- Jul 1 English architect Michael Ventris says he has solved one of the 20th century's greatest linguistic riddles, by deciphering Linear B in BBC interview. Is an ancient form of Greek on clay tablets from Minoan palace of Knossos. [1]
- Jul 1 The first NASCAR Grand National event is run outside of the US with Buddy Shuman winning the 200-lap race at Stamford Park, Ontario, Canada
- Jul 2 Princess Beatrice opens miniature city of Madurodam
Wimbledon Men's Tennis
Jul 4 Wimbledon Men's Tennis: Australian Frank Sedgman wins his only Wimbledon singles title beating Czech Jaroslav Drobný 4-6, 6-2, 6-3, 6-2
Of Thee I Sing
Jul 5 Revival of George Gershwin, Ira Gershwin, George S. Kaufman and Morrie Ryskind's musical political satire "Of Thee I Sing", directed by Kaufman, closes at Ziegfeld Theater, NYC, after 72 performances
Wimbledon Women's Tennis
Jul 5 Wimbledon Women's Tennis: Maureen Connolly beats Louise Brough 7-5, 6-3 for the first of 3 straight Wimbledon crowns
British Golf Open
Jul 11 British Open Men's Golf, Royal Lytham & St Annes GC: 3 titles in 4 years for Bobby Locke of South Africa beating Australian Peter Thomson by a stroke
Presidential Convention
Jul 11 General Eisenhower nominated as Republican US presidential candidate
Ghavam Sultaneh Premier
Jul 17 Shah of Persia Mohammad Reza Pahlavi names Ghavam Sultaneh premier
Tour de France
Jul 19 39th Tour de France won by Fausto Coppi of Italy
- Jul 19 Freddie Trueman takes 8-31, India all out 58 at Old Trafford
- Jul 19 India all out 82 in 2nd innings after making 52 earlier in the day
- Jul 19 XV Summer Olympic Games open in Helsinki, Finland
- Jul 20 Emile Zatopek runs Olympic Record 10K (29:17.0)
The Quiet Man
Jul 21 "The Quiet Man" film directed by John Ford and starring John Wayne and Maureen O'Hara is released in the UK
High Noon
Jul 24 "High Noon", American Western film directed by Fred Zinnemann, starring Gary Cooper and Thomas Mitchell, is released
- Jul 24 112°F (44°C), Louisville, Georgia (state record)
- Jul 24 Emile Zatopek runs Olympic record 5K (14:06.6)
- Jul 24 US President Harry Truman settles 53-day steel strike
- Jul 25 Puerto Rico becomes a self-governing US commonwealth (Constitution Day)
- Jul 26 King Farouk I of Egypt abdicates [Black Saturday]
Sports History
Jul 26 Mickey Mantle hits his 1st grand-slammer
- Jul 27 Swedish race walker John Mikaelsson makes it back-to-back gold medals in the 10k event at the Helsinki Olympics, having won the corresponding race in London in 1948
- Jul 29 1st nonstop transpacific flight by a jet
- Jul 30 Ford Frick sets waiver rule to bar inter-league deals until all clubs in same league get right to bid