Paul’s Blog Archives

“Way Back When” TODAY!

way-back-when_2-22-22

Paul Layendecker’s “WAY BACK WHEN” for Tuesday, Jan. 2, 2024 1939 Adolf Hitler was named Time magazine’s 1938 Man of the Year in their January 2, 1939, issue. The title was not given as an honor, but to the

“Way Back When” TODAY!

way-back-when_2-22-22

Paul Layendecker’s “WAY BACK WHEN” for Friday, Dec. 29, 2023 1848 Gas lights were installed at the White House for the first time. 1851 The first YMCA chapter opened in Boston. 1949 The first UHF television station

“Way Back When” TODAY!

way-back-when_2-22-22

Paul Layendecker’s “WAY BACK WHEN” for Thursday, Dec. 28, 2023 1945 Congress officially recognized the Pledge of Allegiance. 1981 WEA Records raises the price of its 45-rpm singles from $1.68 to $1.98. 1981 Elizabeth Jordan Carr, the

“Way Back When” TODAY!

way-back-when_2-22-22

Paul Layendecker’s “WAY BACK WHEN” for Weds., Dec. 27, 2023  1831 Charles Darwin set out on a voyage to the Pacific aboard the HMS Beagle. Darwin’s discoveries during the voyage formed the basis of his theory of evolution.

“Way Back When” TODAY!

way-back-when_2-22-22

Paul Layendecker’s “WAY BACK WHEN” for Tuesday, Dec. 26, 2023 1865 The first U.S. patent for a coffee percolator is issued to inventor James H. Nason. 1919 Babe Ruth, known as “The Bambino”, was sold by the

“Way Back When” TODAY!

way-back-when_2-22-22

Paul Layendecker’s “WAY BACK WHEN” for Thursday, Dec. 22, 2022 1808 The world premiere of Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony in Vienna. 1895 Wilhelm Konrad Roentgen, German physicist and discoverer of the X-ray, made an x-ray of his wife’s

“Way Back When” TODAY!

way-back-when_2-22-22

Paul Layendecker’s “WAY BACK WHEN” for Thursday, Dec. 21, 2023 1882 The first Christmas Tree with electric lights. Edward H. Johnson used a set of 80 red, white, and blue electric incandescent light bulbs wired together. Johnson

“Way Back When” TODAY!

way-back-when_2-22-22

Paul Layendecker’s “WAY BACK WHEN” for Weds., Dec. 20, 2023 1891 YMCA instructor Dr. James Naismith organized the first basketball game between his students in Springfield, Massachusetts. The original game used a soccer ball and a peach basket with

“Way Back When” TODAY!

way-back-when_2-22-22

Paul Layendecker’s “WAY BACK WHEN” for Tuesday, Dec. 19, 2021 1918 Robert L. Ripley’s ‘Believe It Or Not!’ comic strip debuted, featuring items of the strange and unusual. In 1929, one of its cartoons pointed out that America

“Way Back When” TODAY!

way-back-when_2-22-22

Paul Layendecker’s “WAY BACK WHEN” for Monday, Dec. 18, 2023 1878 Joseph Swan demonstrated his carbon filament electric light, almost a year before Thomas Edison. 1917 Prohibition! The 18th amendment prohibiting intoxicating liquors in the U.S. was sent

“Way Back When” TODAY!

way-back-when_2-22-22

Paul Layendecker’s “WAY BACK WHEN” for Friday, Dec. 15, 2023 1972 Gene Cernan reentered the lunar module after making the last moon walk. 1986 Dick Rutan and Jeana Yeager flew the aircraft Voyager on the first nonstop

“Way Back When” TODAY!

way-back-when_2-22-22

Paul Layendecker’s “WAY BACK WHEN” for Thursday, Dec. 14, 2023 1899 George F. Grant received a patent for the first golf tee. 1972 The movie The Poseidon Adventure premieres with its ensemble cast including Gene Hackman, Ernest Borgnine, Shelley

“Way Back When” TODAY!

way-back-when_2-22-22

Paul Layendecker’s “WAY BACK WHEN” for Weds., Dec. 13, 2023 1782 Brothers Joseph and Jacques Montgolfier tested their first balloon. They built a large box out of thin wood and lit a fire beneath it. The unmanned balloon took

“Way Back When” TODAY!

way-back-when_2-22-22

Paul Layendecker’s “WAY BACK WHEN” for Monday, Dec 11, 2023  1934 Bill Wilson founded Alcoholics Anonymous. Wilson achieved sobriety when he had what he called a religious experience after asking God to help him get sober. 1941

“Way Back When” TODAY!

way-back-when_2-22-22

Paul Layendecker’s “WAY BACK WHEN” for Friday, Dec. 8, 2023 1857 New York businessman Joseph Gayetty began marketing toilet paper.  It was made of pure Manila hemp paper and contained aloe and remained in use until 1935

“Way Back When” TODAY!

way-back-when_2-22-22

Paul Layendecker’s “WAY BACK WHEN” for Thursday, Dec. 7, 2023 1941 Pearl Harbor was attacked. “A Day that will live in Infamy” 1963 CBS first used ‘instant replay’ in a game between Army and Navy. 1973 Apollo

“Way Back When” TODAY!

way-back-when_2-22-22

Paul Layendecker’s “WAY BACK WHEN” for Weds., Dec. 6, 2023 345 A.D., the real St. Nicholas died. He secretly gave gifts to poor brides-to-be. 1884 the Washington Monument was completed.  1964 “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” first aired on NBC.

“Way Back When” TODAY!

way-back-when_2-22-22

Paul Layendecker’s “WAY BACK WHEN” for Monday, Dec. 05, 2023 1933 Prohibition was repealed when Utah becomes the 36th state to ratify the 21st Amendment giving it the necessary 75% of states needed to enact it. 1952

“Way Back When” TODAY!

way-back-when_2-22-22

Paul Layendecker’s “WAY BACK WHEN” for Thursday, Dec 4, 2021  1843 Manila paper is patented by John Mark and Lyman Hollingsworth of Massachusetts. They produced their paper from old marine hemp ropes. The hemp typically came from

“Way Back When” TODAY!

way-back-when_2-22-22

Paul Layendecker’s “WAY BACK WHEN” for Friday, Dec. 01, 2023  1942 In order to conserve gas and rubber for the war effort, nationwide gas and tire rationing went into effect in the US. Families were allowed 3

“Way Back When” TODAY!

way-back-when_2-22-22

Paul Layendecker’s “WAY BACK WHEN” for Thursday, Nov. 30, 2023 1940 Comedienne Minnie Pearl made her first appearance on the radio show Grand Ole Opry. She would continue making appearances for over 50 years. Minnie Pearl was of

“Way Back When” TODAY!

way-back-when_2-22-22

Paul Layendecker’s “WAY BACK WHEN” for Weds., Nov. 29, 2023 1934 The Chicago Bears beat the Detroit Lions in the first NFL game broadcast. 1942 The U.S. began rationing coffee as a result of World War II. Coffee

“Way Back When” TODAY!

way-back-when_2-22-22

Paul Layendecker’s “WAY BACK WHEN” for Tuesday, Nov. 28, 2023 1895 The race almost didn’t happen as it was initially banned by police who would not allow automobiles to drive on city streets. It ran from Chicago

“Way Back When” TODAY!

way-back-when_2-22-22

Paul Layendecker’s “WAY BACK WHEN” for Monday, Nov. 27, 2023 1924, The first Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade as store employees marched to Macy’s Herald Square, the flagship store on 34th Street, dressed in vibrant costumes. There were

“Way Back When” TODAY!

way-back-when_2-22-22

Paul Layendecker’s “WAY BACK WHEN” for Weds., Nov. 22, 2023  1718 British soldiers boarded the ship of Blackbeard the Pirate and shot him. They then cut off his black beard and flew it from the ship’s bow.

“Way Back When” TODAY!

way-back-when_2-22-22

Paul Layendecker’s “WAY BACK WHEN” for Tuesday, Nov. 21, 2021 1877 Thomas Edison announced the invention of the phonograph. 1934 The New York Yankees purchased the contract of Joe Di Maggio from San Francisco. 1980 An estimated

“Way Back When” TODAY!

way-back-when_2-22-22

Paul Layendecker’s “WAY BACK WHEN” for Monday, Nov. 20, 2023 1945 Prosecution began against 24 former Nazi leaders for war crimes in the Nuremberg Trials; 12 of which were sentenced to death. 2002 Singer Michael Jackson held

“Way Back When” TODAY!

way-back-when_2-22-22

Paul Layendecker’s “WAY BACK WHEN” for Friday, Nov. 17, 2023 1800 The first meeting of the U.S. Congress in the newly formed Capital city of Washington D.C. 1970 A patent was issued to Douglas Engelbart for the

“Way Back When” TODAY!

way-back-when_2-22-22

Paul Layendecker’s “WAY BACK WHEN” for Thursday, Nov. 16, 2023 1904 British electrical engineer John Fleming filed a patent for his “thermionic valve” also known as a vacuum tube which ushered in the modern era of electronics.

“Way Back When” TODAY!

way-back-when_2-22-22

Paul Layendecker’s “WAY BACK WHEN” for Weds., Nov. 15, 2023 1885 The poem that inspired the comic strip “Little Orphan Annie” was first published. It was also the inspiration for the Broadway musical “Annie” which opened in