What Happened in August 1958

Historical Events

  • Aug 1 US 1st class postage up to 4 cents (had been 3 cents for 26 years)
  • Aug 1 US atomic submarine USS Nautilus begins 1st transit of North Pole "Operation Sunshine"
  • Aug 2 American pilots Jim Heth and Bill Burkhart take off from Dallas, Texas in "The Old Scotchman", their modified Cessna 172 in an effort to break airplane flight endurance record; they fly forslightly over 50 days, eclipsing existing record by more than 3 days
  • Aug 2 Jordan and Iraq dissolve their Arab Federation, after 3 months
  • Aug 3 USS Nautilus reaches North Pole, 1st submarine to achieve submarine transit of North Pole

#1 in the Charts

Aug 4 The Billboard Hot 100 is published for the 1st time, with "Poor Little Fool" by Ricky Nelson at #1

  • Aug 5 Philip Kapleau, Zen teacher, 1st awakening under Yasutani Roshi
  • Aug 6 American athlete Glenn Davis breaks his own world record by 0.3 (49.2) in 400m hurdles in Budapest, Hungary
  • Aug 6 US performs atmospheric nuclear test at Johnston Island

Sports History

Aug 13 MLB Cleveland Indians' right fielder Rocky Colavito makes his pitching debut, hurling 3 hitless innings, Detroit 3, Cleveland 2

  • Aug 14 Canadian Football League plays 1st game (Winnipeg 29, Edmonton 21)
  • Aug 14 Cleveland Indian Vic Power steals home twice in 1 game
  • Aug 14 KLM Superconstellation crashes west of Ireland, killing 99
  • Aug 15 25th NFL Chicago All-Star Game: All-Stars 35, Detroit 19 (70,000)
  • Aug 15 Marshal Nikolai Bulganin resigns as Chairman of the Board of the State Bank of the USSR
  • Aug 17 World's 1st Moon probe, US's Thor-Able, explodes at T +77 sec
  • Aug 18 Actress Betsy Palmer joins Today Show panel

Radio History

Aug 18 Fidel Castro makes a speech on Cuban pirate radio Rebelde

Patterson TKOs Harris

Aug 18 Floyd Patterson TKOs Roy Harris in 13 for heavyweight boxing title at Wrigley Field in Los Angeles, California

Novel "Lolita"

Aug 18 Novel "Lolita" by Vladimir Nabokov is published

  • Aug 18 Perez Prado "Mambo King" receives one of the 1st gold records
  • Aug 18 TV game show scandal investigation starts
  • Aug 18 United Kingdom issues regional stamps (N Ireland, Scotland & Wales)
  • Aug 18 US performs atmospheric nuclear test at Enewetak Atoll in the Marshall Islands
  • Aug 18 Verne Gagne beats Edouard Carpentier in Omaha, to become NWA champ
  • Aug 19 NAACP Youth Council begin sit-in at "whites-only" lunch counter at Katz Drug Store in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma [1]
  • Aug 20 Chicago Cubs use 1st baseman Dale Long as their 1st major league lefty catcher since 1906
  • Aug 21 KUT-FM in Austin Texas begins radio transmissions
  • Aug 22 Great Britain performs atmospheric nuclear test at Christmas Island
  • Aug 22 Toronto's Boyd Carter (15 yards) and Dave Mann (116 yards) combine for CFL record for the longest punt return in 15-14 win over Montreal Alouettes in Toronto
  • Aug 23 "Musical Marie" Ashton completes playing piano at the Plaza-Central cinema in England - a female record 133 hours
  • Aug 23 People's Republic of China resumes bombardment of the Quemoy and Matsu islands in the Second Taiwan Strait Crisis
  • Aug 24 19th Venice Film Festival: "Rickshaw Man" directed by Hiroshi Inagaki wins Golden Lion
  • Aug 24 Sergei Popov wins Stockholm marathon (2:15:17.0) (WR)

Instant Ramen

Aug 25 Momofuku Ando markets the first package of precooked instant noodles (Chikin Ramen)

  • Aug 27 Clark Griffith says Senators will probably accept offer to move to Minnesota
  • Aug 27 US performs nuclear test at South Atlantic Ocean
  • Aug 27 USSR launches Sputnik 3 with two dogs aboard
  • Aug 28 American baseball player Nellie Fox sets record for consecutive games without striking out (98)

Move It

Aug 29 Cliff Richard and the Drifters release single "Move It", Richards debut single. Credited as 1st British Rock n Roll song.

Music History

Aug 29 Guitarist George Harrison (15) joins The Quarrymen, who later become The Beatles

  • Aug 29 US Air Force Academy's permanent site opens in Colorado Springs, Colorado
  • Aug 30 US performs nuclear test at S Atlantic Ocean
1958 History

Famous Birthdays

  • Aug 1 Adrian Dunbar, Northern Irish actor (Hear My Song, Line of Duty), born in Enniskillen, County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland
  • Aug 1 Michael Penn, American singer-songwriter ("No Myth"), film score composer, and record producer, born in Greenwich Village, New York City
  • Aug 1 Rob Buck, American guitarist and songwriter (10,000 Maniacs - "Hey Jack Kerouac"; "These Are Days"), born in Jamestown, New York (d. 2000)
  • Aug 1 Tor Håkon Holte, Norwegian cross country skier, born in Drammen, Norway
  • Aug 2 Arshad Ayub, Indian cricketer (Indian off-spinner of the late 1980's), born in Hyderabad, India
  • Aug 2 Chi Chia-wei, Taiwanese gay rights activist, born in Taiwan
  • Aug 2 Rainer Troppa, German soccer defender (17 caps GDR; BFC Dynamo 172 games), born in Kolkwitz, Germany (d. 2023)
  • Aug 3 Ana Kokkinos, Greek-Australian film director (The Secret Life of Us), born in Melbourne, Australia
  • Aug 3 Cindy Nixon, American singer (Girls Next Door - "Don't Be Cruel"), born in Nashville, Tennessee
  • Aug 4 Allison Hedge Coke, American poet and writer, born in Amarillo, Texas
  • Aug 4 Greg Foster, American athlete (3 x World C'ship gold 110m hurdles; Olympic silver 1984), born in Maywood, Illinois (d. 2023)
  • Aug 4 Kym Karath, American actress (The Sound of Music - "Gretl"), born in Los Angeles, California
  • Aug 4 Mary Decker, American Olympic track star (mile record 4:16.71), born in Bunnvale, New Jersey
  • Aug 4 Phil Scott, American politician, Governor of Vermont (2017-), born in Barre, Vermont
  • Aug 6 Randy DeBarge, American pop-rock singer, and bassist (Debarge - "Rhythm Of The Night"), born in Grand Rapids Michigan
  • Aug 6 Simon Francken, Dutch punk-rock bassist (Ivy Green), born in Hazerswoude, Netherlands

Alberto Salazar (65 years old)

Aug 7 American track coach and long distance runner (NYC Marathon 1980-82, Boston 1982), born in Havana, Cuba

  • Aug 7 Bruce Dickinson, British heavy metal rocker (Iron Maiden - "Run to Hills"), born in Worksop, England
  • Aug 7 Larisa Karlova, Ukrainian handball player (Olympic gold USSR 1976, 80; World C'ship gold 1982, 86), born in Kyiv, Ukraine
  • Aug 7 Russell Baze, Canadian Racing Hall of Fame jockey (10 x US Champion Jockey by wins; 12,844 career victories; US Racing HOF), born in Vancouver, British Columbia
  • Aug 8 Cecilia Roth, Argentine actress
  • Aug 8 Deborah Norville, American news anchor (Today Show, Inside Edition), born in Dalton, Georgia
  • Aug 8 Harry Crosby, American actor (Friday the 13th), born in Los Angeles, California
  • Aug 9 Amanda Bearse, American actress (Marcy Rhodes-Married With Children), born in Winter Park, Florida
  • Aug 9 Greg Chaisson, Canadian heavy metal bassist (Badlands - "Dreams in the Dark"), born in Toronto, Ontario
  • Aug 10 Jack Richards, English cricket wicket-keeper (8 Tests, 21 dismissals, 1 x 100, HS 133; Surrey CCC, Orange Free State), born in Penzance, England
  • Aug 10 Rami Hamdallah, Palestinian politician, academic and Prime Minister of Palestine (2014-present), born in Anabta, West Bank
  • Aug 11 Cordelia Gonzalez, actress (La Gran Fiesta), born in San Juan Puerto Rico
  • Aug 13 David Feherty, Irish golfer, broadcaster (5 European Tour titles, CBS, NBC), born in Bangor, Northern Ireland
  • Aug 13 Domenico Dolce, Italian fashion designer (Dolce & Gabbana), born in Polizzi Generosa, Italy
  • Aug 13 Feargal Sharkey, Irish punk rock singer (The Undertones - "My Perfect Cousin"; solo - "A Good Heart"), born in Derry, Northern Ireland
  • Aug 13 Randall Shughart, American soldier and Medal of Honor recipient, born in Lincoln, Nebraska (d. 1993)
  • Aug 14 Bobby Eaton, American wrestler (SMW/ECW/NJPW/WCW, Midnight Express), born in Huntsville, Alabama
  • Aug 15 Rondell Sheridan, American actor and comedian
  • Aug 15 Victor Shenderovich, Russian satirist
  • Aug 16 Angela Bassett, American actress (What's Love Got to Do With It), born in New York City
  • Aug 16 Anne L'Huillier, French-Swedish physicist (2023 Nobel Prize for Physics for attosecond pulses of light), born in Paris, France [1]
  • Aug 16 Jonathan Prince, American actor (Danny - Alice, Pray TV), born in Beverly Hills, Pennsylvania
  • Aug 16 Jose Luis, Argentine tennis player, born in Clerc, Argentina

Madonna (65 years old)

Aug 16 American singer and actress (Like a Virgin), born in Bay City, Michigan

  • Aug 16 Peter "Jeff" Wisoff, American NASA astronaut (STS 57, 68, 81/84), born in Norfolk, Virginia
  • Aug 17 Belinda Carlisle, American new wave-pop singer (The Go-Go's - "Vacation"; solo - "Heaven On Earth"), born in Hollywood, California
  • Aug 18 Madeleine Stowe, American actress (Tropical Snow, Bad Girls), born in Los Angeles, California
  • Aug 18 Reginald "Reg" E. Cathey, American actor (The Wire, Oz, House of Cards), born in Huntsville, Alabama (d. 2018)
  • Aug 19 Brendan Nelson, Australian politician (Leader of the Liberal Party 2007-8), born in Coburg, Australia
  • Aug 19 Darryl Sutter, Canadian NHL center, 1979-87 (Chicago Black Hawks), coach, 1992-2007, 2011-23 (Black Hawks, San Jose Sharks, Calgary Flames, Los Angeles Kings), and general manager (Flames, 2003-10), born in Viking, Alberta
  • Aug 19 Gary Gaetti, American baseball infielder (MLB All-Star 1988, 89; World Series 1987; Gold Glove Award 1986–89; Minnesota Twins), born in Centralia Illinois
  • Aug 19 Gordon Brand Jr., Scottish golfer (8 x European Tour wins; Ryder Cup 1987, 89), born in Kirkcaldy, Scotland (d. 2019)
  • Aug 19 Simon Beck, British cartographer and snow artist, born in London, England [1]
  • Aug 20 David O. Russell, American filmmaker (Silver Linings Playbook), born in New York
  • Aug 20 Patricia Rozema, Canadian film director (I've Heard the Mermaids Singing), born in Kingston, Ontario
  • Aug 21 Max Chantal, French rugby league forward (27 Tests; US Villeneuve XIII), born in Villeneuve-sur-Lot, France (d. 2023)
  • Aug 21 Ralph Marrero, American actor (Dawn of the Dead; The Babe; Johnny Suede), born in New York City (d. 1991)
  • Aug 22 Colm Feore, American actor (The Chronicles of Riddick), born in Boston, Massachusetts
  • Aug 22 Ian Mitchell, Irish rocker (Bay City Rollers - "Saturday Night"), born in Downpatrick, Ireland (d. 2020)
  • Aug 22 Stevie Ray [Lane Huffman], American professional wrestler, born in Houston, Texas
  • Aug 22 Vernon Reid, American hard rock and funk-metal guitarist (Living Colour) - Vivid, born in London, England
  • Aug 23 Julio Franco, Domincan baseball infielder (MLB All-Star 1989, 90, 91 Texas Rangers; 5 × Silver Slugger Award; AL batting champion 1991; Cleveland Indians), born in Hato Mayor, Dominican Republic
  • Aug 24 Chris Offutt, American writer (The Good Brother), born in Lexington, Kentucky
  • Aug 24 Steve Guttenberg, American actor (Police Academy, Short Circuit), born in Brooklyn, New York
  • Aug 24 Tracy Harris, American artist, born in Lawton, Oklahoma
  • Aug 25 Christian LeBlanc, American actor (Michael Baldwin-Young & Restless), born in New Orleans, Louisiana
  • Aug 25 Saskia van Orly [Oerle], Dutch pop singer (Tambourine)

Tim Burton (65 years old)

Aug 25 American film director (Beetlejuice, Edward Scissorhands), born in Burbank, California

  • Aug 26 Jan Nevens, Belgian cyclist, born in Ninove, Belgium

Kathy Hochul (65 years old)

Aug 27 American lawyer and politician, 1st female Governor of New York (2021-), born in Buffalo, New York

  • Aug 27 Normand Brathwaite, Canadian comedian and television and radio host
  • Aug 27 Sergei Konstantinovich Krikalev, Russian cosmonaut (TM-7, TM-12, STS 60)
  • Aug 27 Stalking Cat [Dennis Avner], body modifier (world record holder in body modification), born in Flint, Michigan (d. 2012)
  • Aug 27 Tom Lanoye, Belgian author

Scott Hamilton (65 years old)

Aug 28 American figure skater (Olympic gold 1984), born in Bowling Green, Ohio

  • Aug 29 Lenny Henry, British stand-up comedian and actor (3 of a Kind), born in Dudley, West Midlands, England

Michael Jackson (1958-2009)

Aug 29 American recording artist, dancer and King of Pop ("Thriller"; "Billie Jean"; "Bad"), born in Gary, Indiana

  • Aug 30 Anna Politkovskaya, Russian journalist and human rights activist, born in New York City (d. 2006)
  • Aug 31 David H. Mattheisen, American engineer and astronaut (STS 73 alt), born in Blue Island, Illinois
  • Aug 31 Serge Blanco, French rugby union player (93 tests and 233 points at fullback and wing), nicknamed the "Pelé of Rugby", born in Caracas, Venezuela
Born in 1958

Famous Weddings

Robert Redford

Aug 9 American actor Robert Redford (21) weds Lola Van Wagenen (20) in Las Vegas, Nevada; divorce in 1985

Buddy Holly

Aug 15 American rock singer-songwriter Buddy Holly (21) weds Puerto Rican-American record company receptionist María Santiago (25) at Tabernacle Baptist Church in Lubbock, Texas


Famous Deaths

  • Aug 3 Peter Collins, English auto racer (British GP 1958), dies in race accident at German GP at 26
  • Aug 4 Ethel Anderson, Australian poet (b. 1883)
  • Aug 5 Joseph Holbrooke, English pianist, conductor and composer (3 Blind Mice), dies at 80
  • Aug 9 Felipe Boero, Argentine composer, dies at 74
  • Aug 10 Frank Demaree, American baseball outfielder (MLB All Star 1936, 37; Chicago Cubs, NY Giants), dies of internal haemorrhage at 48
  • Aug 13 Otto Witte, acrobat and, purportedly, King of Albania (b. 1868)
  • Aug 14 "Big" Bill Broonzy, American blues singer and guitarist (Blues by Broonzy), dies of cancer at 65
  • Aug 14 Gladys Presley, mother of Elvis, dies at 46

Frédéric Joliot-Curie (1900-1958)

Aug 14 French nuclear physicist (Nobel Prize for Physics 1936 for discovery of artificial radioactivity), dies at 58

  • Aug 14 Konstantin von Neurath, German diplomat (b.1873)
  • Aug 14 Mary Ritter Beard, American historian, dies at 82
  • Aug 16 Paul Panzer, German-American silent film actor (The Perils of Pauline, Mildred Pierce, Hotel Berlin), dies at 85
  • Aug 17 Florent Schmitt, French composer (La tragédie de Salome; Psalm 47), and music critic (Le Temps), dies at 87
  • Aug 21 Stevan Hristić, Serbian composer (Legend of Ohrid; Opeleo), conductor (Belgrade Philharmonic, 1923-34; Belgrade Opera, 1925-35), and pedagogue (Belgrade Music Academy, 1937-50), dies at 73
  • Aug 21 Walter Schumann, American choral director (Ford Show) and film and television composer (Night Of The Hunter; Dragnet theme), dies at 44
  • Aug 22 Roger Martin du Gard, French novelist (Nobel Prize for Literature 1937), dies at 77
  • Aug 23 Martin du Gard, writer, dies
  • Aug 24 John G. Strijdom, South African politician and nationalist, Prime Minister of South Africa (1954-58), dies at 65
  • Aug 24 Kenneth Leighton, British pianist and composer, dies of esophageal cancer at 58
  • Aug 24 Leo Blech, German opera composer and conductor, (Königliches Opernhaus, 1906-37; Städtische Oper, 1949-53). dies at 87
  • Aug 24 Paul Henry, Northern Irish artist, dies at 82
  • Aug 26 Ralph Vaughan Williams, English composer (Hugh the Drover), dies at 85
  • Aug 27 Ernest Lawrence, American nuclear scientist and inventor (Cyclotron - Nobel 1939), dies at 57
  • Aug 28 Nikolay Golovanov, Soviet composer, dies at 67