What Happened in October 1958

Historical Events

NHL All-Star Game

Oct 4 12th NHL All-Star Game, Montreal Forum, Montreal, QC: Montreal Canadiens beat All-Stars, 6-3

Oct 4 French Fifth Republic is established
Oct 4 Transatlantic commercial jet passenger service began (BOAC)
Oct 5 KRTV TV channel 3 in Great Falls, MontanaT (CBS) begins broadcasting
Oct 5 US performs nuclear test at Nevada Test Site
Oct 5 USSR performs nuclear test at Novaya Zemlya USSR
Oct 6 US nuclear sub USS Seawolf remains a record 60 days under the north pole
Oct 7 Potter Stewart appointed to US Supreme Court
Oct 7 US manned space-flight project renamed Project Mercury
Oct 8 Braves Eddie Mathews strikes out for World Series record 11th time
Oct 8 Dr Ake Senning installs first pacemaker (Stockholm)
Oct 8 KCMT TV channel 7 in Alexandria, MN (CBS/NBC/ABC) begins broadcasting
Oct 8 US performs nuclear test at Nevada Test Site
Oct 9 Israeli navy inaugrates its first submarine
Oct 9 MLB World Series: NY Yankees beat Braves, 6-2 at County Stadium in Milwaukee, clinch 4 games to 3 series triumph; MVP: Yankees pitcher Bob Turley
Oct 10 US performs nuclear test at Nevada Test Site
Oct 10 USSR performs nuclear test at Novaya Zemlya USSR
Oct 11 "Goldilocks" opens at Lunt Fontanne Theater NYC for 161 performances
Oct 11 2nd US Moon probe, Pioneer 1, reaches 113,810 km, falls back
Oct 12 CVP wins municipal elections in Belgium
Oct 12 USSR performs nuclear test at Novaya Zemlya USSR
Oct 12 WJRT TV channel 12 in Flint, MI (ABC) begins broadcasting

Burial of Pius XII

Oct 13 Burial of Pope Pius XII on the 41st anniversary of the "Miracle of the Sun"

Event of Interest

Oct 14 Brendan Behan's "Hostage" premieres in London

Oct 14 Malagasy Republic becomes autonomous republic in French Community
Oct 14 Paul Osborn's "World of Suzie Wong" premieres in NYC
Oct 14 The District of Columbia Bar Association votes to accept black Americans as members.
Oct 14 US performs nuclear test at Nevada Test Site
Oct 15 Tunisia drops diplomatic relations with Egypt
Oct 15 USSR performs nuclear test at Novaya Zemlya, USSR

Music History

Oct 16 Benjamin Britten's "Nocturne," premieres

Oct 16 US performs nuclear test at Nevada Test Site

Oct 19 Stirling Moss wins season ending Moroccan Grand Prix at Ain-Diab but fellow Brit Mike Hawthorn takes World Drivers Championship from Moss by just 1 point by finishing second; first British world champion

Oct 19 US performs nuclear test at Nevada Test Site
Oct 21 1st women in British House of Lords
Oct 23 De Gaulle offers Algerians defiance "peace of the brave"

Nobel Prize in Literature

Oct 23 Soviet novelist Boris Pasternak, wins Nobel Prize for Literature

The Smurfs TV Debut

Oct 23 The Smurfs first appear in the story "Johan and Pirlouit" by Belgium cartoonist Peyo

The Smurfs title card from the 1981 TV series

Oct 23 The Springhill Mine Bump - underground earthquake traps 174 miners in No. 2 colliery at Springhill, Nova Scotia, deepest coal mine in North America. By 1st November rescuers had dug out 100 victims, with death toll at 74.
Oct 24 USSR lends Egypt 400 million rubles to build the Aswan High Dam across the Nile river
Oct 26 PanAm flies first transatlantic jet from New York to Paris
Oct 26 US performs nuclear test at Nevada Test Site
Oct 27 General Ayub Khan succeeds Iskander Mirza as President of Pakistan
Oct 27 WEDU TV channel 3 in Tampa-St Petersburg, FL (PBS) begins broadcasting

Papal Inauguration

Oct 28 Angelo Giuseppe Roncalli elected Pope, taking name John XXIII

Oct 28 Pete Runnels wins Comeback Player of Year (avg went from .230 to .322)
Oct 29 Boris Pasternak refuses the Nobel Prize for Literature
Oct 29 Dr F Mason Sones is first doctor to perform a coronary angiogram
Oct 29 US performs nuclear test at Nevada Test Site

Events in 1958

Famous Birthdays

Oct 1 Adrian Partington, English choral director (BBC National Chorus of Wales, 1999-present; Gloucester Cathedral, 2008-present), organist, and pianist, born in Nottingham, England
Oct 1 Martin Cooper, British new wave keyboard player and saxophonist (Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark), born in Liverpool, England
Oct 1 Masato Nakamura, Japanese bass player (Dreams Come True) and composer (Sonic The Hedgehog), born in Chōfu, Tokyo, Japan
Oct 1 Michelle Bauer [Medvitz], California, actress (One Million Heels BC)
Oct 2 Daniel Peacock, British actor (Only Fools and Horses), director and writer (Cavegirl), born in Hammersmith, London, England
Oct 4 Anneka Rice, Dutch TV hostess
Oct 4 Barbara K [Kooyman-MacDonald], American singer-songwriter (Timbuk 3 - "The Future's So Bright, I Gotta Wear Shades"), born in Wausau, Wisconsin
Oct 5 André Kuipers, Dutch astronaut and physician, born in Amsterdam, Netherlands
Oct 5 Brent W. Jett Jr, American naval officer and NASA astronaut (STS 72, sk:81), born in Pontiac, Michigan
Oct 5 Neil deGrasse Tyson, American astrophysicist, TV presenter and writer, born in New York City
Oct 5 Shell Kepler [Michelle Alaine Kepler], American actress (General Hospital), born in Painesville, Ohio (d. 2008)
Oct 6 Joseph Finder, American novelist
Oct 7 Bernardo Arévalo, Guatemala writer and politician (Presidential of Guatemala 2023-), born in Montevideo, Uruguay
Oct 7 Grant Turner, New Zealand soccer midfielder (42 caps; SC Stop Out, Gisborne City AFC), born in Tauranga, New Zealand (d. 2023)
Oct 7 Judy Landers, American actress (BJ & the Bear, Madame's Place), born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Oct 8 Steve Coll, American journalist (The New Yorker) and writer (The Bin Ladens: An Arabian Family in the American Century), born in Washington, D.C.

Oct 8 Ursula von der Leyen, German politician, 1st woman elected President of European Commission, born in Ixelles, Brussels
Oct 9 Al Jourgensen, Cuban-American musician (Ministry), born in Havana, Cuba
Oct 9 Michael Paré, American actor (Eddie and the Cruisers), born in Brooklyn, New York
Oct 10 J. Eddie Peck, American actor (Bold & Beautiful-Cole Howard), born in Lynchburg, Virginia
Oct 10 John M. Grunsfeld, American physicist and astronaut (STS 67, 81), born in Chicago, Illinois
Oct 10 Tanya Tucker, American Grammy Award-winning country singer-songwriter ("Delta Dawn"; "Bring Me Flowers Now"), born in Seminole, Texas
Oct 12 Bryn Merrick, British musician (The Damned), born in Barry, Vale of Glamorgan, Wales (d. 2015)
Oct 12 Jeff Keith, American rock vocalist (Tesla - "Psychotic Supper"), born in Texarkana, Arkansas
Oct 13 Jair-Rôhm Parker Wells, American musician and composer (Machine Gun), born in Tacoma, Washington

Jamal Khashoggi (1958-2018)

Oct 13 Saudi Arabian progressive journalist, author, and editor-in-chief of Al-Arab News Channel who was brutally murdered in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, born in Medina, Saudi Arabia

Oct 13 Joseph Richard Sylvers, American R&B musician (The Sylvers)
Oct 13 Maria Cantwell, American politician (Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Washington), born in Indianapolis, Indiana
Oct 14 Thomas Dolby [Robertson], British new-wave rock singer and musician ("She Blinded Me With Science"), born in London, England
Oct 15 Jayne Modean, American actress (Nurse Hooter-Trauma Center), born in Hartford, Connecticut
Oct 16 Eleftheria Arvanitaki, Greek folk and jazz singer, born on Icaria, Greece

Tim Robbins (65 years old)

Oct 16 actor (Bull Durham, The Shawshank Redemption), born in West Covina, California

Alan Jackson (65 years old)

Oct 17 American country singer (Here in the Real World), born in Newnan, Georgia

Oct 17 Blaine McCallister, American golfer (5 PGA Tour titles), born in Fort Stockton, Texas
Oct 17 Gianmaria Testa, Italian singer-songwriter, born in Cavallermaggiore, Italy (d. 2016)
Oct 17 Howard Alden, American jazz guitarist (George Van Eps), born in Newport Beach, California
Oct 18 Hal Haenel, American sailor (Olympic 8th 1988, 92, 96), born in St Louis, Missouri
Oct 18 Kjell Samuelsson, Swedish NHL defenseman (Philadelphia Flyers), born in Tyngsryd, Sweden
Oct 18 Letitia James, American lawyer and politician (NY Attorney General), born in New York City

Thomas Hearns (65 years old)

Oct 18 American boxer and 1st to win world titles in 5 weight divisions, born in Memphis, Tennessee

Oct 19 John Bloom [Joe Bob Briggs], drive-in movie critic
Oct 19 Lou Briel, Puerto Rican singer and actor, born in Santurce, Puerto Rico
Oct 19 Tiriel Mora, Australian actor
Oct 20 Dave Krieg, NFL quarterback played 19 seasons, for seven teams (Seattle Seahawks, 1980-91; K.C. Chiefs. 1992-3), born in Iola, Wisconsin
Oct 20 Eric Scott, American actor (Ben in The Waltons), born in Hollywood, California
Oct 20 Ivo Pogorelić, Croatian pianist (1978 Casagrande winner), born in Belgrade, Yugoslavia
Oct 20 Lynn Flewelling, American fantasy author (Nightrunner series), born in Maine
Oct 20 Mark King, English rock bassist and vocalist (Level 42 - "Standing in the Light"; "Love Games"), born in Cowes, England
Oct 20 Razor Ramon [Scott Hall], American pro wrestler (9 x WCW World Tag Team Champion; WWE HOF 2014), born in St. Mary's County, Maryland (d. 2022)
Oct 20 Ricky Byrd, American rocker (Joan Jett & Blackhearts), born in The Bronx, New York
Oct 20 Valerie Faris, American film director (The Cutting Edge, Little Miss Sunshine), born in Los Angeles, county, California
Oct 20 Viggo Mortensen, American Actor (Lord of the Rings, The Road), born in New York City
Oct 21 Andre Geim, Russian-British physicist (2010 Nobel Prize for isolation of Graphene), born in Sochi, Russia [1]
Oct 22 Bobby Blotzer, American rock drummer (Ratt, "Round & Round"), born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Oct 23 Jonathan Wolff, American musician and TV theme composer (Seinfeld, Will & Grace), born in Louisville, Kentucky
Oct 23 Michael Eric Dyson, American activist, professor, author, born in Detroit, Michigan
Oct 24 Mathilde Santing, Dutch rock singer (Breast & Brow), born in Amstelveen, Netherlands
Oct 25 Dipak Patel, New Zealand cricket all-rounder (37 Tests, 5 x 50s, 75 wickets; 75 ODIs; Worcestershire CCC, Auckland CA), born in Nairobi, Kenya
Oct 25 Kornelia Ender, East German swimmer (Olympic-4 gold-1972, 76), born in Plauen, East Germany
Oct 25 Mark Miller, American singer (Sawyer Brown - "This Missin' You Heart of Mine"; "Thank God For You"), born in Dayton, Ohio
Oct 25 Phil Daniels, British stage and screen actor (Quadrophenia; EastEnders - "Kevin"), and rock singer, born in Islington, London, England
Oct 26 Bassam Saba, Lebanese violinist, oud, and nay player (New York Arabic Orchestra; Silk Road Ensemble), born in Tripoli, Lebanon (d. 2020)
Oct 27 Hazell Dean [Poole], English disco singer (Always Doesn't Mean Forever), born in Chelmsford, Essex, England
Oct 27 Lee Carter, Alabama Judge of the 25th Judicial Circuit
Oct 27 Manu Katché, French session and touring drummer (Peter Gabriel; Preface; Sting), born in Saint-Maur-des-Fossés, France
Oct 27 Simon Le Bon, English rock vocalist (Duran Duran - "Hungry Like The Wolf"), born in Bushey, Hertfordshire, England
Oct 28 Manzoor Hussain, Pakistani field hockey striker (Olympic gold 1986; World Cup gold 1978, 82; 175 caps, 86 goals), born in Sialkot, Pakistan (d. 2022)
Oct 29 David Remnick, American writer and editor of The New Yorker, born in Hackensack, New Jersey
Oct 30 Kevin Pollak, American comedian (Usual Suspects, Grumpy Old Men), born in San Francisco, California
Oct 30 Ramona d'Viola, American cyclist, born in Chicago, Illinois
Oct 30 Stefan Dennis, Australian actor (Neighbours), born in Tawonga, Victoria, Australia
Oct 31 Jeannie Longo, French cyclist (Olympic gold road race 1996; World C'ship [track] gold x 4; World C'ship [road] gold x 9), born in Annecy, France
Oct 31 Russ Cochran, American golfer (Senior Open C'ship 2011), born in Paducah, Kentucky

Born in 1958

Famous Deaths

Oct 1 Robert Falk, Russian painter (b. 1886)
Oct 2 Marie Stopes, British birth control pioneer, dies at 77
Oct 8 Ran Bosilek, Bulgarian author (b. 1886)

Pius XII (1876-1958)

Oct 9 260th Roman Catholic Pope (1939-58), dies of heart failure at 82

Oct 11 Johannes R. Becher, German writer and politician, dies at 67
Oct 12 Ed Hinton, American actor (I Lived 3 Lives -"Agent Henderson"), dies in a plane crash at Santa Catalina Island, California at 39
Oct 12 Gerard Hordijk, Dutch architect and painter, dies at 59
Oct 12 Gordon Griffith, American silent and sound screen child actor, first to portray Tarzan on film (as Young Tarzan in "Tarzan of the Apes" (1918)), dies of a heart attack at 51
Oct 13 Alexander Moiseyevich Veprik, Russian composer, dies at 59 (b. 1899)
Oct 14 Douglas Mawson, Australian geologist, Antarctic explorer, and educator, dies of a cerebral hemorrhage at 76
Oct 15 Jack Mason, English cricketer (England all-rounder v Australia 1897-98), dies at 84
Oct 15 Jan Poortenaar, Dutch painter, etcher and cartoonist, dies at 72
Oct 15 John Hamilton, American actor (The Adventures of Superman - "Perry White"), dies of heart failure at 71
Oct 17 Charlie Townsend, English cricketer (2 Tests for England 1899), dies at 81
Oct 17 Paul Outerbridge, American photographer, dies at 63
Oct 24 Esther Delterne, Flemish actress/revue-artists, dies at 81

G. E. Moore (1873-1958)

Oct 24 English philosopher (systematic approach to ethical problems), dies at 84

Oct 24 Martin Shaw, English composer, dies at 83
Oct 27 Frederik Gerretson [Geerten Gossaert], Dutch historian, poet and politician, dies at 74
Oct 27 Joseph Klausner, Polish-Israeli new testament expert, dies at 84
Oct 29 Zoe Akins, American playwright (Pulitzer Prize for Drama 1935), dies at 71
Oct 30 Rose Macaulay, English writer (The Towers of Trebizond), dies at 77

On This Day