September 24, 1968: “60 Minutes” Premieres

September 24, 1968: 60 Minutes premieres on CBS, the 1st "TV newsmagazine," created by CBS News producer Don Hewitt, who had also produced the 1960 Presidential Debates. The original correspondents are Mike Wallace and Harry Reasoner.

The 1st installment features an interview by Wallace of the Republican nominee for President, former Vice President Richard Nixon. (Just 8 days earlier, Nixon had appeared on NBC's Laugh-In, saying, "Sock it to me?!?") In the interest of what was then known as "equal time," they interviewed the Democratic nominee, the current Vice President, Hubert Humphrey, before the election.

The show rebroadcast the Nixon interview after his Nixon’s death in 1994 (and Wallace seemingly hadn’t aged a day), and Wallace asked Nixon about his health. Nixon mentioned one health issue: Hayfever, saying, "And I've tried every drug there is." Apparently, in this year of Hippies, Yippies and Laugh-In, nobody noticed. Then again, Nixon's unassailable lead over Humphrey did begin to slip after that.

60 Minutes would be moved to Sunday nights, where it remains. It became famous for its ticking stopwatch, and for Wallace’s hard-hitting exposes. By the time I was old enough to watch, Reasoner was on ABC, and the correspondents were Wallace, Morley Safer and Dan Rather. Many others have come and gone. And, for so long, the show closed with Andy Rooney, inventing the "Did you ever notice…" style that Jerry Seinfeld became known for. Now, they even have Oprah Winfrey and Anderson Cooper.

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September 24, 1968 was a Tuesday. The Mod Squad premiered on the same day. I have a separate entry for that event.

These baseball games were played that day:

* The New York Yankees split a doubleheader with the Cleveland Indians at Yankee Stadium. The Yankees won the opener, 5-1. Mel Stottlemyre outpitched Sam McDowell. Frank Fernández hit a home run. Mickey Mantle, in his last week as an active player, went 0-for-4. The Indians won the nightcap, 5-2. Mike Paul outpitched Fritz Peterson. Rocky Colavito, also in his last week as an active player, hit a home run. Mantle grounded out as a pinch-hitter.

The next day, the Indians won, 3-0. Mantle got a hit in his last game at Yankee Stadium. The Yankees went to Boston, and Mantle played his last game there on September 28.

* The New York Mets lost to the Atlanta Braves, 7-4 at Atlanta Stadium (later renamed Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium). Phil Niekro outpitched Jerry Koosman. Hank Aaron went 2-for-4 with a walk.

* The Detroit Tigers beat the Baltimore Orioles, 5-3 at Memorial Stadium in Baltimore. Mickey Lolich outpitched Jim Hardin. Al Kaline went 0-for-3, but had an RBI on a sacrifice fly. Brooks Robinson went 2-for-5. Frank Robinson did not play.

* The Washington Senators beat the Boston Red Sox, 10-2 at District of Columbia Stadium in Washington. (It was renamed Robert F. Kennedy Stadium the next season.) Ken McMullen went 4-for-4 with a walk for the Senators. Carl Yastrzemski hit a home run for the Red Sox.

* The Pittsburgh Pirates beat the Cincinnati Reds, 2-0 at Forbes Field in Pittsburgh. Steve Blass pitched a 6-hit shutout. Roberto Clemente went 1-for-3 with a walk. Willie Stargell hit a home run. Pete Rose went 0-for-3 with a walk. Johnny Bench went 0-for-4.

* The Chicago Cubs beat the Los Angeles Dodgers, 3-2 at Wrigley Field in Chicago. Ernie Banks went 1-for-3.

* The Philadelphia Phillies beat the St. Louis Cardinals, 2-1 at Busch Memorial Stadium in St. Louis.

* The San Francisco Giants beat the Houston Astros, 5-4 at the Astrodome in Houston. Willie Mays went 3-for-4 with a home run, a walk and 3 RBIs.

* The Minnesota Twins beat the California Angels, 5-3 at Anaheim Stadium (now Angel Stadium of Anaheim). Rod Carew singled Rich Reese home with the winning run in the top of the 10th inning.

* And the Chicago White Sox beat the Oakland Athletics, 5-1 at the Oakland Coliseum. A's reliever Jack Aker melted down, and allowed 4 runs in the top of the 12th inning. Rookie Reggie Jackson went 0-for-5.