The Year 1961
History and Politics
US breaks off dipolmatic relations with Cuba.
John F. Kennedy inauguarated as 35th (and youngest) President of US; establishes Peace Corps.
Activities of reactionary John Birch Siciety are a concern of the US Senate.
UN General Assmbly condemns apartheid.
Elizabeth Gurley Flynn succeeds Eugene Dennis as Chairman of the Communist Party.
Cuban exiled rebels attempt an unsuccessful invasion of Cuba at the bay of Pigs; they were trained and
supplied by US; a week later, President Kennedy acknowledges his full responsibility for the fiasco.
Kennedy and Khrushchev meet in Vienna to discuss disarmament. Laos, and Germany.
Berlin Wall constructed; Vice President Johnson visits Berlin.
Nobel Peace Prize: Dag Hammarskjold.
Ben-Gurion forms new coalition government in Isreal.
Edward Heath, Lord Pivy Seal, begins negotiations for British entry into Common Market.
Adolf Eichmann found quilty in Jerusalem trial.
Rafael Trujillo, dictator of Dominican Republic, assassinated; succeeded by his son.
Sam Rayburn, elected Speaker fo the House of representatives for 10 terms dies, succeeded by john McCormack.
Science, Technology, Growth
Yuri Gagarin (USSR) orbits the earth in six-ton satellite.
Alan Shepard makes first US space flight.
Leucotomy operations and operations for deafness.
Atlas computer installed at Harwell.
Erwin Schrodinger, Aust. physicist dies.
Percy Bridgman, US physicist dies.
Nobel Prize for Physics: R Hofstadter (US) for his study of
nucleons and R L mossbauer (US) for work with gamma rays.
Nobel Prize for Chemistry: M Calvin (US) for determining the reactions in photosynthesis.
Nobel Prize for Physiology and Medicine: George von Bekesy (US) for his study of the mechanism of the inner ear.
Daily Life
Trans-Siberian Railroad electrfied between Moscow and Irkutsk.
Farthings no longer legal tender in Britian.
Spy trials in London; Gordon Lonsdale, George Blake, and the Krogers.
Last journey of "Orient Express" (Paris-Bucharest)
World populations in millions: China, 660; India, 435; USSR, 209; US, 179;
Japan, 95; Pakistan, 94; Brazil, 66; W. Germany, 54; Great Britian, 53.
Ty Cobb (US) baseball player dies.
USSR trade fair held in London.
Floyd Patterson retains heavyweight boxing crown against Ingemar johansson with a K.O.
Bobby Fischer, 17, wins US chess championship for 4th time, defeating Paul Benko, Hungarian Grand Master.
Washington defeats Minnesota in Rose Bowl, 17-7.
"Freedom Riders" White and Black liberals loosely organize to test and force integration in the South,
are attacked and beaten by White citizens (including women) in Anniston & Birmingham.
Australia defeats Italy, 5-0 to win Davis Cup (tennis).
US Lawn Tennis Singles won by Roy Emerson (Au), women's won by Darlene Hard (US).
Jack Nicklaus wins US Golf Assc.; Open won by Gene Littler; Gary Player wins Maters.
"Carry Back" J. Sellers up, wins the Preakness and Kentucky Derby.
New York (AL) defeats Cincinnati (NL), 4-1 to win World Series.
Lynn joyner catches a 680 lb. giant sea bass off Fernandins Beach, Fla,; W C Timm lands a 69 lb. 1-ounce albacore
off Hudson Canyon, NJ.; Tony Burnand catches a 141 lb. 1-ounce Atlantic sailfish off teh Ivory Coast, Africa.
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