Explore the major historical events, famous births, and notable deaths that occurred in the year 1998. This year saw 160 significant events. 21 notable figures were born. 12 notable figures passed away.
A paper published by Bryony Coles highlights the submerged land between Britain and Europe in the modern North Sea as a once crucial inhabited landmass and names it Doggerland [1]
President Bill Clinton says "I want to say one thing to the American people; I did not have sexual relations with that woman, Miss Lewinsky"
Osama bin Mohammed bin Awad bin Laden (10 March 1957 – 2 May 2011) was the founder and first general emir of the al-Qaeda militant organization.
Pamela Denise Anderson is a Canadian-American actress, model and media personality.
Thomas Daniel Mottola is an American businessman, record executive and television producer.
The Good Friday Agreement (GFA) or Belfast Agreement (Irish: Comhaontú Aoine an Chéasta or Comhaontú Bhéal Feirste; Ulster Scots: Guid Friday Greeance or Bilfawst Greeance) is a pair of agreements…
Seinfeld's final two-part episode "The Finale" airs on NBC-TV to 76.3 million viewers, with commercials priced at $2 million for 30 seconds
United Ireland, also referred to as Irish reunification or a New Ireland, is the proposition that all of Ireland should be a single sovereign state.
European Central Bank is founded in Brussels to define and execute the European Union's monetary policy
TV sitcom "Sex and the City" premieres in the US on HBO, starring Sarah Jessica Parker, Kim Cattrall, Kristin Davis, and Cynthia Nixon
NBA commences a player lockout after no agreement with players about salary issues - lasts 204 days with the season shortened by 50 games
FIFA World Cup Final, Stade de France, Saint-Denis: Zinedine Zidane scores twice as France wins first World Cup beating Brazil, 3-0
Omagh bombing in Northern Ireland, the worst terrorist incident of The Troubles, kills 29 people and injures about 220
Monica Lewinsky scandal: US President Bill Clinton admits in taped testimony he had an "improper physical relationship" with the intern and on the same day admits before the nation he "misled people" about the relationship
"The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill" debut album by Lauryn Hill is released (5 Grammy Awards including Album of the Year, Billboard Album of the Year 1998)
Former Chilean dictator General Augusto Pinochet is arrested in London on a Spanish warrant requesting his extradition on murder charges
The Mark Twain Prize for American Humor is an American award presented by the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. annually since 1998 (except 2020–2021).
Brokerage houses are ordered to pay $1.03 billion to NASDAQ investors to compensate for price-fixing, the largest civil settlement in US history
Hugo Rafael Chávez Frías was a Venezuelan politician, revolutionary, and military officer who was the president of Venezuela from 1999 until his death in 2013.
Iraq disarmament crisis: Operation Desert Fox - the United States and United Kingdom bomb targets in Iraq to degrade its ability to produce, store, maintain, and deliver weapons of mass destruction
Autopsy of Chris Farley shows he overdosed on opiates and cocaine
Louis Marshall Jones (October 20, 1913 – February 19, 1998), known professionally as Grandpa Jones, was an American banjo player and old time/country music singer.
A massive ice storm hits eastern Canada and the northeastern United States, continues through January 10, and causes widespread destruction
The December 2013 North American storm complex was a significant storm complex that included many different types of severe weather, including a winter storm, a severe ice storm and a tornado...
Barry Layne Switzer is an American former college and professional football coach.
Los Angeles Lakers center Shaquille O'Neal blocks 3 shots in a 114-102 win over Milwaukee to bring his career total to 1,002
NY Giant GM George Young resigns to accept NFL position
Theodore John Kaczynski ( kə-ZIN-skee; May 22, 1942 – June 10, 2023), also known as the Unabomber ( YOO-nə-bom-ər), was an American mathematician and domestic terrorist.
Utah Jazz head coach Jerry Sloan wins his 600th NBA game with a 111-84 victory at the Houston Rockets
Vancouver Canucks veteran center Mark Messier becomes the 6th player in NHL history to record 1,000 assists in a 2-2 tie against the Florida Panthers at General Motors Place
Sidi-Hamed massacre takes place in Algeria, over 100 people are killed.
"Patti LaBelle On Broadway" opens at St James Theater NYC
th episode of "Ellen" airs
Charles Barkley pleads not guilty to an assault charge
Future Hockey Hall of Fame right wing Dino Ciccarelli finds his 5th NHL club; traded from Tampa Bay Lightning to Florida Panthers
ABL All-Star Game at Disney complex in Orlando, Florida
Larry Bird returns to Boston as head coach of the Indiana Pacers for the first time, as former Celtics center Robert Parish is honored by having his No. 00 raised to the Fleet Center rafters
Rickey Nelson Henley Henderson (December 25, 1958 – December 20, 2024), nicknamed "Man of Steal", was an American professional baseball left fielder who played 25 seasons in Major League Baseball...
Denver Nuggets tie the NBA single-season record of 23 consecutive losses set by the Vancouver Grizzlies in 1995-96; streak ends with a 99-81 win the next day against the LA Clippers
"Patti LaBelle On Broadway" closes at St James Theater NYC
Crane crashes into Roosevelt Island tram (NYC), injuring 10
Singer Bobby Brown found guilty of DWI in Fort Lauderdale, Florida
All-Star Fla Marlin catcher Darren Daulton, retires
STS 89 (Endeavour 12) lands
Lillian E. Fishburne became the first female African American to be promoted to rear admiral.
Daniel Baldwin hospitalized in NYC for cocaine overdose
The Cavalese cable car crash, also known as Strage del Cermis (lit. 'Cermis massacre'), occurred on 3 February 1998, near the Italian town of Cavalese, a ski resort in the Dolomites some 40...
An earthquake measuring 6.1 on the Richter Scale in northeast Afghanistan kills more than 5,000
Alberto Acciarito convicted of harassing his ex-wife Ingrid Rossellini
Former teacher Mary Kay LeTourneau (36) who violated probation by seeing the 14-year-old father of her baby, sentenced to 7 years
NHL's Dallas Stars retire Neal Broten's #7
Finland beats Sweden, 6-0 at the Aqua Wing Arena in Nagano, Japan in the first female ice hockey game played in Olympic history
6th ESPY Awards: Ken Griffey Jr, Mia Hamm win
AOL raises monthly flat rate internet access from $19.95 to $21.95
"Freak" opens at Cort Theater NYC
Eric Robert Rudolph, also known as the Olympic Park Bomber, is an American domestic terrorist convicted of a series of bombings across the Southern United States between 1996 and 1998, which killed...
Tellabs Inc acquires Coherent Communications Systems for $670 million
Larry Wayne Harris & Bill Levitt arrested for possession of anthrax
After being eliminated by the Czech Republic, the US ice hockey team trashes three dorm rooms at the Olympic Village in Nagano, Japan
American world champion Tara Lipinski wins Olympic figure skating gold medal ahead of teammate Michelle Kwan at the Nagano Winter Games
Petr Svoboda scores the winner as the Czech Republic claims its first ever Olympic ice hockey gold medal with a 1-0 victory over Russia in Nagano, Japan
Howard Stern Radio Show premieres in Charleston, South Carolina on WAVF 96.1 FM
The 40th Annual Grammy Awards were held on February 25, 1998, at Radio City Music Hall, New York City. They recognized accomplishments by musicians from the previous year.
The Newton is a specified standard and series of personal digital assistants (PDAs) developed and marketed by Apple Computer, Inc. from 1993 to 1998.
"View From the Bridge" closes at Criterion Theater NYC
Mark Martin drives his Ford Taurus to victory in the inaugural NASCAR Winston Cup event at Las Vegas Motor Speedway; Martin finishes 1.6 seconds ahead of teammate Jeff Burton
Data sent from the Galileo spacecraft indicates that Jupiter's moon Europa has a liquid ocean under a thick crust of ice
US Supreme Court in Oncale v. Sundowner Offshore Services rules that federal laws banning on-the-job sexual harassment also apply when both parties are of the same sex
"The Sound of Music" opens at Martin Beck Theater NYC
An earthquake measuring 6.4 on the Richter scale hits southeastern Iran
A tornado sweeps through Dantan in India killing 250 people and injuring 3000 others.
Oued Bouaicha massacre in Algeria; 52 people killed with axes and knives, 32 of them babies under the age of 2.
Chicago Bulls - Atlanta Hawks matchup at Georgia Dome in Atlanta, draws a crowd of 62,046, largest in any game in NBA history; Bulls win, 89-74
Nabisco Dinah Shore Women's Golf, Mission Hills CC: Pat Hurst wins her only major title, 1 stroke ahead of runner-up Helen Dobson after sinking a 5-foot birdie putt at the final green
Expansion clubs, Tampa Bay and Arizona both suffer bad losses in their MLB debuts; Devil Rays lose, 11-6 to the Detroit Tigers and the Diamondbacks fall, 9-2 to Colorado Rockies
The NFL Europe League (simply called NFL Europe and known in its final season as NFL Europa) was a professional American football league that functioned as the developmental minor league of the...
The Arizona Diamondbacks record their first win in team history with a 3-2 victory over the San Francisco Giants in Phoenix, AZ; ends second-worst start ever (0-5) by an expansion team
Pakistan tests medium-range missiles capable of hitting India
An earthquake in Slovenia, measuring 5.6 on the Richter scale occurs near the town of Bovec.
Members of the Red Army Faction (RAF) can be split up into three generations. The first (founding) generation existed from 1970 onwards.
Disney's Animal Kingdom Theme Park is a zoological theme park at Walt Disney World in Bay Lake, Florida, near Orlando.
Battle of Hogwarts: Fictional battle that ended the Second Wizarding War with the death of Lord Voldemort at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry
Mercedes-Benz buys Chrysler for $US40 billion and forms DaimlerChrysler in the then largest industrial merger in history
Nuclear weapons testing is the act of experimentally and deliberately firing one or more nuclear devices in a controlled manner pursuant to a military, scientific or technological goal.
India carries out two additional nuclear tests at Pokhran after the three conducted on May 11, resulting in the US and Japan imposing economic sanctions
New York Yankees pitcher David Wells tosses a perfect game in a 4-0 win against the Minnesota Twins at Yankee Stadium, NY
United States of America v. Microsoft Corporation, 253 F.3d 34 (D.C. Cir. 2001), was a landmark American antitrust law case at the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit.
Five abortion clinics in Miami, Florida, are targeted by a butyric acid attack
Theodoros "Theo" Angelopoulos was a Greek filmmaker, screenwriter and film producer.
The United States Supreme Court rules that Ellis Island, the historic gateway for millions of immigrants, is mainly in the state of New Jersey, not New York
Michael Fortier is sentenced to 12 years in prison and fined $200,000 for failing to warn authorities about the plot to bomb Oklahoma City
Pakistan responds to a series of Indian nuclear tests with five of its own, prompting the US, Japan, and other nations to impose economic sanctions
A magnitude 6.6 earthquake hits northern Afghanistan, killing up to 5,000.
Australian Susie Maroney becomes first person to swim from Mexico to Cuba across shark and jellyfish-infested waters of the Yucatan Straits; swims 123-miles in 38 hours 33 minutes in a cage
CIH, also known as Chernobyl or Spacefiller, is a Microsoft Windows 9x computer virus that first emerged in 1998.
Eschede train disaster: an ICE high speed train derails in Lower Saxony, Germany, causing 101 deaths
Terry Lynn Nichols is an American domestic terrorist who was convicted for conspiring with Timothy McVeigh in the Oklahoma City bombing plot. Nichols was born in Lapeer, Michigan.
The 52nd Annual Tony Awards ceremony was held on June 7, 1998, at Radio City Music Hall and was broadcast by CBS television. A documentaries segment was telecast on PBS television.
Compaq Computer Corporation was an American information technology company founded in 1982 that developed, sold, and supported computers and related products and services.
"Comic Relief" benefit comedy show
Stanley Cup Final, MCI Center, Washington, D.C.: Detroit Red Wings go back-to-back, defeating debutant finalists Washington Capitals, 4-1 for a 4-0 series sweep
Robert Barisford Brown Sr. is an American singer, songwriter, rapper, and dancer. Alongside frequent collaborator Teddy Riley, he is recognized as a pioneer of new jack swing: a fusion of hip-hop and...
The 1998 NBA draft took place on June 24, 1998, at General Motors Place in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
In Clinton v. City of New York, the US Supreme Court decides that the Line Item Veto Act of 1996 is unconstitutional
Kuala Lumpur International Airport is the main international airport serving Kuala Lumpur, the capital of Malaysia.
Sega Channel, cable's 1st on-demand video game service, closes down
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets is a fantasy novel by British author J. K. Rowling.
"Svoboda", oldest Ukrainian language newspaper in US, founded in 1893 in Jersey City, New Jersey, contracts from daily to weekly publication
NY Yankees beat Baltimore Orioles 1-0 to improve record to 61-20, equalling best 81-game start in MLB history
England cricket spin bowler Robert Croft saves England from defeat with a famous unbeaten 37 in 190 minutes on day 5 of 2nd Test v South Africa at Old Trafford, Manchester
Roman Catholic sexual abuse cases: The Diocese of Dallas agrees to pay $23.4 million to nine former altar boys who claimed they were sexually abused by former priest Rudolph Kos
Violence erupts in Richmond, South Africa, reflecting underlying political tensions between supporters of the ANC and Inkatha Freedom Party
Donatella Versace launches her first couture collection for her brother's Versace label a year after his murder
The Winter Olympic Games (French: Jeux olympiques d'hiver), also known as the Olympic Winter Games or simply the Winter Olympics, is a major international multi-sport event held once every four years...
Two hundred aid workers from CARE International, Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders) and other aid groups leave Afghanistan on orders of the Taliban
The Gay Games is a worldwide sport and cultural event that promotes acceptance of sexual diversity, featuring lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) athletes, artists and other...
Al-Muhtadee Billah ibni Hassanal Bolkiah is the eldest son of Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah and his wife Queen Saleha.
South African Truth and Reconciliation Commission chairperson, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, releases documents revealing an alleged plot by Western countries to assassinate UN Secretary-General Dag Hammarskjöld of Sweden
Reference Re Secession of Quebec, [1998] 2 SCR 217 is a landmark judgment of the Supreme Court of Canada regarding the legality, under both Canadian and international law, of a unilateral secession...
South Africa beats Australia 29-15 in Johannesburg to win its first Tri Nations Rugby Series with an unbeaten record; Springboks fullback Percy Montgomery lands five penalties and two conversions
British Professor Kevin Warwick is the first human to receive an RIFD (radio-frequency identification) microchip implant to interact with electronic systems
Pakistan's National Assembly passes a constitutional amendment to make the "Qur'an and Sunnah" the "supreme law," but the bill is defeated in the Senate
North Korea reportedly launches its first satellite, Kwangmyŏngsŏng-1. While the North Korean government claims the launch is successful, no objects are tracked in orbit from the launch.
American harness trainer and driver Dave Palone wins his 6,000th race, driving Oompa’s Terminator to victory at The Meadows Racetrack in Pennsylvania
The McDonnell Douglas MD-11 is an American trijet wide-body airliner which was manufactured by McDonnell Douglas and later by Boeing.
Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? is a British television quiz show and the original version of the international franchise based on the format.
Cricket was included in the 1998 Commonwealth Games in Malaysia. This was the only time cricket was played at a Commonwealth Games until a women's tournament was included in the 2022 Commonwealth...
The 50th Primetime Emmy Awards were held on Sunday, September 13, 1998. It was broadcast on NBC.
British TV show "The Royle Family" written and starring Caroline Adherne and Craig Cash, also starring Ricky Tomlinson and Sue Johnston premieres on BBC Two
With the landmark merger of WorldCom and MCI Communications completed the day prior, the new MCI WorldCom opens its doors for business.
Will & Grace is an American television sitcom created by Max Mutchnick and David Kohan.
LA's Mauricio Cienfuegos and Martin Machon equal the MLS playoff record of three assists each as the Galaxy roll to a 6-1 win over the Dallas Burn at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California
With his team struggling at 28 for 3, Australian cricket batsman Steve Waugh smashes a brilliant 157 to guide the tourists to an innings and 99-run win over Pakistan in the first Test in Rawalpindi
Australian motorcycle racer Mick Doohan wins the Australian Grand Prix at Phillip Island to clinch his 5th world 500cc championship; all 5 titles are won with Honda
Australian wicketkeeper Ian Healy overtakes countryman Rod Marsh's world record of 355 Test cricket dismissals during 1st Test win v Pakistan in Rawalpindi; catches Wasim Akram off Colin Miller to reach milestone
Matthew Shepard, a gay student at the University of Wyoming, is savagely beaten, tortured, and left to die tied to a fence in Laramie, Wyoming, and dies six days later
The Nobel Prize in Literature, here meaning for Literature (Swedish: Nobelpriset i litteratur), is a Swedish literature prize that is awarded annually to an author from any country who has, in the...
Congo Airlines Boeing 727 is shot down by rebels in Kindu, Democratic Republic of the Congo, killing 40 people
The history of Atlanta dates back to 1836, when Georgia decided to build a railroad to the U.S. Midwest and a location was chosen to be the line's terminus.
In Jesse, in the Niger Delta, Nigeria, a petroleum pipeline explodes, killing about 1,200 villagers, some of whom are scavenging gasoline
The Earth Liberation Front (ELF), also known as "Elves" or "The Elves", is the collective name for autonomous individuals or covert cells who, according to the ELF Press Office, use "economic...
Deep Space 1 (DS1) was a NASA technology demonstration spacecraft which flew by an asteroid and a comet.
An Air China (Mainland China) jetliner is hijacked by a disgruntled pilot Yuan Bin and flown to Taiwan
STS-95 was a Space Shuttle mission launched from Kennedy Space Center, Florida on 29 October 1998, using the orbiter Discovery.
American jam band Phish performs The Velvet Underground's "Rock and Roll" as a musical costume during a show at the Thomas & Mack Center at the University of Nevada in Paradise, Nevada
Finnish McLaren driver Mika Häkkinen wins season ending Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka to claim his first F1 World Drivers Championship; wins title by 14 points from Michael Schumacher
Steve Young and Jerry Rice hook up for their 80th career touchdown in Niners' 36-22 loss to GB Packers at Lambeau Field; eclipse previous NFL mark held by Miami Dolphins tandem Dan Marino & Mark Clayton
"400 Degreez" 3rd studio album by Juvenile is released (Billboard no. 1 year end Top R&B/Hip Hop Albums 1999)
The Detroit Red Wings (colloquially referred to as the Wings) are a professional ice hockey team based in Detroit.
Norodom Ranariddh was a Cambodian politician and law academic. He was the second son of King Norodom Sihanouk of Cambodia and a half-brother of King Norodom Sihamoni.
Albanians overwhelmingly endorse a new constitution in a national referendum, with 93.5% of voters in support
Deutsche Bank announces a US$10 billion deal to buy Bankers Trust, thus creating the largest financial institution in the world
Exxon Mobil Corporation ( EK-son MOH-bəl) is an American multinational oil and gas corporation headquartered in Spring, Texas, a suburb of Houston. Founded as the largest direct successor of John D.
The process of assembling the International Space Station (ISS) has been under way since the 1990s. Zarya, the first ISS module, was launched by a Proton rocket on 20 November 1998.
The Tadjena massacre was an incident resulting in 81 deaths. Beginning about 9:00 p.m.
Former Governor Edward D. DiPrete pleads guilty to 18 counts of bribery, extortion and racketeering
Errick Miron, known professionally as Ricky Williams, is an American former professional football running back who played for 11 seasons in the National Football League (NFL) and one season in the...
Shortly after the September 11 attacks, the United States under the administration of George W.
Leaders of the Khmer Rouge apologize for the 1970s genocide in Cambodia that claimed over a million people
Exchange rates between the euro and legacy currencies in the eurozone become fixed
Liza Soberano, American filipino-american actress, known for filipino-american actress, was born on 1998-01-04. Hope Elizabeth Soberano is a Filipino and American actress.
XXXTentacion, American musician, known for american rapper and singer-songwriter, was born on 1998-01-23.
Chloë Grace Moretz, American actress, known for american actress, was born on 1998-02-10. Chloë Grace Moretz is an American actress.
Chappell Roan, American musician, known for american singer, was born on 1998-02-19.
Camila Cabello, American musician, known for american singer, was born on 1998-03-03. Karla Camila Cabello Estrabao is an American singer and songwriter.
Simone Biles, American athlete, known for american artistic gymnast, was born on 1998-03-14. Simone Arianne Biles Owens is an American artistic gymnast.
Katie Ledecky, American athlete, known for american swimmer, was born on 1998-03-17. Kathleen Genevieve Ledecky ( lə-DEK-ee; born March 17, 1997) is an American competitive swimmer.
Lalisa is born
Maisie Williams, English actress, known for british actress, was born on 1998-04-15. Margaret Constance "Maisie" Williams is an English actress.
Alexander Zverev, German athlete, known for german tennis player, was born on 1998-04-20. Alexander "Sascha" Zverev is a German professional tennis player and the current world No. 4.
Lydia Ko, New Zealand athlete, known for new zealand professional golfer, was born on 1998-04-24.
Malala Yousafzai, Pakistani education activist, known for pakistani education activist, was born on 1998-07-12.
Kylie Jenner, American media personality and socialite, known for american media personality and socialite, was born on 1998-08-10.
Jungkook, South Korean musician, known for south korean singer, was born on 1998-09-01. Jeon Jung-kook, known mononymously as Jung Kook, is a South Korean singer and songwriter.
Max Verstappen, Belgian athlete, known for dutch and belgian racing driver, was born on 1998-09-30.
Bella Thorne, American actress and singer, known for american actress and singer, was born on 1998-10-08. Annabella Avery Thorne is an American actress, singer, and writer.
Naomi Osaka, Japanese athlete, known for japanese tennis player, was born on 1998-10-16. Naomi Osaka is a Japanese professional tennis player. She was ranked as the world No.
Lonzo Ball, American athlete, known for american basketball player, was born on 1998-10-27.
Marcus Rashford, English athlete, known for english footballer, was born on 1998-10-31.
Zara Larsson, Swedish musician, known for swedish singer and songwriter, was born on 1998-12-16. Zara Maria Larsson is a Swedish singer and songwriter.
Juice WRLD, American rapper, known for american rapper, was born on 1998-12-02. Jarad Anthony Higgins (December 2, 1998 – December 8, 2019), known professionally as Juice Wrld (pronounced "juice…
Helen Wills Moody, American tennis player, known for american tennis player, died on 1998-01-01.
Carl Perkins, American guitarist, known for american guitarist, died on 1998-01-19.
George H. Hitchings, American nobel prize-winning american doctor, known for nobel prize-winning american doctor, died on 1998-02-27.
Benjamin Spock pediatrician, political activist, and writer, known for american pediatrician, political activist, and writer, died on 1998-03-15.
Pol Pot, Cambodian communist leader, known for cambodian communist leader, died on 1998-04-15.
Linda McCartney, American photographer and musician, known for american photographer and musician, died on 1998-04-17.
Phil Hartman, American canadian-american actor, known for canadian-american actor, died on 1998-05-28.
Alan Shepard astronaut and lunar explorer, known for american astronaut and lunar explorer, died on 1998-07-21. Alan Bartlett Shepard Jr. (November 18, 1923 – July 21, 1998) was an American astronaut.
Jerome Robbins, American choreographer and director, known for american choreographer and director, died on 1998-07-29.
Tom Bradley, American politician, known for american politician, died on 1998-09-29.
Tommy Flowers, British engineer, known for english engineer, died on 1998-10-28. Thomas Harold Flowers (22 December 1905 – 28 October 1998) was an English engineer with the British General Post…
Archie Moore, American professional boxer, known for american professional boxer, died on 1998-12-09.
A paper published by Bryony Coles highlights the submerged land between Britain and Europe in the modern North Sea as a once crucial inhabited landmass and names it Doggerland [1]
President Bill Clinton says "I want to say one thing to the American people; I did not have sexual relations with that woman, Miss Lewinsky"
Osama bin Mohammed bin Awad bin Laden (10 March 1957 – 2 May 2011) was the founder and first general emir of the al-Qaeda militant organization.
Pamela Denise Anderson is a Canadian-American actress, model and media personality.
Thomas Daniel Mottola is an American businessman, record executive and television producer.
The Good Friday Agreement (GFA) or Belfast Agreement (Irish: Comhaontú Aoine an Chéasta or Comhaontú Bhéal Feirste; Ulster Scots: Guid Friday Greeance or Bilfawst Greeance) is a pair of agreements…
Seinfeld's final two-part episode "The Finale" airs on NBC-TV to 76.3 million viewers, with commercials priced at $2 million for 30 seconds
United Ireland, also referred to as Irish reunification or a New Ireland, is the proposition that all of Ireland should be a single sovereign state.
European Central Bank is founded in Brussels to define and execute the European Union's monetary policy
TV sitcom "Sex and the City" premieres in the US on HBO, starring Sarah Jessica Parker, Kim Cattrall, Kristin Davis, and Cynthia Nixon
NBA commences a player lockout after no agreement with players about salary issues - lasts 204 days with the season shortened by 50 games
FIFA World Cup Final, Stade de France, Saint-Denis: Zinedine Zidane scores twice as France wins first World Cup beating Brazil, 3-0
Omagh bombing in Northern Ireland, the worst terrorist incident of The Troubles, kills 29 people and injures about 220
Monica Lewinsky scandal: US President Bill Clinton admits in taped testimony he had an "improper physical relationship" with the intern and on the same day admits before the nation he "misled people" about the relationship
"The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill" debut album by Lauryn Hill is released (5 Grammy Awards including Album of the Year, Billboard Album of the Year 1998)
Former Chilean dictator General Augusto Pinochet is arrested in London on a Spanish warrant requesting his extradition on murder charges
The Mark Twain Prize for American Humor is an American award presented by the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. annually since 1998 (except 2020–2021).
Brokerage houses are ordered to pay $1.03 billion to NASDAQ investors to compensate for price-fixing, the largest civil settlement in US history
Hugo Rafael Chávez Frías was a Venezuelan politician, revolutionary, and military officer who was the president of Venezuela from 1999 until his death in 2013.
Iraq disarmament crisis: Operation Desert Fox - the United States and United Kingdom bomb targets in Iraq to degrade its ability to produce, store, maintain, and deliver weapons of mass destruction
Autopsy of Chris Farley shows he overdosed on opiates and cocaine
Louis Marshall Jones (October 20, 1913 – February 19, 1998), known professionally as Grandpa Jones, was an American banjo player and old time/country music singer.
A massive ice storm hits eastern Canada and the northeastern United States, continues through January 10, and causes widespread destruction
The December 2013 North American storm complex was a significant storm complex that included many different types of severe weather, including a winter storm, a severe ice storm and a tornado...
Barry Layne Switzer is an American former college and professional football coach.
Los Angeles Lakers center Shaquille O'Neal blocks 3 shots in a 114-102 win over Milwaukee to bring his career total to 1,002
NY Giant GM George Young resigns to accept NFL position
Theodore John Kaczynski ( kə-ZIN-skee; May 22, 1942 – June 10, 2023), also known as the Unabomber ( YOO-nə-bom-ər), was an American mathematician and domestic terrorist.
Utah Jazz head coach Jerry Sloan wins his 600th NBA game with a 111-84 victory at the Houston Rockets
Vancouver Canucks veteran center Mark Messier becomes the 6th player in NHL history to record 1,000 assists in a 2-2 tie against the Florida Panthers at General Motors Place
Sidi-Hamed massacre takes place in Algeria, over 100 people are killed.
"Patti LaBelle On Broadway" opens at St James Theater NYC
th episode of "Ellen" airs
Charles Barkley pleads not guilty to an assault charge
Future Hockey Hall of Fame right wing Dino Ciccarelli finds his 5th NHL club; traded from Tampa Bay Lightning to Florida Panthers
ABL All-Star Game at Disney complex in Orlando, Florida
Larry Bird returns to Boston as head coach of the Indiana Pacers for the first time, as former Celtics center Robert Parish is honored by having his No. 00 raised to the Fleet Center rafters
Rickey Nelson Henley Henderson (December 25, 1958 – December 20, 2024), nicknamed "Man of Steal", was an American professional baseball left fielder who played 25 seasons in Major League Baseball...
Denver Nuggets tie the NBA single-season record of 23 consecutive losses set by the Vancouver Grizzlies in 1995-96; streak ends with a 99-81 win the next day against the LA Clippers
"Patti LaBelle On Broadway" closes at St James Theater NYC
Crane crashes into Roosevelt Island tram (NYC), injuring 10
Singer Bobby Brown found guilty of DWI in Fort Lauderdale, Florida
All-Star Fla Marlin catcher Darren Daulton, retires
STS 89 (Endeavour 12) lands
Lillian E. Fishburne became the first female African American to be promoted to rear admiral.
Daniel Baldwin hospitalized in NYC for cocaine overdose
The Cavalese cable car crash, also known as Strage del Cermis (lit. 'Cermis massacre'), occurred on 3 February 1998, near the Italian town of Cavalese, a ski resort in the Dolomites some 40...
An earthquake measuring 6.1 on the Richter Scale in northeast Afghanistan kills more than 5,000
Alberto Acciarito convicted of harassing his ex-wife Ingrid Rossellini
Former teacher Mary Kay LeTourneau (36) who violated probation by seeing the 14-year-old father of her baby, sentenced to 7 years
NHL's Dallas Stars retire Neal Broten's #7
Finland beats Sweden, 6-0 at the Aqua Wing Arena in Nagano, Japan in the first female ice hockey game played in Olympic history
6th ESPY Awards: Ken Griffey Jr, Mia Hamm win
AOL raises monthly flat rate internet access from $19.95 to $21.95
"Freak" opens at Cort Theater NYC
Eric Robert Rudolph, also known as the Olympic Park Bomber, is an American domestic terrorist convicted of a series of bombings across the Southern United States between 1996 and 1998, which killed...
Tellabs Inc acquires Coherent Communications Systems for $670 million
Larry Wayne Harris & Bill Levitt arrested for possession of anthrax
After being eliminated by the Czech Republic, the US ice hockey team trashes three dorm rooms at the Olympic Village in Nagano, Japan
American world champion Tara Lipinski wins Olympic figure skating gold medal ahead of teammate Michelle Kwan at the Nagano Winter Games
Petr Svoboda scores the winner as the Czech Republic claims its first ever Olympic ice hockey gold medal with a 1-0 victory over Russia in Nagano, Japan
Howard Stern Radio Show premieres in Charleston, South Carolina on WAVF 96.1 FM
The 40th Annual Grammy Awards were held on February 25, 1998, at Radio City Music Hall, New York City. They recognized accomplishments by musicians from the previous year.
The Newton is a specified standard and series of personal digital assistants (PDAs) developed and marketed by Apple Computer, Inc. from 1993 to 1998.
"View From the Bridge" closes at Criterion Theater NYC
Mark Martin drives his Ford Taurus to victory in the inaugural NASCAR Winston Cup event at Las Vegas Motor Speedway; Martin finishes 1.6 seconds ahead of teammate Jeff Burton
Data sent from the Galileo spacecraft indicates that Jupiter's moon Europa has a liquid ocean under a thick crust of ice
US Supreme Court in Oncale v. Sundowner Offshore Services rules that federal laws banning on-the-job sexual harassment also apply when both parties are of the same sex
"The Sound of Music" opens at Martin Beck Theater NYC
An earthquake measuring 6.4 on the Richter scale hits southeastern Iran
A tornado sweeps through Dantan in India killing 250 people and injuring 3000 others.
Oued Bouaicha massacre in Algeria; 52 people killed with axes and knives, 32 of them babies under the age of 2.
Chicago Bulls - Atlanta Hawks matchup at Georgia Dome in Atlanta, draws a crowd of 62,046, largest in any game in NBA history; Bulls win, 89-74
Nabisco Dinah Shore Women's Golf, Mission Hills CC: Pat Hurst wins her only major title, 1 stroke ahead of runner-up Helen Dobson after sinking a 5-foot birdie putt at the final green
Expansion clubs, Tampa Bay and Arizona both suffer bad losses in their MLB debuts; Devil Rays lose, 11-6 to the Detroit Tigers and the Diamondbacks fall, 9-2 to Colorado Rockies
The NFL Europe League (simply called NFL Europe and known in its final season as NFL Europa) was a professional American football league that functioned as the developmental minor league of the...
The Arizona Diamondbacks record their first win in team history with a 3-2 victory over the San Francisco Giants in Phoenix, AZ; ends second-worst start ever (0-5) by an expansion team
Pakistan tests medium-range missiles capable of hitting India
An earthquake in Slovenia, measuring 5.6 on the Richter scale occurs near the town of Bovec.
Members of the Red Army Faction (RAF) can be split up into three generations. The first (founding) generation existed from 1970 onwards.
Disney's Animal Kingdom Theme Park is a zoological theme park at Walt Disney World in Bay Lake, Florida, near Orlando.
Battle of Hogwarts: Fictional battle that ended the Second Wizarding War with the death of Lord Voldemort at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry
Mercedes-Benz buys Chrysler for $US40 billion and forms DaimlerChrysler in the then largest industrial merger in history
Nuclear weapons testing is the act of experimentally and deliberately firing one or more nuclear devices in a controlled manner pursuant to a military, scientific or technological goal.
India carries out two additional nuclear tests at Pokhran after the three conducted on May 11, resulting in the US and Japan imposing economic sanctions
New York Yankees pitcher David Wells tosses a perfect game in a 4-0 win against the Minnesota Twins at Yankee Stadium, NY
United States of America v. Microsoft Corporation, 253 F.3d 34 (D.C. Cir. 2001), was a landmark American antitrust law case at the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit.
Five abortion clinics in Miami, Florida, are targeted by a butyric acid attack
Theodoros "Theo" Angelopoulos was a Greek filmmaker, screenwriter and film producer.
The United States Supreme Court rules that Ellis Island, the historic gateway for millions of immigrants, is mainly in the state of New Jersey, not New York
Michael Fortier is sentenced to 12 years in prison and fined $200,000 for failing to warn authorities about the plot to bomb Oklahoma City
Pakistan responds to a series of Indian nuclear tests with five of its own, prompting the US, Japan, and other nations to impose economic sanctions
A magnitude 6.6 earthquake hits northern Afghanistan, killing up to 5,000.
Australian Susie Maroney becomes first person to swim from Mexico to Cuba across shark and jellyfish-infested waters of the Yucatan Straits; swims 123-miles in 38 hours 33 minutes in a cage
CIH, also known as Chernobyl or Spacefiller, is a Microsoft Windows 9x computer virus that first emerged in 1998.
Eschede train disaster: an ICE high speed train derails in Lower Saxony, Germany, causing 101 deaths
Terry Lynn Nichols is an American domestic terrorist who was convicted for conspiring with Timothy McVeigh in the Oklahoma City bombing plot. Nichols was born in Lapeer, Michigan.
The 52nd Annual Tony Awards ceremony was held on June 7, 1998, at Radio City Music Hall and was broadcast by CBS television. A documentaries segment was telecast on PBS television.
Compaq Computer Corporation was an American information technology company founded in 1982 that developed, sold, and supported computers and related products and services.
"Comic Relief" benefit comedy show
Stanley Cup Final, MCI Center, Washington, D.C.: Detroit Red Wings go back-to-back, defeating debutant finalists Washington Capitals, 4-1 for a 4-0 series sweep
Robert Barisford Brown Sr. is an American singer, songwriter, rapper, and dancer. Alongside frequent collaborator Teddy Riley, he is recognized as a pioneer of new jack swing: a fusion of hip-hop and...
The 1998 NBA draft took place on June 24, 1998, at General Motors Place in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
In Clinton v. City of New York, the US Supreme Court decides that the Line Item Veto Act of 1996 is unconstitutional
Kuala Lumpur International Airport is the main international airport serving Kuala Lumpur, the capital of Malaysia.
Sega Channel, cable's 1st on-demand video game service, closes down
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets is a fantasy novel by British author J. K. Rowling.
"Svoboda", oldest Ukrainian language newspaper in US, founded in 1893 in Jersey City, New Jersey, contracts from daily to weekly publication
NY Yankees beat Baltimore Orioles 1-0 to improve record to 61-20, equalling best 81-game start in MLB history
England cricket spin bowler Robert Croft saves England from defeat with a famous unbeaten 37 in 190 minutes on day 5 of 2nd Test v South Africa at Old Trafford, Manchester
Roman Catholic sexual abuse cases: The Diocese of Dallas agrees to pay $23.4 million to nine former altar boys who claimed they were sexually abused by former priest Rudolph Kos
Violence erupts in Richmond, South Africa, reflecting underlying political tensions between supporters of the ANC and Inkatha Freedom Party
Donatella Versace launches her first couture collection for her brother's Versace label a year after his murder
The Winter Olympic Games (French: Jeux olympiques d'hiver), also known as the Olympic Winter Games or simply the Winter Olympics, is a major international multi-sport event held once every four years...
Two hundred aid workers from CARE International, Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders) and other aid groups leave Afghanistan on orders of the Taliban
The Gay Games is a worldwide sport and cultural event that promotes acceptance of sexual diversity, featuring lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) athletes, artists and other...
Al-Muhtadee Billah ibni Hassanal Bolkiah is the eldest son of Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah and his wife Queen Saleha.
South African Truth and Reconciliation Commission chairperson, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, releases documents revealing an alleged plot by Western countries to assassinate UN Secretary-General Dag Hammarskjöld of Sweden
Reference Re Secession of Quebec, [1998] 2 SCR 217 is a landmark judgment of the Supreme Court of Canada regarding the legality, under both Canadian and international law, of a unilateral secession...
South Africa beats Australia 29-15 in Johannesburg to win its first Tri Nations Rugby Series with an unbeaten record; Springboks fullback Percy Montgomery lands five penalties and two conversions
British Professor Kevin Warwick is the first human to receive an RIFD (radio-frequency identification) microchip implant to interact with electronic systems
Pakistan's National Assembly passes a constitutional amendment to make the "Qur'an and Sunnah" the "supreme law," but the bill is defeated in the Senate
North Korea reportedly launches its first satellite, Kwangmyŏngsŏng-1. While the North Korean government claims the launch is successful, no objects are tracked in orbit from the launch.
American harness trainer and driver Dave Palone wins his 6,000th race, driving Oompa’s Terminator to victory at The Meadows Racetrack in Pennsylvania
The McDonnell Douglas MD-11 is an American trijet wide-body airliner which was manufactured by McDonnell Douglas and later by Boeing.
Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? is a British television quiz show and the original version of the international franchise based on the format.
Cricket was included in the 1998 Commonwealth Games in Malaysia. This was the only time cricket was played at a Commonwealth Games until a women's tournament was included in the 2022 Commonwealth...
The 50th Primetime Emmy Awards were held on Sunday, September 13, 1998. It was broadcast on NBC.
British TV show "The Royle Family" written and starring Caroline Adherne and Craig Cash, also starring Ricky Tomlinson and Sue Johnston premieres on BBC Two
With the landmark merger of WorldCom and MCI Communications completed the day prior, the new MCI WorldCom opens its doors for business.
Will & Grace is an American television sitcom created by Max Mutchnick and David Kohan.
LA's Mauricio Cienfuegos and Martin Machon equal the MLS playoff record of three assists each as the Galaxy roll to a 6-1 win over the Dallas Burn at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California
With his team struggling at 28 for 3, Australian cricket batsman Steve Waugh smashes a brilliant 157 to guide the tourists to an innings and 99-run win over Pakistan in the first Test in Rawalpindi
Australian motorcycle racer Mick Doohan wins the Australian Grand Prix at Phillip Island to clinch his 5th world 500cc championship; all 5 titles are won with Honda
Australian wicketkeeper Ian Healy overtakes countryman Rod Marsh's world record of 355 Test cricket dismissals during 1st Test win v Pakistan in Rawalpindi; catches Wasim Akram off Colin Miller to reach milestone
Matthew Shepard, a gay student at the University of Wyoming, is savagely beaten, tortured, and left to die tied to a fence in Laramie, Wyoming, and dies six days later
The Nobel Prize in Literature, here meaning for Literature (Swedish: Nobelpriset i litteratur), is a Swedish literature prize that is awarded annually to an author from any country who has, in the...
Congo Airlines Boeing 727 is shot down by rebels in Kindu, Democratic Republic of the Congo, killing 40 people
The history of Atlanta dates back to 1836, when Georgia decided to build a railroad to the U.S. Midwest and a location was chosen to be the line's terminus.
In Jesse, in the Niger Delta, Nigeria, a petroleum pipeline explodes, killing about 1,200 villagers, some of whom are scavenging gasoline
The Earth Liberation Front (ELF), also known as "Elves" or "The Elves", is the collective name for autonomous individuals or covert cells who, according to the ELF Press Office, use "economic...
Deep Space 1 (DS1) was a NASA technology demonstration spacecraft which flew by an asteroid and a comet.
An Air China (Mainland China) jetliner is hijacked by a disgruntled pilot Yuan Bin and flown to Taiwan
STS-95 was a Space Shuttle mission launched from Kennedy Space Center, Florida on 29 October 1998, using the orbiter Discovery.
American jam band Phish performs The Velvet Underground's "Rock and Roll" as a musical costume during a show at the Thomas & Mack Center at the University of Nevada in Paradise, Nevada
Finnish McLaren driver Mika Häkkinen wins season ending Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka to claim his first F1 World Drivers Championship; wins title by 14 points from Michael Schumacher
Steve Young and Jerry Rice hook up for their 80th career touchdown in Niners' 36-22 loss to GB Packers at Lambeau Field; eclipse previous NFL mark held by Miami Dolphins tandem Dan Marino & Mark Clayton
"400 Degreez" 3rd studio album by Juvenile is released (Billboard no. 1 year end Top R&B/Hip Hop Albums 1999)
The Detroit Red Wings (colloquially referred to as the Wings) are a professional ice hockey team based in Detroit.
Norodom Ranariddh was a Cambodian politician and law academic. He was the second son of King Norodom Sihanouk of Cambodia and a half-brother of King Norodom Sihamoni.
Albanians overwhelmingly endorse a new constitution in a national referendum, with 93.5% of voters in support
Deutsche Bank announces a US$10 billion deal to buy Bankers Trust, thus creating the largest financial institution in the world
Exxon Mobil Corporation ( EK-son MOH-bəl) is an American multinational oil and gas corporation headquartered in Spring, Texas, a suburb of Houston. Founded as the largest direct successor of John D.
The process of assembling the International Space Station (ISS) has been under way since the 1990s. Zarya, the first ISS module, was launched by a Proton rocket on 20 November 1998.
The Tadjena massacre was an incident resulting in 81 deaths. Beginning about 9:00 p.m.
Former Governor Edward D. DiPrete pleads guilty to 18 counts of bribery, extortion and racketeering
Errick Miron, known professionally as Ricky Williams, is an American former professional football running back who played for 11 seasons in the National Football League (NFL) and one season in the...
Shortly after the September 11 attacks, the United States under the administration of George W.
Leaders of the Khmer Rouge apologize for the 1970s genocide in Cambodia that claimed over a million people
Exchange rates between the euro and legacy currencies in the eurozone become fixed
Liza Soberano, American filipino-american actress, known for filipino-american actress, was born on 1998-01-04. Hope Elizabeth Soberano is a Filipino and American actress.
XXXTentacion, American musician, known for american rapper and singer-songwriter, was born on 1998-01-23.
Chloë Grace Moretz, American actress, known for american actress, was born on 1998-02-10. Chloë Grace Moretz is an American actress.
Chappell Roan, American musician, known for american singer, was born on 1998-02-19.
Camila Cabello, American musician, known for american singer, was born on 1998-03-03. Karla Camila Cabello Estrabao is an American singer and songwriter.
Simone Biles, American athlete, known for american artistic gymnast, was born on 1998-03-14. Simone Arianne Biles Owens is an American artistic gymnast.
Katie Ledecky, American athlete, known for american swimmer, was born on 1998-03-17. Kathleen Genevieve Ledecky ( lə-DEK-ee; born March 17, 1997) is an American competitive swimmer.
Lalisa is born
Maisie Williams, English actress, known for british actress, was born on 1998-04-15. Margaret Constance "Maisie" Williams is an English actress.
Alexander Zverev, German athlete, known for german tennis player, was born on 1998-04-20. Alexander "Sascha" Zverev is a German professional tennis player and the current world No. 4.
Lydia Ko, New Zealand athlete, known for new zealand professional golfer, was born on 1998-04-24.
Malala Yousafzai, Pakistani education activist, known for pakistani education activist, was born on 1998-07-12.
Kylie Jenner, American media personality and socialite, known for american media personality and socialite, was born on 1998-08-10.
Jungkook, South Korean musician, known for south korean singer, was born on 1998-09-01. Jeon Jung-kook, known mononymously as Jung Kook, is a South Korean singer and songwriter.
Max Verstappen, Belgian athlete, known for dutch and belgian racing driver, was born on 1998-09-30.
Bella Thorne, American actress and singer, known for american actress and singer, was born on 1998-10-08. Annabella Avery Thorne is an American actress, singer, and writer.
Naomi Osaka, Japanese athlete, known for japanese tennis player, was born on 1998-10-16. Naomi Osaka is a Japanese professional tennis player. She was ranked as the world No.
Lonzo Ball, American athlete, known for american basketball player, was born on 1998-10-27.
Marcus Rashford, English athlete, known for english footballer, was born on 1998-10-31.
Zara Larsson, Swedish musician, known for swedish singer and songwriter, was born on 1998-12-16. Zara Maria Larsson is a Swedish singer and songwriter.
Juice WRLD, American rapper, known for american rapper, was born on 1998-12-02. Jarad Anthony Higgins (December 2, 1998 – December 8, 2019), known professionally as Juice Wrld (pronounced "juice…
Helen Wills Moody, American tennis player, known for american tennis player, died on 1998-01-01.
Carl Perkins, American guitarist, known for american guitarist, died on 1998-01-19.
George H. Hitchings, American nobel prize-winning american doctor, known for nobel prize-winning american doctor, died on 1998-02-27.
Benjamin Spock pediatrician, political activist, and writer, known for american pediatrician, political activist, and writer, died on 1998-03-15.
Pol Pot, Cambodian communist leader, known for cambodian communist leader, died on 1998-04-15.
Linda McCartney, American photographer and musician, known for american photographer and musician, died on 1998-04-17.
Phil Hartman, American canadian-american actor, known for canadian-american actor, died on 1998-05-28.
Alan Shepard astronaut and lunar explorer, known for american astronaut and lunar explorer, died on 1998-07-21. Alan Bartlett Shepard Jr. (November 18, 1923 – July 21, 1998) was an American astronaut.
Jerome Robbins, American choreographer and director, known for american choreographer and director, died on 1998-07-29.
Tom Bradley, American politician, known for american politician, died on 1998-09-29.
Tommy Flowers, British engineer, known for english engineer, died on 1998-10-28. Thomas Harold Flowers (22 December 1905 – 28 October 1998) was an English engineer with the British General Post…
Archie Moore, American professional boxer, known for american professional boxer, died on 1998-12-09.