Fred Szesterniak (1919 - 2001)

Refresh this page to see various historical events that occurred during Fred's lifetime.

In 1919, in the year that Fred Szesterniak was born, in Norfolk Virginia, the first rotary dial telephones were introduced by the American Telephone and Telegraph Company (AT&T), making it easier to make a call without an operator.

In 1947, at the age of 28 years old, Fred was alive when on April 15th, Jackie Robinson joined the Brooklyn Dodgers, playing first base. He was the first black man to play in the Major Leagues. Since the 1880's, professional baseball had been segregated and blacks played in the "Negro leagues". He went on to play for 10 years.

In 1956, at the age of 37 years old, Fred was alive when this was the year that the King of Rock and Roll, Elvis Presley, became an international sensation. He began the year as a regional favorite and ended the year with 17 recordings having been on the Billboard’s Top 100 singles chart, 11 TV appearances, and a movie. Elvis scandalized adults and thrilled teens.

In 1971, at the age of 52 years old, Fred was alive when in March, Intel shipped the first microprocessor to Busicom, a Japanese manufacturer of calculators. The microprocessor has since allowed computers to become smaller and faster, leading to smaller and more versatile handheld devices, home computers, and supercomputers.

In 1987, Fred was 68 years old when was the first time that a criminal in the United States - a serial rapist - was convicted through the use of DNA evidence.