As far as we know, screen goddess Rita Hayworth, who died on May 15, never rubbed a brassie for luck in her life or picked a ball out of the hole, and Ken Venturi, who was born on this day, devoted his life to the game but we know who we’d rather look at. There’s also room to mention nylon stockings, nuclear weaponry and the first ever airline stewardess.

Ken Venturi, who was born on this day in 1931, is best-known to many as a golf teacher with a worldwide reputation, and the CBS lead broadcaster on golf, from which post he retired in 2002. But he was also a heck of a golfer and as an amateur, he led the 1956 Masters from day one, and entered the final day with a four-stroke lead. He shot 80 and was accused of choking but on a difficult day his score was only a couple above the field average. He came back from an injury-induced slump to win the 1964 US Open at Congressional Country Club after nearly collapsing on the 36-hole final day, played in scorching heat.

Notable quote: ‘Victory is everything. You can spend the money but you can never spend the memories.’

In 1957, Britain joined the nuclear club by exploding its first hydrogen bomb in the Pacific. The test was carried out at high altitude over the largely uninhabited Christmas Island to minimise nuclear fall-out. Note the ‘largely’ uninhabited because in truth, back then no-one really knew what the hell sort of effect long-term exposure to nuclear contamination would bring.

Coincidentally, and spookily, the actress Rita Hayworth died on this day in 1987, and her likeness was painted onto the side of the first American nuclear bomb to be tested after the end of WWII – because she was considered such a ‘bombshell’. You’ve got to admire these nuclear physicists for their sense of humour.

And now please pay attention because this message is for your own safety. On this day in 1930 Ellen Church became the first official trolley dolly, flying between Oakland and Chicago on a United Airlines Boeing Tri-Motor. Please stay in your seat with your belt securely fastened and your tray table in the upright, locked position...

‘Allet Gute zum Gebuatstach!’ is what they say in the Ruhr part of Germany but here in blighty we yell: ‘Happy Birthday’ to:
John Glen (76), not the first American, as many believe, to go into space, but the first to orbit the earth.
Jack Nicholson (71), one of the Hollywood elite and a golfing one at that.
Gary Rhodes (48), the excellent, but frustratingly precise TV chef.

Anything else?
Well, in 1940 nylon stockings went on sale for the first time – thank you, God.
And in 1252 the laugh-a-minute Pope Innocent IV authorised the use of torture in the inquisition. Just as well he didn’t have nuclear weapons.