World Events

  • General Manuel Noriega surrenders in Panama (Jan. 3).
  • Yugoslav Communists end 45-year monopoly of power (Jan. 22).
  • Communist Party relinquish sole power in Soviet government (Feb. 7). Background: Dissolution of the USSR
  • South Africa frees Nelson Mandela, imprisoned 27½ years (Feb. 11).
  • US-Soviet summit reaches accord on armaments (June 1).
  • Western Alliance ends Cold War and proposes joint action with Soviet Union and Eastern Europe (July 6).
  • Iraqi troops invade Kuwait, setting off the Persian Gulf War (Aug. 2 et seq.). Background: The Persian Gulf War
  • East and West Germany reunited (Aug. 31 et seq.).
  • Margaret Thatcher resigns as British Prime Minister (Nov. 22); John Major succeeds her (Nov. 28).
  • Lech Walesa wins Poland’s runoff Presidential election (Dec. 9).
U.S. Events
  • US Supreme Court upsets law banning flag burning (June 11).
  • US Appeals Court overturns Oliver North’s Iran-Contra conviction (July 20).
  • Republicans set back in midterm elections (Nov. 8).
Economics

US GDP (1998 dollars):   $5,743.80 billion
Federal spending:   $1252.52 billion
Federal debt:   $3206.6 billion
Median Household Income
(current dollars):  $29,943
Consumer Price Index:   130.7
Unemployment:   5.6%
Cost of a first-class stamp:   $0.25

Sports

Super Bowl
San Francisco d. Denver (55-10)

World Series
Cincinnati d. Oakland A’s (4-0)

NBA Championship
Detroit d. Portland (4-1)

Stanley Cup
Edmonton d. Boston (4-1)

Wimbledon
Women: Martina Navratilova d. Z. Garrison (6-4 6-1)
Men: Stefan Edberg d. B. Becker (6-2 6-2 3-6 3-6 6-4)

Kentucky Derby Champion
Unbridled

NCAA Basketball Championship
UNLV d. Duke (103-73)

NCAA Football Champions
Colorado (AP, FW, NFF) (11-1-1) & Georgia Tech (UPI) (11-0-1)

World Cup
W. Germany d. Argentina (1-0)

Entertainment

Events

  • The X rating is replaced by NC-17 (no children under 17).
  • Ninety-nine percent of U.S. households have at least one radio, with the average owning five.
  • The Simpsons debuts on Fox and becomes an instant hit.
  • Euro dance band Milli Vanilli admits to lip-synching hits such as “Girl You Know Its True,” and has its Grammy award revoked.
  • Seinfeld debuts on NBC.
  • Entertainment Weekly hits newsstands.

Movies

  • Dances with Wolves, GoodFellas, Henry and June, Reversal of Fortune

Books

  • Robert Bly, Iron John
  • A.S. Byatt, Possession: A Romance
  • Alice Munro, Friend of My Youth
  • John Updike, Rabbit at Rest
Science
  • The Hubble Space Telescope is launched (Apr. 25).
  • President Bush signs the Clean Air Act, mandating a variety of pollution-reducing changes in the automobile and fuel industries. Background: Environment & Nature
  • The FDA approves use of the surgically-implanted contraceptive Norplant. Background: Birth & Contraception
Deaths
  • B.F. Skinner
  • Jim Henson
  • Greta Garbo
  • Sammy Davis, Jr.
  • Le Duc Tho
  • José Napoleón Duarte

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The movie “Pretty Woman” came out
(Julia Roberts & Richard Gere)