Explore the major historical events, famous births, and notable deaths that occurred in the year 1976. This year saw 250 significant events. 47 notable figures were born. 7 notable figures passed away.
After 45 years of coaching, Paul Brown (Cleveland Browns; Cincinnati Bengals) announces his retirement from the National Football League
Sarah Caldwell becomes the first woman to conduct at NYC Metropolitan Opera House, leading the orchestra in a performance of "La Traviata"
"I Write the Songs" is a popular song written by Bruce Johnston. Barry Manilow's version reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in January 1976 after spending two weeks atop the Billboard…
Bahamian-American actor Sidney Poitier (48) weds Canadian actress Joanna Shimkus
John Wayne Gacy (March 17, 1942 – May 10, 1994) was an American serial killer and sex offender who raped, tortured and murdered at least thirty-three young men and boys between 1972 and 1978 in…
Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon (Margaret Rose; 21 August 1930 – 9 February 2002), was the younger daughter of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother, and the only sibling of…
Isabel Martínez de Perón is an Argentine politician who served as the president of Argentina from 1974 to 1976.
Steven Paul Jobs (February 24, 1955 – October 5, 2011) was an American businessman, co-inventor, and investor.
"All the President's Men", directed by Alan J. Pakula, based on the non-fiction book by journalists Carl Bernstein and Bob Woodward detailing their Watergate investigation, starring Dustin Hoffman and Robert Redford, is released
Trailing 12-1, the Philadelphia Phillies beat the Chicago Cubs 18-16 in 10 innings at Wrigley Field; Mike Schmidt hits four consecutive home runs in the greatest comeback in NL history
Barbara Jill Walters (September 25, 1929 – December 30, 2022) was an American broadcast journalist and television personality.
"Bohemian Rhapsody" is a song by the British rock band Queen, released as the lead single from their fourth studio album, A Night at the Opera (1975).
American singer-songwriter Harry Nilsson (34) divorces 2nd wife Diane Clatworthy (28), after 6-1/2 years of marriage
Wimbledon Men's Tennis: Sweden's Björn Borg beats Ilie Năstase of Romania 6-4, 6-2, 9-7 for the first of five straight Wimbledon titles
Family Feud is an American television game show created by Mark Goodson. Two families compete on each episode to name the most popular answers to survey questions in order to win cash and prizes. The...
21st modern Olympic games open in Montreal: 25 African teams (later rising to 33 nations) boycott the games due to New Zealand playing rugby in apartheid South Africa
Nadia Comăneci (14) becomes the first gymnast in Olympic Games history to achieve a perfect 10 score (doing so 7 times) at the Montreal Games
Viking 1 lands on Mars at Chryse Planitia, the first successful Martian landing
Henry Louis Aaron (February 5, 1934 – January 22, 2021), nicknamed "Hammer" or "Hammerin' Hank", was an American professional baseball right fielder who played 23 seasons in Major League Baseball...
Tangshan Earthquake, 7.6 in magnitude, kills over 300,000 in northern China, the largest loss of life from an earthquake in the 20th century
English-American actress Elizabeth Taylor's 6th divorce from Welsh actor Richard Burton; their 2nd divorce from each other
Actress Zsa Zsa Gabor (59) divorces her sixth husband, toy inventor Jack Ryan (49) after 1 year of marriage
Tom Brokaw starts as news anchor of NBC's "The Today Show"
The Muppet Show is a live-action/puppet television series that was created by Jim Henson and produced by ITC Entertainment and Henson Associates.
Mao Zedong (26 December 1893 – 9 September 1976) was a Chinese revolutionary, politician, writer, political theorist and the founder of the People's Republic of China.
Bono, David Evans, his brother Dik, and Adam Clayton respond to an advertisement on a bulletin board at Mount Temple posted by fellow student Larry Mullen Jr. to form a rock band, which becomes U2
NBA legend Larry Bird (19) divorces highschool sweetheart Janet Condra only 11 months after getting married
Sports action film "Rocky," directed by John G. Avildsen and starring Sylvester Stallone, premieres in New York (Best Picture 1977)
American singer-songwriter Donna Summer (27) divorces actor Helmuth Sommer after 5 years of marriage
Fidel Alejandro Castro Ruz (13 August 1926 – 25 November 2016) was a Cuban politician and revolutionary who was the leader of Cuba from 1959 to 2008, serving as prime minister from 1959 to 1976 and...
The Nevada National Security Sites (N2S2 or NNSS), popularized as the Nevada Test Site (NTS) until 2010, is a reservation of the United States Department of Energy located in the southeastern portion...
"Home Sweet Homer" opens & closes at Palace Theater NYC
Democratic Kampuchea was the official name of the Cambodian state from 1975 to 1979, under the general secretaryship of Pol Pot and the Communist Party of Kampuchea (CPK), commonly known as the Khmer...
The time period in China from the founding of the People's Republic in 1949 until Mao's death in 1976 is commonly known as Maoist China and Red China.
Franklin Mint strikes 1st gold coins for Netherlands Antilles
Bryan Trottier failed in 4th Islander penalty shot
Military coup in Ecuador, President Guillermo Lara leaves
Palestine, officially the State of Palestine, is a country in West Asia. It encompasses the Israeli-occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and the Gaza Strip, collectively known as the...
The Bionic Woman is an American science fiction action-adventure television series created by Kenneth Johnson based on the 1972 novel Cyborg by Martin Caidin and starring Lindsay Wagner, that aired...
Donny & Marie is an American variety show that aired on ABC from January 1976 to May 1979. The show starred brother-and-sister pop duo Donny and Marie Osmond.
Super Bowl X, Miami Orange Bowl, Miami, FL: Pittsburgh Steelers beat Dallas Cowboys, 21-17; MVP: Lynn Swann, Pittsburgh, WR
Concorde is a retired Anglo-French supersonic airliner jointly developed and manufactured by Sud Aviation and the British Aircraft Corporation (BAC). Studies began in 1954 and a UK–France treaty...
Bank robbery in Beirut nets a record $20 to $50 million
World Series Cricket (WSC) was a commercial professional cricket competition staged between 1977 and 1979 which was organised by Kerry Packer and his Australian television network, Nine Network.
Cleveland Cavaliers score their biggest margin of victory to date (43 points), when they beat Milwaukee 132-89
Belgium Catholic elite starts amnesty campaign for war criminals
E. A. S. Prasanna takes 8-76 to rip through NZ at Eden Park
Bombs set off in London's West End by the IRA; 1 person is injured
"Love Rollercoaster", sometimes rendered as "Love Roller Coaster", is a song by American funk/R&B band Ohio Players, originally featured on their 1975 album Honey.
"Rich Man, Poor Man" mini-series premieres on ABC TV
Richard Caruthers Little is a Canadian-American comedian, impressionist and voice actor.
7.5 earthquake kills 22,778 in Guatemala & Honduras
FCC raids & shuts down pirate radio station WCPR (Brooklyn New York)
Oscar McKinley Charleston (October 14, 1896 – October 5, 1954) was an American center fielder, first baseman and manager in Negro league baseball and the Cuban League.
Clifford Alexander Jr confirmed as 1st African American US Secretary of Army
US performs nuclear test at Nevada Test Site
US performs nuclear test at Nevada Test Site
Macau was under Portuguese rule from the establishment of the first official Portuguese settlement in 1557 until its handover to China in 1999.
The Popular Front for the Liberation of Saguia el-Hamra and Río de Oro, better known by its acronym Polisario Front, is a Sahrawi nationalist liberation movement seeking to end the occupation of...
Cardinal Willebrands installed as Archbishop of Utrecht
Even before attaining its independence from Spain, Cuba had several constitutions either proposed or adopted by insurgents as governing documents for territory they controlled during their war...
Educational series "The Letter People" concludes on KETC-TV (PBS) in St. Louis, Missouri
US performs nuclear test at Nevada Test Site
ABC-TV broadcasts premiere of 1965's hit "The Sound of Music"
Walt Disney World logs its 50 millionth guest
5 workers are killed by the police in a demonstration in Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain
John Pezzin bowls 33 consecutive strikes at Toledo, Ohio
British pound falls below $2 for 1st time
Ice Dance Championship at Gothenburg won by Pakhomova & Gorshkov (URS)
Morocco, officially the Kingdom of Morocco, is a country in the Maghreb region of North Africa.
1,774 kg (largest observed) stony meteorite falls in Jilin, China
The Cuban intervention in Angola (codenamed Operation Carlota) began on 5 November 1975, when Cuba sent combat troops in support of the communist-aligned People's Movement for the Liberation of...
Failed coup in Niger
4 Catholic civilians (including 2 children) are killed and twelve wounded when the Ulster Volunteer Force explode a car bomb at Hillcrest Bar, Dungannon
The International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR) is a multilateral treaty adopted by the United Nations General Assembly (GA) on 16 December 1966 through GA.
Argentine military junta bans leftist political parties
AL approves purchase of Toronto franchise by LaBatt Brewing for $7M
The Washington Metro, often abbreviated as the Metro and formally the Metrorail, is a rapid transit system serving the Washington metropolitan area of the United States.
AIAW Women's Basketball Tournament, Delta States beat Immaculata, 69-64 at Pennsylvania State University
Land Day, recurring on March 30, is a day of commemoration for Palestinians, both Arab citizens of Israel and those in the Israeli-occupied territories of the events of that date in 1976 in...
Cleveland Cavaliers beat Jazz, 110-101 in New Orleans to clinch club's first ever NBA playoff berth
Cambodia Khieu Sampan succeeds Prince Sihanouk as Premier
France performs nuclear test at Mururoa Atoll
Seni Pramoj's Democratic Party wins elections in Thailand
Lee Roy Selmon (October 20, 1954 – September 4, 2011) was an American professional football player who was a defensive end for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League (NFL).
The Cleveland Cavaliers, often referred to as the Cavs, are an American professional basketball team based in Cleveland.
1st NBA playoff game for Cleveland Cavliers, they lose 100-95 to Washington
The history of the New York Yankees Major League Baseball (MLB) team spans more than a century. Frank J.
The 30th Annual Tony Awards was held at the Shubert Theatre on April 18, 1976, and broadcast by ABC television. Hosts were Eddie Albert, Richard Burton, Jane Fonda, Diana Rigg, George C.
Swine Flu vaccine, for non-epidemic, enters testing
Cub centerfielder Rick Monday rescues US flag from 2 fans trying to set it on fire
Pan Am begins nonstop flights between NYC and Tokyo
The Arab Monetary Fund (AMF) is a regional Arab organization, a working sub-organization of the Arab League. It was founded in 1976, and has been operational since 1977.
Minister Irene Vorrink begins fluoridating Dutch drinking water
"Silly Love Songs" is a song by the British–American rock band Wings that was written by Paul and Linda McCartney.
Empress Lilly, replica of a paddle steamer, dedicated at Walt Disney World, Florida
Panama 747SP lands after record flight around world (46:26)
Schiedam train accident kills 24 people and injures 11
Train collision at Schiedam, Netherlands, kills 24
An earthquake strikes Friuli in Northern Italy, causes 989 deaths and the destruction of entire villages
The rollercoaster Revolution (roller coaster), the first steel coaster with a vertical flip, opens at Six Flags Magic Mountain
Marcus Welby, M.D. is an American medical drama television series that aired on ABC from September 23, 1969, to May 4, 1976.
Lowell Thomas ends 46 years as radio network reporter
"Fonz Song" by Heyettes hits #91
USSR performs nuclear test at Sary Shagan USSR
NASA launches space vehicle S-179
Concorde is a retired Anglo-French supersonic airliner jointly developed and manufactured by Sud Aviation and the British Aircraft Corporation (BAC).
John R. Cash was an American singer-songwriter. Most of his music contains themes of sorrow, moral tribulation, and redemption, especially songs from the later stages of his career.
The Who set the record for the loudest concert of all time at 120 decibels at 50 meters at The Valley in Charlton, London
Events from the year 1976 in the United Kingdom. This year is notable for the prolonged drought and subsequent heat wave.
Annexation, in international law, is the forcible acquisition and assertion of legal title over one state's territory by another state, usually following military occupation of the territory.
"The Architecture of Luis Barragán" exhibition opens at MOMA, New York bring the Mexican architect's work to international notice
"Bigfoot" by Bro Smith hits #57
"The Omen" premieres in the UK
The 49th Scripps National Spelling Bee was held in Washington, D.C. at the Mayflower Hotel on June 9–10, 1976, sponsored by the E.W.
"Magnificent Marble Machine" last airs on NBC-TV
The Gong Show is an American amateur talent contest created by Chuck Barris in 1976 and franchised by Sony Pictures Television to many countries.
In a blockbuster MLB trade, NY Yankees send May, Martinez, Pagan, MacGregor & Demsey to Baltimore Orioles for Holtzman, Alexander, Grant Jackson, Elrod Henrick & Jim Freeman
Soweto Uprising: Over 10,000 students in Soweto, South Africa, march against the use of Afrikaans as a medium of instruction in Black secondary schools; clashes with police kills dozens
The National Basketball Association (NBA) was founded in 1946 and began operations as the Basketball Association of America (BAA).
A Joseph William Turner watercolor auctioned for £340,000
MLB St Louis Cardinals Lou Brock & Hector Cruz hit inside-the-park HRs
Viking 1 was the first of two spacecraft, along with Viking 2, each consisting of an orbiter and a lander, sent to Mars as part of NASA's Viking program.
Charles Raymond Starkweather (November 24, 1938 – June 25, 1959) was an American spree killer who murdered eleven people in Nebraska and Wyoming between November 1957 and January 1958, when he was...
Italian General Election; Enrico Berlinguer's Communist party win their greatest-ever share of the vote (34.4%)
Randall Leo Jones (January 12, 1950 – November 18, 2025), nicknamed "Junkman", was an American professional baseball player who was a left-handed pitcher.
CN Tower, world's tallest free-standing structure (555 m/1,815.3 ft), built by Canadian National Railway, opens in downtown Toronto, Ontario (surpassed in 2007)
The Rocky Horror Picture Show is a 1975 independent musical comedy horror film produced by Lou Adler and Michael White, directed by Jim Sharman, and distributed by 20th Century Fox.
Soweto Uprising: in South Africa leaves an estimated 200 to 700 blacks and 2 whites dead following 10 days of rioting
CN Tower opens in Toronto - at 553 metres (1,815 feet), the tallest freestanding structure in the world (surpassed by Dubai’s Burj Khalifa 2009) [1]
Air France A-300B Airbus hijacked from Athens arrives at Entebbe, Uganda; four hijackers, members of Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine and Bader-Meinhof Gang in Germany
Colorado is a landlocked state in the Western United States. It is one of the Mountain states, and part of the Southwestern United States, sharing the Four Corners region with Arizona, New Mexico,...
Seychelles, officially the Republic of Seychelles (French: République des Seychelles; Seychellois Creole: Repiblik Sesel), is an island country and archipelagic state consisting of 115 islands in the...
John Walker of NZ sets record for 2000 meters, 4:51.4
Kenneth Gibson, is 1st black president of US Conference of Mayors
The Provisional Revolutionary Government of the Republic of South Vietnam (PRG, Vietnamese: Chính phủ Cách mạng Lâm thời Cộng hòa miền Nam Việt Nam), was formed on 8 June 1969, by the Democratic...
Adolfo Suárez becomes premier of Spain
Opening ceremony of the Dai Bosatsu Zendo Kongo-ji Zen monastery at Livingston Manor, high in the Catskill Mountains of New York
Salyut 5, also known as OPS-3, was a Soviet space station. Launched in 1976 as part of the Salyut programme, it was the third and last Almaz space station to be launched for the Soviet military.
women joined the Corps of Cadets, establishing the first class of women in the US Military Academy at West Point
Randall Leo Jones (January 12, 1950 – November 18, 2025), nicknamed "Junkman", was an American professional baseball player who was a left-handed pitcher.
The West Indian cricket team toured England in 1976, spending virtually the whole of the 1976 English cricket season in England.
Chemical factory in Seveso, near Milan, explodes covering the surrounding area in dioxin
First US football club in Austria forms (FAAFC - first Austrian American)
Court martial begins in USSR for Valery Sablin (Hunt for Red Oct)
On July 15, 1976, in Chowchilla, California, three armed men hijacked a school bus.
Rock duo Loggins & Messina break up after 6 years
Christopher Ewart-Biggs, British Ambassador to the Republic of Ireland, and his secretary Judith Cook are assassinated by a bomb planted by the Provisional IRA in his car in Dublin
42nd NFL Chicago All-Star Game: Pittsburgh 24, All-Stars 0 (52,895 attendees)
The men's 200 metre backstroke event for the 1976 Summer Olympics was held in Montreal. The event took place on 24 July.
Annegret Richter runs the 100 m in 11.01
Eldon Joersz and Geo Morgan set a world airspeed record of 3,530 kph
In New York City, the "Son of Sam" kills one person and seriously wounds another in the first of a series of attacks
Four Protestant civilians are shot dead at a pub off Milltown Road, Belfast; the attack is claimed by the Republican Action Force
East German runner Waldemar Cierpinski beats American Frank Shorter by 50 seconds to win the Olympic Games marathon in 2:09:55 in Montréal
Flash flood in Big Thompson Canyon, Colorado, on Route 34 kills 139
England beats Australia by 8 wickets in the limited-overs cricket international at Lord's; it is the first time women are permitted to play on the main square at "the home of cricket"
Zulfikar Ali Bhutto NPk (5 January 1928 – 4 April 1979) was a Pakistani politician and statesman who served as the 9th Prime Minister of Pakistan from 1973 to 1977, and prior to that as the 4th...
The possibility of life on Mars is a subject of interest in astrobiology due to the planet's proximity and similarities to Earth.
Chicago White Sox wear shorts for a game instead of traditional baseball pants
Clive Lloyd scores a double century in 120 minutes, WI vs. Glamorgan
Christian militia conquers the Palestinian camp of Tel al-Zaatar, killing 2,000 people
Rhodesia ( roh-DEE-zhə, roh-DEE-shə; Shona: Rodizha), officially the Republic of Rhodesia from 1970, was an unrecognised country in Southern Africa that existed from 1965 to 1979.
10,000 Northern Ireland women demonstrate for peace in Belfast
St. Louis Cardinals beat San Diego Chargers 20-10 in Tokyo, Japan (NFL Expo)
The 1976 Moro Gulf earthquake and tsunami occurred on August 17, 1976, at 00:11 local time near the islands of Mindanao and Sulu, in the Philippines.
Al Bumbry hits 17th inside-the-park home run in Oriole history
An earthquake occurred in the province of Sichuan, China at 14:28:01 China Standard Time on May 12, 2008.
Soyuz 21 returns to Earth
Harm Wiersma becomes world checkers champion
The Minnesota Kicks was a professional soccer team that played at Metropolitan Stadium in the Minneapolis suburb of Bloomington, Minnesota, from 1976 to 1981.
Mexican peso devalued
American politician Wayne L Hays, (Rep-D-Oh), resigns amid scandal with Elizabeth Ray
Viking 2 soft-lands on Mars (Utopia) and returns photos
Palestinians hijack KLM DC-9 to Cyprus
"The Robert MacNeil Report" becomes "The MacNeil-Lehrer Report" (currently known as "PBS NewsHour") on PBS
Fons Rademakers' film "Max Havelaar" premieres in Amsterdam
New Zealand government establishes the country's first centralized electronic database through the Wanganui Computer Act, raising questions about the state's ability to gather information on its citizens
Five Croatian terrorists hijack TWA flight 355 from LaGuardia Airport, New York headed to Chicago, Illinois to advocate Croat independence from Yugoslavia; plane redirected to Paris, France where arrests are made
Minnie Miñoso (52) bats for the Chicago White Sox 12 years after his retirement as a player; he goes hitless
Chicago White Sox Minnie Miñoso (52) singles off California Angels Sid Monge in the second inning of a 2–1, 10-inning win for his first MLB hit after 12 years of retirement
2nd Enterprise, approach & lands Test Cricket (ALT) flight (5m28s)
Ntozake Shange's play "For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide / When the Rainbow Is Enuf" premieres in NYC
The ordination of women to ministerial or priestly office is an increasingly common practice among some contemporary major religious groups.
The Erasmus Prize is an annual prize awarded by the board of the Praemium Erasmianum Foundation to individuals or institutions that have made exceptional contributions to culture, society, or social...
Frank Robinson (August 31, 1935 – February 7, 2019), nicknamed "the Judge", was an American professional baseball outfielder and manager in Major League Baseball (MLB) who played for five teams over...
New York concert promoter Sid Bernstein offers $230 million to charity for a Beatles reunion; they politely decline
Captain & Tennille were an American recording duo whose primary success occurred in the 1970s. The husband-and-wife team were "Captain" Daryl Dragon (1942–2019) and Toni Tennille.
Red Dye No. 4 is banned by the US Food and Drug Administration after it is discovered that it causes tumors in the bladders of dogs
Preston Jones's "Texas Trilogy" play premieres in New York City
China performs a nuclear test at Lop Nor, China
TV drama "Dawn: Portrait of a Teenage Runaway," starring Eve Plumb, premieres on US network NBC
"Alice", television adaptation of the film "Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore", starring Linda Lavin, debuts on CBS-TV
Boy George is expelled from school
First state-owned Dutch casino opens in Zandvoort
Future Baseball Hall of Fame right fielder Hank Aaron singles in his last MLB at-bat and drives in his 2,297th run as the Milwaukee Brewers lose 5-2 to the Detroit Tigers
The InterCity 125 (originally Inter-City 125) or High Speed Train (HST) is a diesel-powered high-speed passenger train built by British Rail Engineering Limited between 1975 and 1982.
MLB expansion draft: Seattle Mariners and Toronto Blue Jays pick 30 unprotected AL players; Ruppert Jones OF (Seattle) and Bob Bailor OF (Toronto) are first picks
Cubana Flight 455 crashes into the Atlantic Ocean after two bombs placed by terrorists with connections to the CIA explode onboard shortly after taking off from Bridgetown, Barbados, killing all 73 people on board
Mohammad Javed Miandad, PP, SI, popularly known as Javed Miandad, is a Pakistani cricket coach, commentator and former cricketer known for his unconventional style of captaincy and batting.
A Bolivian Boeing 707 cargo jet crashes in Santa Cruz, Bolivia killing 100 (97, mostly children, killed on the ground)
The New York Yankees are an American professional baseball team based in the New York City borough of the Bronx.
Sir Richard Starkey, known as Ringo Starr, is an English musician, singer, songwriter and actor who achieved international fame as the drummer for the Beatles.
Soyuz 23 returns to Earth
China performs nuclear test at Lop Nor, China
The Lebanese Civil War was a multifaceted armed conflict that took place from 1975 to 1990.
George Prince ferry disaster: 70 die when Norwegian tanker SS Frosta collides with the George Prince ferry on the Mississippi River in Louisiana
The 1976 Nobel Prize in Literature was awarded to Canadian-American novelist Saul Bellow (1915–2005) "for the human understanding and subtle analysis of contemporary culture that are combined in his...
Rick Barry (San Francisco), begins then longest NBA free throw streak of 60
5th Enterprise, approach & lands test (ALT) flight
Transkei gains independence, not recognized outside of South Africa
The New York Yankees are an American professional baseball team based in the New York City borough of the Bronx.
Margaret Jane Pauley is an American television host and author, active in news reporting since 1972.
The Gilbert and Ellice Islands (GEIC as a colony) in the Pacific Ocean was part of the British Empire from 1892 to 1976.
The Toronto Blue Jays are a Canadian professional baseball team based in Toronto. The Blue Jays compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East Division.
Benjamin Lawson Hooks (January 31, 1925 – April 15, 2010) was an American civil rights leader and government official.
A series of earthquakes spreads panic in the Greek city of Thessaloniki, which is evacuated
Alfred Manuel "Billy" Martin Jr. (May 16, 1928 – December 25, 1989) was an American Major League Baseball (MLB) second baseman and manager, who, in addition to leading other teams, was five times the...
Capital punishment is a legal penalty in the U.S. state of Utah. Utah was the first state to resume executions after the 1972–1976 national moratorium on capital punishment ended with Gregg v.
Beirut is the capital and largest city of Lebanon. As of 2025 Greater Beirut has a population of 2.4 million, just under half of Lebanon's population, which makes it the twelfth-largest city in the...
The Parti Québécois ([paʁti kebekwa], PQ; lit. 'Québécois Party') is a sovereignist and social democratic provincial political party in Quebec, Canada.
China performs nuclear test at Lop Nor, PRC
Donald Edward Gullett (January 6, 1951 – February 14, 2024) was an American professional baseball player and coach. He played in Major League Baseball as a left-handed pitcher from 1970 through 1978.
George Harrison appears on "Saturday Night Live": haggling with Lorne Michaels; performing "Here Comes the Sun" and "Homeward Bound" with Paul Simon; and airing two music videos
Algeria, officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of North Africa.
Apneist Jacques Mayol is the first man to reach a depth of 100 m undersea without breathing equipment
The Atlanta Hawks are an American professional basketball team based in Atlanta. The Hawks compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Southeast Division of the Eastern...
NYPD officer Robert Torsney shoots unarmed youth Randolph Evans while answering response at youth's Brooklyn home
Orenthal James Simpson (July 9, 1947 – April 10, 2024), also known by his nickname "the Juice", was an American professional football player, actor, and media personality who played in the National...
Reginald Martinez Jackson is an American former professional baseball right fielder who played 21 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Kansas City / Oakland Athletics, Baltimore Orioles,...
The 1976 Pittsburgh Panthers football team represented the University of Pittsburgh in the 1976 NCAA Division I football season and is recognized as a consensus national champion.
Angola, officially the Republic of Angola, is a country on the western coast of Southern Africa.
Patrick John Hillery (Irish: Pádraig J. Ó hIrghile; 2 May 1923 – 12 April 2008) was an Irish Fianna Fáil politician who served as the president of Ireland from December 1976 to December 1990.
Asylum Records releases The Eagles fifth studio album "Hotel California"; it spawns two #1 singles and sells over 30 million copies
Quarterback Joe Namath plays his last game with the NY Jets
Golden Gate Bridge District starts ferry service to Larkspur
Dutch 1st Chamber condemns Dutch Liberal/social dem abortion laws
Jamaica premier Manley wins elections
Andrew Young named Ambassador & Chief US Delegate to UN
Charlie Finley's $10 million damages suit against Bowie Kuhn begins
Grand Central Terminal (GCT; also referred to as Grand Central Station or simply as Grand Central) is a commuter rail terminal at 42nd Street and Park Avenue in Midtown Manhattan, New York City.
Wonder Woman, known for seasons 2 and 3 as The New Adventures of Wonder Woman, is an American superhero television series based on the DC Comics comic book superhero of the same name.
A cricket team from England, organised by the Marylebone Cricket Club, toured India and Sri Lanka in the 1976-77 cricket season.
20th Islander shut-out opponent-Billy Smith 3-0 vs Bruins
35 Unification church couples wed in NYC
Egyptian SS Patria sinks in Red Sea, about 100 killed
The Communist Party of Nepal (Marxist-Leninist) is founded
Albania is a secular and religiously diverse country with no official religion. The constitution guarantees freedom of religion, belief and conscience.
USSR performs nuclear test at the Semipalatinsk Test Site in northeast Kazakhstan
The Cars played their 1st gig
Chai Jing, Chinese journalist and environmental activist, known for chinese journalist and environmental activist, was born on 1976-01-01. Chai Jing is a Chinese journalist.
Emma Bunton, English musician, known for british singer, was born on 1976-01-21. Emma Lee Bunton is an English singer, actress, and media personality.
Chen Kun is born
Charlie Day, American actor and producer, known for american actor and producer, was born on 1976-02-09. Charles Peckham Day is an American actor, writer, and producer.
Cliff Bleszinski is born
Drew Barrymore, American actress, known for american actress, was born on 1976-02-22. Drew Blythe Barrymore is an American actress, producer, talk show host, and businesswoman.
Robert Lopez, American musician, known for american songwriter of musicals, was born on 1976-02-23.
Eva Longoria, American actress and producer, known for american actress and producer, was born on 1976-03-15.
will.i.am musician, known for american rapper, was born on 1976-03-15. William James Adams Jr., known professionally as will.i.am (pronounced "will I am"), is an American rapper, singer, record…
Fergie, American musician, known for american singer and songwriter, was born on 1976-03-27. Stacy Ann "Fergie" Ferguson is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and businesswoman.
Pedro Pascal, American chilean and american actor, known for chilean and american actor, was born on 1976-04-02. José Pedro Balmaceda Pascal is a Chilean and American actor.
Juicy J, American musician, known for american rapper, was born on 1976-04-05. Jordan Michael Houston III, known professionally as Juicy J, is an American rapper and record producer.
Zach Braff, American actor and filmmaker, known for american actor and filmmaker, was born on 1976-04-06. Zachary Israel Braff is an American actor and filmmaker.
Jonathan Brandis, American actor, known for american actor, was born on 1976-04-13. Jonathan Gregory Brandis (April 13, 1976 – November 12, 2003) was an American actor.
Lou Bega, German musician, known for german singer, was born on 1976-04-13. David Lubega Balemezi, known professionally as Lou Bega, is a German singer. His 1999 song "Mambo No.
Johnny Galecki, American actor, known for american actor, was born on 1976-04-30. John Mark Galecki is an American actor.
David Beckham, English athlete, known for english footballer, was born on 1976-05-02.
Jodhi May, English actress, known for british actress, was born on 1976-05-08. Jodhi May is an English actress.
Enrique Iglesias, Spanish musician, known for spanish singer, was born on 1976-05-08. Enrique Miguel Iglesias Preysler is a Spanish singer and songwriter.
Ray Lewis athlete, known for american football player, was born on 1976-05-15. Raymond Anthony Lewis Jr.
Lauryn Hill, American musician, known for american rapper, was born on 1976-05-26. Lauryn Noelle Hill is an American singer, rapper, songwriter, and record producer.
Melanie Brown, English singer and tv personality, known for british singer and tv personality, was born on 1976-05-29.
Angelina Jolie, American actress, known for american actress, was born on 1976-06-04. Angelina Jolie is an American actress, filmmaker, and humanitarian.
Russell Brand, English comedian, actor, and podcaster, known for english comedian, actor, and podcaster, was born on 1976-06-04.
Tobey Maguire, American actor, known for american actor, was born on 1976-06-27. Tobias Vincent Maguire is an American actor and film producer.
Ralf Schumacher, German athlete, known for german racing driver, was born on 1976-06-30.
50 Cent, American rapper and actor, known for american rapper and actor, was born on 1976-07-06.
Liz Truss is born
Alex Rodriguez, American athlete, known for american baseball player, was born on 1976-07-27.
Charlize Theron, South African african and american actress, known for south african and american actress, was born on 1976-08-07.
Casey Affleck, American actor, known for american actor, was born on 1976-08-12. Casey Affleck is an American actor.
Taika Waititi, New Zealand zealand filmmaker and actor, known for new zealand filmmaker and actor, was born on 1976-08-16.
Cory Barlog is born
Mark Ronson, American musician, known for british-american musician, was born on 1976-09-04. Mark Daniel Ronson is a British and American musician, record producer, songwriter, and DJ.
Michael Bublé, Canadian singer, known for canadian singer, was born on 1976-09-09. Michael Steven Bublé is a Canadian singer and songwriter.
Dan O'Toole, Canadian athlete, known for canadian tv sports anchor, was born on 1976-09-10. Daniel Gerard O'Toole is a former Canadian television sports anchor who was last employed by TSN.
Marion Cotillard, French actress, known for french actress, was born on 1976-09-30. Marion Cotillard is a French actress who has appeared in both European and Hollywood productions.
Kate Winslet, English actress, known for english actress, was born on 1976-10-05. Kate Elizabeth Winslet is an English actress.
Marion Jones, American athlete, known for american athlete, was born on 1976-10-12.
Marcus Luttrell u.s. navy seal and author, known for u.s. navy seal and author, was born on 1976-11-07.
Travis Barker, American musician, known for american drummer, was born on 1976-11-14.
David Ortiz, American athlete, known for dominican-american baseball player, was born on 1976-11-18.
DJ Khaled, American musician, known for american dj and record producer, was born on 1976-11-26. Khaled Mohammed Khaled, is an American DJ and record producer.
Ronnie O'Sullivan, English athlete, known for english snooker player, was born on 1976-12-05. Ronald Antonio O'Sullivan is an English professional snooker player.
Milla Jovovich, American actress, known for american actress, was born on 1976-12-17.
Brandon Sanderson, American fiction writer, known for american fiction writer, was born on 1976-12-19.
Tiger Woods, American athlete, known for american professional golfer, was born on 1976-12-30. Eldrick Tont "Tiger" Woods is an American professional golfer.
Zhou Enlai dies
Agatha Christie, English mystery and detective writer, known for english mystery and detective writer, died on 1976-01-12.
Werner Heisenberg, German theoretical physicist, known for german theoretical physicist, died on 1976-02-01.
Bernard Montgomery, British army officer, known for british army officer, died on 1976-03-24.
Johnny Mercer, American lyricist, songwriter, singer, known for american lyricist, songwriter, singer, died on 1976-06-25.
Mao Zedong dies
André Malraux, French novelist, art theorist, and statesman, known for french novelist, art theorist, and statesman, died on 1976-11-23.
After 45 years of coaching, Paul Brown (Cleveland Browns; Cincinnati Bengals) announces his retirement from the National Football League
Sarah Caldwell becomes the first woman to conduct at NYC Metropolitan Opera House, leading the orchestra in a performance of "La Traviata"
"I Write the Songs" is a popular song written by Bruce Johnston. Barry Manilow's version reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in January 1976 after spending two weeks atop the Billboard…
Bahamian-American actor Sidney Poitier (48) weds Canadian actress Joanna Shimkus
John Wayne Gacy (March 17, 1942 – May 10, 1994) was an American serial killer and sex offender who raped, tortured and murdered at least thirty-three young men and boys between 1972 and 1978 in…
Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon (Margaret Rose; 21 August 1930 – 9 February 2002), was the younger daughter of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother, and the only sibling of…
Isabel Martínez de Perón is an Argentine politician who served as the president of Argentina from 1974 to 1976.
Steven Paul Jobs (February 24, 1955 – October 5, 2011) was an American businessman, co-inventor, and investor.
"All the President's Men", directed by Alan J. Pakula, based on the non-fiction book by journalists Carl Bernstein and Bob Woodward detailing their Watergate investigation, starring Dustin Hoffman and Robert Redford, is released
Trailing 12-1, the Philadelphia Phillies beat the Chicago Cubs 18-16 in 10 innings at Wrigley Field; Mike Schmidt hits four consecutive home runs in the greatest comeback in NL history
Barbara Jill Walters (September 25, 1929 – December 30, 2022) was an American broadcast journalist and television personality.
"Bohemian Rhapsody" is a song by the British rock band Queen, released as the lead single from their fourth studio album, A Night at the Opera (1975).
American singer-songwriter Harry Nilsson (34) divorces 2nd wife Diane Clatworthy (28), after 6-1/2 years of marriage
Wimbledon Men's Tennis: Sweden's Björn Borg beats Ilie Năstase of Romania 6-4, 6-2, 9-7 for the first of five straight Wimbledon titles
Family Feud is an American television game show created by Mark Goodson. Two families compete on each episode to name the most popular answers to survey questions in order to win cash and prizes. The...
21st modern Olympic games open in Montreal: 25 African teams (later rising to 33 nations) boycott the games due to New Zealand playing rugby in apartheid South Africa
Nadia Comăneci (14) becomes the first gymnast in Olympic Games history to achieve a perfect 10 score (doing so 7 times) at the Montreal Games
Viking 1 lands on Mars at Chryse Planitia, the first successful Martian landing
Henry Louis Aaron (February 5, 1934 – January 22, 2021), nicknamed "Hammer" or "Hammerin' Hank", was an American professional baseball right fielder who played 23 seasons in Major League Baseball...
Tangshan Earthquake, 7.6 in magnitude, kills over 300,000 in northern China, the largest loss of life from an earthquake in the 20th century
English-American actress Elizabeth Taylor's 6th divorce from Welsh actor Richard Burton; their 2nd divorce from each other
Actress Zsa Zsa Gabor (59) divorces her sixth husband, toy inventor Jack Ryan (49) after 1 year of marriage
Tom Brokaw starts as news anchor of NBC's "The Today Show"
The Muppet Show is a live-action/puppet television series that was created by Jim Henson and produced by ITC Entertainment and Henson Associates.
Mao Zedong (26 December 1893 – 9 September 1976) was a Chinese revolutionary, politician, writer, political theorist and the founder of the People's Republic of China.
Bono, David Evans, his brother Dik, and Adam Clayton respond to an advertisement on a bulletin board at Mount Temple posted by fellow student Larry Mullen Jr. to form a rock band, which becomes U2
NBA legend Larry Bird (19) divorces highschool sweetheart Janet Condra only 11 months after getting married
Sports action film "Rocky," directed by John G. Avildsen and starring Sylvester Stallone, premieres in New York (Best Picture 1977)
American singer-songwriter Donna Summer (27) divorces actor Helmuth Sommer after 5 years of marriage
Fidel Alejandro Castro Ruz (13 August 1926 – 25 November 2016) was a Cuban politician and revolutionary who was the leader of Cuba from 1959 to 2008, serving as prime minister from 1959 to 1976 and...
The Nevada National Security Sites (N2S2 or NNSS), popularized as the Nevada Test Site (NTS) until 2010, is a reservation of the United States Department of Energy located in the southeastern portion...
"Home Sweet Homer" opens & closes at Palace Theater NYC
Democratic Kampuchea was the official name of the Cambodian state from 1975 to 1979, under the general secretaryship of Pol Pot and the Communist Party of Kampuchea (CPK), commonly known as the Khmer...
The time period in China from the founding of the People's Republic in 1949 until Mao's death in 1976 is commonly known as Maoist China and Red China.
Franklin Mint strikes 1st gold coins for Netherlands Antilles
Bryan Trottier failed in 4th Islander penalty shot
Military coup in Ecuador, President Guillermo Lara leaves
Palestine, officially the State of Palestine, is a country in West Asia. It encompasses the Israeli-occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and the Gaza Strip, collectively known as the...
The Bionic Woman is an American science fiction action-adventure television series created by Kenneth Johnson based on the 1972 novel Cyborg by Martin Caidin and starring Lindsay Wagner, that aired...
Donny & Marie is an American variety show that aired on ABC from January 1976 to May 1979. The show starred brother-and-sister pop duo Donny and Marie Osmond.
Super Bowl X, Miami Orange Bowl, Miami, FL: Pittsburgh Steelers beat Dallas Cowboys, 21-17; MVP: Lynn Swann, Pittsburgh, WR
Concorde is a retired Anglo-French supersonic airliner jointly developed and manufactured by Sud Aviation and the British Aircraft Corporation (BAC). Studies began in 1954 and a UK–France treaty...
Bank robbery in Beirut nets a record $20 to $50 million
World Series Cricket (WSC) was a commercial professional cricket competition staged between 1977 and 1979 which was organised by Kerry Packer and his Australian television network, Nine Network.
Cleveland Cavaliers score their biggest margin of victory to date (43 points), when they beat Milwaukee 132-89
Belgium Catholic elite starts amnesty campaign for war criminals
E. A. S. Prasanna takes 8-76 to rip through NZ at Eden Park
Bombs set off in London's West End by the IRA; 1 person is injured
"Love Rollercoaster", sometimes rendered as "Love Roller Coaster", is a song by American funk/R&B band Ohio Players, originally featured on their 1975 album Honey.
"Rich Man, Poor Man" mini-series premieres on ABC TV
Richard Caruthers Little is a Canadian-American comedian, impressionist and voice actor.
7.5 earthquake kills 22,778 in Guatemala & Honduras
FCC raids & shuts down pirate radio station WCPR (Brooklyn New York)
Oscar McKinley Charleston (October 14, 1896 – October 5, 1954) was an American center fielder, first baseman and manager in Negro league baseball and the Cuban League.
Clifford Alexander Jr confirmed as 1st African American US Secretary of Army
US performs nuclear test at Nevada Test Site
US performs nuclear test at Nevada Test Site
Macau was under Portuguese rule from the establishment of the first official Portuguese settlement in 1557 until its handover to China in 1999.
The Popular Front for the Liberation of Saguia el-Hamra and Río de Oro, better known by its acronym Polisario Front, is a Sahrawi nationalist liberation movement seeking to end the occupation of...
Cardinal Willebrands installed as Archbishop of Utrecht
Even before attaining its independence from Spain, Cuba had several constitutions either proposed or adopted by insurgents as governing documents for territory they controlled during their war...
Educational series "The Letter People" concludes on KETC-TV (PBS) in St. Louis, Missouri
US performs nuclear test at Nevada Test Site
ABC-TV broadcasts premiere of 1965's hit "The Sound of Music"
Walt Disney World logs its 50 millionth guest
5 workers are killed by the police in a demonstration in Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain
John Pezzin bowls 33 consecutive strikes at Toledo, Ohio
British pound falls below $2 for 1st time
Ice Dance Championship at Gothenburg won by Pakhomova & Gorshkov (URS)
Morocco, officially the Kingdom of Morocco, is a country in the Maghreb region of North Africa.
1,774 kg (largest observed) stony meteorite falls in Jilin, China
The Cuban intervention in Angola (codenamed Operation Carlota) began on 5 November 1975, when Cuba sent combat troops in support of the communist-aligned People's Movement for the Liberation of...
Failed coup in Niger
4 Catholic civilians (including 2 children) are killed and twelve wounded when the Ulster Volunteer Force explode a car bomb at Hillcrest Bar, Dungannon
The International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR) is a multilateral treaty adopted by the United Nations General Assembly (GA) on 16 December 1966 through GA.
Argentine military junta bans leftist political parties
AL approves purchase of Toronto franchise by LaBatt Brewing for $7M
The Washington Metro, often abbreviated as the Metro and formally the Metrorail, is a rapid transit system serving the Washington metropolitan area of the United States.
AIAW Women's Basketball Tournament, Delta States beat Immaculata, 69-64 at Pennsylvania State University
Land Day, recurring on March 30, is a day of commemoration for Palestinians, both Arab citizens of Israel and those in the Israeli-occupied territories of the events of that date in 1976 in...
Cleveland Cavaliers beat Jazz, 110-101 in New Orleans to clinch club's first ever NBA playoff berth
Cambodia Khieu Sampan succeeds Prince Sihanouk as Premier
France performs nuclear test at Mururoa Atoll
Seni Pramoj's Democratic Party wins elections in Thailand
Lee Roy Selmon (October 20, 1954 – September 4, 2011) was an American professional football player who was a defensive end for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League (NFL).
The Cleveland Cavaliers, often referred to as the Cavs, are an American professional basketball team based in Cleveland.
1st NBA playoff game for Cleveland Cavliers, they lose 100-95 to Washington
The history of the New York Yankees Major League Baseball (MLB) team spans more than a century. Frank J.
The 30th Annual Tony Awards was held at the Shubert Theatre on April 18, 1976, and broadcast by ABC television. Hosts were Eddie Albert, Richard Burton, Jane Fonda, Diana Rigg, George C.
Swine Flu vaccine, for non-epidemic, enters testing
Cub centerfielder Rick Monday rescues US flag from 2 fans trying to set it on fire
Pan Am begins nonstop flights between NYC and Tokyo
The Arab Monetary Fund (AMF) is a regional Arab organization, a working sub-organization of the Arab League. It was founded in 1976, and has been operational since 1977.
Minister Irene Vorrink begins fluoridating Dutch drinking water
"Silly Love Songs" is a song by the British–American rock band Wings that was written by Paul and Linda McCartney.
Empress Lilly, replica of a paddle steamer, dedicated at Walt Disney World, Florida
Panama 747SP lands after record flight around world (46:26)
Schiedam train accident kills 24 people and injures 11
Train collision at Schiedam, Netherlands, kills 24
An earthquake strikes Friuli in Northern Italy, causes 989 deaths and the destruction of entire villages
The rollercoaster Revolution (roller coaster), the first steel coaster with a vertical flip, opens at Six Flags Magic Mountain
Marcus Welby, M.D. is an American medical drama television series that aired on ABC from September 23, 1969, to May 4, 1976.
Lowell Thomas ends 46 years as radio network reporter
"Fonz Song" by Heyettes hits #91
USSR performs nuclear test at Sary Shagan USSR
NASA launches space vehicle S-179
Concorde is a retired Anglo-French supersonic airliner jointly developed and manufactured by Sud Aviation and the British Aircraft Corporation (BAC).
John R. Cash was an American singer-songwriter. Most of his music contains themes of sorrow, moral tribulation, and redemption, especially songs from the later stages of his career.
The Who set the record for the loudest concert of all time at 120 decibels at 50 meters at The Valley in Charlton, London
Events from the year 1976 in the United Kingdom. This year is notable for the prolonged drought and subsequent heat wave.
Annexation, in international law, is the forcible acquisition and assertion of legal title over one state's territory by another state, usually following military occupation of the territory.
"The Architecture of Luis Barragán" exhibition opens at MOMA, New York bring the Mexican architect's work to international notice
"Bigfoot" by Bro Smith hits #57
"The Omen" premieres in the UK
The 49th Scripps National Spelling Bee was held in Washington, D.C. at the Mayflower Hotel on June 9–10, 1976, sponsored by the E.W.
"Magnificent Marble Machine" last airs on NBC-TV
The Gong Show is an American amateur talent contest created by Chuck Barris in 1976 and franchised by Sony Pictures Television to many countries.
In a blockbuster MLB trade, NY Yankees send May, Martinez, Pagan, MacGregor & Demsey to Baltimore Orioles for Holtzman, Alexander, Grant Jackson, Elrod Henrick & Jim Freeman
Soweto Uprising: Over 10,000 students in Soweto, South Africa, march against the use of Afrikaans as a medium of instruction in Black secondary schools; clashes with police kills dozens
The National Basketball Association (NBA) was founded in 1946 and began operations as the Basketball Association of America (BAA).
A Joseph William Turner watercolor auctioned for £340,000
MLB St Louis Cardinals Lou Brock & Hector Cruz hit inside-the-park HRs
Viking 1 was the first of two spacecraft, along with Viking 2, each consisting of an orbiter and a lander, sent to Mars as part of NASA's Viking program.
Charles Raymond Starkweather (November 24, 1938 – June 25, 1959) was an American spree killer who murdered eleven people in Nebraska and Wyoming between November 1957 and January 1958, when he was...
Italian General Election; Enrico Berlinguer's Communist party win their greatest-ever share of the vote (34.4%)
Randall Leo Jones (January 12, 1950 – November 18, 2025), nicknamed "Junkman", was an American professional baseball player who was a left-handed pitcher.
CN Tower, world's tallest free-standing structure (555 m/1,815.3 ft), built by Canadian National Railway, opens in downtown Toronto, Ontario (surpassed in 2007)
The Rocky Horror Picture Show is a 1975 independent musical comedy horror film produced by Lou Adler and Michael White, directed by Jim Sharman, and distributed by 20th Century Fox.
Soweto Uprising: in South Africa leaves an estimated 200 to 700 blacks and 2 whites dead following 10 days of rioting
CN Tower opens in Toronto - at 553 metres (1,815 feet), the tallest freestanding structure in the world (surpassed by Dubai’s Burj Khalifa 2009) [1]
Air France A-300B Airbus hijacked from Athens arrives at Entebbe, Uganda; four hijackers, members of Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine and Bader-Meinhof Gang in Germany
Colorado is a landlocked state in the Western United States. It is one of the Mountain states, and part of the Southwestern United States, sharing the Four Corners region with Arizona, New Mexico,...
Seychelles, officially the Republic of Seychelles (French: République des Seychelles; Seychellois Creole: Repiblik Sesel), is an island country and archipelagic state consisting of 115 islands in the...
John Walker of NZ sets record for 2000 meters, 4:51.4
Kenneth Gibson, is 1st black president of US Conference of Mayors
The Provisional Revolutionary Government of the Republic of South Vietnam (PRG, Vietnamese: Chính phủ Cách mạng Lâm thời Cộng hòa miền Nam Việt Nam), was formed on 8 June 1969, by the Democratic...
Adolfo Suárez becomes premier of Spain
Opening ceremony of the Dai Bosatsu Zendo Kongo-ji Zen monastery at Livingston Manor, high in the Catskill Mountains of New York
Salyut 5, also known as OPS-3, was a Soviet space station. Launched in 1976 as part of the Salyut programme, it was the third and last Almaz space station to be launched for the Soviet military.
women joined the Corps of Cadets, establishing the first class of women in the US Military Academy at West Point
Randall Leo Jones (January 12, 1950 – November 18, 2025), nicknamed "Junkman", was an American professional baseball player who was a left-handed pitcher.
The West Indian cricket team toured England in 1976, spending virtually the whole of the 1976 English cricket season in England.
Chemical factory in Seveso, near Milan, explodes covering the surrounding area in dioxin
First US football club in Austria forms (FAAFC - first Austrian American)
Court martial begins in USSR for Valery Sablin (Hunt for Red Oct)
On July 15, 1976, in Chowchilla, California, three armed men hijacked a school bus.
Rock duo Loggins & Messina break up after 6 years
Christopher Ewart-Biggs, British Ambassador to the Republic of Ireland, and his secretary Judith Cook are assassinated by a bomb planted by the Provisional IRA in his car in Dublin
42nd NFL Chicago All-Star Game: Pittsburgh 24, All-Stars 0 (52,895 attendees)
The men's 200 metre backstroke event for the 1976 Summer Olympics was held in Montreal. The event took place on 24 July.
Annegret Richter runs the 100 m in 11.01
Eldon Joersz and Geo Morgan set a world airspeed record of 3,530 kph
In New York City, the "Son of Sam" kills one person and seriously wounds another in the first of a series of attacks
Four Protestant civilians are shot dead at a pub off Milltown Road, Belfast; the attack is claimed by the Republican Action Force
East German runner Waldemar Cierpinski beats American Frank Shorter by 50 seconds to win the Olympic Games marathon in 2:09:55 in Montréal
Flash flood in Big Thompson Canyon, Colorado, on Route 34 kills 139
England beats Australia by 8 wickets in the limited-overs cricket international at Lord's; it is the first time women are permitted to play on the main square at "the home of cricket"
Zulfikar Ali Bhutto NPk (5 January 1928 – 4 April 1979) was a Pakistani politician and statesman who served as the 9th Prime Minister of Pakistan from 1973 to 1977, and prior to that as the 4th...
The possibility of life on Mars is a subject of interest in astrobiology due to the planet's proximity and similarities to Earth.
Chicago White Sox wear shorts for a game instead of traditional baseball pants
Clive Lloyd scores a double century in 120 minutes, WI vs. Glamorgan
Christian militia conquers the Palestinian camp of Tel al-Zaatar, killing 2,000 people
Rhodesia ( roh-DEE-zhə, roh-DEE-shə; Shona: Rodizha), officially the Republic of Rhodesia from 1970, was an unrecognised country in Southern Africa that existed from 1965 to 1979.
10,000 Northern Ireland women demonstrate for peace in Belfast
St. Louis Cardinals beat San Diego Chargers 20-10 in Tokyo, Japan (NFL Expo)
The 1976 Moro Gulf earthquake and tsunami occurred on August 17, 1976, at 00:11 local time near the islands of Mindanao and Sulu, in the Philippines.
Al Bumbry hits 17th inside-the-park home run in Oriole history
An earthquake occurred in the province of Sichuan, China at 14:28:01 China Standard Time on May 12, 2008.
Soyuz 21 returns to Earth
Harm Wiersma becomes world checkers champion
The Minnesota Kicks was a professional soccer team that played at Metropolitan Stadium in the Minneapolis suburb of Bloomington, Minnesota, from 1976 to 1981.
Mexican peso devalued
American politician Wayne L Hays, (Rep-D-Oh), resigns amid scandal with Elizabeth Ray
Viking 2 soft-lands on Mars (Utopia) and returns photos
Palestinians hijack KLM DC-9 to Cyprus
"The Robert MacNeil Report" becomes "The MacNeil-Lehrer Report" (currently known as "PBS NewsHour") on PBS
Fons Rademakers' film "Max Havelaar" premieres in Amsterdam
New Zealand government establishes the country's first centralized electronic database through the Wanganui Computer Act, raising questions about the state's ability to gather information on its citizens
Five Croatian terrorists hijack TWA flight 355 from LaGuardia Airport, New York headed to Chicago, Illinois to advocate Croat independence from Yugoslavia; plane redirected to Paris, France where arrests are made
Minnie Miñoso (52) bats for the Chicago White Sox 12 years after his retirement as a player; he goes hitless
Chicago White Sox Minnie Miñoso (52) singles off California Angels Sid Monge in the second inning of a 2–1, 10-inning win for his first MLB hit after 12 years of retirement
2nd Enterprise, approach & lands Test Cricket (ALT) flight (5m28s)
Ntozake Shange's play "For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide / When the Rainbow Is Enuf" premieres in NYC
The ordination of women to ministerial or priestly office is an increasingly common practice among some contemporary major religious groups.
The Erasmus Prize is an annual prize awarded by the board of the Praemium Erasmianum Foundation to individuals or institutions that have made exceptional contributions to culture, society, or social...
Frank Robinson (August 31, 1935 – February 7, 2019), nicknamed "the Judge", was an American professional baseball outfielder and manager in Major League Baseball (MLB) who played for five teams over...
New York concert promoter Sid Bernstein offers $230 million to charity for a Beatles reunion; they politely decline
Captain & Tennille were an American recording duo whose primary success occurred in the 1970s. The husband-and-wife team were "Captain" Daryl Dragon (1942–2019) and Toni Tennille.
Red Dye No. 4 is banned by the US Food and Drug Administration after it is discovered that it causes tumors in the bladders of dogs
Preston Jones's "Texas Trilogy" play premieres in New York City
China performs a nuclear test at Lop Nor, China
TV drama "Dawn: Portrait of a Teenage Runaway," starring Eve Plumb, premieres on US network NBC
"Alice", television adaptation of the film "Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore", starring Linda Lavin, debuts on CBS-TV
Boy George is expelled from school
First state-owned Dutch casino opens in Zandvoort
Future Baseball Hall of Fame right fielder Hank Aaron singles in his last MLB at-bat and drives in his 2,297th run as the Milwaukee Brewers lose 5-2 to the Detroit Tigers
The InterCity 125 (originally Inter-City 125) or High Speed Train (HST) is a diesel-powered high-speed passenger train built by British Rail Engineering Limited between 1975 and 1982.
MLB expansion draft: Seattle Mariners and Toronto Blue Jays pick 30 unprotected AL players; Ruppert Jones OF (Seattle) and Bob Bailor OF (Toronto) are first picks
Cubana Flight 455 crashes into the Atlantic Ocean after two bombs placed by terrorists with connections to the CIA explode onboard shortly after taking off from Bridgetown, Barbados, killing all 73 people on board
Mohammad Javed Miandad, PP, SI, popularly known as Javed Miandad, is a Pakistani cricket coach, commentator and former cricketer known for his unconventional style of captaincy and batting.
A Bolivian Boeing 707 cargo jet crashes in Santa Cruz, Bolivia killing 100 (97, mostly children, killed on the ground)
The New York Yankees are an American professional baseball team based in the New York City borough of the Bronx.
Sir Richard Starkey, known as Ringo Starr, is an English musician, singer, songwriter and actor who achieved international fame as the drummer for the Beatles.
Soyuz 23 returns to Earth
China performs nuclear test at Lop Nor, China
The Lebanese Civil War was a multifaceted armed conflict that took place from 1975 to 1990.
George Prince ferry disaster: 70 die when Norwegian tanker SS Frosta collides with the George Prince ferry on the Mississippi River in Louisiana
The 1976 Nobel Prize in Literature was awarded to Canadian-American novelist Saul Bellow (1915–2005) "for the human understanding and subtle analysis of contemporary culture that are combined in his...
Rick Barry (San Francisco), begins then longest NBA free throw streak of 60
5th Enterprise, approach & lands test (ALT) flight
Transkei gains independence, not recognized outside of South Africa
The New York Yankees are an American professional baseball team based in the New York City borough of the Bronx.
Margaret Jane Pauley is an American television host and author, active in news reporting since 1972.
The Gilbert and Ellice Islands (GEIC as a colony) in the Pacific Ocean was part of the British Empire from 1892 to 1976.
The Toronto Blue Jays are a Canadian professional baseball team based in Toronto. The Blue Jays compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East Division.
Benjamin Lawson Hooks (January 31, 1925 – April 15, 2010) was an American civil rights leader and government official.
A series of earthquakes spreads panic in the Greek city of Thessaloniki, which is evacuated
Alfred Manuel "Billy" Martin Jr. (May 16, 1928 – December 25, 1989) was an American Major League Baseball (MLB) second baseman and manager, who, in addition to leading other teams, was five times the...
Capital punishment is a legal penalty in the U.S. state of Utah. Utah was the first state to resume executions after the 1972–1976 national moratorium on capital punishment ended with Gregg v.
Beirut is the capital and largest city of Lebanon. As of 2025 Greater Beirut has a population of 2.4 million, just under half of Lebanon's population, which makes it the twelfth-largest city in the...
The Parti Québécois ([paʁti kebekwa], PQ; lit. 'Québécois Party') is a sovereignist and social democratic provincial political party in Quebec, Canada.
China performs nuclear test at Lop Nor, PRC
Donald Edward Gullett (January 6, 1951 – February 14, 2024) was an American professional baseball player and coach. He played in Major League Baseball as a left-handed pitcher from 1970 through 1978.
George Harrison appears on "Saturday Night Live": haggling with Lorne Michaels; performing "Here Comes the Sun" and "Homeward Bound" with Paul Simon; and airing two music videos
Algeria, officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of North Africa.
Apneist Jacques Mayol is the first man to reach a depth of 100 m undersea without breathing equipment
The Atlanta Hawks are an American professional basketball team based in Atlanta. The Hawks compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Southeast Division of the Eastern...
NYPD officer Robert Torsney shoots unarmed youth Randolph Evans while answering response at youth's Brooklyn home
Orenthal James Simpson (July 9, 1947 – April 10, 2024), also known by his nickname "the Juice", was an American professional football player, actor, and media personality who played in the National...
Reginald Martinez Jackson is an American former professional baseball right fielder who played 21 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Kansas City / Oakland Athletics, Baltimore Orioles,...
The 1976 Pittsburgh Panthers football team represented the University of Pittsburgh in the 1976 NCAA Division I football season and is recognized as a consensus national champion.
Angola, officially the Republic of Angola, is a country on the western coast of Southern Africa.
Patrick John Hillery (Irish: Pádraig J. Ó hIrghile; 2 May 1923 – 12 April 2008) was an Irish Fianna Fáil politician who served as the president of Ireland from December 1976 to December 1990.
Asylum Records releases The Eagles fifth studio album "Hotel California"; it spawns two #1 singles and sells over 30 million copies
Quarterback Joe Namath plays his last game with the NY Jets
Golden Gate Bridge District starts ferry service to Larkspur
Dutch 1st Chamber condemns Dutch Liberal/social dem abortion laws
Jamaica premier Manley wins elections
Andrew Young named Ambassador & Chief US Delegate to UN
Charlie Finley's $10 million damages suit against Bowie Kuhn begins
Grand Central Terminal (GCT; also referred to as Grand Central Station or simply as Grand Central) is a commuter rail terminal at 42nd Street and Park Avenue in Midtown Manhattan, New York City.
Wonder Woman, known for seasons 2 and 3 as The New Adventures of Wonder Woman, is an American superhero television series based on the DC Comics comic book superhero of the same name.
A cricket team from England, organised by the Marylebone Cricket Club, toured India and Sri Lanka in the 1976-77 cricket season.
20th Islander shut-out opponent-Billy Smith 3-0 vs Bruins
35 Unification church couples wed in NYC
Egyptian SS Patria sinks in Red Sea, about 100 killed
The Communist Party of Nepal (Marxist-Leninist) is founded
Albania is a secular and religiously diverse country with no official religion. The constitution guarantees freedom of religion, belief and conscience.
USSR performs nuclear test at the Semipalatinsk Test Site in northeast Kazakhstan
The Cars played their 1st gig
Chai Jing, Chinese journalist and environmental activist, known for chinese journalist and environmental activist, was born on 1976-01-01. Chai Jing is a Chinese journalist.
Emma Bunton, English musician, known for british singer, was born on 1976-01-21. Emma Lee Bunton is an English singer, actress, and media personality.
Chen Kun is born
Charlie Day, American actor and producer, known for american actor and producer, was born on 1976-02-09. Charles Peckham Day is an American actor, writer, and producer.
Cliff Bleszinski is born
Drew Barrymore, American actress, known for american actress, was born on 1976-02-22. Drew Blythe Barrymore is an American actress, producer, talk show host, and businesswoman.
Robert Lopez, American musician, known for american songwriter of musicals, was born on 1976-02-23.
Eva Longoria, American actress and producer, known for american actress and producer, was born on 1976-03-15.
will.i.am musician, known for american rapper, was born on 1976-03-15. William James Adams Jr., known professionally as will.i.am (pronounced "will I am"), is an American rapper, singer, record…
Fergie, American musician, known for american singer and songwriter, was born on 1976-03-27. Stacy Ann "Fergie" Ferguson is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and businesswoman.
Pedro Pascal, American chilean and american actor, known for chilean and american actor, was born on 1976-04-02. José Pedro Balmaceda Pascal is a Chilean and American actor.
Juicy J, American musician, known for american rapper, was born on 1976-04-05. Jordan Michael Houston III, known professionally as Juicy J, is an American rapper and record producer.
Zach Braff, American actor and filmmaker, known for american actor and filmmaker, was born on 1976-04-06. Zachary Israel Braff is an American actor and filmmaker.
Jonathan Brandis, American actor, known for american actor, was born on 1976-04-13. Jonathan Gregory Brandis (April 13, 1976 – November 12, 2003) was an American actor.
Lou Bega, German musician, known for german singer, was born on 1976-04-13. David Lubega Balemezi, known professionally as Lou Bega, is a German singer. His 1999 song "Mambo No.
Johnny Galecki, American actor, known for american actor, was born on 1976-04-30. John Mark Galecki is an American actor.
David Beckham, English athlete, known for english footballer, was born on 1976-05-02.
Jodhi May, English actress, known for british actress, was born on 1976-05-08. Jodhi May is an English actress.
Enrique Iglesias, Spanish musician, known for spanish singer, was born on 1976-05-08. Enrique Miguel Iglesias Preysler is a Spanish singer and songwriter.
Ray Lewis athlete, known for american football player, was born on 1976-05-15. Raymond Anthony Lewis Jr.
Lauryn Hill, American musician, known for american rapper, was born on 1976-05-26. Lauryn Noelle Hill is an American singer, rapper, songwriter, and record producer.
Melanie Brown, English singer and tv personality, known for british singer and tv personality, was born on 1976-05-29.
Angelina Jolie, American actress, known for american actress, was born on 1976-06-04. Angelina Jolie is an American actress, filmmaker, and humanitarian.
Russell Brand, English comedian, actor, and podcaster, known for english comedian, actor, and podcaster, was born on 1976-06-04.
Tobey Maguire, American actor, known for american actor, was born on 1976-06-27. Tobias Vincent Maguire is an American actor and film producer.
Ralf Schumacher, German athlete, known for german racing driver, was born on 1976-06-30.
50 Cent, American rapper and actor, known for american rapper and actor, was born on 1976-07-06.
Liz Truss is born
Alex Rodriguez, American athlete, known for american baseball player, was born on 1976-07-27.
Charlize Theron, South African african and american actress, known for south african and american actress, was born on 1976-08-07.
Casey Affleck, American actor, known for american actor, was born on 1976-08-12. Casey Affleck is an American actor.
Taika Waititi, New Zealand zealand filmmaker and actor, known for new zealand filmmaker and actor, was born on 1976-08-16.
Cory Barlog is born
Mark Ronson, American musician, known for british-american musician, was born on 1976-09-04. Mark Daniel Ronson is a British and American musician, record producer, songwriter, and DJ.
Michael Bublé, Canadian singer, known for canadian singer, was born on 1976-09-09. Michael Steven Bublé is a Canadian singer and songwriter.
Dan O'Toole, Canadian athlete, known for canadian tv sports anchor, was born on 1976-09-10. Daniel Gerard O'Toole is a former Canadian television sports anchor who was last employed by TSN.
Marion Cotillard, French actress, known for french actress, was born on 1976-09-30. Marion Cotillard is a French actress who has appeared in both European and Hollywood productions.
Kate Winslet, English actress, known for english actress, was born on 1976-10-05. Kate Elizabeth Winslet is an English actress.
Marion Jones, American athlete, known for american athlete, was born on 1976-10-12.
Marcus Luttrell u.s. navy seal and author, known for u.s. navy seal and author, was born on 1976-11-07.
Travis Barker, American musician, known for american drummer, was born on 1976-11-14.
David Ortiz, American athlete, known for dominican-american baseball player, was born on 1976-11-18.
DJ Khaled, American musician, known for american dj and record producer, was born on 1976-11-26. Khaled Mohammed Khaled, is an American DJ and record producer.
Ronnie O'Sullivan, English athlete, known for english snooker player, was born on 1976-12-05. Ronald Antonio O'Sullivan is an English professional snooker player.
Milla Jovovich, American actress, known for american actress, was born on 1976-12-17.
Brandon Sanderson, American fiction writer, known for american fiction writer, was born on 1976-12-19.
Tiger Woods, American athlete, known for american professional golfer, was born on 1976-12-30. Eldrick Tont "Tiger" Woods is an American professional golfer.
Zhou Enlai dies
Agatha Christie, English mystery and detective writer, known for english mystery and detective writer, died on 1976-01-12.
Werner Heisenberg, German theoretical physicist, known for german theoretical physicist, died on 1976-02-01.
Bernard Montgomery, British army officer, known for british army officer, died on 1976-03-24.
Johnny Mercer, American lyricist, songwriter, singer, known for american lyricist, songwriter, singer, died on 1976-06-25.
Mao Zedong dies
André Malraux, French novelist, art theorist, and statesman, known for french novelist, art theorist, and statesman, died on 1976-11-23.