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World Events

• British overcome Argentina in Falklands war (April 2-June 15).
• Israel invades Lebanon in attack on PLO. (June 4). Background: Arab-Israeli Wars
• Princess Grace, 52, dies of injuries when car plunges off mountain road; daughter Stephanie, 17, suffers serious injuries (Sept. 14).
• Lebanese Christian Phalangists kill hundreds of people in two Palestinian refugee camps in West Beirut(Sept. 15).
• Leonid I. Brezhnev, Soviet leader, dies at 75 (Nov. 10). Yuri V. Andropov, 68, chosen as successor (Nov. 15). Background: Rulers of Russia since 1533

U.S. Events

• John W. Hinckley, Jr. found not guilty because of insanity in shooting of President Reagan (June 21).
• Alexander M. Haig, Jr., resigns as Secretary of State (June 25).
• Equal Rights Amendment fails ratification (June 30).

Economics

US GDP (1998 dollars):   $3,242.10 billion
Federal spending:   $745.76 billion
Federal debt:   $1137.3 billion
Median Household Income
(current dollars):  $20,171 
Consumer Price Index:   96.5
Unemployment:   9.7%
Cost of a first-class stamp:   $0.20

Sports

Super Bowl

San Francisco d. Cincinnati (26-21)

World Series

St. Louis Cardinals d. Milwaukee Brewers (4-3)

NBA Championship

LA Lakers d. Philadelphia 76ers (4-2)

Stanley Cup

NY Islanders d. Vancouver (4-0)

Wimbledon

Women: Martina Navratilova d. C. Evert Lloyd (6-1 3-6 6-2)
Men: Jimmy Connors d. J. McEnroe (3-6 6-3 6-7 7-6 6-4)

Kentucky Derby Champion

Gato Del Sol

NCAA Basketball Championship

North Carolina d. Georgetown (63-62)

NCAA Football Champions

Penn St. (11-1-0)

World Cup

Italy d. W. Germany (3-1)

Entertainment

Events

• Michael Jackson releases Thriller, which sells more than 25 million copies, becoming the biggest-selling album in history.
• John Belushi dies of a drug overdose at age 33.
• Cats opens on Broadway. Becomes Broadway's longest-running play.

Movies

• E.T. – the Extra-Terrestrial, Tootsie, Gandhi, The Verdict

Music

• Michael Jackson, Thriller

Books

• Thomas Keneally, Schindler's List
• Alice Walker, The Color Purple

Science

• A permanent artificial heart is implanted in a human for first time in Dr. Barney B. Clark, 61, at University of Utah Medical Center in Salt Lake City (Dec. 2). Background: Health & Nutrition
• The space shuttle Columbia makes its first mission, deploying two communications satellites (Nov. 16). Background: US Staffed Space Flights
• MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) diagnostic machines are introduced in Britain.
• Washington University in St. Louis develops the Flavr Savr tomato, the first genetically-engineered plant approved for sale.

Deaths

• John Belushi
• Ingrid Bergman
• Leonid Brezhnev
• Grace Kelly
• Satchel Paige