Pop Culture Flashback: Michael Phelps Shatters Record (August 17)

Competitive swimmer Michael Phelps became the youngest male from the U.S. to attend a Summer Olympics in 2000. He was just 15. In 2004, Phelps won his first Olympic gold medal during the 400-meter individual medley with a world record time. In 2008, Phelps won eight gold medals and beat out a former Olympian’s record.

2008 – Michael Phelps Beats Mark Spitz’s Olympic Record

It was on this day during the Beijing Summer Olympic Games that swimmer Michael Phelps won his eighth gold medal in the 4×100-meter medley. His achievement beat Mark Spitz’s record of seven gold medals back in 1972.

But Phelps didn’t do it alone. Along with Brendan Hansen, Aaron Peirsol and Jason Lezak, Phelps and friends won a new world record time of 3 minutes and 29.34 seconds. For his part, Michael was able to complete the 100-meter butterfly leg in just 50.1 seconds.

OTHER EVENTS THAT HAPPENED ON THIS DAY:

1907 – Pike Place Market Opens in Seattle

Pike Place Market in Seattle, Washington. *(Daniel Schwen/Wikimedia Commons)*

Opened on this day in 1907, Seattle’s Pike Place Market is one of the oldest continuously operated public farmers’ markets in the United States. Boasting of being “the soul of Seattle”, the market covers nine acres in downtown.

Built on the edge of a steep hill, the market consists of many levels of shops. The top level is famous for its fresh produce and fishmongers who literally throw fish to each other in front of their guests. The Market’s neighborhood is home to over 220 independent shops and restaurants, 180+ craftspeople, over 70 farmers are represented here, a little more than 60 regular buskers play here and about 450 people live in the market space.

Just how many people who visit the Market annually is up for debate. According to the Pike Place Market Preservation and Development Authority, over 10 million visitors seek it out. However, Wikipedia sites that the number could be as high as 20 million each year. Either way – that’s a lot of visitors.

1960 – Time Traveling Before ‘Back to the Future’

Rod Taylor and Yvette Mimieux in the movie "The Time Machine". — Yvette Mimieux and Rod Taylor in *The Time Machine. (MGM via Movie Stills DB)*

Based on H.G. Well’s 1895 novella of the same name, The Time Machine was produced and directed by George Pal who also directed the 1953 version of Wells’ The War of the Worlds. The story begins in Victorian England where H. George Wells (Rod Taylor), an inventor, creates a machine (not a DeLorean) that can travel through time to many years in the future. But our future doesn’t look all that great. George discovers that the human race has been cut into two species: the Eloi who are vegetarians and live above ground while the Morlock live underground and eat…the Eloi.

The Time Machine starred Rod Taylor, Yvette Mimieux, Alan Young, David Duncan, Whit Bissell and Sebastian Cabot. It was a huge hit earning MGM $1,610,000 in the U.S. and Canada and $1 million more from everywhere else. Special effects artists, Gene Warren and Tim Baar, won Oscars for Best Special Effects for the time-lapse photography elements.

Pal had intended on making a sequel to the movie but died before he could. However, in 1993, a combination sequel/documentary short, titled Time Machine: The Journey Back, featured a scene where Duncan, Taylor, Young and Bissel reprised their roles from the original film.

Elements of The Time Machine have been used for other projects. Malcom McDowell starred in 1979’s Time After Time as George traveling to current day San Francisco to stop Jack the Ripper. It was followed up in 2017 as a short-lived TV series for ABC. Guy Pearce played the title character for the 2002 remake which may have broken even at the box office but didn’t get a lot of accolades from film critics. And the time machine itself is featured in a couple of scenes from 1984’s Gremlins.