OCTOBER 2, 1949

Full News Archive

• Headline: Yanks Win Dramatic Game on October 2, 1949. Impact: DiMaggio's win catapulted baseball into a golden age, leading to the eventual rise of sports merchandise. You can thank him for your overpriced baseball caps today.. Fact: Did you know that DiMaggio once hit safely in 56 consecutive games? That’s longer than most of us can keep a New Year’s resolution!.
• Headline: Spain's 1949 Currency Decision. Impact: Spain’s refusal to devalue the peseta set off a series of economic decisions that eventually led to the euro. So, thank Spain for your confusing currency conversions!. Fact: Did you know that the peseta was used until 2002? Talk about a long goodbye!.
• Headline: Told Behind the Iron Curtain; Exiles and escapees from Russia bring with them anti-Soviet jokes and anecdotes which, they say, are still current among the people.. Impact: The anti-Soviet jokes brought back by exiles sparked a trend for humor as a form of resistance, leading to the eventual rise of stand-up comedy in the West. Thanks, Russia!. Fact: Did you know that laughter is the best medicine? Unless you're in a Soviet prison, then it might just get you in trouble..
• Headline: REDS IN CHINA HELD PERIL TO NEIGHBORS; Nationalist U. N. Delegate Says They Would Cross Borders if They Won Civil War. Impact: Dr. Tsiang's warning about Chinese communists led to decades of paranoia and red-baiting, ultimately cementing the U.S.'s 'us vs. them' mentality. Thanks for that, Tsiang!. Fact: Did you know that the Red Scare in the U.S. was so intense that people were actually scared of their own shadows? Talk about jumping at ghosts!.
• Headline: New Verse By Aiken; SKYLIGHT ONE. By Conrad Aiken. 48 pp. New York: Oxford University Press. $2.50.. Impact: Aiken's new verse caught the attention of future poets, leading to an explosion of modern poetry. So if you ever wondered where your pretentious friend got their inspiration, look no further.. Fact: Did you know that poetry readings can be more awkward than a first date? At least on a date, you can leave!.
• Headline: COLLEGE DEFICITS MIRROR RECESSION; Lag in Fund Campaigns, Drop Expected in Rolls Accentuate Plight Shown in Survey. Impact: The college deficits highlighted the impending student debt crisis, which has now spiraled into a monstrous financial burden for millions. Thanks for the warning, universities!. Fact: Did you know that college was once affordable? Imagine that—a world where student loans didn’t haunt your dreams!.
• Headline: Relief for 90% of Arthritics Found In Large Doses of the Sex Hormones; ARTHRITICS AIDED BY SEX HORMONES. Impact: The discovery of sex hormones as a relief for arthritis led to a flurry of questionable medical advice, resulting in the phrase 'just take some hormones' becoming a joke in every doctor's office.. Fact: Did you know that the side effects of hormones can include mood swings? Because who doesn’t want to be grumpy while managing arthritis?.
• Headline: Brooklyn Agency Guide Ready. Impact: The Brooklyn Agency Guide paved the way for modern-day Yelp, ensuring that everyone could have a bad dining experience documented online for all to see.. Fact: Did you know that Brooklyn had its own agency guide? Just imagine the Yelp reviews back then—'This deli had pickles, but no Wi-Fi!'.
• Headline: Welshmen Ask Own Parliament. Impact: The Welshmen's push for their own parliament inspired countless regional movements, creating a delightful chain reaction of people wanting to govern themselves—because who needs centralized power?. Fact: Did you know that Wales has its own language? It’s like a secret code that only the locals understand, and they’re not sharing!.