Paul Layendecker

Paul Layendecker’s “WAY BACK WHEN” for Thurs., Oct. 16, 2025 1783 – Queen Marie Antoinette was beheaded at the time of the French Revolution. Her most favorite saying ‘Let them eat cake”, when her subjects were dying

Paul Layendecker’s “WAY BACK WHEN” for Weds., Oct 15, 2025 1917 – The world’s most famous spy, Mata Hari was executed. She had been convicted of spying for Germany during World War I and executed by firing squad

Paul Layendecker’s “WAY BACK WHEN” for Tuesday, Oct. 14, 2025 1860 An 11-year-old girl wrote to Abraham Lincoln suggesting he should grow a beard. He wrote back saying it would be silly to start growing a beard;

Paul Layendecker’s “WAY BACK WHEN” for Monday, October 13, 2025  1775 Congress established the U.S. Navy by authorizing the construction of two warships and appointing a Marine Committee in response to the news that the British fleet

Paul Layendecker’s “WAY BACK WHEN” for Friday, October 10, 2025 1845 The U.S. Naval Academy opened at Annapolis, Maryland. 1920 The First World Series Bases-Loaded Grand Slam. It came from Cleveland’s Elmer John Smith against Brooklyn. The

Paul Layendecker’s “WAY BACK WHEN” for Thursday, October 9, 2025  1789 New Jersey became the first state to ratify the Bill of Rights that comprises the first ten amendments to the U.S. Constitution. 1945 Prosecution began against 24

Paul Layendecker’s “WAY BACK WHEN” for Weds., Oct. 8, 2025 1869 American inventor James Frank Duryea built the first successful gasoline powered car in the US and won the first U.S. automobile race. He and his brother

Paul Layendecker’s “WAY BACK WHEN” for Monday, October 6, 2025  1927 The Jazz Singer starring Al Jolson premiered. It was the first feature-length motion picture with a synchronized score and synchronized singing and speech in some scenes. It heralded

Paul Layendecker’s “WAY BACK WHEN” for Friday, Oct. 3, 2025 1951, Bobby Thomson of the New York Giants hit the “Shot Heard Around the World”, a three-run homer in the bottom of the 9th of the final game in a

Paul Layendecker’s “WAY BACK WHEN” for Thursday, Oct. 2, 2025 1950 Charles M. Schulz comic strip featuring Charlie Brown, Snoopy, and pals debuted. Its original run lasted until Schulz’ death in 2000, and then it continued with

Paul Layendecker’s “WAY BACK WHEN” for Weds. Oct. 1, 2025 1908 – Henry Ford introduced the first car for the masses, the Model T. Ford often cited hard work as the reason for his success 1962 – Heeeeeeeeeere’s

Paul Layendecker’s “WAY BACK WHEN” for Monday, Sept. 29, 2025  1829 The Greater London Metropolitan Police – now known as ‘Scotland Yard’ was formed with the passing of Robert Peel’s Metropolitan Police Act. The force was directly

Paul Layendecker’s “WAY BACK WHEN” for Friday, Sept. 26, 2022  1960, the First Presidential Debate took place in Chicago, between John F. Kennedy and Richard Nixon. Lots from TV History today! In 1962, “The Beverly Hillbillies” debuted on CBS.  It was the

Paul Layendecker’s “WAY BACK WHEN” for Thursday, Sept. 25, 2025 1970 The TV show The Partridge Family debuted on ABC. The show was loosely based on the real-life musical family the Cowsills. 1981 Sandra Day O’Connor was sworn in

Paul Layendecker’s “WAY BACK WHEN” for Weds., Sept. 24, 2025 1869 “Black Friday” The stock market panicked due to crashing gold prices caused by an attempt to corner the market by Gould and Fisk. 1952 The first

Paul Layendecker’s “WAY BACK WHEN” for Tuesday, Sept. 23, 2025  1912 The first ‘Keystone Cops” film short was released featuring the famous slapstick police troop. 1962 The space age cartoon The Jetsons debuted on ABC. George, Jane, Judy, Elroy, and

Paul Layendecker’s “WAY BACK WHEN” for Monday, Sept. 22, 2025 1961 The Interstate Commerce Commission ordered the end to segregation on interstate buses. Largely due to the efforts of Freedom Riders, who challenged bus segregation by riding

Paul Layendecker’s “WAY BACK WHEN” for Friday, Sept. 19, 2025 1964, “Flipper” debuted on NBC.  It ran for three seasons. 1970, “The Mary Tyler Moore Show” debuted on CBS. 1973, America’s first TRUE “pirate radio” station, Free Radio America went on

Paul Layendecker’s “WAY BACK WHEN” for Thursday, Sept. 18, 2025 1964 The Addams Family TV show debuted on ABC. It was based on characters from Charles Addams’ New Yorker cartoons. 1965 The secret agent satirical TV show “Get Smart” debuted

Paul Layendecker’s “WAY BACK WHEN” for Weds., Sept. 17, 2025 1954 Williams Golding’s Pulitzer-prize winning book was published. It chronicled a group of British boys stranded on an uninhabited island and their attempt to govern themselves. 1965