Howdy! It’s Joey, back with more Fun Fact Friyay. Today’s fact might seem antiquated in the world of texting and chatbots, yet it’s still delightful.
The first cellphone call was made by Martin Cooper in New York on April 3, 1973. Cooper, who worked at Motorola, called his rival at Bell Labs to tell him he had invented the cellphone.
I love a bit of good-natured trash talking. If you pull off something cool, it’s fun to celebrate it!
Steph Curry uses a “night-night” celebration when he hits a particularly devastating shot at the end of the game. The entire world got to see it during the 2024 Olympics, after he made four threes in a row in the closing minutes of the gold medal game against France.
John Carpenter, the first million-dollar champion on Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?, famously only used one lifeline during his run, and it was to call his dad to tell him he was going to win a million dollars.
Rosa Parks had some of the most impressive “trash talk” ever by standing her ground and refusing to give up her seat, leading to the passing of a law preventing racial segregation on buses.
Martin Cooper, the head of the communications division at Motorola, couldn’t help himself when he and his team invented the first cellular phone.
You just created this cool new technology that you believe will change the world forever. Who would you call? A parent, sibling, or partner, so you can celebrate together?
Perhaps you would, but Cooper had a different idea.
While standing next to the Hilton Hotel on 6th Avenue in New York City on April 3, 1973, Cooper pulled out his new invention.
“New Yorkers were passing by,” Cooper said in 2023. “You know how blase they normally are, but they were startled because there were no cordless phones at the time.”
In 1973, the only type of portable phones were in the car. Bell Labs, Motorola’s competitor, believed car phones were the wave of the future. Cooper thought differently; cellphones should be an “extension of the person” and with them at all times.
Okay, Mr. Prognosticator. We see you!
Of course, the OG cell was a bit larger than the ones that easily fit into pockets and purses. It was 10 inches tall, 1.5 inches wide, and 3 inches deep, weighing 2.5 pounds. Still, you didn’t need to be attached to a cord or wall to use it.
With that first phone call, Cooper dialed up his fellow counterpart at Bell Labs to deliver a bit of a good-natured ribbing.
“I said, ‘I’m calling you from a cellphone but a real cellphone. The personal, handheld, portable cellphone.’ You notice I was not averse to rubbing his nose in our achievement.”
And you know what? I fully support Cooper’s move. He built something that has changed the world. Sure, in some ways, having a phone nearby 24/7 is a bad thing and perhaps a key component of the gradual deterioration of society? On the other hand, I sure do appreciate having directions on my phone when I visit a new place, like Alaska!
So, kudos to you, Martin. I hope this inspires you to pick up your phone and actually call someone this weekend. Even better if you tell the person on the other end that you’re calling from a real cellphone, since it will almost certainly confuse them.