March 16, 1961
Gas cost $0.31 a gallon in the spring of 1961, and the Dow Jones stood at 731 — a young Navy test pilot named Alan Shepard had just become the first American in space, riding a Freedom 7 capsule on a 15-minute suborbital flight that May and returning to a hero's welcome in Washington. On the cultural front, "Blue Moon" by The Marcels was climbing the charts with its distinctive doo-wop sound, while "The Apartment" had just taken home the Oscar for Best Picture. In sports, the Boston Celtics claimed the NBA championship over the St. Louis Hawks, and on the golf course that April, South African Gary Player became the first non-American to win the Masters Tournament.
On the cover
Magazine Covers — March 16, 1961
World Events — March 1961
Time Person of the Year — 1961
On the radio
Billboard Charts — March 16, 1961
Grammy Awards
On the bookshelf
On the television
Nielsen Top 10 — 1960–61 Season
Emmy Winners — 1961
At the movies
Box Office & Oscar Winners — March 16, 1961
On the field
Sports Champions — March 16, 1961
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