Year 1977 in History

Belgium undergoes a major municipal reorganization and reapportions 2,359 communities into 596

Steve Wozniak and Steve Jobs incorporate Apple Computer, Inc.

Apple Inc., originally Apple Computer, Inc., is an American multinational corporation that creates and markets consumer electronics and attendant computer software, and is a digital distributor of…

American film director Martin Scorsese (34) divorces Julia Cameron (28) after 1 year of marriage

Megalopolis is a 2024 American epic science fiction drama film written, directed, and produced by Francis Ford Coppola.

Miniseries "Roots" premieres on ABC

"Rumours" 11th studio album by Fleetwood Mac is released (Grammy Album of the Year)

Rumours is the eleventh studio album by the British and American rock band Fleetwood Mac, released on 4 February 1977, by Warner Bros. Records.

American world No. 1 tennis player Arthur Ashe (33) weds Indo-Guadeloupean-African-American photographer Jeanne Moutouss

American world No. 1 tennis player Arthur Ashe (33) weds Indo-Guadeloupean-African-American photographer Jeanne Moutoussamy at the Church Center for the United Nations in New York City in ceremony officiated by US Ambassador to the UN Andrew Young

die in aviation's worst ever disaster when two Boeing 747s collide at Tenerife airport in Spain

Fleetwood Mac's "Rumours" album goes to No. 1 and stays atop the charts for 31 weeks

"Annie Hall", film written and directed by Woody Allen, starring Woody Allen and Diane Keaton, is released; wins Academy

"Annie Hall", film written and directed by Woody Allen, starring Woody Allen and Diane Keaton, is released; wins Academy Award for Best Picture in 1978

Andreas Baader and members of the terrorist group Red Army Faction (Baader-Meinhof Gang) are jailed for life after a tri

Andreas Baader and members of the terrorist group Red Army Faction (Baader-Meinhof Gang) are jailed for life after a trial lasting nearly two years in Stuttgart, Germany

Original "Star Wars" movie (Episode IV – A New Hope), directed by George Lucas and starring Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher a

Original "Star Wars" movie (Episode IV – A New Hope), directed by George Lucas and starring Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher and Harrison Ford, premieres

The Sex Pistols release "God Save the Queen," sparking major controversy and leading to a ban on the song by the BBC

The Sex Pistols are an English punk rock band formed in London in 1975. Although their initial career lasted just two and a half years, they became culturally influential in popular music.

Former Beatle George Harrison (33) and British model Pattie Boyd (32) divorce after 11 years of marriage

Patricia Anne Boyd is an English model and photographer. She was one of the leading international models during the 1960s and, with Jean Shrimpton, epitomised the British female look of the era.

Apple Computer ships its first Apple II computers

Apple II (stylized as apple ][) is a series of microcomputers manufactured by Apple Computer, Inc. from 1977 to 1993.

American golfer Al Geiberger becomes the first player in history to post a sub-60 score, 59 (−13), in a PGA Tour-sanctio

American golfer Al Geiberger becomes the first player in history to post a sub-60 score, 59 (−13), in a PGA Tour-sanctioned event during the second round of the Danny Thomas Memphis Classic at Colonial CC in Tennessee

Walt Disney's animated film "The Rescuers" is released, first Disney film to get a sequel

The Rescuers is a 1977 American animated adventure comedy-drama film produced by Walt Disney Productions and released by Buena Vista Distribution.

Legendary England cricket all-rounder Ian Botham on debut takes 5 for 74 in the Australian first innings in a seven-wick

Legendary England cricket all-rounder Ian Botham on debut takes 5 for 74 in the Australian first innings in a seven-wicket third Test win at Trent Bridge

Hamida Djandoubi, convicted of torture and murder, is the last person to be executed by guillotine in France

Hamida Djandoubi was a Tunisian criminal who was executed by guillotine in France after having been convicted of the kidnapping, torture and murder of Élisabeth Bousquet, a 21-year-old woman whom he...

Debby Boone's single "You Light Up My Life" goes #1 and stays #1 for ten weeks

Paleontologist Elso Barghoorn announces the discovery of a 3.4 billion-year-old single-celled fossil, one of the earlies

Paleontologist Elso Barghoorn announces the discovery of a 3.4 billion-year-old single-celled fossil, one of the earliest life forms on Earth

Last natural case of smallpox is discovered in Merca District, Somalia, and is considered the anniversary of the eradica

Last natural case of smallpox is discovered in Merca District, Somalia, and is considered the anniversary of the eradication of smallpox, the most spectacular success of vaccination

"The Police Tapes" premiere on New York City TV station WNET, based somewhat on 1960s NYPD officers who worked in its So

"The Police Tapes" premiere on New York City TV station WNET, based somewhat on 1960s NYPD officers who worked in its South Bronx

Mary Shane hired by Chicago White Sox as 1st woman TV play-by-play announcer

Mary Shane (May 17, 1945 – November 1, 1987) was the first full-time female play by play broadcaster for a Major League Baseball team in 1977. She was born Mary Driscoll in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the...

Charter 77, a document criticising the Czech government's human rights abuses, is published in Prague

20th hat trick in Islander history - Bobby Nystrom

France releases Abu Daoud, a Palestinian suspected of involvement in massacre of Israeli athletes at 1972 Munich Olympic

France releases Abu Daoud, a Palestinian suspected of involvement in massacre of Israeli athletes at 1972 Munich Olympics

Anti-French demonstrations takes place in Israel after Paris released Abu Daoud, responsible 1972 Munich massacre of Isr

Anti-French demonstrations takes place in Israel after Paris released Abu Daoud, responsible 1972 Munich massacre of Israeli athletes

"Fantasy Island" starring Ricardo Montalbán and Hervé Villechaize premieres on ABC TV

Fantasy Island is an American fantasy drama television series created by Gene Levitt. It aired on ABC from 1977 to 1984. The series starred Ricardo Montalbán as the mysterious Mr.

Coneheads debut on "Saturday Night Live"

Saturday Night Live (SNL) is an American late-night live sketch comedy variety show created by Lorne Michaels and developed by Michaels and Dick Ebersol that airs on NBC.

Cap's H Monahan scored on 2nd penalty shot against Islanders

Gary Gilmore is executed by firing squad in the Utah state prison, convicted of murder

Gary Mark Gilmore was an American criminal who gained international attention for demanding the implementation of his death sentence for two murders he had admitted to committing in Utah.

Australia's worst rail disaster occurs in Sydney, killing 83 people

Ernie Banks elected to Baseball Hall of Fame

Ernest Banks (January 31, 1931 – January 23, 2015), nicknamed "Mr. Cub" and "Mr. Sunshine", was an American professional baseball player who starred in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a shortstop and...

$1.5-million Serge Lepage dress exhibited, Paris

Massacre of Atocha in Madrid: Five labor lawyers murdered by fascists in Madrid during the Spanish transition to democra

Massacre of Atocha in Madrid: Five labor lawyers murdered by fascists in Madrid during the Spanish transition to democracy

Soviet figure skaters Sergei Shakrai & Marine Tcherkasova are 1st to perform a quadruple twist lift in Helsinki

Frenchman Francois Claustre freed, after 33 months as hostage in Chad

Blizzard in upstate New York and Southern Ontario claims 23 lives

Soviet Salyut 4 Space Station re-enters Earth's atmosphere

Salyut 4 (DOS 4) was a Salyut space station launched on December 26, 1974 into an orbit with an apogee of 355 km, a perigee of 343 km and an orbital inclination of 51.6 degrees.

Martin Dihigo and John "Pop" Lloyd are elected to Baseball Hall of Fame

The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown, New York, honors individuals who have excelled in playing, managing, and serving the sport, and is the central point for the study of the...

4th time New York Rangers shut-out New York Islanders, 4-0

The New York Islanders (colloquially known as the Isles) are a professional ice hockey team based in Elmont, New York.

Soyuz 24 launches with 2 cosmonauts

Soyuz 24 was a February, 1977, Soviet mission to the Salyut 5 space station, the third and final mission to the station, the last purely military crew for the Soviets and the final mission to a...

Earthquake in San Francisco, at 5.0, strongest since 1966

Bomb explosion in Moscow metro

A series of three terrorist bombings in Moscow on 8 January 1977 killed seven people and seriously injured 37 others.

20.2-kg lobster caught off Nova Scotia (heaviest known crustacean)

Festac '77, the Second World Black and African Festival of Arts and Culture, finishes in Lagos, Nigeria

Social-democrats win Danish parliamentary election

General elections were held in the Kingdom of Denmark on 1 November 2022, except in the Faroe Islands, where they were held on 31 October as 1 November was a national day of mourning for victims at...

USSR performs nuclear test at Sary Shagan

American rock band KISS play their first concert in their hometown venue of Madison Square Garden in New York City

19th Grammy Awards: "This Masquerade" by George Benson, and Starland Vocal Band win

The 19th Annual Grammy Awards were held on February 19, 1977, and were broadcast live on American television (CBS). It was the seventh and final year Andy Williams hosted the telecast.

Bank of America adopts the name VISA for its credit cards

The Bank of America Corporation (Bank of America; often abbreviated BAC or BofA) is an American multinational investment bank and financial services holding company headquartered at the Bank of...

Ice Pairs Champs at Tokyo won by Irina Rodnina/Alexandr Zaitsev (URS)

1st CRAY 1 supercomputer shipped, to Los Alamos Laboratories, New Mexico

Ali Bhutto's Pakistan People's Party wins elections

The Pakistan People's Party (PPP) is a Pakistani political party with a centre-left political position and a democratic socialist ideology.

Henry L Marsh III elected mayor of Richmond, Virginia

Henry Leander Marsh III (December 10, 1933 – January 23, 2025) was an American civil rights lawyer and politician.

Adm Stansfield Turner, USN (Ret), becomes 12th director of CIA replacing acting director Knoche

CBS' premiere of "A Circle of Children", starring Jane Alexander and based on the life and book about this by Mary Mac C

CBS' premiere of "A Circle of Children", starring Jane Alexander and based on the life and book about this by Mary Mac Cracken

Hanafi Muslims hold 130 hostages in Washington, D.C.

"Eight is Enough" premieres on ABC-TV

Australia wins cricket Centenary Test by 45 runs, same result as 1877

The Centenary Tests were two matches of Test cricket played between the English cricket team and the Australian cricket team, the first in 1977 and the second in 1980.

The Clash release their first recording "White Riot"

"White Riot" is a song by the English punk rock band the Clash, released as the band's first single in March 1977 and also included on their self-titled debut album.

France performs nuclear test at Mururoa Atoll

Communists and socialists win French municipal elections

Dutch coalition government under Labour Party (PvdA) leader Joop den Uyl falls

AIAW Women's Basketball Tournament, Delta State beat Louisiana State University 68-55 in Minneapolis

Michael Cristofer's play "Shadow Box" premieres in NYC (Tony award for Best Play 1977)

Attempt for Muslim state in Chad fails

Boston Bruin Jean Ratelle scores his 1,000th NHL point

Polish composer Henryk Górecki's Symphony No. 3 ("Symphony of Sorrowful Songs") premieres at the Royan International Fes

Polish composer Henryk Górecki's Symphony No. 3 ("Symphony of Sorrowful Songs") premieres at the Royan International Festival in France, led by Ernest Bour with soprano soloist Stefania Woytowicz; initial response was tepid, but a 1991 recording tops US classical charts for 38 weeks, selling over a

US performs nuclear test at Nevada Test Site

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...

Judge rules Beatles 1962 Hamburg album can be released

Consumer Product Safety Commission bans "TRIS" flame-retardant

Communist party in Spain allowed legally after 40 years

The Communist Party of the Soviet Union (CPSU), at some points known as the Russian Communist Party (Bolsheviks) and the All-Union Communist Party (Bolsheviks), and sometimes referred to as the...

Cleveland Indians set club record for longest, 9 inn game (3:17)

US Supreme Court says people may refuse to display state motto on license

1st baseball game at Montreal's Olympic Stadium

Christian-democrats win Belgium parliamentary election

ADO Den Haag soccer team forms in The Hague, Netherlands

Alles Door Oefening Den Haag, commonly known by the abbreviated name ADO Den Haag, is a Dutch association football club from the city of The Hague.

Cincinnati Reds tie record of 12 runs in 5th inning beating Braves 23-9

Opening of Studio 54 in New York, N.Y.

Studio 54 is a Broadway theater and former nightclub at 254 West 54th Street in the Midtown Manhattan neighborhood of New York City, New York, U.S.

Bloody riots in Soweto, South Africa

The Soweto uprising, also known as the Soweto riots or the Soweto rebellion, was a series of demonstrations and protests led by black school children in South Africa during apartheid that began on...

American defense employee Christopher John Boyce convicted for selling secrets to the Soviet Union

Christopher John Boyce is a former American defense industry employee who was convicted of spying for the Soviet Union in 1977. Boyce was raised in Southern California and began working for aerospace...

British Aerospace forms

British Aerospace plc (BAe) was a British aircraft, munitions and defence-systems manufacturer that was formed in 1977.

36 people are killed in Taksim Square, Istanbul, during the Labour Day celebrations.

Taksim Square, situated in Beyoğlu in the European part of Istanbul, Turkey, is a major tourist and leisure district famed for its restaurants, shops, and hotels.

NFL Draft: Ricky Bell from USC first pick by Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers (colloquially known as the Bucs) are a professional American football team based in Tampa, Florida.

US Catholic bishops rescind automatic excommunications for divorced and remarried Catholics (receiving communion still o

US Catholic bishops rescind automatic excommunications for divorced and remarried Catholics (receiving communion still outlawed if the previous marriages were not annulled by Church tribunals)

Parlophone releases live album "The Beatles at the Hollywood Bowl" in UK; recorded during 1964 and 1965 tours, sound qua

Parlophone releases live album "The Beatles at the Hollywood Bowl" in UK; recorded during 1964 and 1965 tours, sound quality was of sub-par quality, but released to combat bootleg versions

Hotel Poland in Amsterdam destroyed by fire, 33 killed

The Hotel Polen fire occurred on 9 May 1977 in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. The conflagration destroyed the Hotel Polen (Hotel Poland), a five-story hotel in the centre of the city which had been...

English football international Bobby Moore retires

Robert Frederick Chelsea Moore (12 April 1941 – 24 February 1993) was an English professional footballer.

5 die as NY Airway helicopter topples on Pan Am building in NYC

The MetLife Building (also 200 Park Avenue and formerly the Pan Am Building) is a skyscraper at Park Avenue and 45th Street, north of Grand Central Terminal, in the Midtown Manhattan neighborhood of...

Long-distance train service the Orient Express departs Paris on its last trip to Istanbul (began 1883)

The Orient Express was a long-distance passenger luxury train service created in 1883 by the Belgian company Compagnie Internationale des Wagons-Lits (CIWL) that operated until 2009.

Electric Light Orchestra releases "Telephone Line" in the UK; it would peak in the Top 10 in the UK and US

"Telephone Line" is a song by English rock band Electric Light Orchestra (ELO). It was released in May 1977 through Jet Records and United Artists Records as part of the album A New World Record.

Benin adopts its constitution

USSR President Podgorny resigns

"Beatles Live! At Star-Club in Hamburg Germany" released

George Willig climbs the South Tower of NYC's World Trade Center, famously fined 1 cent for each of 110 stories he climb

George Willig climbs the South Tower of NYC's World Trade Center, famously fined 1 cent for each of 110 stories he climbed

30th Cannes Film Festival: "Padre Padrone" directed by Paolo and Vittorio Taviani wins the Palme d'Or

Beverly Hills Supper Club fire in Southgate, Kentucky kills 168

Australian Sue Prell first female golfer to hit consecutive holes-in one; 13th and 14th holes at Chatswood Golf Club, Sy

Australian Sue Prell first female golfer to hit consecutive holes-in one; 13th and 14th holes at Chatswood Golf Club, Sydney

Cleveland Indian Dennis Eckersley no-hits California Angels, 2-0

Dennis Lee Eckersley, nicknamed "Eck", is an American former professional baseball pitcher and color commentator.

Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani becomes heir apparent to throne of Qatar

Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani is a member of Qatar's royal family, the House of Thani.

British Virgin Islands adopts constitution

The British Virgin Islands (BVI), officially the Virgin Islands, are a British Overseas Territory in the Caribbean, to the east of Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands and north-west of Anguilla.

New Jersey allows casino gambling in Atlantic City

Atlantic City, sometimes referred to by its initials A.C., is a Jersey Shore seaside resort city in Atlantic County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey.

Baltimore Orioles pull their 6th triple play (9-6-4-6-6 vs KC Royals)

An estimated 20,000 Scottish football fans invade the Wembley Stadium pitch after Scotland beats England, 2-1; goalposts

An estimated 20,000 Scottish football fans invade the Wembley Stadium pitch after Scotland beats England, 2-1; goalposts and advertising hoardings destroyed

31st Tony Awards: "The Shadow Box" (play) & "Annie" (musical) win

The 31st Annual Tony Awards was broadcast by ABC television on June 5, 1977, from the Shubert Theatre in New York City.

Doobie Brothers sponsor a Golf Classic & Concert at Calabasas Park Country Club & Century Plaza Hotel in Los Angeles to

Doobie Brothers sponsor a Golf Classic & Concert at Calabasas Park Country Club & Century Plaza Hotel in Los Angeles to benefit the United Way

American singer and orange juice spokeswoman Anita Bryant leads successful crusade against gay rights law in Miami, Flor

American singer and orange juice spokeswoman Anita Bryant leads successful crusade against gay rights law in Miami, Florida

50th National Spelling Bee: John Paola wins spelling cambist

The 50th Scripps National Spelling Bee was held in Washington, D.C. at the Mayflower Hotel on June 8–9, 1977 sponsored by the E.W. Scripps Company.

"I'm Your Boogie Man" by KC and the Sunshine Band peaks at #1

"I'm Your Boogie Man" is a song written and produced by Harry Wayne Casey and Richard Finch, and performed by Casey's band KC and the Sunshine Band, from their fourth album Part 3 (1976).

Spain holds its first free elections since 1936 (41 years)

"Beatlemania" opens on Broadway

Beatlemania was a Broadway musical revue focused on the music of the Beatles as it related to the events and changing attitudes of the tumultuous 1960s.

Ron Guidry's 1st complete game, 7-0 over KC Royals

Billy Martin and Reggie Jackson get into a dugout altercation

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...

Sex Pistols' Johnny Rotten and Paul Cook are beaten by a group of rabble-rousers outside a London pub

MLB Boston Red Sox set 3-game record of 16 home runs, all against New York Yankees

The history of the New York Yankees Major League Baseball (MLB) team spans more than a century. Frank J.

Former US Attorney General John Mitchell starts 19 months in Alabama prison for perjury regarding his involvement the Wa

Former US Attorney General John Mitchell starts 19 months in Alabama prison for perjury regarding his involvement the Watergate Scandal

Violence erupts in Soweto, South Africa, again and the police make at least 146 arrests

Roy C. Sullivan of Virginia is struck by lightning for 7th time!

42 die in a fire caused by an inmate at Maury County Jail in Columbia, Tennessee

5-4 Supreme Court decision allows lawyers to advertise

Billy Hunter becomes Rangers' 4th manager in 6 days

East German sprinter Marlies Göhr sets world record for 100m (10.88) in Dresden, Germany

The Senegalese Republican Movement (MRS) is founded

Senegalese Republican Movement (in French: Mouvement Republicain Sénégalais) was a political party in Senegal, founded on July 3, 1977.

Nigel Harrison replaces Gary Valentine as bassist of Blondie

Pakistani army, led by General Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq, seizes power

France performs nuclear test at Mururoa Atoll

Sabra Starr finishes longest recorded belly dance (100 hrs)

John Edrich scores his 100th century for Surrey against Derbyshire at The Oval

John Hugh Edrich, (21 June 1937 – 23 December 2020) was an English first-class cricketer who, during a career that ran from 1956 to 1978, was considered one of the best batsmen of his generation.

NYC experiences a 25-hour blackout

North Korea shoots down US helicopter, killing three

The following is a list of border incidents involving North and South Korea since the Korean Armistice Agreement of July 27, 1953, ended large scale military action of the Korean War.

Hugh Leonard's "Da" premieres in London

Hugh Leonard (9 November 1926 – 12 February 2009) was an Irish playwright and author.

Floods in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, kill 76

The Johnstown flood of 1977 was a major flood which began on the night of July 19, 1977, when heavy rainfall caused widespread flash flooding in Cambria County, Pennsylvania, United States, including...

Flash flood hits Johnstown, Pennsylvania, kills 80 and causes $350 million damage

Libyan-Egyptian border fights

Washington jury convicts 12 Hanafi Muslims on hostage charges

The Committee of Ten, formed by prominent Soweto residents, issues a program for the election of a new community board t

The Committee of Ten, formed by prominent Soweto residents, issues a program for the election of a new community board to have total autonomy in Soweto, South Africa

First oil through the Trans-Alaska Pipeline System reaches Valdez, Alaska

Valdez (Alutiiq: Suacit) is a city in the Chugach Census Area in the U.S. state of Alaska. In 2020, the population of Valdez was 3,985, up slightly from 3,976 in 2010.

E. Henry Knoche ends his term as deputy director of the CIA

Enno Henry Knoche (January 14, 1925 – July 9, 2010), known colloquially as 'Hank,' was an American intelligence officer who served as deputy director of the Central Intelligence Agency and acting...

In his comeback Test, England cricket batsman Geoff Boycott is unbeaten on 80 after a first innings 107 as England beats

In his comeback Test, England cricket batsman Geoff Boycott is unbeaten on 80 after a first innings 107 as England beats Australia by seven wickets in the third Test at Trent Bridge

Radio Shack introduces the TRS-80 personal computer, and within weeks, thousands are ordered

The TRS-80 Micro Computer System (TRS-80, colloquially known as the "Trash-80", later renamed the TRS-80 Model I to distinguish it from its successors) is a desktop microcomputer developed by...

US performs a nuclear test at the Nevada Test Site

Mount Usu volcano in Hokkaido, Japan erupts for the first time in over 30 years

Maurine Stuart is ordained as a Zen priest by Eido Tai Shimano Roshi

Maurine Stuart (3 March 1922 – 26 February 1990), a.k.a. Ma Roshi or Mother Roshi, was a Canadian Rinzai Zen rōshi who was one of the first female Zen masters to teach in the United States.

Chris Old completes a century in 37 minutes, Yorkshire vs. Warwickshire

Chris Old is a former English cricketer, who played 46 Tests and 32 ODIs from 1972 to 1981.

About 100 white sympathizers join evicted black squatters in a protest against the demolition of shanty dwellings outsid

About 100 white sympathizers join evicted black squatters in a protest against the demolition of shanty dwellings outside Cape Town, South Africa

Geoff Boycott scores his 100th first-class century against Australia at Headingley

For the second consecutive day, Oakland's Manny Sanguillen foils a no-hit bid

Canadian guitarist Randy Bachman quits the band Bachman-Turner Overdrive, and they then disband

Bachman–Turner Overdrive, often abbreviated as BTO, is a Canadian rock band formed in Winnipeg, Manitoba, in 1971 under it’s original name “Brave Belt” by brothers Randy Bachman, Robbie Bachman, and...

77,691 people see NY Cosmos beat Fort Lauderdale Strikers 8-3 at Giants Stadium

A possible alien radio signal from deep space, later dubbed the "Wow!" signal, is received at Big Ear, Ohio State's radi

A possible alien radio signal from deep space, later dubbed the "Wow!" signal, is received at Big Ear, Ohio State's radio telescope in Delaware

US performs a nuclear test at Nevada Test Site

Russian nuclear-powered icebreaker "Arktika" is the first surface ship to reach the North Pole

Arktika is a retired nuclear-powered icebreaker of the Soviet (now Russian) Arktika class.

USSR performs a nuclear test at Sary Shagan, USSR

American water skier Donna Patterson Brice sets women's high speed record 111.11 mph at Long Beach, California

First human-powered flight over a mile by Bryan Allen in the Gossamer Condor, designed by Paul MacCready, wins the first

First human-powered flight over a mile by Bryan Allen in the Gossamer Condor, designed by Paul MacCready, wins the first Kremer Prize

Frank Martinus Arion forms the Surinamese Writers Group '77

Ian Dury releases the single "Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll"

"Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll" is a song and single by the English singer Ian Dury. It was originally released as a Stiff Records single on 26 August 1977.

Army shoots at market vendor women in Conakry, Guinea

MLB California Angels pitcher Nolan Ryan strikes out 300 batters for the fifth consecutive year

Lynn Nolan Ryan Jr., nicknamed "the Ryan Express", is an American former professional baseball pitcher and sports executive.

NY Yankee Ron Guidry faces just 28 batters in 1-0 win over Texas Rangers

Aleksandr Fedotov sets an aircraft altitude record of 37,650 meters (123,523 feet)

USSR performs nuclear test at Novaya Zemlya USSR

Japanese baseball superstar Sadaharu Oh hits his 756th career home run to surpass Hank Aaron as the all-time career lead

Japanese baseball superstar Sadaharu Oh hits his 756th career home run to surpass Hank Aaron as the all-time career leader in professional baseball

Cleveland Indians stage first "I Hate the Yankee Hanky Night," inspired by local radio personality Pete Franklin; home t

Cleveland Indians stage first "I Hate the Yankee Hanky Night," inspired by local radio personality Pete Franklin; home team sweeps a doubleheader over New York at Cleveland Municipal Stadium

Angels acquire Dave Kingman from Padres for cash, 9 days later Yankees buy Kingman (started with Mets) who plays in all

Angels acquire Dave Kingman from Padres for cash, 9 days later Yankees buy Kingman (started with Mets) who plays in all 4 divisions in 1977

Ethiopia severs diplomatic relations with Somalia

Interpol passes a resolution regarding video piracy

Tiger rookies Lou Whitaker and Alan Trammell debut together and play together for 19 years

Blue Jays beat Yankees 19-3 with 20 hits

The 1977 New York Yankees season was the 75th season for the Yankees. The team finished with a record of 100–62 and won the World Series.

Anti-apartheid activist Steve Biko dies in police custody from his injuries after being beaten and tortured by police

2nd Test flight of Space Shuttle Enterprise

Christmas Tinto sentenced to 7 years in Robben Island, South Africa

Orioles forfeit to Blue Jays when manager Earl Weaver pulls team off field in the 5th inning, citing hazardous condition

Orioles forfeit to Blue Jays when manager Earl Weaver pulls team off field in the 5th inning, citing hazardous conditions due to a small tarpaulin on the bullpen mound

90-minute pilot of "Logan's Run" premieres on TV

Dave Kingman hits his first Yankee home run, and Reggie hits two more

David Arthur Kingman, nicknamed "Kong", "King Kong", and "Sky King", is an American former Major League Baseball left fielder, first baseman, third baseman, and designated hitter who was a three-time...

Minnesota Twin Bert Blyleven no-hits the California Angels 9-0

Rik Aalbert Blyleven is a Dutch-American former professional baseball pitcher and color commentator.

"I Just Fall in Love Again" single released by The Carpenters

"I Just Fall in Love Again" is a song written by Larry Herbstritt, with co-writers Steve Dorff, Harry Lloyd, and Gloria Sklerov.

First broadcast of "Love Boat" on ABC-TV

The Love Boat is an American romantic comedy-drama television series created by Wilford Lloyd Baumes that originally aired on ABC from September 24, 1977, to May 24, 1986.

British airline entrepreneur Sir Freddie Laker begins cut-rate "Skytrain" service from London to New York

Laker Airways was a private British airline founded by Sir Freddie Laker in 1966. It was originally a charter airline flying passengers and cargo worldwide.

Phillies clinch second consecutive NL East Division title

James Brown's band walks out, claiming they are underpaid and overworked

Apollo program's ALSEP experiment packages left on the Moon are shut down due to US budget cuts

Ian Dury's album "New Boots and Panties!!" is released in the UK and achieves platinum status

The Blockheads are an English rock band formed in London in 1977. Originally fronted by lead singer Ian Dury as Ian Dury and the Blockheads or Ian and the Blockheads, the band has continued to...

Elton John is honored by Madison Square Garden's MSG Hall of Fame

Madison Square Garden, colloquially known as the Garden or by its initials MSG, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in New York City.

Dusty Baker hits his 30th homer of the season against Astros' J.R. Richard; the Dodgers become the first team in MLB his

Dusty Baker hits his 30th homer of the season against Astros' J.R. Richard; the Dodgers become the first team in MLB history to have four players hit 30 or more home runs, joining Steve Garvey (33), Reggie Smith (32), and Ron Cey (30)

D.L. Coburn's "The Gin Game" premieres in New York City

Guitarist Steve Hackett quits the progressive rock band Genesis

Genesis were an English rock band formed at Charterhouse School, in Godalming, Surrey, in 1967.

Largest baseball crowd in Pennsylvania, 64,924, sees Dodgers beat Phillies 4-1 in the 4th NL championship game (Dodgers

Largest baseball crowd in Pennsylvania, 64,924, sees Dodgers beat Phillies 4-1 in the 4th NL championship game (Dodgers win pennant)

Soyuz 25 launches to Salyut 6 but returns after failing to dock

Amnesty International wins the Nobel Peace Prize, recognizing its significant role in human rights activism

"Throwaway Game" Catfish Hunter loses WS 6-1 resting Yank pitchers

American rock band Kiss release their 2nd live album "Alive II"

"Serpentine Fire" single released by Earth, Wind & Fire (Billboard Song of the Year 1978)

"Serpentine Fire" is a single by Earth, Wind & Fire that was issued in October 1977 by Columbia Records.

Canada begins regular live TV coverage of Parliament

Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the second-largest...

New York Yankees defeat the Dodgers to win their 21st World Championship 4-2

The 1977 New York Yankees season was the 75th season for the Yankees. The team finished with a record of 100–62 and won the World Series.

Corpse of kidnapped West German business executive Hanns Martin Schleyer is discovered

David Mamet's "A Life in the Theatre" premieres in New York City

The European Patent Institute is founded

The Institute of Professional Representatives before the European Patent Office, also known as European Patent Institute (epi), is a professional association of European patent attorneys and an...

International Sun-Earth Explorers 1 & 2 launched into Earth orbit

Earth observation satellites are Earth-orbiting spacecraft with sensors used to collect imagery and measurements of the surface of the earth.

Digital Equipment Corporation releases OpenVMS V1.0.

OpenVMS, often referred to as just VMS, is a multi-user, multiprocessing and virtual memory-based operating system.

5th & final test of space shuttle Enterprise

Amsterdam businessman M Caransa kidnapped

Texas' Russell Erideben kicks his third 60-yard field goal of the season

Pan Am 747SP lands after a polar flight around Earth in a record time of 54 hours and 7 minutes

US performs nuclear test at Nevada Test Site

Microbiologist Carl R. Woese and scientists from the University of Illinois announce the identification of methanogens,

Microbiologist Carl R. Woese and scientists from the University of Illinois announce the identification of methanogens, a form of microbial life dating back some 3.5 billion years, which they name Archaea

UN Security council proclaims weapon embargo against South Africa

NCAA passing record set at 571 yards (Marc Wilson, Brigham Young)

39 killed in an earthen dam burst at Toccoa Falls Bible College, Ga

Cincinnati Reds' George Foster wins National League MVP

George Arthur Foster is an American former professional baseball player and scout.

Amsterdam: Red Army Faction terrorists Gert Schneider and Christof Wackernagel arrested

Wings release "Mull of Kintyre" & "Girl's School"

France performs nuclear test at Mururoa Atoll

25th Islander shut-out Resch 6-0 Gilles scores on 5th penalty shot

Bernard Pomerance's "Elephant Man" premieres in London

The Elephant Man is a play by Bernard Pomerance. Originally co-produced by Hampstead Theatre under Artistic Director Michael Rudman and Foco Novo under Roland Rees, the play premiered at Nuffield...

Canuck's Ron Sedlbauer fails on 3rd penalty shot against Islanders

Walter Payton (Bears) rushes for NFL record 275 yards

The 1977 Chicago Bears season was their 58th regular season completed in the National Football League.

"All 'N All" 8th studio album by Earth, Wind & Fire is released (Billboard Album of the Year 1978)

Baltimore Orioles first baseman Eddie Murray wins AL Rookie of Year

Eddie Clarence Murray, nicknamed "Steady Eddie", is an American former Major League Baseball (MLB) first baseman, designated hitter, and coach.

Regular Concorde supersonic jet passenger service between New York City's JFK airport and Europe begins (Air France from

Regular Concorde supersonic jet passenger service between New York City's JFK airport and Europe begins (Air France from Paris; British Airways from London) [1]

European weather satellite Meteosat 1 launched from Cape Canaveral

The Meteosat series of satellites are geostationary meteorological satellites operated by EUMETSAT under the Meteosat Transition Programme (MTP) and the Meteosat Second Generation (MSG) program. The...

France performs nuclear test at Mururoa Atoll

David Steed balanced stationary on a bike for 9 hrs 15 mins

Thomas Hearns KOs Jerome Hill in two rounds in his first professional fight

'Vrillon', claiming to be the representative of the 'Ashtar Galactic Command', takes over Britain's Southern Television

'Vrillon', claiming to be the representative of the 'Ashtar Galactic Command', takes over Britain's Southern Television for six minutes at 5:12 PM.

Neil Simon's play "Chapter Two" opens in NYC

Egypt breaks off diplomatic relations with Syria, Libya, Algeria, Iraq & South Yemen

Muammar Gaddafi became the de facto leader of Libya on 1 September 1969 after leading a group of Libyan Army officers against King Idris I in a bloodless coup d'état.

South Africa grants Bophuthatswana independence

Bophuthatswana (lit. 'gathering of the Tswana people'), officially the Republic of Bophuthatswana (Tswana: Repaboleki ya Bophuthatswana; Afrikaans: Republiek van Bophuthatswana), colloquially...

Islander Billy Smith's 10th shut-out opponent-Black Hawks 4-0

43rd Heisman Trophy Award: Earl Campbell, Texas (RB)

Soyuz 26 carries 2 cosmonauts to Salyut 6 space station

Salyut 6 was a Soviet orbital space station, the eighth station of the Salyut programme, and alternatively known DOS-5 as it was the fifth of the Durable Orbital Station series of civilian space...

Mairead Corrigan and Betty Williams, leaders of the group 'Peace People' (an organization dedicated to encouraging a pea

Mairead Corrigan and Betty Williams, leaders of the group 'Peace People' (an organization dedicated to encouraging a peaceful resolution of 'the Troubles' in Northern Ireland) receive the Nobel Peace Prize

14 University of Evansville basketball players die in plane crash

The Evansville Purple Aces men's basketball team represents the Purple Aces of the University of Evansville, located in Evansville, Indiana, in NCAA Division I basketball competition.

Test Cricket debut of Pakistan spin bowling great Abdul Qadir v England in 1st Test at Lahore

Abdul Qadir Khan SI was an international cricketer who bowled leg spin for Pakistan in the late 1970s and 1980s.

Bobby Simpson scores 176 Australia v India at the WACA, aged 41

Robert Baddeley Simpson (3 February 1936 – 16 August 2025), known as Simmo, was an Australian cricketer who played for New South Wales, Western Australia and the Australian national team.

NBA Cleveland Cavaliers retire jersey # 42, Nate Thumond

Dutch government of Van Agt/Wiegel forms

Andreas Antonius Maria "Dries" van Agt was a Dutch politician, jurist and diplomat who served as Prime Minister of the Netherlands from 19 December 1977 until 4 November 1982.

1st Space walk made by Soviet cosmonaut Georgy Grechko during Salyut 6 EO-1 mission

36 die as grain elevator at Continental Grain Company plant explodes

British singer-songwriter Cat Stevens formally converts to Islam, taking the name Yusuf Islam

"Ghost to the Post", Raiders tight end Dave Casper ("The Ghost") catches a 42-yard reception to set up the Raiders' tyin

"Ghost to the Post", Raiders tight end Dave Casper ("The Ghost") catches a 42-yard reception to set up the Raiders' tying field goal near the end of regulation (Raiders win in OT)

USSR performs nuclear test at the Semipalatinsk Test Site in northeast Kazakhstan

Ballon d'Or: Borussia Mönchengladbach's Danish forward Allan Simonsen is named Europe's best football player ahead of Ha

Ballon d'Or: Borussia Mönchengladbach's Danish forward Allan Simonsen is named Europe's best football player ahead of Hamburg forward Kevin Keegan and Nancy midfielder Michel Platini

Ronald Ribman's "Cold Storage" premieres in NYC

Carter holds 1st news conference by US President in Eastern Europe (Warsaw)

Jimmy Carter's tenure as the 39th president of the United States began with his inauguration on January 20, 1977, and ended on January 20, 1981.

Amir Sheikh Jabir al-Ahmad al-Jabir Al Sabah becomes leader of Kuwait

Kuwait, officially the State of Kuwait, is a country in West Asia. It is situated at the head of the Persian Gulf in the northeastern edge of the Arabian Peninsula, bordering Iraq to the north and...

Famous Births

Orlando Bloom is born

Orlando Bloom, English actor, known for english actor, was born on 1977-01-13. Orlando Jonathan Blanchard Copeland Bloom is an English actor.

Shakira is born

Shakira, Colombian musician, known for colombian singer, was born on 1977-02-02. Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll is a Colombian singer, songwriter, dancer, and record producer.

Isla Fisher is born

Isla Fisher, Australian actress, known for australian actress, was born on 1977-02-03. Isla Lang Fisher is an Australian actress.

Ben Ainslie is born

Randy Moss is born

Randy Moss, American athlete, known for american football player and commentator, was born on 1977-02-13.

Brandon Boyd is born

Brandon Boyd, American musician, known for american musician, was born on 1977-02-15.

Kelly Macdonald is born

Kelly Macdonald, Scottish actress, known for scottish actress, was born on 1977-02-23. Kelly Macdonald is a Scottish actress.

Rashida Jones is born

Rashida Jones, American actress, known for american actress, was born on 1977-02-25. Rashida Leah Jones ( rə-SHEE-də; born February 25, 1976) is an American actress and filmmaker.

Ja Rule is born

Ja Rule, American rapper, known for american rapper, was born on 1977-02-29. Jeffrey Bruce Atkins, better known by his stage name Ja Rule (), is an American rapper, singer, and actor.

Reese Witherspoon is born

Reese Witherspoon, American actress, known for american actress, was born on 1977-03-22. Laura Jeanne Reese Witherspoon is an American actress and producer.

Keri Russell is born

Keri Russell, American actress, known for american actress, was born on 1977-03-23. Keri Lynn Russell is an American actress.

Peyton Manning is born

Peyton Manning, American athlete, known for american football player, was born on 1977-03-24.

Wladimir Klitschko is born

Wladimir Klitschko, Ukrainian athlete, known for ukrainian boxer, was born on 1977-03-25. Wladimir Klitschko is a Ukrainian former professional boxer who competed from 1996 to 2017.

Brendan Greene is born

Brendan Greene, Irish video game developer, known for irish video game developer, was born on 1977-03-29. Brendan Greene, better known as PlayerUnknown, is an Irish video game developer.

Jennifer Capriati is born

Jennifer Capriati, American athlete, known for american former tennis player, was born on 1977-03-29. Jennifer Maria Capriati is an American former professional tennis player.

Clarence Seedorf is born

Clarence Seedorf, Dutch athlete, known for dutch footballer, was born on 1977-04-01. Clarence Clyde Seedorff] ; born 1 April 1976) is a Dutch former professional football manager and player.

Sterling K. Brown is born

Sterling K. Brown, American actor, known for american actor, was born on 1977-04-05. Sterling Kelby Brown is an American actor.

Andrew Ng is born

Melissa Joan Hart is born

Melissa Joan Hart, American actress, director and producer, known for american actress, director and producer, was born on 1977-04-18. Melissa Joan Hart is an American actress, director and producer.

Tim Duncan is born

Tim Duncan, American athlete, known for american basketball player, was born on 1977-04-25. Timothy Theodore Duncan is an American former professional basketball player and coach.

Cillian Murphy is born

Cillian Murphy, Irish actor, known for irish actor, was born on 1977-05-25. Cillian Murphy ( KILL-ee-ən; born 25 May 1976) is an Irish actor and film producer.

Colin Farrell is born

Colin Farrell, Irish actor, known for irish actor, was born on 1977-05-31. Colin James Farrell is an Irish actor.

Lindsay Davenport is born

Lindsay Davenport, American athlete, known for american former tennis player, was born on 1977-06-08. Lindsay Ann Davenport Leach is an American former professional tennis player.

Blake Shelton is born

Blake Shelton, American country singer, known for american country singer, was born on 1977-06-18. Blake Tollison Shelton is an American country singer, songwriter, and television personality.

Fred Savage is born

Fred Savage, American actor and director, known for american actor and director, was born on 1977-07-09. Frederick Aaron Savage is an American actor and director.

Diane Kruger is born

Diane Kruger, German actress, known for german actress, was born on 1977-07-15. Diane Kruger is a German actress.

Luke Bryan is born

Luke Bryan, American country singer, known for american country singer, was born on 1977-07-17. Thomas Luther "Luke" Bryan is an American country music singer, songwriter, and television personality.

Benedict Cumberbatch is born

Benedict Cumberbatch, English actor, known for english actor, was born on 1977-07-19. Benedict Timothy Carlton Cumberbatch is an English actor.

Yulia Navalnaya is born

Yulia Navalnaya, Russian economist and political activist, known for russian economist and political activist, was born on 1977-07-24.

Demis Hassabis is born

Demis Hassabis, British ai researcher, known for british ai researcher, was born on 1977-07-27. Sir Demis Hassabis is a British artificial intelligence (AI) researcher and entrepreneur.

Sam Worthington is born

Sam Worthington, Australian actor, known for australian actor, was born on 1977-08-02.

Abiy Ahmed is born

Ronaldo is born

Alicia Silverstone is born

Alicia Silverstone, American actress, known for american actress, was born on 1977-10-04. Alicia Silverstone ( ə-LEE-see-ə; born October 4, 1976) is an American actress.

Andrew Scott is born

Andrew Scott, Irish actor, known for irish actor, was born on 1977-10-21. Andrew Scott is an Irish actor.

Ryan Reynolds is born

Ryan Reynolds, American canadian-american actor and entrepreneur, known for canadian-american actor and entrepreneur, was born on 1977-10-23.

Jack Dorsey is born

Jack Dorsey, American internet entrepreneur, known for american internet entrepreneur, was born on 1977-11-19. Jack Patrick Dorsey is an American businessman, co-founder of Twitter, Inc.

Anna Faris is born

Anna Faris, American actress, known for american actress, was born on 1977-11-29. Anna Kay Faris ( AH-nə FARR-is; born November 29, 1976) is an American actress and comedian.

Ashens is born

Ashens, British youtuber and product reviewer, known for british youtuber and product reviewer, was born on 1977-12-16.

Notable Deaths

Erroll Garner dies

Anthony Eden dies

Fannie Lou Hamer dies

Fannie Lou Hamer, American civil rights activist, known for american civil rights activist, died on 1977-03-14.

Noel Wien dies

Noel Wien, American pioneer aviator, known for american pioneer aviator, died on 1977-07-19. Noel Wien (June 8, 1899 – July 19, 1977) was an American pioneer aviator.

Francis Gary Powers dies

Francis Gary Powers, American pilot, known for american pilot, died on 1977-08-01.

Groucho Marx dies

Groucho Marx, American comedian, known for american comedian, died on 1977-08-19. Julius Henry "Groucho" Marx (October 2, 1890 – August 19, 1977) was an American comedian, actor, comic vocalist and…