Information for the Year 1957

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  • Anthony Eden resigns (Jan. 9); MacMillan becomes British Prime Minister.
  • Russia launches Sputnik I, first earth-orbiting satellite—the Space Age begins (Oct. 4).
  • The USSR tests its first successful intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM).
  • Population:  2.888 billion
  • Nobel Peace Prize:  Lester B. Pearson (Canada)
  • Eisenhower Doctrine calls for aid to Mideast countries that resist armed aggression from Communist-controlled nations (Jan. 5).
  • The "Little Rock Nine" integrate Arkansas high school. Eisenhower sends troops to quell mob and protect the students after Gov. Orval Faubus defies federal order (Sept. 24).
  • President:  Dwight D. Eisenhower
  • Vice President:  Richard M. Nixon
  • Population:   171,984,130
  • Life expectancy:  69.5 years
  • US GDP (1998 dollars):  $461 billion
  • Federal spending:   $76.58 billion
  • Federal debt:   $272.3 billion
  • Median Household Income(current dollars):  $4,966
  • Consumer Price Index:  28.1
  • Unemployment:   4.1%
  • Cost of a first-class stamp:  $0.03
  • Super Bowl  The first Super Bowl was not played until the year 1967.
  • World Series of Baseball  Milwaukee Braves defeated New York Yankees.
  • National Basketball Association Championship  Boston defeated The St. Louis Hawks
  • National Hockey League Stanley Cup  Montreal Canadians defeated Boston Bruins
  • Women Wimbledon Tennis  Althea Gibson defeated D. Hard (6-3 6-2)
  • Men Wimbledon Tennis   Lew Hoad defeated K. A. Cooper(6-2 6-1 6-2)
  • Kentucky Derby Horse Race Champion   Iron Liege
  • National College Athletic Association Basketball Championship  North Carolina defeated Kansas (SCORE 54-53 in Overtime)
  • National College Athletic Association Football Champions  Auburn(RECORD 10-0-0) and Ohio State (RECORD (9-1-0)
  • Columbia University professor Charles Van Doren becomes a media sensation by winning $129,000 on the quiz show Twenty One.
  • Leave It to Beaver premieres on CBS, ushering in an era of television shows that depict the ideal American.
  • The first Emmy Awards show to be broadcast in color.
  • Academy Award, Best Picture:  Around the World in 80 Days
  • Grammy Award - Record of the Year  The first Grammy Awards were not until 1959
  • Emmy Award - Best Television Comedy  Best Television Comedy Award Not Given in 1957
  • Miss America:  Marian McKnight (South Carolina)
  • Temporary artificial heart invented by Willem Kolff.
  • Clarence W. Lillehie and Earl Bakk (US) invent the internal pacemaker.
  • First round-the-world nonstop jet plane flight. Maj. Gen. Archie J. Old, Jr. (United States Air Force) led a flight of three Boeing B-52 bombers around the world in 45 hours, 19 minutes (completed Jan. 18).

 

All of the Information on this site is from Fact Monster