On this day

October 12, 1958

Revisit the news, notable people, and historical moments connected to this date.

Portrait 1080 × 1920 PNG · created on your device

Filter by:

Headlines from October 12, 1958

TOMY LEE BEATEN; Drops From 2d to 3d as 2-1 First Landing Wins Champagne

By Joseph C. Nichols

Christopher T. Chenery's First Landing won the richest race of the local season at Belmont Park yesterday, the $151,300 Champagne Stakes. In the minds of the 36,527 fans on hand, there was complete agreement that First Landing's victory came about mainly because of the excellent ride given him by the master jockey, Eddie Arcaro. He urged the colt to victory while riding on a slipped saddle.

None0 words

Notable Births

Steve Austria

1958Steve Austria, American lawyer and politician[†]

Stephen Clement Austria is an American politician who served as a U.S. Representative for Ohio's 7th congressional district from 2009 to 2013. He is a member of the Republican Party. In December 2011, Austria announced his intention to not run for re-election for the 113th Congress in the 2012 elections. During his 14 years in elected office, Austria never lost an election.

1958Maria de Fátima Silva de Sequeira Dias, Portuguese historian, author, and academic (died 2013)[†]

Maria de Fátima Silva de Sequeira Dias was an Azorean historian, author, and academic. A professor in the Department of Management and Economics at the University of the Azores, she specialized in the history of the Azores, an autonomous region of Portugal.

Tesla (band)

1958Jeff Keith, American rock singer-songwriter[†]

Tesla is an American rock band from Sacramento, California. In late 1981, bassist Brian Wheat and guitarist Frank Hannon formed a band named City Kidd, which evolved into Tesla. By 1984, vocalist Jeff Keith, guitarist Tommy Skeoch, and drummer Troy Luccketta had joined the band, forming their classic lineup that appeared on all of the albums and live shows during their initial run. The band adopted the Tesla moniker shortly before recording their first album, as another band with a name similar to City Kidd already existed.

1958Bryn Merrick, Welsh bass player (died 2015)[†]

Bryn Merrick was a bassist who was a member of Cardiff-based punk band Victimize and then heavy-metal band Stormqueen. He later joined the Damned between 1983 and 1989, replacing Paul Gray, who had left for UFO. Merrick's first release with the Damned was the single "Thanks for the Night" b/w "Nasty". He was the Damned's bassist on the albums Phantasmagoria (1985) and Anything (1986).

Notable Deaths

Gordon Griffith

1958Gordon Griffith, American actor, director, and producer (born 1907)[†]

Gordon S. Griffith was an American assistant director, film producer, and one of the first child actors in the American movie industry. Griffith worked in the film industry for five decades, acting in over 60 films, and surviving the transition from silent films to talkies—films with sound. During his acting career, he worked with Charlie Chaplin, and was the first actor to portray Tarzan on film.

Historical Context for October 12, 1958

In 1958, the world population was approximately 2,911,249,671 people[†]