The Wizard of Oz (1939 film) Walshe, and Clara Blandick, Terry (billed as Toto), and Singer's Midgets as the Munchkins. Legendary for its use of Technicolor, fantasy storytelling, musical score and memorable characters, the film has become an icon of American popular culture. It was nominated for six Academy Awards, including Best Picture, but lost to "Gone with the Wind". It did win in two other categories: Best Original Song for "Over the Rainbow" and Best Original Score by Herbert Stothart. While the film was considered a critical success upon release in August 1939, it failed to make a profit for MGM until the 1949 re-release,
1939 Baseball Hall of Fame balloting in Cincinnati in December 1939, the BBWAA held a special election to act on Lou Gehrig, who had announced his retirement that summer after being diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. The writers elected Gehrig to the Hall of Fame (the results of that election are unknown) and also determined to postpone the next regular election until 1942, as the initial quota of 10 inductees from the 20th century had been met. 1939 Baseball Hall of Fame balloting The 1939 elections to select inductees to the Baseball Hall of Fame were the last ones conducted prior to the Hall's opening that