Sputnik Kicked Off The Space Age, And Also Gave Us The Word “Beatnik”

Today in 1957, Sputnik because the world’s first artificial satellite. This changed the world around us in countless ways, including one that doesn’t get a lot of attention: it gave the English language a brand new word. Plus: today in 1992, two Toronto Blue Jays stars pranked their rookie teammate by pretending to give away his car on Fan Appreciation Day. How the Beat Generation Became “Beatniks” (JSTOR Daily) WHEN THE BLUE JAYS GAVE AWAY DEREK BELL’S CAR, AND OTHER PRANKS (SB Nation) Help keep our show beeping, so to speak, as a backer on Patreon