Such an undistinguished year.

Even Wikipedia has to strain to find enough disambiguations for that four-digit monstrosity.

1961 is 2504 in the Thai solar calendar.

In 1961, JFK was sworn in, so there’s that.

The first issue of Fantastic Four was published in 1961.

The Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1961 went to Harper Lee for To Kill a Mockingbird. Even better.

“West Side Story” won the Oscar for Best Film and, winning Grammies, were Percy Faith for “Theme from A Summer Place” (Record of the Year), “The Button-Down Mind of Bob Newhart” (Album of the Year), and “Theme of Exodus” (Song of the Year). All in 1961. Well. At least Bob Newhart’s album is still listenable.

Not a very interesting year, I’ll grant you. But I’m sentimental about it.