1959 Fun Facts • United States Population: 177,829,628 • World Population: 2.997 billion • Minimum wage in U.S. was $1.00 per hour • Dwight D. Eisenhower was President and Richard M. Nixon was Vice President in 1959 • January 3: Alaska becomes the 49th state • March 31: Tibet's Dalai Lama escapes to India • August 21: Hawaii becomes the 50th state • Cost of a first class postage stamp was 4 cents • At the annual Toy Fair in New York City, Ruth Handler introduces "Barbie", a new doll named for her daiughter Barbara TELEVISION  • January 9: Rawhide debuts on CBS • September 12: "Bonanza" debuts on NBC and it's the first weekly television series shown completely in color • October 1959: "Hawaiian Eye" premieres on ABC • October 2: "The Twilight Zone" premieres on CBS • "Dragnet" ends after an eight year run  SPORTS • 1959 World Series was: Los Angeles Dodgers. vs. Chicago White Sox (4-2) • NFL: Baltimore Colts vs. New York Giants. (31-16) • Stanley Cup: Montreal Canadiens vs. Toronto Maple Leafs (4-1) • NCAA Basketball Championship: California vs. West Virginia (71-70) • In tennis, Christine Truman wins the French Open ACADEMY AWARDS  • Best Motion Picture: "Gigi" • Best Actor: Tony Curtis in "The Defiant Ones" • Best Actress: Susan Hayward in " I Want to Live!" • Actor in a Supporting Role: Theodore Bikel in "The Defiant Ones" • Actress in a Supporting Role: Peggy Cass in "Auntie Mame"  MUSIC • February 2: A plane crash kills Buddy Holly, Richie Valens, and The Big Bopper - this date becomes known as "The Day the Music Died" • Jimi Hendrix buys first electric guitar: a White Single pickup Supro Ozark 1560 S • Carole King's musical career begins • The Supremes' musical career begins, aka "The Primettes" • Bobby Darin has the hit single "Mack the Knife" • Lloyd Price has the hit single "You've Got Personality" • Frank Sinatra releases the album "Come Dance With Me!" • Johnny Cash releases the album "The Fabulous Johnny Cash"