What Happened in October 1950

Historical Events

Sports History

Oct 1 Connie Mack's last game as Philadelphia Athletics manager (1901-50); longest serving manager in MLB history; beat Washington Senators, 5-3 at Shribe Park

  • Oct 1 New York Giants beat Cleveland Browns, 6-0 at Cleveland Stadium; sets Browns club record for fewest points scored by both teams; Browns go on to win NFL Championship
  • Oct 1 Philadelphia Phillies clinch NL pennant on Dick Sisler's 3-run home run in a season ending 4-1 win v Brooklyn Dodgers; Phillies first pennant since 1913
  • Oct 1 South Korean troops cross the 38th parallel into North Korea

US Women's Golf Open

Oct 1 US Open Women's Golf, Rolling Hills CC: Babe Zaharias ties Open scoring record, -9 291 to beat amateur Betsy Rawls by 9 strokes

Li'l Folks

Oct 2 1st strip of Charlie Brown, "Li'l Folks", later "Peanuts", by Charles M. Schulz published in seven nationwide papers

  • Oct 2 Bob Shaw of Chicago Cardinals sets NFL record with 5 TD receptions in 55-13 win against Baltimore Colts; Cardinals quarterback Jim Hardy tosses 6 touchdown passes
  • Oct 3 Ethel Waters becomes 1st Black lead actress on TV sit-com (Beulah)
  • Oct 3 Indonesian army opens assault on Ambon, South Moluccas
  • Oct 3 Philadelphia Phillies choose not to request MLB rule on eligibility of star left-hander Curt Simmons to play in World Series despite being on furlough from Army; Phillies swept, 4-0 by NY Yankees
  • Oct 5 "Pardon Our French" opens at Broadway Theater NYC for 100 performances

Knicks Draft Cousy

Oct 5 Boston Celtics owner Walter Brown & coach Red Auerbach draw lots out of hat for 3 members of defunct Chicago Stags franchise; hit jackpot with future 6-time NBA champion, Bob Cousy

  • Oct 7 Baseball World Series: New York Yankees beat Philadelphia Phillies, 5-2 at Yankee Stadium to sweep series, 4-0 for 13th WS title in team history; MVP: NY 2B Jerry Coleman
  • Oct 7 US forces invade North Korea by crossing 38th parallel
  • Oct 7 Walter Bedell Smith replaces Roscoe H Hillenkoetter as 4th CIA head
  • Oct 7 William H Jackson becomes deputy director of CIA
  • Oct 8 4th NHL All-Star Game, Detroit Olympia, Detroit, MI: Detroit Red Wings beat All-Stars, 7-1
  • Oct 8 Cleveland Browns play Pittsburgh for 1st time, beat Steelers 30-17
  • Oct 11 The U.S. Federal Communications Commission issues the first license to broadcast television in color, to CBS
  • Oct 12 "Call Me Madam" opens at Imperial Theater NYC for 644 performances
  • Oct 12 The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show debuts on CBS television, airs until 1958

All About Eve

Oct 13 "All About Eve" directed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz and starring Bette Davis and Anne Baxter premieres (Academy Awards Best Picture 1951)

  • Oct 14 Rev Sun Young Moon liberated from Hung Nam prison

Event of Interest

Oct 16 The first edition of C.S. Lewis' "The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe" is released in London

  • Oct 19 Bird Building at Cleveland Metroparks Zoo is dedicated (Cleveland, Ohio)
  • Oct 19 UN forces enter Pyongyang, capital of North Korea

Gas Chromatography

Oct 20 Chemists Archer John Porter Martin and James Lovelock give the first demonstration of gas chromatography at a meeting of the Biochemical Society. The technique is rapidly adopted by the petrochemical industry.

  • Oct 21 Chinese forces occupy Tibet
  • Oct 21 Death penalty abolished in Belgium
  • Oct 21 Tom Powers of Duke scores 6 touchdowns
  • Oct 22 LA Rams beat Baltimore Colts 70-27

Event of Interest

Oct 23 Filipino President Elpidio Quirino issues Executive Order No. 355 replacing the National Land Settlement Administration with Land Settlement Development Corporation (LASEDECO)

  • Oct 25 Dutch NSB leader C van Gelderen sentenced to life

La Répétition

Oct 25 Jean Anouilh's play "La Répétition ou l'Amour puni" premieres in Paris at the Théâtre Marigny

  • Oct 26 630 Dutch volunteers depart for Korea

Sports History

Oct 26 Branch Rickey resigns as Brooklyn Dodgers president

Missionaries of Charity

Oct 26 Mother Teresa founds Missionaries of Charity in Calcutta, India

  • Oct 26 South Korean troops reach Chosan at Chinese boundary
  • Oct 27 Paul Creston's 3rd Symphony, "Three Mysteries," 1st performance with Eugene Ormandy and the Philadelphia Orchestra
  • Oct 29 Bill Rexford in an Oldsmobile finishes 26th in the season finale at Occoneechee Speedway in Hillsboro, North Carolina to win the NASCAR Grand National Series Championship
  • Oct 29 British Chancellor of the Exchequer (Minister of Finance) Stafford Cripps resigns
  • Oct 29 Cleveland Browns' Marion Motley sets record for highest avg gain in a game with 17.1 (10 attempts), Cleveland 45, Pittsburgh 7
  • Oct 29 Detroit Lions Wally Triplett achieves a kickoff return yardage of 294 yards against the LA Rams, the second highest in a single-game in NFL history
  • Oct 30 David Diamond's 3rd Symphony premieres with the Boston Symphony Orchestra conducted by Charles Munch

Event of Interest

Oct 30 Pope Pius XII witnesses "The Miracle of the Sun" while at the Vatican

Sports History

Oct 31 The Big Cat, Earl Lloyd becomes the first African-American to play a game in the NBA, scoring 6 points on debut for the Washington Capitols


1950 History

Famous Birthdays

  • Oct 1 Boris Morukov, Russian cosmonaut, born in Moscow, USSR (d. 2015)
  • Oct 1 Conrad Dobler, American football guard (Pro Bowl 1975, 76, 77; St. Louis Cardinals; famous for unsportsmanlike play), born in Chicago, Illinois (d. 2023)
  • Oct 1 Jeane Manson, American singer and actress, born in Cleveland, Ohio
  • Oct 1 Mihai Romilă, Romanian soccer midfielder (19 caps; Politehnica Iași 367 games), born in Huși, Romania (d. 2020)
  • Oct 1 Randy Quaid, actor (Midnight Express, Vacation, Saturday Night Live), born in Houston, Texas
  • Oct 2 Ian McNeice, English actor (Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls), born in Basingstoke, Hampshire, England
  • Oct 2 Michael Rutherford, British rock bassist and guitar player (Genesis; Mike & the Mechanics - "Living Years"), born in Chertsey, Surrey, England
  • Oct 2 Philip Wilson, Australian Catholic bishop, jailed for concealing sexual abuse, born in Cessnock, Australia
  • Oct 3 John Curulewski, American rock guitarist and singer (Styx), born in Chicago, Illinois (d. 1988)
  • Oct 3 Pamela Hensley, American actress (Buck Rogers in 25th Century), born in Glendale, California
  • Oct 3 Ronnie Laws, American saxophonist and guitarist (Earth, Wind & Fire), born in Houston, Texas
  • Oct 4 Meg Bennett, actress (Young & Restless), born in Los Angeles, California
  • Oct 5 "Fast" Eddie Clarke, British guitarist (Fastway, Motörhead), born in Twickenham, London (d. 2018)
  • Oct 5 Edward P. Jones, American writer (The Known World), born in Washington, D.C.
  • Oct 5 Janear Hines, American actress (Julia - "Roberta"), born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (d. 1981)
  • Oct 5 Jeff Conaway, American actor and singer (Taxi - "Bobby"; Grease - "Kenickie"; Babylon 5 - "Zack"), born in New York City (d. 2011)
  • Oct 6 David Brin, American sci-fi author (Hugo, Nebula, Sundiver, Postman)
  • Oct 6 Thomas McClary, American soul guitarist and singer (The Commodores), born in Eustis, Florida
  • Oct 7 Granny [Emma Webster], Warner Bros. cartoon character created by Friz Freleng (Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies series), first debuts in "Canary Row"
  • Oct 7 Jakaya Kikwete, Tanzanian politician, born in Msoga, Tanzania
  • Oct 7 Maartje van Weegen, Dutch TV hostess, born in Bussum, Netherlands
  • Oct 8 Robert "Kool" Bell, American funk rock bassist (Kool & the Gang - "Joanna"), born in Youngstown, Ohio
  • Oct 9 Brian Downing, American baseball player (California Angels), born in Los Angeles, California
  • Oct 9 Darlene Koldenhoven, American session, new age, and Latin jazz soprano vocalist (Pink Floyd; Sister Act; 2+2), and pianist, born in Chicago, Illinois
  • Oct 9 Gary Frank, American actor (Enemy Territory, Deadly Weapon), born in Spokane, Washington
  • Oct 9 Jody Williams, American political activist and aid worker (Nobel Peace Prize 1997), born in Rutland, Vermont
  • Oct 9 Mick Malone, Australian cricketer (WA seamer, Test 1977, made 46 took 5-63, 1-14), born in Scarborough, Australia
  • Oct 10 Dennis Holmes, American actor (Laramie), born in Encino, California
  • Oct 10 Nora Roberts, American novelist (Angels Fall), born in Silver Spring, Maryland
  • Oct 10 Peter Jan Rens, Dutch actor and director (Mister Cactus, Passion), born in Velsen, Noord-Holland, Netherlands
  • Oct 11 Amos Gitai, Israeli filmmaker (Neo-Fascist Trilogy, Golem, Arena of Murder), born in Haifa, Israel
  • Oct 11 Andrew Woolfolk, American pop musician (Earth, Wind & Fire - "Shining Star"), born in Texas
  • Oct 11 Catlin Adams, American actress (Ms Loomis-Square Pegs), born in Los Angeles, California
  • Oct 11 Patty Murray, American politician (U.S. Senator from Washington), born in Bothell, Washington
  • Oct 11 Thomas Joseph "Tom" Tauke, American politician (House of Representatives, Iowa, 1979-1991), born in Dubuque, Iowa
  • Oct 12 Dave Freudenthal, American economist and politician (31st Governor of Wyoming), born in Thermopolis, Wyoming
  • Oct 12 Dave Shogren, American rock bassist (The Doobie Brothers, 1970-71), born in San Francisco, California (d. 1999)
  • Oct 12 Kaga Takeshi [Shigekatsu Katsuta], Japanese actor, born in Kanazawa, Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan
  • Oct 12 Robin Askwith, English actor (Confessions Sex Comedies), born in Southport, Lancashire, England
  • Oct 12 Susan Anton, American actress (Golden Girl, Spring Fever), born in Oak Glen, California
  • Oct 13 Annegret Richter-Irrang, German sprinter (Olympic gold 1972), born in Dortmund, Germany
  • Oct 13 Ellen Brusse [Elizabeth Wenmakers], Dutch TV hostess, born in Rotterdam, Netherlands
  • Oct 13 Simon Nicol, British folk-rock guitarist, singer, and record producer (Fairport Convention), born in Muswell Hill, London, England
  • Oct 14 Sheila Young Ochowicz, American speed skater (1976 Olympic gold, silver, and bronze), and track cyclist, born in Birmingham, Michigan
  • Oct 17 Eric Hughes, English rugby league utility back (10 Tests England, 8 Great Britain; Widnes 481 games), born in Prescot district, England (d. 2020)
  • Oct 17 Howard Rollins, American actor (Bannister-Wildside, Ed Harding-Another World), born in Baltimore, Maryland (d. 1996)
  • Oct 17 Michael Lynn Synar, American politician (Rep-D-Oklahoma, 1979-95), born in Vinita, Oklahoma (d. 1996)
  • Oct 17 Sandra Reemer, Indo-Dutch pop singer ("As Love Goes"), and television presenter, born in Bandung, Indonesia (d. 2017)
  • Oct 18 Merry Martin, actress (Leslie-Peter Loves Mary), born in Camden, Michigan
  • Oct 18 Om Puri, Indian Bollywood actor (Aakrosh, Ardh Satya), born in Ambala, Haryana
  • Oct 18 Pat Swindall, American politician convicted of perjury (Rep-R-GA, 1985-89), born in Gadsden, Alabama (d. 2018)
  • Oct 18 Sheila White, actress (I Claudius), born in London, England

Wendy Wasserstein (1950-2006)

Oct 18 American playwright (The Heidi Chronicles), born in Brooklyn, New York

  • Oct 20 Elodie Lauten [Genevieve Schecroun], French-American composer (The Death of Don Juan), born in Paris (d. 2014)
  • Oct 20 Isaac Curtis, NFL wide receiver (Cincinnati Bengals), born in Santa Ana, California

Tom Petty (1950-2017)

Oct 20 American classic rock singer and songwriter (Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers - "American Girl"; Traveling Wilburys - "Last Night"; solo -"I Won't Back Down"), born in Gainesville, Florida

  • Oct 21 David Lascelles, Earl of Harewood, grandson of English Princess Mary

Ronald McNair (1950-1986)

Oct 21 American astronaut and physicist (STS 41B, 51L-Challenger disaster), born in Lake City, South Carolina

  • Oct 23 Harry Sacksioni, Dutch instrumental-folk-pop guitarist and composer (Around the Corner; Meta Sequoia), born in Amsterdam, Netherlands
  • Oct 24 May Pang, American music production coordinator (John Lennon & Yoko Ono), photographer (Instamatic Karma), and memoirist (Loving John), born in New York City
  • Oct 24 Michael Huey, American session drummer (Frankie Miller; Glenn Frey; Walter Egan), and producer (Gene Clark; Tommy Roe), born in Bowdon, Georgia
  • Oct 24 Rawly Eastwick, American baseball pitcher, 1975-81, 2X NL saves leader (Cincinnati Reds; Philadelphia Phillies, and 4 other teams), born in Camden, New Jersey
  • Oct 24 Steven Greenberg, American composer and musician (Lipps Inc.), born in Saint Paul, Minnesota
  • Oct 25 Chris Norman, British pop-rock singer (Smokie - "Living Next Door to Alice"), born in Redcar, England
  • Oct 25 John Matuszak, American NFL defensive end, 1973-82 (Oakland Raiders and 3 other teams), and actor (Caveman; The Goonies), born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin (d. 1989)
  • Oct 26 Andy Haden, New Zealand rugby union lock (41 Tests; 117 All Black games, 8 as captain; Auckland), born in Wanganui, New Zealand (d. 2020)
  • Oct 26 Chuck Foreman, American NFL running back (Minnesota Vikings), born in Frederick, Maryland
  • Oct 26 T. E. Srinivasan, Indian cricketer (Indian opening batsman 1981), born in Chennai, India
  • Oct 27 Fran Lebowitz, American author and actress (Resident Alien), born in Morristown, New Jersey
  • Oct 28 Ludo Delcroix, Belgian cyclist
  • Oct 28 Sihem Bensedrine, Tunisian human rights activist
  • Oct 29 Abdullah Gul, Turkish President (2007-14), born in Kayseri, Anatolia
  • Oct 30 John Doolittle, American politician (Rep-R-California), born in Glendale, California
  • Oct 30 Louise Duart, American comedienne (Paramount Comedy Theater # 5), born in Quincy, Massachusetts
  • Oct 30 Phil Chenier, American NBA guard (Wash Bullets), born in Berkeley, California
  • Oct 31 Antonio Taguba, US Army Major General, born in Manila, Philippines
  • Oct 31 Jane Pauley, American newscaster (Today, NBC Weekend), born in Indianapolis, Indiana

John Candy (1950-1994)

Oct 31 Canadian actor and comedian (SCTV, Uncle Buck), born in Newmarket, Ontario

  • Oct 31 Jozef Stolorz, polish painter
  • Oct 31 Zaha Hadid, Iraqi-British architect (London Aquatic Centre; Pritzker Prize - 2004, 1st woman winner), born in Baghdad, Iraq (d. 2016)
Born in 1950

Famous Deaths

  • Oct 5 Frederic Lewy, German neurologist (b. 1885)

Willis Carrier (1876-1950)

Oct 7 American engineer (developed modern air conditioning), dies at 73

George Hainsworth (1895-1950)

Oct 9 Canadian ice hockey goaltender (first NHL goaltender to record 20 shutouts in one season; Montreal Canadiens), dies in a car accident at 55

  • Oct 13 Ernest Haycox, American writer (b. 1899)
  • Oct 19 Edna St Vincent Millay, American poet/dramatist/feminist (Harp Weaver-Pulitzer Prize), dies at 58
  • Oct 20 Henry L. Stimson, American statesman (46th United States Secretary of State), dies at 83

Al Jolson (1886-1950)

Oct 23 American-Lithuanian jazz singer and silent film actor (Mamie, Swanee), dies at 64

  • Oct 29 Gustav V, King of Sweden (1907-1950), dies at 92
  • Oct 31 Carel T Scharten, Dutch poet and writer (Lost Paradise), dies at 72
  • Oct 31 Jozef C Bittremieux, Belgian theologist (Virgin & Mother of God), dies at 72