The Baby Boom Years: 1947

BORN THIS YEAR:

• DAVID BOWIE
• FARRAH FAWCETT
• IGGY POP
• ELTON JOHN

MUSIC:

• Frankie Laine earns his first, of 21, gold records.

FASHION

• Dior introduced the “New Look”, featuring longer lengths and fuller skirts—defined by the generous use of luxurious fabrics, and a nipped waist are the rage. So are loafers, Bermudas, buckles, pegged pants and knee socks.

SPORTS

• Jackie Robinson busts Baseball’s color line.
• The NY Yankees defeat the Brooklyn Dodgers 4-3 in the first televised World Series.
• Jack LaMotta is KO’d for the first time in his career.

WORLD

• Max Conrad circumnavigates the earth in 8 days, 18 hours and 49 minutes, setting a new world record.
• The Marshall Plan is proposed to help European nations recover economically from World War II.
• John F. Kennedy succeeds Dwight Eisenhower as the 35th President of the United States of America.
• Ham the Chimp, a 37-pound male, is rocketed into space in a test of the Project Mercury capsule.

TRIVIA QUESTIONS:

• The Radarange debuted in 1947. What is this appliance that went from “unknown” to “household superstar” known as today?T

• In California, Howard Hughes performs the maiden flight of the largest fixed-wing aircraft ever built. What was it called?

a. Funky Monkey b. Regal Eagle c. Pearl Squirrel d. Spruce Goose

• Vroom! Vroom! Which automaker produced its first automobile this year?

a. Saab b. Hummer c. Subaru d. Chevrolet

• This woman’s murder received extensive media coverage, referring to her as “The Black Dahlia”.

a. Bethany Long b. Eliza Tall c. Elizabeth Short d. Beth Whyde

R.I.P.

• HENRY FORD
• AL CAPONE
• Willa Cather
• Ettore Bugatti

Billboard Top 10 Pop Hits:

1. Near You—Francis Craig
2. Peg O’My Heart—Harmonicats
3. Heartaches—Ted Weems
4. Linda—Ray Noble & Buddy Clark
5. Smoke, Smoke, Smoke (That Cigarette…)—Tex Williams
6. I Wish I Didn’t Love You So—Vaughn Monroe
7. Peg O’ My Heart—Three Suns
8. Anniversary Song—Al Jolson
9. Near You—Larry Green
10. That’s My Desire—Sammy Kaye