Early Boomer TV Happenings:
1947-The first World Series was seen on TV. The New York Yankees vs The Brooklyn Dodgers. The Yankees take it in seven. Joe DiMaggio was named the Player of the Year, and Jackie Robinson Rookie of the Year. This was a little early for baby boomers to enjoy, but the earliest of us would have probably been major distractions to their parents who were trying to watch their first World Series.
1956-Elvis appears on the "Ed Sullivan Show." This one I do remember seeing. I would have been eight. He sang "Love Me Tender," "Don't Be Cruel," "Ready Teddy," and "Hound Dog." A lot of complaints were filed with the network about the Elvis pelvis gyrations. The nickname stood: Elvis the Pelvis. If these parents only knew what was to come in future years, they'd have laughed it off.
1961-President Kennedy is elected and takes office on January 20. He is the youngest President ever elected and the first Catholic. The Irish go nuts! Today, you can see similarities between Kennedy and Barack Obama. The charisma, excitement, and electricity for both were and are in the air. From his televised inaugural speech, this statement is best remembered: "Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country."
1962-John Glenn blasts into space. What a site. TV provides 12 hours of coverage. It seemed impossible, but there it was, right in front of you.
Another 1962 happening on TV took place on October 1. Jack Parr had left "The Tonight Show." Johnny Carson took over this night, with his buddy Ed McMahon. "Hee-e-ere's Johnny" became the late night cry for years to come.
1963-John Kennedy, our nations 35th President, was assassinated in Dallas. I was a sophomore in high school. Everything stopped. We went to the gym, library, and study hall to watch on TV and collectively cry. It was at the same time the most memorable, and worst, moment of boomer history up to that time. Many boomers to this day remain skeptical of the official version of the assassination, myself included. I think there was much more to the story than what was ever told. The murder of Lee Harvey Oswald, the accused assassin, two days later, by Jack Ruby, seen on national television, solidified numerous conspiracy theories that live on to this day.
1964-The Beatles appear on "The Ed Sullivan Show." They sing, "Till There Was You," "I Saw Her Standing There," "She Loves You," and "I Want to Hold Your Hand." An estimated 60-75% of the viewing audience was watching. Long hair became a barbers nightmare. And the rest, as they say, is history.
1968-The Martin Luther King, Jr., assassination was not a big television event as far as the actual assassination, but the aftermath was. The funeral, the riots, the explanations. It was a major marker in my life because he was killed on my 20th birthday. Later in '68 would come the assassination of Bobby Kennedy, during his victory speech in the California primary, and the Democratic National Convention in Chicago. I took Kennedy's death hard, since I had campaigned for him in Illinois and Nebraska. The convention ended up not being a major television event for me. I watched it in person.
After three assassinations, everyone's frustration came pouring out.
1969-The moon walk. Neil Armstrong sets foot on the moon. It's said 500 million people were watching on TV. I was one of them. On July 20, at 9:36 central standard time, the impossible happened. Man set foot on something other than the Earth. It's too bad mankind hadn't evolved as quickly as technology. "That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind." Ends up it wasn't all that giant. We beat Russia to the moon, which seemed to be our major objective. I never thought the advent of super-glue and bringing back some moon rocks was worth all the money. But still, it was pretty neat.
There were many other notable happenings on television between 1946-1970. These are but a sampling and some of the more significant that I remember. What were some of yours?
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