Richard (Dick) Wagstaff Clark (November 30, 1929 – April 18, 2012)

Television, rock and roll and teenagers. In the late 1950s, when television and
rock and roll were new and when the biggest generation in American history
was just about to enter its teens, it took a bit of originality to see the potential power in this now-obvious combination. The man who saw that potential more clearly than any other was a 26-year-old native of upstate New York named
Dick Clark, who transformed himself and a local Philadelphia television
program into two of the most culturally significant forces of the early rock-
and-roll era. His iconic show, American Bandstand, began broadcasting
nationally on this day in 1957, beaming images of clean-cut, average
teenagers dancing to the not-so-clean-cut Jerry Lee Lewis’ “Whole Lotta
Shakin’ Goin’ On” to 67 ABC affiliates across the nation.

The show that evolved into American Bandstand began on Philadephia’s
WFIL-TV in 1952, a few years before the popular ascension of rock and
roll. Hosted by local radio personality Bob Horn (below).

Donald Loyd "Bob" Horn
(February 20, 1916 – July 31, 1966)

MIKE GRACIA

On August 1, 1966, after stabbing his mother and his wife to death
the night before, Charles Whitman,(above) a former Marine, took
rifles and other weapons to the observation deck atop the Main
Building tower at the University of Texas at Austin, then opened
fire indiscriminately on persons on the surrounding campus and
streets. Over the next 96 minutes he shot and killed 16 people
(including one unborn child) and injured 31 others; a final victim
died in 2001 from the lingering effects of his wounds. The incident
ended when a policeman and a civilian reached Whitman and shot
him dead. The attack was the deadliest mass shooting by a lone
gunman in U.S. history until it was surpassed 18 years later by the
San Ysidro McDonald’s massacre.

The University of Texas at Austin Tower, Austin, Texas.

The world’s first parking meter, known as Park-O-Meter No. 1, is installed on
the southeast corner of what was then First Street and Robinson Avenue in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. 

The parking meter was the brainchild of Carl C. Magee (below), a lawyer and
newspaper publisher who moved to Oklahoma City from New Mexico in 1927.

Carlton Cole "Carl" Magee (January 1872 – February 1946)

CAMILLE
BOHANNON

Babe Ruth debuted in the major leagues with the Boston Red Sox
where he pitched seven strong innings to lead the Sox over the
Cleveland Indians, 4-3.

SANDY KOZEL

Elvis Presley’s first commercial recording session took place in Memphis, TN. on this day in 1954.  He recorded "That’s All Right
(Mama)" and "Blue Moon of Kentucky."

   
    
 
Elvis, Bill Black, Scotty Moore; Sam Phillips in foreground; Sun
Records, Memphis, TN, 1954.