Year 1988 in History

Czech-born tennis star Hana Mandlíková becomes an Australian Citizen

English Earl of St Andrews George Windsor marries Canadian academic Sylvana Tomaselli

Panamanian General Manuel Noriega is indicted by a US federal grand jury for drug trafficking and racketeering

Manuel Antonio Noriega Moreno was a Panamanian military officer and politician who was the de facto ruler of Panama from 1983 to 1989.

The Soviet Union begins withdrawing its 115,000 troops from Afghanistan

The Democratic Republic of Afghanistan, later known as the Republic of Afghanistan, was the Afghan state from 1978 to 1992.

Britain's Parliament passes Section 28 as law prohibiting the promotion of homosexuality. Repealed in 2001/2004.

Section 28 refers to a part of the Local Government Act 1988, which stated that local authorities in England, Scotland and Wales "shall not intentionally promote homosexuality or publish material...

"Big," a film directed by Penny Marshall and starring Tom Hanks, premieres in the US

Big is a 1988 American fantasy comedy film directed by Penny Marshall and starring Tom Hanks as Josh Baskin, an adolescent boy whose wish to be "big" transforms him physically into an adult.

Bruce Springsteen separates from Julianne Phillips

Bruce Frederick Joseph Springsteen is an American singer, songwriter, and guitarist.

"Die Hard," directed by John McTiernan and starring Bruce Willis and Alan Rickman, is released in the US

Die Hard is a 1988 American action film directed by John McTiernan and written by Jeb Stuart and Steven E. de Souza, based on the 1979 novel Nothing Lasts Forever by Roderick Thorp.

Heiress Julia Stimson Thorne (43) divorces politician John Kerry (44) after 18 years of marriage

American tennis player Chris Evert (33) weds American alpine skier Andy Mill (34) in Boca Raton, Florida (divorced 2006)

Ceasefire between Iran and Iraq takes effect after eight years of war

The Iran–Iraq War was an armed conflict between Iran and Iraq which lasted from September 1980 to August 1988.

Al-Qaeda is formed at a meeting between Osama Bin Laden, Ayman al-Zawahiri, and Dr. Fadl in Peshawar, Pakistan

Al-Qaeda is a pan-Islamist militant organization led by Sunni Islamist jihadists who self-identify as a vanguard spearheading a global Islamist revolution to unite the Muslim world under a...

Iran and Iraq begin a ceasefire in their eight-year-old war at 11 pm EDT

American actress Julianne Philips files for divorce from American rock star Bruce Springsteen

Bruce Frederick Joseph Springsteen is an American singer, songwriter, and guitarist.

An estimated 50,000 Kurdish civilians and soldiers are killed by Iraq by this date, many using chemical weapons, in the

An estimated 50,000 Kurdish civilians and soldiers are killed by Iraq by this date, many using chemical weapons, in the aftermath of the Iran-Iraq War

American "Footloose" actor Kevin Bacon (30) weds American actress Kyra Sedgwick (23)

Mikhail Gorbachev becomes Chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet, effectively head of state of the Soviet Union

Mikhail Sergeyevich Gorbachev (2 March 1931 – 30 August 2022) was a Soviet and Russian politician who was the last leader of the Soviet Union from 1985 until the country's dissolution in 1991.

Chile votes in a referendum 56-44 against extending Augusto Pinochet's regime by 8 years, ending the dictator's 16½ year

Chile votes in a referendum 56-44 against extending Augusto Pinochet's regime by 8 years, ending the dictator's 16½ years in power

Robin Givens files for divorce after 8-month marriage to Mike Tyson

Robin Givens is an American actress and director. Givens played Darlene Merriman in the ABC sitcom Head of the Class in 1986, and remained on the series for its five year duration.

Mike Tyson countersues Robin Givens for divorce & annulment

US Senate passes a bill curbing ads during children's TV shows

PLO delegation led by Yasser Arafat proclaims the State of Palestine and recognizes the existence of the State of Israel

PLO delegation led by Yasser Arafat proclaims the State of Palestine and recognizes the existence of the State of Israel for the first time, at a conference in Algiers, Algeria.

Benazir Bhutto becomes Prime Minister of Pakistan, the first female leader of a Muslim country

Benazir Bhutto (21 June 1953 – 27 December 2007) was a Pakistani politician and stateswoman who served as the 11th prime minister of Pakistan from 1988 to 1990, and again from 1993 to 1996.

Actor and comedian Robin Williams (37) divorces Valerie Velardi after 10 years of marriage

A 6.9 magnitude earthquake in Spitak, Armenia, kills 25,000 to 50,000 people and leaves up to 500,000 homeless

A terrorist bomb destroys Pan Am Flight 103 in mid-air over Scotland, killing all 259 passengers and crew on board and 1

A terrorist bomb destroys Pan Am Flight 103 in mid-air over Scotland, killing all 259 passengers and crew on board and 11 people on the ground [1]

A heavy, dense fog rolls over Soldier Field in Chicago during the second quarter of the Bears vs. Eagles NFC Divisional

A heavy, dense fog rolls over Soldier Field in Chicago during the second quarter of the Bears vs. Eagles NFC Divisional Playoff game, cutting visibility to 15 to 20 yards in a game known as "The Fog Bowl" (Bears win 20-12)

Ashland Oil storage tank spills nearly 1 million gallons of oil into the Monongahela River in Pennsylvania

Israel orders 9 Palestinian "instigators" deported from West Beirut

Roy Orbison and Friends: A Black and White Night premieres on Cinemax; concert performance includes James Burton; Bonnie

Roy Orbison and Friends: A Black and White Night premieres on Cinemax; concert performance includes James Burton; Bonnie Raitt, Bruce Springsteen, Elvis Costello, Tom Waits, and k.d. lang

9th largest NBA crowd 38,873-Chicago at Detroit

ABC premiere of fact-based "Evil in Clear River"

MLB Los Angeles Dodger/San Diego Padre Steve Garvey retires

Steven Patrick Garvey is an American former professional Major League Baseball player who played first baseman for the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres from 1969 to 1987. Garvey began his...

19-year-old Indian cricket leg-spinner Narenda Hirwani records best bowling figures on debut in Test history; captures 1

19-year-old Indian cricket leg-spinner Narenda Hirwani records best bowling figures on debut in Test history; captures 16-136 in 255 run 4th Test win v West Indies in Madras; Hirwani takes 8 wickets in each innings

Bob Benoit bowls 1st 300-pt game in a televised title match

Bob Benoit is a retired professional bowler in the Professional Bowlers Association (PBA), who was active in the 1980s and 1990s.

Cerebral Palsy telethon raises $21 million

A telethon (a portmanteau of "television" and "marathon") is a televised fundraising event that lasts many hours or days, the purpose of which is to raise money for a charitable, political or other...

Longest winless streak in Toronto Maple Leaf history (15 games)

Australian 200th anniversary parade of tall ships in Sydney Harbour

Canada's Supreme court declares anti-abortion law unconstitutional

Abortion laws vary widely among countries and territories, and have changed over time.

Canadian Ben Johnson breaks own 50-yard dash world record at 5.15

Barge sinks near Anacortes, WA, spills 70,000 gallons of oil

Nurses across the UK strike over pay and funding for the NHS

Despite union calls to end the strike, rank-and-file seamen at major British ports refuse to return to work

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

NASA launches DOD-2

NH begins a NCAA record 32-game losing streak at home (ends Feb 1991)

3-judge panel of 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco strikes down Army's ban on homosexuals (later overturn

3-judge panel of 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco strikes down Army's ban on homosexuals (later overturned by appeal)

Christine Wachtel runs world record 800m indoor (1:56:40)

30th Daytona 500: Bobby Allison beats his son, Davey, to the finish line; remembered for Richard Petty's rollover crash

30th Daytona 500: Bobby Allison beats his son, Davey, to the finish line; remembered for Richard Petty's rollover crash in the tri-oval on lap 106, rolls over 8 times and hit by Brett Bodine; walks away unhurt

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...

First documented combat action by US military advisors in El Salvador

An authoritarian military dictatorship ruled Chile for almost seventeen years, between 11 September 1973 and 11 March 1990.

US Lt Col William Higgins kidnapped in south Lebanon by Lebanese terrorists & later killed

William Richard Higgins (January 15, 1945 – July 31, 1989) was a United States Marine Corps colonel who was captured in Lebanon in 1988 while serving on a United Nations (UN) peacekeeping mission.

Helga Arendt, Silke-Beate Knoll, Mechthild Kluth, Gisela Kinzel walk indoor female world record 4x200m (1:32.55)

die in heavy rains in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Gustafson skates world record 10km (13:48.20)

Chicago gives Cubs right to install lights & play up to 18 night games

Anti-Armenian pogrom in Azerbaijan, 30 killed

The Kirovabad pogrom or the pogrom of Kirovabad was an Azeri-led ethnic cleansing that targeted Armenians living in the city of Kirovabad (today called Ganja) in Soviet Azerbaijan during November...

KWK-FM in St Louis Missouri changes call letters to WKBG

Constitution of Turks and Caicos Islands is restored and revised.

Politics of the Turks and Caicos Islands takes place in a framework of a parliamentary representative democratic dependency, whereby as of August 9, 2006 the Premier is the head of government, and of...

18th Easter Seal Telethon raises $35,200,000

Colombia becomes a member of the Berne Convention copyright treaty

British pound note ceases to be legal tender, replaced by one pound coin

The British one pound (£1) coin is a denomination of sterling coinage. Its obverse has featured the profile of Charles III since 2024 and bears the Latin engraving CHARLES III D G REX (Dei Gratia...

Japan's Seikan Tunnel, the world's longest tunnel with an underwater segment (53.90 km in total) opens, connecting Honsh

Japan's Seikan Tunnel, the world's longest tunnel with an underwater segment (53.90 km in total) opens, connecting Honshu-Hokkaido by rail. The Channel Tunnel remains the longest underwater tunnel.

Eugene Marino of Atlanta appointed 1st African American archbishop

Eugene Antonio Marino, SSJ (May 29, 1934 – November 12, 2000) was an American Catholic prelate who served as archbishop of Atlanta from 1988 until 1990.

Chemical attack on Kurdish town of Halabja by Iraqi forces kills 5000 civilians - largest ever chemical weapons attack

Iraq, officially the Republic of Iraq, is a country in West Asia. Located within the geo-political region of the Middle East, it is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the south, Turkey to the north, Iran to...

Iran says Iraq uses poison gas

Two British Army corporals are attacked during a funeral procession, beaten and shot dead by the Provisional IRA in Belf

Two British Army corporals are attacked during a funeral procession, beaten and shot dead by the Provisional IRA in Belfast, North Ireland

Battle of Afabet: Eritrean People's Liberation Front enters the town of Afabet after defeating the Nadew Command during

Battle of Afabet: Eritrean People's Liberation Front enters the town of Afabet after defeating the Nadew Command during the Eritrean War of Independence

Geffen Records releases "Chalk Mark In A Rain Storm", Canadian singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell's 13th studio album

San Diego Chargers quarterback Dan Fouts announces his retirement after 15 seasons

Daniel Francis Fouts is an American former professional football player who was a quarterback for the San Diego Chargers of the National Football League (NFL) throughout his 15-season career...

American Janet Evans swims 1,500m freestyle female world record 15:52.10 in the USA Spring Nationals in Orlando, Florida

Ice Dance Championship at Budapest won by Bestemianova & Bukin (URS)

US Congress discontinues aid to Nicaraguan contras

Tamil Nadu beat Railways by inns & 144 to win Ranji Trophy

Last East Limburg coal mine closes in Gent Belgium

Eddie Hill becomes the world's first driver to cover the quarter mile in under 5 seconds

African American polar explorer Matthew Henson buried next to Robert Peary in Arlington National Cemetery, in Arlington,

African American polar explorer Matthew Henson buried next to Robert Peary in Arlington National Cemetery, in Arlington, Virginia

Murderer of Gerrit Jan Heijns, Ferdi Elsas, arrested in the Netherlands

NHL New Jersey Devils win 3-0 over New York Islanders; Devils lead 2-1 in playoff 1st round

The New Jersey Devils are a professional ice hockey team based in Newark, New Jersey.

Herschel Walker performs Fort Worth Ballet

Devils 4-2 over Islanders-Devils lead 3-2 in 1st round

The New Jersey Devils are a professional ice hockey team based in Newark, New Jersey.

Italian government of Ciriaco De Mita forms

Luigi Ciriaco De Mita was an Italian politician and statesman who served as Prime Minister of Italy from April 1988 to July 1989.

NHL playoffs: New Jersey Devils win 6-5 over NY Islanders to take 1st round 4-2

Meteorite explode above Indonesia

Ethiopian Belayneh Densimo runs world record marathon (2:06:50)

Baltimore Orioles set worst record to start a season 0-14 (will go 0-21)

The Baltimore Orioles are an American professional baseball team based in Baltimore. The Orioles compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East Division.

NJ Devil Patrik Sundstrom sets NHL playoff record of 8 pts in a playoff game (hat trick & 5 assists) in 10-4 rout over t

NJ Devil Patrik Sundstrom sets NHL playoff record of 8 pts in a playoff game (hat trick & 5 assists) in 10-4 rout over the Capitals

Federal smoking ban during domestic airline flights of 2 hours or less

NFL Draft: Auburn tight end Aundray Bruce first pick by Atlanta Falcons

The 1988 NFL draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting.

American news program "Nightline" goes on location to Jerusalem Israel

Nightline (or ABC News Nightline) is ABC News' late-night television news program broadcast on ABC in the United States with a franchised formula to other networks and stations elsewhere in the...

Aloha Airlines Boeing 737 roof tears off in flight; kills stewardess

MLB Baltimore Orioles end their record 21-game losing streak by beating the Chicago White Sox 9-0

The Chicago White Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The White Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central Division.

NJ Devils beat Caps 3-2 taking 7th game of Patrick Division final

Baltimore Orioles sign a 15 year lease to remain in Baltimore and get a new park

4,200 kg Colombian cocaine in seized at Tarpon Springs Florida

PEPCON chemical plant in Henderson, Nevada explodes killing 2 and injuring 372 causing damage within 10-mile (16 km) rad

PEPCON chemical plant in Henderson, Nevada explodes killing 2 and injuring 372 causing damage within 10-mile (16 km) radius

Eugene A. Marino installed as 1st African American Catholic archbishop, in Atlanta, Georgia

Eugene Antonio Marino, SSJ (May 29, 1934 – November 12, 2000) was an American Catholic prelate who served as archbishop of Atlanta from 1988 until 1990.

Doughnutgate incident: NJ Devils' coach Jim Schoenfeld tells referee Don Koharski to 'eat another doughnut you fat pig!,

Doughnutgate incident: NJ Devils' coach Jim Schoenfeld tells referee Don Koharski to 'eat another doughnut you fat pig!,' he is suspended

USSR performs nuclear test at Novaya Zemlya USSR

Novaya Zemlya, also spelled Novaja Zemlja, is an archipelago in northern Russia. It is situated in the Arctic Ocean, in the extreme northeast of Europe, with Cape Flissingsky, on the northern island,...

Amateur referees work NJ Devils-Boston Bruin playoff games, as NHL referees walk-off, due to a restraining order brought

Amateur referees work NJ Devils-Boston Bruin playoff games, as NHL referees walk-off, due to a restraining order brought by Devils

France performs nuclear test

Carrollton bus collision: a drunk driver going the wrong way on Interstate 71 near Carrollton, Kentucky, United States h

Carrollton bus collision: a drunk driver going the wrong way on Interstate 71 near Carrollton, Kentucky, United States hits a converted school bus carrying a church youth group. The crash and ensuing fire kill 27.

Pope John Paul II canonizes Roque González, Juan del Castillo, Alonso Rodríguez y Olmedo, three Jesuit missionaries murd

Pope John Paul II canonizes Roque González, Juan del Castillo, Alonso Rodríguez y Olmedo, three Jesuit missionaries murdered in Brazil in 1628

In just Oakland's 39th of the season, pitcher Dave Stewart breaks record with his 12th balk en route to 16

Howard Stern fans disrupt rival radio station WMMR's morning DJ John DeBella's "Louie Louie" parade in Philadelphia, Pen

Howard Stern fans disrupt rival radio station WMMR's morning DJ John DeBella's "Louie Louie" parade in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

"Da'Butt" by EU hits #35

Károly Grósz succeeds party leader Janos Kádár in Hungary

Károly Grósz [ˈkaːroj ˈɡroːs] (1 August 1930 – 7 January 1996) was a Hungarian communist politician, who served as the General Secretary of the Hungarian Socialist Workers' Party from 1988 to 1989.

41st Cannes Film Festival: "Pelle erobreren" directed by Bille August wins the Palme d'Or

Stanley Cup Final, Northlands Coliseum, Edmonton, AL: Edmonton Oilers beat Boston Bruins, 6-3 for 4 game series sweep

The Edmonton Oilers are a professional ice hockey team based in Edmonton. The Oilers compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division in the Western Conference.

Senate ratified a treaty eliminating medium-range nuclear missiles

The Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF Treaty) was an arms control treaty between the United States and the Soviet Union (and its successor state, the Russian Federation).

Graeme Hick scores his 1,000th run of 1st-class cricket season

"Morton Downey Jr Show" debuts in TV syndication

The Morton Downey Jr. Show is a syndicated American talk show presented by Morton Downey Jr. that ran from 1987 to 1989.

61st National Spell Bee: Rageshree Ramachandran wins spelling elegiacal

The 61st Scripps National Spelling Bee was held in Washington, D.C. at the Capital Hilton on June 1–2, 1988, sponsored by the E.W.

42nd Tony Awards: "M. Butterfly" (play) and "The Phantom of the Opera" (musical) win

The 42nd Tony Awards ceremony was held on June 5, 1988, at the Minskoff Theatre and broadcast live on CBS, hosted by Angela Lansbury.

1st Children's Miracle Network Telethon raises $590,000

3 giant turtles found in Bronx sewage plant

Aluminum contaminates Cornwall's water supply

Nippon Airways announces that painting eyeballs on Jets cut bird collisions by 20%

Greatest number of participants (31,678) on a bicycle tour (London)

"Everything Your Heart Desires" by Daryl Hall and John Oates peaks at #3

"Everything Your Heart Desires" is a song by American duo Hall & Oates, released as the lead single from their thirteenth studio album, Ooh Yeah! (1988).

Andy Hampton is 1st American to win Round of Italy

Boston Red Sox are 10 games back in AL, & go on to win AL East

"Guy" debut album by Guy is released

Gerald Rydel Simpson, better known as A Guy Called Gerald, is a British record producer and musician.

NASA launches space vehicle S-213

Boston Red Sox Barrett steals home

The Boston Red Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Boston. The Red Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East Division.

Jeff Hamilton, hits 8,000th Dodger home run

32 divers finish cycling underwater on a standard tricycle, to complete 116.66 mi in 75 hrs 20 mins

Coup in Haiti: Henri Namphy overthrows Leslie Manigat, general assembly dissolved

American rock band The Rascals begin their 1st tour in 20 years

Charlotte Hornets & Miami Heat begin their NBA expansion draft

Since beginning with 11 teams in 1946, the National Basketball Association (NBA) expanded several times before reaching its current 30 teams.

Cleveland pitcher Doug Jones sets record of 14 consecutive saves

°F highest temperature ever recorded in Cleveland in June

In New Zealand, Bastion Point land returned to the local Maori iwi (tribe), Ngāti Whātua

Lester Dumakude, commander of an Umkhonto we Sizwe special operations unit, detonate a car bomb by remote control outsid

Lester Dumakude, commander of an Umkhonto we Sizwe special operations unit, detonate a car bomb by remote control outside Ellis Park Stadium in Johannesburg, South Africa

Gene Nelson of the Oakland A's becomes first AL pitcher to steal a base since 1973 in 9-8 win over Toronto Blue Jays

Wist Indies cricket paceman Malcolm Marshall takes career best 7-22, beat England by an innings & 156 at Old Trafford

"Piper Alpha" oil drilling platform explosion kills 167 in the North Sea about 190 km (120 miles) north-east of Aberdee

"Piper Alpha" oil drilling platform explosion kills 167 in the North Sea about 190 km (120 miles) north-east of Aberdeen, Scotland; rig operated by Occidental Petroleum (Caledonia) Limited, explodes, 167 die

Five prominent anti-apartheid activists are released in Cape Town, South Africa after being detained for up to two years

Five prominent anti-apartheid activists are released in Cape Town, South Africa after being detained for up to two years under the Internal Security Act

American rockers and brothers Chico DeBarge and Bobby DeBarge indicted on drug trafficking charges

Chris Speier hits for the cycle, and Ernest Riles hits the 10,000th home run for the Giants

Margo Adams alleges Red Sox Wade Bogg's had an affair with her

Red Sox replace manager John McNamara with Joe Morgan

,000 demonstrate in Soviet Armenia for incorporation of Nagorno-Karabak

Mike Schmidt passes Mickey Mantle with his 537th home run into seventh place

Carl Lewis runs a wind-assisted 100m in 9.78 sec

Abu Nidal terrorists kill 9 on cruise ship City of Poros

The City of Poros was a Greek cruise ship that made day-cruises for Saronic Cruises to Hydra, Aegina and Poros from Flisvos Marina, a port in the Athens suburbs.

ESA's Ariane-3 launches 2 communications satellites (1 Indian)

US scientists pledge to boycott Pentagon germ-warfare research

Saskatchewan's Dave Ridgway kicks record eight field goals vs. Edmonton

US and Jamaica play a scoreless tie in the second round of the 1990 World Cup

IBM announces a price hike on older models

Baltimore trades Mike Boddicker to the Red Sox for Brady Anderson and Curt Schilling

ArenaBowl II takes place at Allstate Arena in Rosemont, Illinois: Detroit Drive defeats Chicago Bruisers 24-13, with Ste

ArenaBowl II takes place at Allstate Arena in Rosemont, Illinois: Detroit Drive defeats Chicago Bruisers 24-13, with Steve Griffin named MVP

A bridge at the Sultan Abdul Halim ferry terminal in Butterworth, Malaysia, collapses, killing 32 people and injuring 1,

A bridge at the Sultan Abdul Halim ferry terminal in Butterworth, Malaysia, collapses, killing 32 people and injuring 1,674

Oakland DH Jose Canseco smacks two home runs off Scott Bankhead in A's 6-2 win over the Seattle Mariners and becomes the

Oakland DH Jose Canseco smacks two home runs off Scott Bankhead in A's 6-2 win over the Seattle Mariners and becomes the first MLB player to hit 30 home runs in his first 3 years

Deep Rover 1-man research submarine unveiled at Crater Lake, Oregon

Raymond Acevedo (16) retires from pop singing boy band Menudo

David "Skip" Storch (37) swims 152.9 miles (246 km) of the Hudson River from Albany to NYC

Congress votes to grant $20,000 to each Japanese American interned during WWII

During World War II, the United States forcibly relocated and incarcerated about 120,000 people of Japanese descent in ten concentration camps operated by the War Relocation Authority (WRA), mostly...

American politician Mario Biaggi (Rep-D-NY) is convicted of racketeering and resigns his seat

Future Hall of Fame jockey Eddie Delahoussaye wins his 4,000th career race aboard 2-year-old filly Fawn and Hahn in the

Future Hall of Fame jockey Eddie Delahoussaye wins his 4,000th career race aboard 2-year-old filly Fawn and Hahn in the fourth race at Del Mar

Angola, Cuba and South Africa agree to a ceasefire in the Angolan Civil War

The Angolan Civil War (Portuguese: Guerra Civil Angolana) was a civil war in Angola, beginning in 1975 and continuing, with interludes, until 2002.

Cubs beat Mets 6-4 in their first official night game at Wrigley Field

Wrigley Field () is a ballpark on the North Side of Chicago, Illinois, United States. It is the home ballpark of Major League Baseball's Chicago Cubs, one of the city's two MLB franchises.

at-bats after #299, Met Gary Carter becomes the 59th player to hit his 300th home run

Boston Red Sox beat Tigers 9-4 for an AL record 23rd consecutive win at home

Boston Red Sox win an AL record of 24 consecutive home games

The Boston Red Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Boston. The Red Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East Division.

Detroit beats Sox 18-6 at Fenway, ending Boston's winning streak at 24

At 4 pm, LILCO consumers use a record 3,813 megawatts

IBM introduces software for artificial intelligence

The history of artificial intelligence (AI) began in antiquity, with myths, stories, and rumors of artificial beings endowed with intelligence or consciousness by master craftsmen.

Butch Reynolds runs a world record in the 400 m (43.29)

FDA approves Minoxidil as a hair loss treatment

Minoxidil, sold under the brand names Loniten and Rogaine among others, is a medication used for the treatment of high blood pressure and pattern hair loss.

"Black Saturday" of the Yellowstone fire in Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming

The Yellowstone fires of 1988 collectively formed the largest wildfire in the recorded history of Yellowstone National Park in the United States.

Australia unveils its first platinum coin (Koala)

Challenger Center opens its classroom doors in Houston

Iranian refugee Mehran Karimi Nasseri arrives at Charles de Gaulle International Airport in Roissy-en-France, France, an

Iranian refugee Mehran Karimi Nasseri arrives at Charles de Gaulle International Airport in Roissy-en-France, France, and stays for almost 18 years, inspiring director Steven Spielberg to make the film "The Terminal" about his life

Dodgers' Tommy Lasorda wins his 1,000th game as manager, topping Philadelphia 4-2

40th Emmy Awards: thirtysomething, The Wonder Years, and Richard Kiley win

The 40th Primetime Emmy Awards were held on Sunday, August 28, 1988. The ceremony was broadcast on Fox from the Pasadena Civic Auditorium in Pasadena, California.

Macy's Tap-o-Mania sets a Guinness World Record for tap dancing, with 4,497 participants dancing to "There's No Business

Macy's Tap-o-Mania sets a Guinness World Record for tap dancing, with 4,497 participants dancing to "There's No Business Like Show Business"

France performs a nuclear test

5-day power blackout of downtown Seattle begins

Timberlake Westenbaker's "Our Country's Good" premieres in London

Mike Tyson crashes a silver BMW into a tree near Catskills, New York

Jerry Lewis's 23rd Muscular Dystrophy telethon raises $41,132,113

Crippled Soviet Soyuz TM-5 lands safely with two cosmonauts aboard

NY Daily News reports boxer Mike Tyson is seeing a psychiatrist

Javier Sotomayor of Cuba high jumps a world record of 2.43 m

Javier Sotomayor Sanabria is a Cuban former track and field athlete who specialized in the high jump and is the current world record holder.

"Look Away" single released by Chicago (Billboard Song of the Year 1989)

"Look Away" is a song by American rock band Chicago. Written by Diane Warren and produced by Ron Nevison, the ballad is the second single from the band's 1988 album Chicago 19.

Hurricane Gilbert kills 300 in Jamaica, Texas, and Yucatan

Hurricane Gilbert was a large and extremely powerful tropical cyclone that formed during the 1988 Atlantic hurricane season, which peaked as a Category 5 hurricane.

Lost steamship "the Ship of Gold" SS Central America, sunk in 1857, is rediscovered in waters off North Carolina by a gr

Lost steamship "the Ship of Gold" SS Central America, sunk in 1857, is rediscovered in waters off North Carolina by a group led by Tommy Gregory Thompson using Bayesian search theory [1]

First NFL regular-season game played in Phoenix; Cowboys beat Cardinals

From 1960 to 1987, the professional American football team now known as the Arizona Cardinals played in St. Louis, Missouri, as the St. Louis Cardinals. The team moved from Chicago to St.

10th time, 4 players hit baseball major-league record grand slams

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

Lillehammer, Norway, upsets Anchorage to host 1994 Winter olympics

Cincinnati Reds Tom Browning pitches a perfect game, beating LA Dodgers 1-0

The Cincinnati Reds are an American professional baseball team based in Cincinnati. The Reds compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) Central Division.

24th Olympic games open at Seoul, South Korea

South Korea was the host nation and competed as Korea at the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul. 401 competitors, 269 men and 132 women, took part in 218 events in 27 sports.

Burma suspends its constitution

American diver Greg Louganis hits his head on the diving board during the 3 m springboard preliminaries at the Seoul Oly

American diver Greg Louganis hits his head on the diving board during the 3 m springboard preliminaries at the Seoul Olympics; he recovers to qualify for the final, which he wins the following day

"Loving Proof," the second studio album by Ricky Van Shelton, is released (Billboard Song of the Year 1989)

Boston Red Sox Wade Boggs is the first player to get 200 hits for 6 consecutive seasons

The Boston Red Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Boston. The Red Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East Division.

East German swimmer Silke Hörner sets world record 2:26.71 to win the 200m breaststroke gold medal at the Seoul Olympics

East German swimmer Silke Hörner sets world record 2:26.71 to win the 200m breaststroke gold medal at the Seoul Olympics; first of 2 gold (4 x 100m medley relay)

Mike Tyson smashes TV camera outside his Bernardsville, New Jersey home

American swimmer Janet Evans sets a world record of 4:03.85 to win the 400 m freestyle gold medal at the Seoul Olympics,

American swimmer Janet Evans sets a world record of 4:03.85 to win the 400 m freestyle gold medal at the Seoul Olympics, her third gold medal of the Games (400 m IM, 800 m)

American swimmer Matt Biondi wins the men's 100 m freestyle gold medal in an Olympic record time of 48.63 seconds at the

American swimmer Matt Biondi wins the men's 100 m freestyle gold medal in an Olympic record time of 48.63 seconds at the Seoul Games, beating countryman Chris Jacobs and Stéphan Caron of France

Jose Canseco is baseball's first player to steal 40 bases and hit 40 home runs

José Canseco Capas Jr. is a Cuban-American former professional baseball outfielder and designated hitter who played 17 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB).

American sprinter Florence Griffith Joyner wins the women's 100m in an Olympic record of 10.54 seconds, beating teammate

American sprinter Florence Griffith Joyner wins the women's 100m in an Olympic record of 10.54 seconds, beating teammate Evelyn Ashford by 0.29 seconds; first leg of the sprint double at the Seoul Games

Super swimmer Matt Biondi wins his fifth gold medal of the Seoul Olympics, anchoring the victorious American 4 x 100 m m

Super swimmer Matt Biondi wins his fifth gold medal of the Seoul Olympics, anchoring the victorious American 4 x 100 m medley relay team

Canada's Ben Johnson is stripped of his 100-m gold after failing a drug test

American athletes go 1-2-3 in the 400 m at the Seoul Olympics with Steve Lewis taking the gold medal in 43.87 ahead of t

American athletes go 1-2-3 in the 400 m at the Seoul Olympics with Steve Lewis taking the gold medal in 43.87 ahead of teammates Butch Reynolds and Danny Everett

LA Dodger Orel Hershiser breaks former Dodger Don Drysdale's record by pitching 59 consecutive scoreless innings

During the 1988 Major League Baseball season, pitcher Orel Hershiser of the Los Angeles Dodgers set the MLB record for consecutive scoreless innings pitched.

26th NASA Space Shuttle Mission: Discovery 7 launches

American athlete Jackie Joyner-Kersee wins her second gold medal of the Seoul Olympics by taking the long jump with an O

American athlete Jackie Joyner-Kersee wins her second gold medal of the Seoul Olympics by taking the long jump with an Olympic record leap of 7.40 m, having previously won the heptathlon

Dave Stieb loses his second consecutive no-hitter bid with two outs in the 9th inning

Robin Givens and Mike Tyson appear on Barbara Walters' show

Robin Givens is an American actress and director. Givens played Darlene Merriman in the ABC sitcom Head of the Class in 1986, and remained on the series for its five year duration.

Andrei Andreyevich Gromyko retires as Chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet

Flamboyant American sprinter Florence Griffith Joyner wins her third gold medal at the Seoul Olympics by anchoring the v

Flamboyant American sprinter Florence Griffith Joyner wins her third gold medal at the Seoul Olympics by anchoring the victorious US 4 x 100 m relay team

Lowest batting average for NL champion (Tony Gwynn .313)

Anthony Keith Gwynn Sr. (May 9, 1960 – June 16, 2014), nicknamed "Mr. Padre", was an American professional baseball right fielder who played 20 seasons (1982–2001) in Major League Baseball (MLB) for...

Mike Tyson wrecks furniture in his mansion in Bernardsville, NJ, during a domestic dispute

Criterion Center Theater opens on Broadway between 44th and 45th Streets in New York City

Pillsbury stock soars $18.37 to $57.37 on takeover bid

Brazil adopts its Constitution

The Constitution of the Federative Republic of Brazil or 1988 Federal Constitution (Portuguese: Constituição da República Federativa do Brasil ou Constituição Federal de 1988) is the supreme law of...

Oakland A's sweep Boston Red Sox in four games for the AL pennant

Jim Fregosi is fired as manager of the White Sox

James Louis Fregosi (April 4, 1942 – February 14, 2014) was an American professional baseball shortstop and manager, who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1961 to 1978, primarily for the Los...

17% vote for the far-right Flemish Bloc in Belgium

NBC premieres the tele-biopic "Winnie," based on the life of Winifred Sprockett and starring Meredith Baxter

Concert at Masada ends Israel's 40th-anniversary festival

Crude oil prices jump in anticipation of possible production accord at Gulf Cooperation Council meeting set for October

Crude oil prices jump in anticipation of possible production accord at Gulf Cooperation Council meeting set for October 16

"Smile Jamaica" concert for Hurricane Gilbert victims is held in London

31 reported dead as Ugandan jetliner crashes in fog near Rome

Britain bans broadcast interviews with IRA members

Britain ends suspects' right to remain silent in a crackdown on the IRA

Bat*21, an American war film, is released

Elton John sells out Madison Square Garden in New York City for a record 26th time

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

US Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor survives breast cancer surgery

Boston Celtics play Spain in Madrid

The 1988–89 Boston Celtics season was the 43rd season for the Boston Celtics in the National Basketball Association.

New York Islanders and NHL high scorer Mike Bossy (31) retires

Michael Dean Bossy (January 22, 1957 – April 15, 2022) was a Canadian professional ice hockey player with the New York Islanders of the National Hockey League.

"Devil Worship: Exposing Satan's Underground" TV special hosted by Geraldo Rivera airs on NBC [1]

The US and Soviet Union collaborate in "Operation Breakthrough" to free two young gray whales trapped in the Arctic ice

The US and Soviet Union collaborate in "Operation Breakthrough" to free two young gray whales trapped in the Arctic ice near Point Barrow, Alaska

"ET" released to home video (14 million presold)

Jurors award $147,000 to Tacoma parishioner, who was seduced by her minister

Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen donates $10 million to the University of Washington library

Paul Gardner Allen (January 21, 1953 – October 15, 2018) was an American businessman, computer programmer, and investor.

2,000 US anti-abortion protesters are arrested for blocking clinics

19°F is the lowest October temperature ever recorded in Cleveland, Ohio

Ohio is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. It borders the Canadian province of Ontario to the north (through Lake Erie), Pennsylvania to the east, West Virginia to the southeast,...

A's shortstop Walt Weiss wins AL rookie of year; 3rd straight for Oakland; Jose Canseco 1986, Mark McGwire 1987

Walter William Weiss is an American former professional baseball shortstop and current manager for the Atlanta Braves of Major League Baseball (MLB).

Mexican radio station erroneously reports Mike Tyson has died in car crash

American talk-show host Geraldo Rivera's nose is broken as Roy Innis brawls with skinheads at TV taping

Geraldo Michael Rivera is an American journalist, attorney, author, and political commentator who worked at the Fox News Channel from 2001 to 2023.

First NBA game at Charlotte Coliseum - Hornets lose to Cavs, 133-93

The history of the National Basketball Association's Charlotte Hornets dates to 1985 when founder George Shinn first thought of bringing professional basketball to Charlotte, North Carolina.

"Kokomo" single by The Beach Boys from the film "Cocktail" goes to #1

"Kokomo" is a song by the American rock band the Beach Boys from the 1988 film Cocktail and album Still Cruisin'.

Japan & MLB all stars played to a 6-6 draw (Game 2 of 7)

MLB all stars beats Japan 16-8 (Game 3 of 7)

Sugar Ray Leonard KO's Donnie LaLonde

Donny Lalonde is a retired professional boxer. His nickname is "Golden Boy," after the Golden Boy statue atop the Manitoba Legislative Building in his boxing home town of Winnipeg.

die as earthquake hits China

MLB All-Star team beat Japan 8-2 in Nishinomya, (Game 4 of 7)

China confirms earthquake death toll will rise above current 938

Oldest known insect fossils (390 million years old) are reported in the journal Science

First commercial bungy jumping company begins operating near Queenstown, New Zealand, run by A. J. Hackett

Sitcom "Murphy Brown" starring Candice Bergen premieres on CBS

Murphy Brown is an American television sitcom created by Diane English that premiered on November 14, 1988, on CBS.

91 m radio telescope dish at Green Bank, WV, collapses

Estonia declares sovereignty in internal affairs

Neil Simon's farcical play "Rumors" premieres in NYC

Boston College beats Army 38-24 in the 'Emerald isle Classic' at Dublin's Lansdowne Road Stadium, the first NCAA America

Boston College beats Army 38-24 in the 'Emerald isle Classic' at Dublin's Lansdowne Road Stadium, the first NCAA American Football game to be played in Europe

France performs nuclear test

Wayne Gretzky scores his 600th NHL goal

Convention on exploitation of Antarctic mineral resources signed

Rock guitar legend Chuck Berry (62) pays $250 fine to resolve NYC assault charges

Alexander Volkov, Sergei Krikalev & Jean-Loup Chretien launch

Sergei Konstantinovich Krikalev is a Russian mechanical engineer and former cosmonaut.

The Soviets stop jamming Radio Liberty for the first time in 38 years

A New York City furrier sues Mike Tyson for $92,000 for non-payment of a purchase

Chinese Minister of Foreign Affairs Qian Qichen begins a three-day visit to Moscow

"Naked Gun" movie based on TV's "Police Squad" premieres

54th Heisman Trophy Award: Barry Sanders, Oklahoma State (RB)

Actor Gary Busey critically injured in motorcycle crash

Orioles trade veteran 1B Eddie Murray to the Dodgers

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

Roy Orbison gives his final concert at The Front Row Theater in Cleveland, Ohio

Agnes Neil Williams purchases Baltimore Orioles for $70 million Eli Jacobs becomes CEO of Baltimore Orioles

MLB Texas Rangers sign free-agent pitcher Nolan Ryan to a one-year contract

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

NHL NY Islanders fire head coach Terry Simpson, and replace him with former coach Al Arbour

Knick's set NBA record of 11 3-pointers & sink Bucks, 113-109

The 1988 NBA Finals was the championship series of the National Basketball Association's (NBA) 1987–88 season, and the culmination of the season's playoffs.

NY Yankees sign 12-year television contract with MSG for $500M

Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine presented to Gertrude B. Elion, George H. Hitchings and James W. Black "for their

Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine presented to Gertrude B. Elion, George H. Hitchings and James W. Black "for their discoveries of important principles for drug treatment"

Sandra Miller of Queens sues Mike Tyson for sexual harassment

Three men complete their 29-hour all-466-station subway ride in New York City

CBS' $1.1 B bid wins exclusive 1990-94 major-league baseball rights

On December 14, 1988, CBS (under the guidance of Commissioner Peter Ueberroth) paid approximately $1.8 billion for exclusive television rights for over four years (beginning in 1990).

Lori Davis of Long Island sues Mike Tyson for grabbing her buttocks

American political cult leader Lyndon LaRouche convicted of tax and mail fraud

The LaRouche movement is a political and cultural network promoting the late Lyndon LaRouche and his ideas.

Bryan Murray becomes 17th NHL coach to win 300 games (Washington Capitals)

Seattle Seahawks win their 1st ever division title with 9-7 record

NASA unveils plans for lunar colony & manned missions to Mars

Animal rights terrorists fire-bomb Harrod's department store, London

2 robbers wearing police uniforms rob armored truck of $3 M in NJ

Anti African student rebellion in Nanjing, China

John Tarrant, 1st Australian born Zen teacher, receives Dharma Transmission

Soviet Red Army Team edges NY Islanders, 3-2 at Nassau Coliseum

Canadian Senate OK's free trade pact; with US

Famous Births

Angelique Kerber is born

Angelique Kerber, German athlete, known for german tennis player, was born on 1988-01-18. Angelique Kerber is a German former professional tennis player. She was ranked as the world No.

Matthew Stafford is born

Matthew Stafford, American athlete, known for american football player, was born on 1988-02-07.

Elliot Page is born

Elliot Page, Canadian actor and producer, known for canadian actor and producer, was born on 1988-02-21.

Kesha is born

Kesha, American musician, known for american singer, was born on 1988-03-01. Kesha Rose Sebert, formerly stylized as Ke$ha, is an American singer and songwriter.

Joss Stone is born

Joss Stone, English musician, known for english singer, songwriter, and actress, was born on 1988-04-11.

Maria Sharapova is born

Maria Sharapova, Russian athlete, known for russian former tennis player, was born on 1988-04-19. Maria Yuryevna Sharapova is a Russian former professional tennis player.

Andy Murray is born

Andy Murray, British athlete, known for british former tennis player, was born on 1988-05-15. Sir Andrew Barron Murray is a British former professional tennis player and coach.

Novak Đoković is born

Novak Đoković, Serbian athlete, known for serbian tennis player, was born on 1988-05-22. Novak Djokovic is a Serbian professional tennis player. Djokovic has been ranked as the world No.

Daniel Logan is born

Daniel Logan, New Zealand zealand actor, known for new zealand actor, was born on 1988-06-06. Daniel Logan is a New Zealand-born American actor.

Diana DeGarmo is born

Diana DeGarmo, American singer, known for american singer, was born on 1988-06-16. Diana Nicole DeGarmo is an American singer.

Kendrick Lamar is born

Kendrick Lamar, American musician, known for american rapper and songwriter, was born on 1988-06-17. Kendrick Lamar Duckworth is an American rapper, songwriter, and record producer.

Lionel Messi is born

Lionel Messi, Argentine athlete, known for argentine footballer, was born on 1988-06-24.

Sebastian Vettel is born

Sebastian Vettel, German athlete, known for german racing driver, was born on 1988-07-03.

Dan Reynolds is born

Dan Reynolds, American musician, known for american singer and songwriter, was born on 1988-07-14. Daniel Coulter Reynolds is an American singer, songwriter, and musician.

Sean McColl is born

Sean McColl athlete, known for canadian rock climber, was born on 1988-09-03. Sean McColl is a professional rock climber from North Vancouver, Canada.

Evan Rachel Wood is born

Evan Rachel Wood, American actress, known for american actress, was born on 1988-09-07. Evan Rachel Wood is an American actress.

Alexandre Bilodeau is born

Alexandre Bilodeau, Canadian athlete, known for canadian freestyle skier, was born on 1988-09-08.

Hilary Duff is born

Hilary Duff, American actress, singer, author, businesswoman, philanthropist, known for american actress, singer, author, businesswoman, philanthropist, was born on 1988-09-28.

Colin Kaepernick is born

Colin Kaepernick, American athlete, known for american football player, was born on 1988-11-03.

Ana Ivanović is born

Ana Ivanović, Serbian athlete, known for serbian former tennis player, was born on 1988-11-06. Ana Schweinsteiger is a Serbian former professional tennis player. She was ranked as the world No.

Karen Gillan is born

Karen Gillan, Scottish actress and filmmaker, known for scottish actress and filmmaker, was born on 1988-11-28. Karen Sheila Gillan is a Scottish actress and filmmaker.

Karim Benzema is born

Karim Benzema, French athlete, known for french footballer, was born on 1988-12-19.

Notable Deaths

Seán MacBride dies

Seán MacBride, Irish republican activist, politician, and diplomat, known for irish republican activist, politician, and diplomat, died on 1988-01-15.

Klaus Fuchs dies

Klaus Fuchs, American german-born british physicist and atomic spy, known for german-born british physicist and atomic spy, died on 1988-01-28.

Dmitri Polyakov dies

Dmitri Polyakov, Russian soviet major general and spy, known for soviet major general and spy, died on 1988-03-15.