1950

1950 was the 79th year after the founding of the City of Birmingham.

Events

• The Birmingham Museum of Art was created by the City of Birmingham.
• The Birmingham Zoo obtained land at Lane Park.
• The Birmingham Post-Herald was formed from the merger of the Birmingham Post and Birmingham Age-Herald.
• Birmingham passed an ordinance outlawing communism.
• Bull Connor campaigned unsuccessfully for Governor of Alabama
• WBRC 6 began producing live local programs and expands its nightly newscast.
• The Jimmie Hale Mission moved to 24th Street and 3rd Avenue North.
• Calhoun Shoes was founded.
• A post office was established for Fultondale.
• Marcus Hancock became Birmingham Police Chief.
• Green Acres Cafe opened in North Birmingham.
• Cooper Green was created a Knight of St Olaf by the King of Norway.
• Alton Earl Potts became pastor of McElwain Baptist Church.
• WFMH-FM went on the air at FM 101.1 in Cullman.
• WAFM-FM relocated to FM 99.5.
• Norris Hadaway took over management of the Alabama Theatre.
• Yolande Betbeze was crowned Miss Alabama at the Alabama Theatre.
• November 8: Vestavia Hills was incorporated

Sports

• Satchel Paige signed with the St Louis Browns.
• Sam Hairston won the Negro American League triple crown with a .424 average, 17 home runs and 71 RBI.
• Alabama State won the Magic City Classic by a score of 16-12.
• Alabama defeated Auburn 34-0 in the 1950 Iron Bowl.

Works

Buildings

• Rickwood Field was expanded with new box seats and relocated dugouts.
• Temple Beth-El underwent an interior renovation.
• Shades Cahaba High School was converted to an elementary school.
• Birmingham City Hall
• St Elias Maronite Church
• THC Drive In, Adamsville
• Bethel A.M.E. Church reopened after repairs from a 1946 fire.

Music

• The Gospel Harmoneers were re-named the Gospel Harmonettes.

Film

• The Underworld Story with Mary Anderson
• Last of the Buccaneers with Mary Anderson
• Hunt the Man Down with Mary Anderson

People

Births

• Anthony Barnes, Birmingham Water Works Board President
• Watson Brown, former UAB Blazers football coach
• Paul Ferrone, Alabama Symphony Orchestra manager
• Billy Gafford, Birmingham Fire Captain
• Eduardo Neiva, communicologist and UAB professor
• Jim Parkman, attorney
• K. Lee Scott, composer and teacher
• Virgil Ware, Civil Rights martyr
• January 18: Pat Sullivan, Samford Bulldogs football coach
• February 10: Lonnie Holley, artist
• March 6: Johnny Musso, football player
• May 4: Jack Baker, baseball player
• July 11: Larry DeLucas, astronaut and scientist
• August 8: Greg Bass, radio host and studio owner
• August 13: Freeman Hrabowski, president of the University of Maryland Baltimore County
• September 2: Lamar Johnson, baseball player

Graduations

• Herman Spivey, aeronautical engineering. University of Alabama

Deaths

• Rick Woodward, industrialist and owner of the Birmingham Barons

Context

1950 saw recognition for the People's Republic of China and Israel. The world's population stood at about 2.5 billion. Mt Lamington in New Guinea erupts, killing 5,000. India forms a republic. The Soviet Union successfully tests a nuclear bomb. L. Ron Hubbard's Dianetics is published. The Korean War began in June. Uruguay wins the FIFA World Cup. Florence Chadwick swims the English Channel. Pope Pius XII accepts the theory of evolution. Peanuts and Beetle Bailey both debut in newspapers. Truth or Consequences debuts on television. Mother Teresa begins her work in Calcutta. Shirley Temple retires from show business, and Ben Hogan wins the U. S. Open.

Notable 1950 births included Natalie Cole, Julius Erving, Jay Leno, Stevie Wonder, Princess Anne, and Tom Petty. Deaths that year included George Orwell, Edgar Rice Burroughs, Al Jolson, George Bernard Shaw, and King Gustaf V of Sweden.

1950s

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Births - Deaths - Establishments - Events - Works