March 5, 1963: the Hula Hoop, a hip-swiveling toy that
became a huge fad across America when it was first
marketed by Wham-O in 1958, was patented by the
company’s co-founder, Arthur “Spud” Melin.

On this day in 1963, the Hula-Hoop, a hip-swiveling toy that became
a huge fad across America when it was first marketed by Wham-O in 1958, is patented by the company’s co-founder, Arthur "Spud" Melin. 

Phone booth stuffing was a fad that began during the 1950s in Durban, South
Africa and soon spread to Britain, Canada and the United States by the spring 
of 1959. It involved seeing how many people could stuff a phone booth until it
would accommodate no more. At some colleges as many as 25 students had
managed to cram some of their body into a standard phone booth. Earlier
fads included goldfish swallowing and flagpole sitting.

A phone booth in California, 1959