When This Dropped

July 8, 1952

President
Truman
Dow (EOY)
292
Gas/gal
$0.27
Min Wage
$0.75

The federal minimum wage stood at $0.75/hr that summer of 1952, and the Dow Jones sat at 292 — as West Germany moved toward restored sovereignty after Truman signed the Bonn Peace Pact, formally bringing the Federal Republic into the community of Western nations. On television, "I Love Lucy" had cemented itself as the country's dominant comedy, winning the Emmy for the category, while Vera Lynn's "Auf Wiederseh'n, Sweetheart" was the song Americans were hearing on the radio that summer. The 1952 Summer Olympics in Helsinki, Finland drew a strong American performance, with US athletes bringing home 40 gold, 19 silver, and 17 bronze medals for a total of 76, placing the country among the top finishers in the Games.

On the cover

Magazine Covers — July 8, 1952

New York Times
Time
Nat. Geographic

NY Times Headlines — Week of July 8, 1952

82d Congress Ends With Compromise On Two Fund Bills; Senate And House Agree On $2,898,800,000 To Expand Atomic Energy Work Dam Dispute Is Settled Adjournment Voted Sine Die, With Only President Able To Call Special Session Deadlock Broken And Congress Ends

World Events — July 1952

Time Person of the Year — 1952

Mohammed Mossadegh
Person of the Year
Mohammed Mossadegh

On the radio

Billboard Charts — July 8, 1952

Delicado
Percy Faith and His Orchestra with Stan Freeman
Best Sellers #1
"Delicado"
Percy Faith and His Orchestra with Stan Freeman

On the bookshelf

The Silver Chalice
NYT Fiction #1
"The Silver Chalice"
The Holy Bible: Revised Standard Version
NYT Non-Fiction #1
"The Holy Bible: Revised Standard Version"
The Caine Mutiny
Herman Wouk
Pulitzer Prize Fiction
"The Caine Mutiny"
Herman Wouk
From Here to Eternity
James Jones
National Book Award Fiction
"From Here to Eternity"
James Jones
The Sea Around Us
Rachel Carson
National Book Award Nonfiction
"The Sea Around Us"
Rachel Carson

On the television

Nielsen Top 10 — 1951–52 Season

I Love Lucy
Nielsen #1 TV Show
I Love Lucy
Nielsen
Top 10
TV Shows
Nielsen Ratings
Top 10 TV Shows
1951–52 Season

Emmy Winners — 1952

Robert Montgomery Presents
Emmy Drama Series
Robert Montgomery Presents
I Love Lucy
Emmy Comedy Series
I Love Lucy
Thomas Mitchell
Schlitz Playhouse of Stars
Emmy Lead Actor
Thomas Mitchell
Schlitz Playhouse of Stars
Helen Hayes
Schlitz Playhouse of Stars
Emmy Lead Actress
Helen Hayes
Schlitz Playhouse of Stars

At the movies

Box Office & Oscar Winners — July 8, 1952

Scaramouche
Box Office #1
Scaramouche
The Greatest Show on Earth
Oscar Best Picture
The Greatest Show on Earth
John Ford
The Quiet Man
Oscar Best Director
John Ford
The Quiet Man
Gary Cooper
High Noon
Oscar Best Actor
Gary Cooper
High Noon
Shirley Booth
Come Back, Little Sheba
Oscar Best Actress
Shirley Booth
Come Back, Little Sheba

On the field

Sports Champions — July 8, 1952

NFL Champion
Detroit Lions
World Series
New York Yankees
def. Brooklyn Dodgers
NBA Champion
Minneapolis Lakers
def. New York Knicks
Stanley Cup
Detroit Red Wings
def. Montreal Canadiens
Winter Olympics
Oslo, Norway
🥇4🥈6🥉1
Summer Olympics
Helsinki, Finland
🥇40🥈19🥉17

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