Groovy Trivia From 1960
By | December 29, 2018
Cafe Jukebox TVA couple dancing by a jukebox in a coffee bar. Groovy! Source: (Photo by Express Newspapers/Getty Images)
Jukeboxes, as well as many other period-specific concepts, weren’t exclusive to the ‘60s but they sure were a groovy part of any social scene of that time. Many groovy things, both old and new have kept the interest of people in general. Some are so well known that they are taken for granted. That being the case, many people don’t know why or how something came to be. Below are some groovy, albeit unnecessary and mindless, trivia from 1960.
The Federal Drug Administration (FDA) banned sassafras oil in 1960, citing it as a dangerous carcinogen. For this very reason, root beer became artificially flavored to avoid the “risk of harm to the consumer.”
Mr. Zip Source: (weshipaustin.com)
Mr. Zip was introduced by the United States Postal Service in 1960.
Zip codes are something many Americans now take for granted. Prior to the implementation of the zip code, when mailing a letter or package, a person typically just wrote down the information they thought would do the trick, including the recipient’s name, street, and town. Somehow, it usually made it to its destination. In 1960, the U.S. Postal Service implemented the zip code system. Mr. Zip was introduced that year in order to get the attention of the general public. Mr. Zip was the U.S. Postal Service mascot created as a clever, animated marketing tool. It took a while to catch on but the rest is history.
The U.S. Census Bureau dubbed Detroit, Michigan the richest city, per capita, in the United States in 1960.
1960 was the first year the U.S. Census Bureau collected census data via U.S. Postal Service. Prior to that time, a resident could expect a live person ringing their doorbell with a clipboard in hand to collect the necessary information. This new practice coincided with the implementation of the zip code system.
Captain Joseph Kittinger Source: (airforce.com)
The sound barrier was broken in 1960 by the United States Air Force Captain Joseph Kittinger.
The record for the highest skydive in the world was set in 1960, by Joseph Kittinger, at the height of 102,800 ft. In the process of this 15-minute dive, the sound barrier was broken. He broke another record for the longest parachute free fall, lasting 4 minutes and 36 seconds.
Where The Boys Are was an iconic ‘60s film that defined the concept of the Spring break!
John F. Kennedy Source: (youtube.com)
American President and Patriot, John F. Kennedy, was passionate about the wellbeing of the American people.
JFK made a point of recognizing the fact that Americans had become physically lazy and had gone, “soft.” He was so passionate about the subject that, in 1960, he wrote a letter about the subject called, "The Soft American." He had hoped to instill the physical fitness bug in Americans in an effort to portray to the rest of the world that Americans were strong and able.
Bing Crosby Source: (npr.org)
The iconic Bing Crosby was discovered to be a “baseball pirate.”
Bing Crosby was discovered to have “pirated” American baseball games. Thanks to his somewhat questionable practices, Crosby owned the only complete recorded copy of the World Series of 1960.
Arnold Palmer Source: (Golfweek.com)
The now-famous “Arnold Palmer” drink got its name at the 1960 U.S. Open.
Professional golfer, Arnold Palmer was overheard ordering a drink at the 1960 U.S. Open at Cherry Hills Country Club. He ordered half iced tea and half lemonade. From that point on, a drink consisting of iced tea and lemonade was known as the “Arnold Palmer.”
While filming the movie Spartacus in 1960, Kirk Douglas and Stanley Kubrick were reportedly so at odds with each other that they attended therapy to get through it.
Source: (alfredhitchcockgeek.com)
The famous horror flick, Psycho, also had a few notable trivia tidbits of its own in 1960.
In 1960, the movie, Psycho, was the first American movie to film and show a flushing toilet on the big screen. Due to industry standards at the time, this was considered a “cause of concern for the censors.” Additionally, because Psycho was filmed in black and white, producers had the bright idea of using chocolate sauce for the blood, instead of the typical stage blood, because it showed up better and appeared more realistic.
The Los Angeles Lakers were given their name because up until 1960, they played in the “land of 10,000 lakes," a.k.a. Minnesota.
1960 was the beginning of an epic time in U.S. history. A lot of interesting things happened in all aspects of life as it was known at the time. These useless bits of trivia, by no means, shaped the Country as a whole but they are some fun highlights of a groovy era.
