6 Influential People Who Were Alive During the First World Cup

The 23rd edition of the World Cup kicked off this week. The soccer tournament, which takes place once every four years, is held from June 11 to July 19 in the US, Mexico, and Canada. The very first World Cup took place from July 13 to 30, 1930 in Uruguay—and was ultimately won by the host nation—which means it has now been almost a century since its debut.

The length of time which has passed since then is also indicated when you consider some of the well-known individuals who were around during that period. Here is an alphabetical look at some of the famous people who were alive during the very first World Cup—including a couple who are still alive today.

1. Don Bradman (1908-2001) 
2. Marie Curie (1867-1934)  
3. Clint Eastwood (Born May 31, 1930)
4. Albert Einstein (1879-1950)
5. James Joyce (1882-1941)
6. Joanne Woodward (born February 27, 1930)

Don Bradman (1908-2001) 

The cricketer Donald Bradman of Australia is widely acknowledged as the greatest in his field, and has sometimes been argued as one of the most important sportspeople of the 20th century, or even of all time. The same month as the first World Cup saw Bradman score a then-world record of 334 in cricket, in the Third Test against England held in Leeds in the UK.

Marie Curie (1867-1934)  

The scientist Marie Curie was groundbreaking in multiple ways: the chemist and physicist was the first woman ever to win a Nobel Prize, in 1903, and the first person ever to win a Nobel Prize twice. 1930 was also an important year for her work and legacy as it saw her give her name to the Marie Curie Hospital in London, which would eventually evolve into the charity of the same name which supports end of life patients.

Clint Eastwood (Born May 31, 1930)

The actor and filmmaker Clint Eastwood was born a few weeks before the beginning of the first World cup, meaning he has been alive for every World Cup in the history of the competition to date. Eastwood would go on to become a film star and the face of Sergio Leone’s spaghetti westerns, before winning two Oscars for Best Director for the films Unforgiven and Million Dollar Baby. He just turned 96 years old on May 31.

Albert Einstein (1879-1950)

The physicist Albert Einstein had an immense influence on the development of science, which were recognized during his own lifetime when he was awarded the 1921 Nobel Prize for Physics, as well as posthumously, including in 1999 when Time Magazine would name him Person of the Century in recognition of his accomplishment.

In 1930, Einstein was working on various projects and continuing to receive recognition internationally, including an honorary doctorate from the University of Cambridge.

James Joyce (1882-1941)

The Irish writer James Joyce was the author of Ulysses, often regarded as one of the greatest novels of the 20th century, as well as other acclaimed works including Dubliners and Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man. At the time of the first World Cup, he was living in Paris and focusing on the writing of Finnegans Wake, which he had been publishing as a work in progress in fragmented form since 1924, but would not be completed until 1939.

Joanne Woodward (born February 27, 1930)

American actress Joanne Woodward was born in February 1930, and, like her contemporary Clint Eastwood, would also become an Academy Award winner, later winning the Best Actress Oscar for the 1957 film The Three Faces of Eve.

In addition to this, she would also make 16 films with her husband, fellow actor Paul Newman, to whom she was married for 50 years until his death in 2008. Woodward is now retired from acting but is still alive and celebrated her 96th birthday earlier this year.

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