)
  • Jul 16 Alan "Fitz" Fitzgerald, American rock bassist (Sammy Hagar), and keyboardist (Night Ranger), born in the USA
  • Jul 16 Cyndy Garvey, wife of Steve Garvey, talk show host (AM LA), born in Detroit, Michigan
  • Jul 16 Ray Majors, British rock guitarist (Mott the Hoople, 1975-76; British Lions, 1977-78), born in the UK (d. 2022)
  • Jul 17 (Terence) "Geezer" Butler, English rock bassist (Black Sabbath), born in Birmingham, England
  • Jul 17 Charlie Steiner, American sports broadcaster, born in Malverne, New York
  • Jul 17 Gennadi Touretski, Russian swimming coach (Soviet Union, Australia national teams; Alexander Popov, Michael Klim, Ian Thorpe), born in Saint Petersburg, Russia (d. 2020)
  • Jul 17 Mike Vale [Vucish], American rock bassist and songwriter (Tommy James & The Shondells - "Crystal Blue Persuasion")
  • Jul 18 Craig Fuller, American singer-songwriter (Pure Prairie League, 1970-73, 1985-88, 2005-11 - "Amie"; Little Feat,1987-93 - "Hate To Lose Your Lovin'"), born in Portsmouth, Ohio

Dennis Lillee (74 years old)

Jul 18 Australian cricket fast bowler (1971-84), born in Subiaco, Western Australia

  • Jul 18 Wally Bryson, American rock guitarist and vocalist (Fotomaker; Raspberries), born in Gastonia, North Carolina
  • Jul 19 Ivar Kants, Australian actor (A Country Practice), born in Adelaide, Australia
  • Jul 21 Al Hrabosky, American MLB player (St. Louis Cardinals), born in Oakland, California
  • Jul 21 Ludmila Smirnova, Russian pairs figure skater (Olympic silver USSR 1972; World C'ship silver x 5), born in Moscow, Russia

Alan Menken (74 years old)

Jul 22 American 8-time Academy Award-winning composer (Disney's Aladdin; Disney's Beauty and the Beast), born in New Rochelle, New York

  • Jul 22 Lasse Viren, Finland, 5K/10K runner (Olympic gold 1972, 76)
  • Jul 23 Clive Rice, South African cricket all-rounder (WSC 1978-79, ODI 1991; Nottinghamshire), born in Johannesburg, Transvaal Province (d. 2015)
  • Jul 23 Sławomir Czarnecki, Polish composer and teacher, born in Jelenia Góra, Poland
  • Jul 24 Graham Lear, British-Canadian session and touring rock drummer (Gino Vanneli, 1975-76; Santana, 1976-87, REO Speedwagon, 1988-89), born in Plymouth, England
  • Jul 24 Marjanne Sint, Dutch director and politician (PvdA), born in Amsterdam, Netherlands
  • Jul 24 Michael Richards, American comedian (Fridays, Kramer-Seinfeld), born in Los Angeles, California
  • Jul 25 Denman Maroney, American jazz pianist and composer (Hyperpiano), born in New Jersey
  • Jul 26 Roger Taylor, English rock drummer (Queen - "Bohemian Rhapsody"), born in Norfolk, England
  • Jul 26 William M Shepherd, American Navy SEAL and NASA astronaut (STS 27, 41, 52), born in Oak Ridge, Tennessee
  • Jul 27 André Dupont, Quebec ice hockey player, born in Trois-Rivières, Quebec, Canada
  • Jul 27 David Muse, American rocker (Firefall - "You Are The Woman"), born in Rome, Georgia
  • Jul 27 Jeremy Thomas, British film producer and actor (Family Life), born in London

Maureen McGovern (74 years old)

Jul 27 American Academy Award-winning pop singer ("The Morning After"), born in Youngstown, Ohio

  • Jul 28 Peter Doyle, Australian pop singer (The New Seekers - "I'd Like To Teach The World To Sing"), born in Melbourne (d. 2001)
  • Jul 28 Randall Wallace, American screenwriter and film producer (Braveheart), born in Jackson, Tennessee
  • Jul 28 Simon Kirke, British rock drummer (Bad Company), born in London, England
  • Jul 28 Steve Peregrin Took, English musician (Tyrannosaurus Rex), born in London (d. 1980)

Vida Blue (1949-2023)

Jul 28 American baseball pitcher (6 x MLB All-Star; Cy Young Award & AL MVP 1971; World Series 1972, 73, 74 Oakland A's; SF Giants, KC Royals), born in Mansfield, Louisiana

  • Jul 29 Leslie Easterbrook, American actress (The Devil's Rejects, Police Academy), born in Los Angeles, California
  • Jul 29 Marilyn Tucker Quayle, American novelist and wife of Vice President Dan Quayle (1989-93), born in Indianapolis, Indiana
  • Jul 29 Stephen Burleigh, American actor (Love & Betrayal, Afterburn), born in Wheeling, West Virginia
  • Jul 30 Joyce Jones, American soul singer (First Choice), born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
  • Jul 30 Richard "Duck" Baker, American acoustic guitarist, born in Washington, D.C.
Born in 1949

Famous Weddings

Jennifer Jones

Jul 13 Oscar-winning actress Jennifer Jones (30) weds "Rebecca" film producer David O. Selznick (47) in Beverly Hills, California

Famous Deaths

  • Jul 2 Georgi Dimitrov, Bulgarian Communist leader (Prime Minister 1946-49), dies at 67
  • Jul 7 Bunk Johnson, American jazz trumpeter, dies after a series of strokes at 59 [1]
  • Jul 8 Antun Sa'ada [Antoun Saadeh], Syrian politician (Syrian Social Nationalist Party), executed by firing squad in Lebanon at 45
  • Jul 8 Riccardo Pick-Mangiagalli, Italian composer, dies at 66
  • Jul 9 Fritz Bennicke Hart, British composer, and conductor (Melbourne Symphony Orchestra), dies of cardiac issues at 75
  • Jul 12 Douglas Hyde, first President of Ireland (b. 1860)
  • Jul 14 Frank Hearne, English cricket batsman (2 Tests England, 4 South Africa; Kent, Western Province), dies at 90
  • Jul 16 Vyacheslav Ivanov, Russian philosopher, playwright and poet, dies at 83
  • Jul 18 Vítězslav Novák, Czech composer, dies at 78
  • Jul 19 Frank Murphy, American politician and 56th United States Attorney General, dies at 59