What was life like in 1957, the last time the Reds won 11 straight games?
The Cincinnati Reds' 5-3 win over the Colorado Rockies Wednesday was their 11th consecutive victory.
It has been 66 years since the team's last 11-game winning streak in 1957, which ultimately ended at 12 straight wins. The recent run is tied for the fifth-longest streak in franchise history, with Reds teams from 1899 (14), 1890 (13), 1957 (12) and 1939 (12) only having longer streaks.
There have been a lot of changes in the world since that 1957 season. The average price of bread was a whopping 18.8 cents, and the Soviet Union had just launched the first space satellite. Here's a look at what life was like the last time the Reds won 11 straight games.
What was Cincinnati's population in 1957?
According to the 1950 U.S. Census, Cincinnati had a population of 500,510, and Hamilton County's total population was 718,785. In 2022, the U.S. census had those numbers estimated at 309,513 and 825,037, respectively.
The U.S. had a total population of 151.32 million back in 1950, and the world's population was an estimated 2.5 billion. Today, those numbers are 334.94 million and 7.97 billon, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
Food cost in 1957
Here's the average retail price of selected food items in 1957, according to a 1975 U.S. Department of Commerce report.
Flour (54.6 cents).
Bread (18.8 cents).
Round steak (93.6 cents).
Chuck roast (52.5 cents).
Pork chops (86.6 cents).
Bacon (73.8 cents).
Butter (74.3 cents).
Eggs (57.3 cents).
Milk delivery (50 cents).
Oranges (57.9 cents).
Potatoes (57.1 cents).
Canned tomatoes (15 cents).
Navy beans (16.1 cents).
Coffee ($1.017).
Margarine (29.9 cents).
Sugar (55.2 cents).
Cost of housing and transportation
The median home value in Ohio in 1950 was $8,304. The median home value in the United States was $7,354. The median gross rent in Ohio and the U.S. was $42.
Here's the average price range for popular brand-new vehicles in 1957, per Popular Mechanics Magazine:
Buick ($2,545- $3,994).
Cadillac ($4,609- $7,586).
Chevrolet ($1,968- $2,827).
Chrysler ($3,030- $4,574).
Dodge ($2,329- $3,091).
Ford ($1,953- $2,746).
Lincoln ($4,576- $5,309).
Mercury ($2,536- $3,500).
The average price of gasoline by the gallon was 30 cents.
What was the cost of education?
The average resident tuition and required fees for full-time undergraduate students nationwide was $155 for public institutions and $525 for private institutions.
Average yearly wage in 1957
The average annual earnings for year-round, full-time workers over 14 years old was $4,713 for men and $3,008 for women, per the University of Missouri. The federal hourly minimum wage was $1. The average household income was $5,000.
To see the average annual wages for specific labor markets, visit fraser.stlouisfed.org.
Major news events from 1957
Here's a list of major news events from 1957, according to the Smithsonian:
The post-World War II baby boom peaked.
President Dwight D. Eisenhower sent troops to Arkansas to enforce the court-ordered integration of public schools.
The Soviet Union launched the first space satellite, Sputnik I.
The first U.S. satellite launch effort, the Vanguard rocket, exploded during liftoff.
Elvis bought Graceland in Memphis and made his third and final appearance on "Ed Sullivan's Toast of the Town Show." He also released the chart-topping hit "Jailhouse Rock."
Folk singer Pete Seeger was indicted for contempt of Congress.
John Lennon and Paul McCartney met for the first time.
Ruth Lyons was on "The 50-50 Club" every weekday at noon – and was first broadcast in color.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Reds: What was life like in 1957, the last time they won 11 straight?
