1877 US in baseball; metaphorical usage from 1896, more generally from 1930. Since at least 1870, baseball teams would reissue tickets in case of postponement due to rain, which became known as rain checks.
Update: In fact, the latest update of iPhoto is using Helvetica Neue. And now there's Avenir, a Linotype typeface and Apple's new favorite. It was designed by Adrian Frutiger in 1988, inspired by two old school typefaces created in the 20s: Erbar by Jakob Erbar and Futura by Paul Renner.
To help you determine if you are meant to be in this creative profession, Michael Stout has created an entertaining flowchart. According to the flowchart, besides having a knack for drawing, graphic designers should also have the ability to take criticism well, have good time management, and have a passion for art and design.