Yes, it’s true. The H-1B program was redesigned that way in the Immigration Act of 1990 that introduced the O visa category; before that, the H-1B criteria formally required that recipients have “distinguished merit and ability” and perform services “of an exceptional nature requiring such merit and ability”.

Ah yes - the older H1 program started in 1952 (I was confused by the article calling the H1 visa "H-1B" - they aren't the same.)