Historical Events
- Jan 1 35th Orange Bowl: #3 Penn State beats #6 Kansas, 15-14
- Jan 1 35th Sugar Bowl: #9 Arkansas beats #4 Georgia, 16-2
- Jan 1 55th Rose Bowl: #1 Ohio State beats #2 Southern California, 27-16
- Jan 1 Jack Kent Cooke, owner of NHL's LA Kings, fines each player $100 for "NOT" arguing with the referee
- Jan 1 People's Democracy (PD) begin a march from Belfast to Derry, inspired by ML King's Selma to Montgomery march in the US
- Jan 2 Allan Sherman and Albert Hague's musical "The Fig Leaves Are Falling", starring Dorothy Loudon, Barry Nelson, and David Cassidy, opens at Broadhurst Theater, NYC; runs for 4 performances
News of the World to Murdoch
Jan 2 Australian Rupert Murdoch gains control of the 'News of the World'
- Jan 2 Luis Ferré becomes the first statehooder Governor of Puerto Rico
Zatopek "Public Enemy"
Jan 2 Once influential daily sports newspaper, 'Soviet Sport' declares Czech super-star distance runner Emil Zatopek a "public enemy" after he supports democratic wing of the Communist Party at start of the Prague Spring
- Jan 2 Operation Barrier Reef begins in the Mekong Delta, Vietnam
- Jan 2 Robert B. Nemiroff's stage drama "To Be Young, Gifted & Black" adaptated from the writings of his late wife of Lorraine Hansberry, starring Ruby Dee, premieres in NYC
- Jan 2 The Beatles begin rehearsals, while being filmed, for the Let It Be project at Twickenham Film Studios, London
- Jan 3 Adam Clayton Powell Jr returns to seat in US House of Representatives, having been re-elected after previously being expelled from Congress
Music History
Jan 3 John Lennon and Yoko Ono's "Two Virgins" album declared pornographic in New Jersey
- Jan 4 A People's Democracy march between Belfast and Derry is repeatedly attacked by loyalists and off-duty police officers
- Jan 4 Allan Sherman and Albert Hague's musical "The Fig Leaves Are Falling", starring Dorothy Loudon, Barry Nelson, and David Cassidy, closes at Broadhurst Theatre, NYC, after 4 performances
- Jan 4 France begins arms embargo against Israel
- Jan 5 "Maggie Flynn" closes at ANTA Theater NYC after 82 performances
- Jan 5 Bollingen prize for poetry presented to John Berryman & Karl Shapiro
"Bayou Country"
Jan 5 Creedence Clearwater Revival release their second album "Bayou Country", featuring singles "Good Golly, Miss Molly" and "Proud Mary"
- Jan 5 Neville Williams' "Chronology of the Expanding World" completed
- Jan 5 USSR Venera 5 launched for 1st successful planet landing (Venus)
I'm Livin' In Shame
Jan 6 The Supremes release single "I'm Livin' In Shame"
O'Neil Briefs Callaghan
Jan 9 Prime Minister of Northern Ireland Terence O'Neill travels to London to meet Home Secretary James Callaghan and brief him on the growing violence in Northern Ireland
- Jan 10 Pirate Radio Station Free Derby begins operation by Northern Ireland
- Jan 10 Sweden is the 1st Western country to recognize North Vietnam
- Jan 10 USSR's Venera 6 launched for parachute landing on Venus
- Jan 11 "Hooked on a Feeling" by BJ Thomas peaks at #5
- Jan 11 Jethro Tull's "This Was Jethro Tull" album debuts
- Jan 12 Atlantic Records releases eponymous debut album of Led Zeppelin in US
NY Jets Win Super Bowl
Jan 12 Super Bowl III, Orange Bowl, Miami, FL: New York Jets beat Baltimore Colts, 16-7; MVP: Joe Namath, NY Jets, QB
- Jan 12 Walter Marks' musical "Golden Rainbow", starring Steve Lawrence and Eydie Gormé closes at the George Abbott Theatre, NYC, after 383 performances
19th NBA All-Star Game
Jan 14 19th NBA All-Star Game, Baltimore Civic Centre: East beats West, 123-112; MVP: Oscar Robertson, Cincinnati Royals, PG
- Jan 14 25 members of US aircraft carrier Enterprise die during maneuvers
- Jan 14 Matt Busby retires from Manchester United
- Jan 14 Soyuz 4 launched; rendezvous with Soyuz 5 two days later
- Jan 15 Nuclear test at Pacific Ocean
- Jan 15 Prime Minister of Northern Ireland Terence O'Neill announces that an official inquiry will analyse the 'troubles' in Northern Ireland
- Jan 15 Soyuz 5 launched by Soviet Union
- Jan 16 Jan Palach, a Czech student, self-immolates in protest after the Soviet invasion of Czechoslovakia
- Jan 16 Soviet Soyuz 4 & Soyuz 5 perform 1st transfer of crew in space
- Jan 17 Soviet spacecraft Soyuz 5 lands
- Jan 18 Expanded 4 party Vietnam peace talks began in Paris
- Jan 18 United Airlines Flight 266 crashes into Santa Monica Bay, killing all 38 people on-board
- Jan 19 19th NFL Pro Bowl, LA Memorial Coliseum: West beats East, 10-7; MVPs: Roman Gabriel, Los Angeles Rams, QB; Merlin Olsen, Los Angeles Rams, DT
- Jan 19 8th AFL All Star Game, Gator Bowl, Jacksonville: Western Division beats Eastern Division, 38-25; MVPs: Len Dawson, KC Chiefs, QB; George Webster, Houston Oilers, LB
- Jan 20 Richard M Nixon inaugurated as US president
- Jan 20 U of Az reports 1st optical id of pulsar (in Crab Nebula)
22nd NHL All-Star Game
Jan 21 22nd NHL All-Star Game, Montreal Forum: Western Division ties Eastern Division, 3-3; MVP: Frank Mahovlich, Detroit, LW
- Jan 21 A partial meltdown at the Lucens nuclear reactor in Switzerland seriously contaminating the cavern containing the reactor; the plant is sealed and decommissioned
- Jan 22 "Celebration" opens at Ambassador Theater NYC for 110 performances
- Jan 22 Orbiting Solar Observatory 5 launched into earth orbit
Baseball Hall of Fame
Jan 22 Roy Campanella and Stan Musial elected to baseball Hall of Fame
- Jan 23 Cream releases their last album "Goodbye"
- Jan 24 Deputy Prime Minister Brian Faulkner resigns from the Northern Ireland cabinet in protest at the lack of 'strong government' on the part of PM Terence O'Neill
Queen Juliana Honored
Jan 24 Queen Juliana of the Netherlands appointed honorary citizen of Addis Ababa
State of Emergency
Jan 24 Spanish dictator General Franco announces state of emergency
1st Women's Australian Open
Jan 26 1st Australian Open Women's Tennis: Margaret Court wins inaugural Open event; beats American Billie Jean King 6-4, 6-1
- Jan 26 Minister of Health and Social Services William Morgan resigns from the Northern Ireland government
- Jan 26 Police break up a march by hundreds of demonstrators in central Prague
- Jan 27 14 spies hanged in Baghdad
- Jan 27 9 Jews publicly executed in Damascus, Syria
- Jan 27 Actress Thelma Ritter suffers a heart attack (she dies Feb 5th)
Laver Begins Grand Slam
Jan 27 Australian Open Men's Tennis: Rod Laver takes 1st leg of his successful second Grand Slam; beats Andrés Gimeno of Spain 6-3, 6-4, 7-5
Noll Youngest Coach
Jan 27 Chuck Noll is named head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers (the youngest coach in NFL history at the time)
Paisley Sentenced
Jan 27 Reverend Ian Paisley sentenced to 3 to three months in jail at Armagh for participating in unlawful assembly during civil rights march (Nov. 30)
O.J. Simpson First Pick
Jan 28 1969 NFL Draft: O.J. Simpson from USC first pick by Buffalo Bills
- Jan 28 2nd ABA All-Star Game: West 133 beats East 127 at Louisville
- Jan 29 Sheahan & Connolly hang on for exciting draw Australia v West Indies
- Jan 30 The Beatles perform their last live gig, a 42 minute concert on the roof of Apple Corps HQ in London, England
- Jan 30 US/Canada ISIS 1 launched to study ionosphere
- Jan 31 Vice Admiral Rufus L Taylor, USN, ends term as deputy director of CIA
Famous Birthdays
- Jan 1 Christi Paul, American news anchor
- Jan 1 Morris Chestnut, American actor (Ricky-Boyz n the Hood; The Enemy Within), born in Cerritos, California
- Jan 1 Nicolle Dickson, Australian actress
- Jan 1 Paul Lawrie, Scottish golfer (British Open 1999; Ryder Cup 2012), born in Aberdeen, Scotland
- Jan 1 Verne Troyer, American actor (Mini-Me in Austin Powers movies), born in Sturgis, Michigan (d. 2018)
Christy Turlington (55 years old)
Jan 2 American model (Calvin Klein Eternity), born in San Francisco, California
- Jan 2 Glen Johnson, Jamaican boxer (IBF, IBO and Ring magazine light heavyweight titles 2004-05), born in Clarendon Parish, Jamaica
- Jan 2 Karl-Heinz Grasser, Austrian politician, born in Klagenfurt am Wörthersee, Austria
- Jan 2 Róbert Švehla, Slovak NHL defenceman (Florida Panthers 573 games; Slovakia 44 games), born in Martin, Slovakia
Tommy Morrison (1969-2013)
Jan 2 American boxer (WBO heavyweight title 1993) and actor (Rocky V), born in Gravette, Arkansas
- Jan 2 William Fox-Pitt MBE, English equestrian (Olympic silver team 2004, 12; bronze 2008; World Equestrian Games gold team 2010), born in London, England
- Jan 3 Gerda Weissensteiner OMRI, Italian luger and bobsleigh pilot (Olympic gold women's singles 1994), born in Bolzano, Italy
- Jan 3 Jarmo Lehtinen, Finnish rally co-driver (15 WRC wins with Mikko Hirvonen), born in Helsinki, Finland
Michael Schumacher (55 years old)
Jan 3 German auto racer (World F1 champion 1994-95, 2000-05), born in Hürth, Germany
- Jan 3 Nikki Nelson, American country singer (Highway 101 - "Cry Cry Cry"; "Whose Lonely Now"), born in La Mesa, California
- Jan 4 Lindsay Kennedy, American actor (Jeb-Little House on the Prairie), born in Atlanta, Georgia
- Jan 5 David Dixon, NFL guard (Minnesota Vikings), born in Papakura, New Zealand
- Jan 5 Kurt Barber, American NFL defensive end (NY Jets), born in Paducah, Kentucky
Marilyn Manson (55 years old)
Jan 5 American shock-rock singer-songwriter (Marilyn Manson - "The Dope Show"; "Tainted Love"), artist and actor, born in Canton, Ohio
- Jan 5 Paul McGillion, Scottish actor, born in Paisley, United Kingdom
- Jan 5 Shaun Micheel, American golfer (PGA C'ship 2003), born in Orlando, Florida
- Jan 5 Shea Whigham, American actor (Boardwalk Empire - "Eli"; some Fast and Furious films), born in Tallahassee, Florida
- Jan 6 Alvin Morman, American baseball pitcher (Houston Astros), born in Rockingam, North Carolina
- Jan 6 Nick A'Hern, Australian 20k walker (Olympics 22-92, 96), born in Swansea, United Kingdom
- Jan 6 Norman Reedus, American model and actor (The Walking Dead), born in Hollywood, Florida
- Jan 7 Chris Hatcher, American baseball outfielder (Houston Astros), born in Kinston, North Carolina
- Jan 7 David Yost, American actor and producer, born in Council Bluffs, Iowa
- Jan 7 Erric Pegram, American NFL running back (Pit Steelers, NY Giants, San Diego Chargers), born in Dallas, Texas
- Jan 8 Brian Boehringer, American baseball pitcher (NY Yankees), born in St Louis, Missouri
- Jan 8 Jeff Abercrombie, American rock bassist (Fuel, 1989-2010 - "Shimmer"), born in Kenton, Tennessee
- Jan 8 Teresa Salgueiro, Portuguese folk and world music singer, and songwriter (Madredeus, 1987-2007), born in Lisbon, Portugal
- Jan 9 Domingo Jean, Dominican-American baseball pitcher (Houston Astros), born in San Pedro de Macorís, Dominican Republic
- Jan 9 Johanna Ikonen, Finnish ice hockey defenseman (Finland, Olympics 1998), born in Eno, Finland
- Jan 11 Darren Anderson, NFL cornerback (KC Chiefs)
- Jan 11 Kyle Richards, American actress (The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills), born in Los Angeles, California
- Jan 12 Cam Russell, Canadian NHL defenseman (Chicago Blackhawks), born in Halifax, Nova Scotia
- Jan 12 David Mitchell, English novelist (Cloud Atlas), born in Southport, England
- Jan 12 Olga Domuladzhanova, Russian boxer (World amateur heavyweight gold 2001), born in Tashkent, Russia (d. 2021)
- Jan 12 Robert Prosinečki, Croatian footballer, born in Villingen-Schwenningen, Germany
- Jan 13 Andre Cason, American athlete (World C'ship gold 4 x 100m relay 1991 WR 37.50s, 1993; WR 60m indoor 6.41s 1992), born in Virginia Beach, Virginia
- Jan 13 Stephen Hendry, Scottish snooker player (record 7 World Championships), born in Edinburgh, Scotland
Dave Grohl (55 years old)
Jan 14 American drummer, singer-songwriter, and guitarist (Nirvana; Foo Fighters), born in Warren, Ohio
Jason Bateman (55 years old)
Jan 14 American actor (Arrested Development, Ozark), born in Rye, New York
- Jan 14 Martin Bicknell, English cricket fast bowler (4 Tests, 14 wickets; 7 ODIs, 13 wickets; Surrey), born in Guildford, England
- Jan 14 Rico Louis Smith Jr., American football player (wide receiver for Cleveland Browns, 1992-95), born in Compton, California
- Jan 15 Adam Burt, American NHL defenseman, 1988-2001 (Hartford Whalers, and 3 other teams), born in Detroit, Michigan
- Jan 15 Delino DeShields, American baseball infielder, 1990-2002 (Montreal Expos, LA Dodgers, and 3 other teams), born in Seaford, Delaware
- Jan 15 Leonard Wheeler, American NFL safety (Cincinnati Bengals, Minnesota Vikings), born in Toccoa, Georgia
- Jan 15 Siupeli Malamala, Tongan NFL offensive lineman, 1992-99 (NY Jets), born in Tonga
- Jan 16 Roy Jones Jr., American boxer (4 x weight divisions world champion), born in Pensacola, Florida
- Jan 17 Lukas Moodysson, Swedish film writer and director, born in Lund, Sweden
- Jan 17 Naveen Andrews, British actor, born in Lambeth, London
Tiësto (55 years old)
Jan 17 Dutch DJ and record producer considered the "Godfather of EDM", born in Breda, Netherlands
- Jan 18 Dave Bautista, American professional wrestler, born in Washington, D. C.
- Jan 18 Jesse L. Martin, American actor and singer (Rent; The Flash), born in Rocky Mount, Virginia
- Jan 18 Larry Webster, American football defensive tackle (Baltimore Ravens), born in Elkton, Maryland
- Jan 18 Marvin Pope, American CFL defensive end (Calgary Stampeders), born in Gainesville, Florida
- Jan 19 Edwidge Danticat, Haitian-American author, born in Port-au-Prince, Haiti
- Jan 19 Junior Seau, American Pro Football Hall of Fame linebacker (12 x Pro Bowl; 6 × First-team All-Pro; NFL Defensive Player of the Year 1992; SD Chargers), born in Oceanside, California (d. 2012)
- Jan 19 Luc Longley, Australian NBA center (Chicago Bulls), born in Melbourne, Australia
- Jan 19 Orlando Palmeiro, American baseball outfielder (California Angels), born in Hoboken, New Jersey
- Jan 19 Predrag Mijatović, Yugoslavian footballer, born in Podgorica, Montenegro
- Jan 19 Steve Staunton, Irish footballer, born in Drogheda, Republic of Ireland
- Jan 20 Melissa Rivers, American TV hostess (MTV, CBS Morning News), born in New York City
- Jan 20 Nicky Wire [Jones], Welsh rock bassist and lyricist (Manic Street Preachers), born in Llanbadoc, Monmouthshire, Wales
- Jan 20 Patrick K. Kroupa, American hacker & activist, born in Los Angeles, California
- Jan 20 Tom Murray, American rower (World C'ship gold Coxed four 1999), born in Buffalo, New York
- Jan 21 Ashley Sheppard, NFL linebacker (Jacksonville Jaguars)
- Jan 21 Karina Lombard, American actress
- Jan 21 Matt Willig, NFL tackle/guard (Atlanta Falcons, NY Jets)
- Jan 21 Rusty Greer, Ft Rucker AL, outfielder (Texas Rangers)
- Jan 21 Ted Long, CFL slot back (Hamilton Tiger Cats)
- Jan 21 Tsubaki Nekoi, Japanese manga artist
- Jan 22 Keith Gordon, American baseball outfielder (Cincinnati Reds), born in Bethesda, Maryland
- Jan 22 Olivia d'Abo, English-American actress (Wonder Years, Single Guy), born in London, England
- Jan 22 Shelley Sandie, Australian basketball guard (Olympics 1988, 96), born in Melbourne, Australia
- Jan 23 Andrei Kanchelskis, Ukrainian soccer winger (17 caps Soviet Union, 6 caps CIS, 36 caps Russia; Manchester United, Rangers), born in Kropyvnytskyi, Ukraine
- Jan 23 Ariadna Gil, Spanish actress, born in Barcelona, Spain
- Jan 23 Brendan Shanahan, Canadian NHL left wing (Whalers, Red Wings), born in Mimico, Canada
- Jan 23 Eric Carter, American CFL cornerback (CFL All Star 1995, 98, 2001, 02; Hamilton Tiger-Cats, BC Lions, Winnipeg Blue Bombers), born in Jesup, Georgia
- Jan 24 Hilmir Snær Guðnason, Icelandic actor, born in Reykjavík, Iceland
- Jan 24 Louise McPaul, Australian javelin thrower (Olympic silver 1992, 96), born in Port Kembla, New South Wales
- Jan 24 Stephanie Romanov, American model and actress, born in Las Vegas, Nevada
- Jan 25 Jesse Harte, American heavy metal vocalist (Southgang-Tainted Angel), born in Rome, Georgia
- Jan 25 Kina Cosper, American rock and R&B singer (Brownstown), born in Detroit, Michigan
- Jan 27 Cornelius [Keigo Oyamada], Japanese musician and producer (Flipper's Guitar), born in Tokyo, Japan
- Jan 27 Michael Kulas, Canadian singer-songwriter (James, 1997-2001), and record producer, born in Oakville, Ontario
- Jan 27 Patton Oswalt, American comedian, actor (The King of Queens; The Goldbergs) and writer, born in Portsmouth, Virginia
- Jan 27 Phil Plantier, american MLB outfielder (San Diego Padres, Red Sox, A's), born in Manchester, New Hampshire
- Jan 27 Shane Thomson, New Zealand cricket off-spin all rounder (since 1990)
- Jan 28 Giorgio Lamberti, Italian swimmer (World C'ship gold world 200m 1991; WR 200m freestyle 1:46.69 1989), born in Brescia, Italy
- Jan 28 Kathryn Morris, American actress
- Jan 28 Linda Sanchez, American politician
- Jan 28 Mo Rocca, American writer and comedian
- Jan 29 Hyde [Hideto Takarai], Japanese singer, born in Wakayama
- Jan 30 Carolyn Kepcher, American businesswoman & reality TV show star (The Apprentice), born in Westchester County, New York
Famous Weddings
Audrey Hepburn
Jan 18 British actress Audrey Hepburn (39) weds second husband, Italian psychiatrist Andrea Dotti (30); divorce in 1982
Famous Deaths
- Jan 1 Barton Maclane, American actor (The Quarterback, I Dream of Jeannie), dies of cancer at 66
- Jan 1 Bruno Söderström, Swedish athlete (Olympic silver pole vault & bronze javelin 1906; bronze pole vault 1908; popularized bowling in Sweden), dies at 87
- Jan 2 George Renevant [Georges de Cheux], French actor (Moulin Rouge, Scotland Yard, Comrade X), dies at 74
- Jan 3 Buzz Borries, American College Football Hall of Fame halfback (Navy 1932–34), dies at 57
- Jan 3 Howard McNear, American actor (The Andy Griffith Show, Irma La Douce), dies after long illness at 63
- Jan 3 Jean Focas, Greco-French astronomer (b. 1909)
- Jan 4 Daisy and Violet Hilton, British conjoined twins, die at 60
- Jan 4 Julian Myrick, American tennis promoter (West Side Tennis Club & Forest Hills Stadium), dies at 88
- Jan 4 Montague Fawcett Phillips, British composer, dies at 83
- Jan 4 Paul Chambers, American jazz bassist (Miles Davis Quintet, 1955-63; Wynton Kelly Trio, 1963-68), dies of tuberculosis at 33
- Jan 5 Franz Theodor Csokor, Austrian author (Gottes General), dies at 83
- Jan 5 Tom Aherne, actor (Hustler, April Fools), dies of influenza in NY
- Jan 8 Albert Hill, British athlete (b. 1889)
- Jan 9 Ladislav Vycpalek, Czech composer, dies at 86
- Jan 10 John Brownlee, Australian operatic baritone (Metropolitan Opera, 1937-57), dies at 69
- Jan 11 Richmal Crompton, British author (b. 1890)
- Jan 13 Fred Price, English cricket wicket-keeper (1 Test, 2 dismissals; Middlesex CCC), dies at 66
- Jan 13 Wilton Graff, American actor (Bloodlust, Just Before Dawn), dies at 65
- Jan 15 Theodor Werner, German painter, dies at 82
- Jan 16 Vernon Duke [Vladimir Alexandrovich Dukelsky], American composer and songwriter ("Taking a Chance on Love"), dies of lung cancer at 65
Grażyna Bacewicz (1909-1969)
Jan 17 Polish violinist and composer, dies of a heart attack at 59
- Jan 18 Hans Freyer, German sociologist and philosopher, dies at 81
- Jan 19 Alcide "Slow Drag" Pavageau, American jazz guitarist and double-bassist, dies at 80
- Jan 19 Charles Winninger, American actor (Cafe Metropole, Coney Island, Charlie Farrell Show), dies at 84
- Jan 19 Jan Palach, Czech student, dies of burns from self-immolation at 20
- Jan 23 A.J.D. van Oosten, Dutch poet and author (His Master's Voice), dies at 70
- Jan 23 Jaroslav Křička, Czech composer, dies at 86
- Jan 24 Pauline Hall, Norwegian composer, dies at 78
- Jan 25 Irene Castle, American vaudeville, stage, and screen dancer, and animal rights activist, dies at 75
- Jan 27 Hanns Jelinek, Austrian composer, dies at 67
Allen Dulles (1893-1969)
Jan 30 American Central Intelligence Agency director (1953-1961), dies of influenza complicated by pneumonia at 75
