61 years ago today, Charlie Brown and the rest of the Peanuts gang made their newspaper debut in seven US newspapers. The original strip had only three characters: Charlie Brown, Peppermint Patty and Shermy. Snoopy made his first appearance two days later. The gang was eventually introduced to Linus, Lucy Van Pelt, Sally and Schroeder.

For the next 61 years readers of 2400 newspapers in 68 countries laughed along with Lucy as she pulled the football right out from under Charlie Brown’s feet at the last minute (did he ever kick that football?), and watched Linus carry around his security blanket.

Charles Schulz died in February of 2000, and the last strip printed on Feb. 12. But Joe Cool is still, and always will be, too cool for school.