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Monkey Business🍌🚀
Why did the monkey go to space?
Today, we’re dialing the time machine to January 31st, 1961. We don’t usually go back this far in history at On This Day, but when I read about Ham the Astrochimp, I knew he was born to be the star of an email newsletter in 2025.
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January 31st, 1961 📆
NASA
Meet Ham, a modern pioneer of space exploration. Born in Cameroon in 1957, Ham began his space training at the Holloman Air Force Base in Alamogordo, NM in 1959. He learned to operate levers in response to light cues to test if the human mind could operate efficiently while traveling to outer space.
During his nail-biting 16½-minute journey, Ham zoomed at a mind-blowing 5,800 mph, reaching 157 miles above Earth. Despite experiencing intense g-forces and weightlessness, this tiny astronaut performed his tasks like a boss. Talk about monkey business.
Ham survived the mission with no physical harm, although he did show signs of anxiety when researchers tried to place him back into the container. (I’d be stressed out too after flying in a tiny metal tube at 5,800 mph) Ham’s bravery paved the way for Alan Shepard to become the first American (human) to reach outer space on May 5th, 1961.
Take Me Back ⏮️
🕹️ What we’re playing: The Game of Life, the first-ever game by Milton Bradley.
🥤 What we’re drinking: Coffee kinda sucked in 1961. But Coffee-mate powdered creamer made it much easier to drink.
🛒 What we’re buying: The Chatter Telephone, the hottest toddler toy of the year from Fisher-Price.
👧 Who we’re following: Audrey Hepburn after Breakfast at Tiffany’s.
🍔 What we’re eating: A hamburger from White Castle, which became the first fast-food restaurant to sell over a billion burgers this year.
🎤 What we’re singing: “Surrender” by Elvis Presley
🎥 What we’re watching: 101 Dalmatians, which had just come out this week. 👇
Trivia 📊
What was the median home price in the U.S. on January 31st, 1961? |
Just For Fun 🙃
Just a few days prior on January 25th, President John F. Kennedy Jr. delivered the first-ever live presidential news conference on television.
Tonight though? The family was watching Bonanza.
OOTD On This Day🧢
Speaking of JFK, the man knew style. You could tell me this picture was from a modern-day Tommy Bahama ad and I’d believe you.
Happy Birthday 🎂
American professional baseball player and civil rights icon Jackie Robinson turned 42 years old today. Robinson was the first African-American to play in the MLB, playing for the Brooklyn Dodgers from 1947-1956.
Past 🤝 Present
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