1950: Maracanazo, Brazilian Tragedy.
Brazil 1950 was the first FIFA World Cup held in 12 years, due to the crisis of World War II which forced to cancel the 1942 and 1946 editions. The final match of that tournament was a tragic day for Brazilian history, as well as the biggest match in football history. Almost 200,000 spectators gathered on the biggest stadium on Earth and watched as Brazil got beaten by Uruguay 2-1 at the Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro, shattering the Brazilian fans’ hopes of victory. The aftermath of the match was filled with disturbing, traumatic silence. Many Brazilian fans committed suicide, and the Brazilian press refused to accept the defeat. That match, known as the Maracanazo (since it was played at Maracana Stadium) remains a memorable day for the Brazilians.
The Maracanazo has an astounding legacy. After this match, the Brazilian team started to have a severe fear of the Uruguayan team (this is known as the Phantom of the 50). A similar thing repeated itself when Brazil was host of the 2014 World Cup, and was badly beaten by Germany 7-1 at the semi-final at Belo Horizonte. However, no other soccer match would equal the Maracanazo in suspense, assistance, and consequences.
1950s: Legends of the Ring.
Along with baseball, boxing was the pastime of America. During the 1950s, it was at its golden age, and produced some of its most brilliant representatives. Talking about the 1950s is talking about Rocky Marciano. Marciano was the greatest on the ring. He was the heavyweight champion. He held the record for a lot of years. In 1954, Marciano outpointed ex-champion Ezzard Charles, and then KO’d him on 8th round on a rematch in September. However, there were also other brilliant names, such as Floyd Patterson, Sugar Ray Robinson and welterweight champion Carmen Basilio.
Boxing remains a pastime of America. Marciano was to to boxing what Ruth was to baseball. He became the inspiration for future champion boxers, such as Muhammad Ali in the 1960’s, and for the fictional movie character Rocky Balboa (played by Sylvester Stallone) in the 1970’s.
1955: Tragedy Hits LeMans.
In 1955, tragedy hit the motorracing track. During the Le Mans championship, a multiple crash produced 82 casualties. It was the biggest disaster in motorsport history. On June 11th, fans and racers were gathered at the racetrack at Le Mans. Halfway through the race, the Austin-Healey and Mercedes collided and split into pieces, killing both drivers. Immediately after the collision, many spectators died after being crushed by flying car debris or car fuel exploding on their faces. The crash was recorded by some spectators. An original black-and-white silent footage details the magnitude of the disaster. Through the silence, you can sense the horror of what was happening.
The tragedy at Le Mans left an enduring legacy and convinced motosports organizators to take more precautions. Racetracks were made safer. Changes in infrastructures were made to ensure the safety of drivers and spectators. Motorracing is safer now thanks to this measures, but the tragedy at Le Mans has earned the title of the worst disaster in motorsports.
1958: Dodgers and Giants, From the Big Apple to Tinseltown
On May 28th, 1957, National League Baseball owners announced that the Brooklyn Dodgers and the New York Giants were relocating to California. By October of that same year, both teams announced their moves. The Dodgers and the Giants were of the most-respected teams in history. But, in 1957, they were forced to leave the Big Apple and leave towards the West Coast. That’s how the Dodgers and Giants changed Brooklyn and New York to Los Angeles and San Francisco.
This event was fundamental in baseball history. The San Francisco Giants and the Los Angeles Dodgers are still of the leading teams in Major League history. However, had it not been for this agreement, the teams wouldn’t exist as fans know them today.