Have You Heard, you can argue the Space Race began 58 years ago today (10/4/1957) when the Soviet Union launched the first artificial satellite, Sputnik.
Sputnik didn’t stay in orbit long. Its transmitter batteries burned out after 21 days and it disintegrated when it fell from orbit on January 4, 1958.
The USSR also sent the first probe to the moon, put the first man in space (including the first to orbit the earth), put the first woman in space and put the first two-person crew in space.
The USA, however, responded and surpassed the Soviet program, highlighted by the first moon landing in 1969.
The same day the Soviets launched Sputnik, CBS launched “Leave it to Beaver.”
The show ran for six seasons, the first on CBS and the last five on ABC.
Even though the show is considered a classic, it never finished a season in the top 30 in the ratings.
And the same day Sputnik went up and “Beaver” went on the air, hip hop pioneer Russell Simmons was born in Queens, New York.
Queen is considered one of the top rock bands of the 70s and 80s, but it had only two number-one hits.
The second of those two, “Another One Bites the Dust,” hit number-one 35 years ago today.
Pope Francis recently visited America, but Pope Paul VI was the first pope to do so 50 years ago today (10/4/1965).
Not only was Paul the first pope to travel to the United States, he was the first to travel to the Western Hemisphere.
The first U.S. Open golf tournament was played 120 years ago today at Newport, Rhode Island.
That same day (10/4/1895), actor/comedian Buster Keaton was born in Kansas.
Janis Joplin died 45 years ago today of a heroin overdose. She was only 27.
Today is Vodka Day.
You can see “Have You Heard” each weeknight after weather on News13 at 11:00.
