What Happened in January 1974

Historical Events

  • Jan 1 40th Orange Bowl: #6 Penn State beats #13 LSU, 16-9
  • Jan 1 60th Rose Bowl: #4 Ohio State beats #7 Southern California, 42-21

Connors Wins Over Dent

Jan 1 Australian Open Men's Tennis: American Jimmy Connors wins his only Australian title; beats home favourite Phil Dent 7-6, 6-4, 4-6, 6-3

  • Jan 1 Ernie DiGregorio of Buffalo hands out 25 assists in the Braves' 120-119 win over Portland, establishing an NBA single-game record for assists by a rookie

Lee MacPhail

Jan 1 Lee MacPhail takes over as AL president, succeeding Joe Cronin

  • Jan 1 NBC radio begins on the hour news 24 hours a day (following CBS lead)
  • Jan 1 With effect from this date the New Zealand government terminates all tariff preferences previously granted to South Africa
  • Jan 1 World Population Year begins

55 MPH Speed Limit

Jan 2 55 MPH speed limit imposed by Richard Nixon

  • Jan 2 Worst fire in Argentine history destroys 1.2 million acres
  • Jan 3 Arias Navarro succeeds Carrero Blanco as Premier of Spain
  • Jan 3 Burma accepts its constitution
  • Jan 3 Gold hits record $121.25 an ounce in London
  • Jan 3 Miguel Pinero's "Short Eyes," premieres in NYC
  • Jan 4 US President Richard Nixon refuses to hand over tapes subpoenaed by Watergate Committee
  • Jan 5 An earthquake in Lima, Peru, kills six people, and damages hundreds of houses

Raul Julia on Bob Newhart Show

Jan 5 Raul Julia appears on "The Bob Newhart Show" in the episode "Oh, Brother"

  • Jan 6 "CBS Mystery Theater" premieres on radio
  • Jan 6 In response to the 1973 energy crisis, daylight saving time commences nearly four months early in the United States.
  • Jan 6 United Kingdom begins three-day work week during energy crisis
  • Jan 7 Gasoline rationing begins in the Netherlands
  • Jan 8 E Wilson Jr's musical "Let My People Come" premieres in NYC
  • Jan 8 Gold hits record $126.50 an ounce in London
  • Jan 8 Silver hits record $3.40 an ounce in New York
  • Jan 11 ABC airs final episode of "Love, American Style"

"Joker"

Jan 12 "Joker" by Steve Miller Band peaks at #1

  • Jan 12 Libya & Tunisia announces they are merging as "Islamic Arab Republic"
  • Jan 13 Seraphim is elected Archbishop of Athens and All Greece.
  • Jan 13 Super Bowl VIII, Rice Stadium, Houston, TX: Miami Dolphins beat Minnesota Vikings, 24-7; MVP: Larry Csonka, Miami, RB
  • Jan 14 World Football League founded
  • Jan 15 24th NBA All-Star Game, Seattle Center Coliseum: West beats East, 134-123; MVP: Bob Lanier, Detroit Pistons
  • Jan 15 Expert panel reports 18½ minute gap in Watergate tape, 5 separate erasures

"Happy Days"

Jan 15 TV sitcom "Happy Days" created by Garry Marshall and starring Ron Howard, Henry Winkler, Marion Ross, and Tom Bosley, begins an 11 year run on ABC

"Jaws"

Jan 16 "Jaws" by Peter Benchley is published by Doubleday

  • Jan 16 Landslide kills 9 in Canyonville, Oregon

"Court and Spark"

Jan 17 Asylum Records releases "Court and Spark", Canadian singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell's 6th studio album; features the songs "Help Me" and "Free Man In Paris", it becomes her biggest seller

  • Jan 18 "$6 Million Man" starring Lee Majors premieres on ABC TV
  • Jan 18 Israel & Egypt sign weapons accord
  • Jan 19 Belgium government of Leburton falls
  • Jan 19 China and South Vietnam clash over the Paracel Islands, resulting in a Chinese victory
  • Jan 19 Notre Dame beats UCLA, 71-70 in South Bend, Indiana to end Bruins' NCAA-record 88-game basketball win streak
  • Jan 20 24th NFL Pro Bowl, Arrowhead Stadium, KC, Missouri: AFC beats NFC, 15-13; MVP: Garo Yepremian, Miami Dolphins, PK
  • Jan 20 7th ABA All-Star Game: East 128 beats West 112 at Virginia
  • Jan 20 Essex Comm College beats Englewood Cliffs 210-67 in basketball
  • Jan 21 Gold hits record $161.31, silver hits record $3.97 an ounce in London
  • Jan 23 1st edition of women's magazine "Story"
  • Jan 24 10th British Commonwealth Games open in Christchurch, New Zealand

1st Heterotopic Heart Transplant

Jan 25 Dr. Christiaan Barnard transplants 1st heterotopic heart transplant (adding donor heart without removal of old)

Kroc Buys Padres

Jan 25 Ray Kroc, CEO of McDonald's buys San Diego Padres baseball team for $12 million

PM Bülent Ecevit

Jan 26 Bülent Ecevit becomes Prime Minister of Turkey for the 1st time

Music Premiere

Jan 27 Jules Styne, Betty Comdem & Adolph Green's musical "Lorelei", starring Carol Channing, opens at the Palace Theatre, NYC; runs for 320 performances

Baseball Hall of Fame

Jan 28 Sam Thompson, Jim Bottomley, & Jocko Conlan elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame

  • Jan 29 1974 NFL Draft: Ed Jones from Tennessee State first pick by Dallas Cowboys
  • Jan 29 27th NHL All-Star Game, Chicago Stadium: Western Division beats Eastern Division, 6-4; MVP: Garry Unger, St. Louis, C
  • Jan 29 Kuwait announces 60 percent government participation in BP-Gulf concession
  • Jan 30 USSR performs nuclear test at the Semipalatinsk Test Site in northeast Kazakhstan
1974 History

Famous Birthdays

  • Jan 2 Ludmila Formanová, Czech athlete (World C'ship gold 800m 1999), born in Čáslav, Czech Republic
  • Jan 2 Tomáš Řepka, Czech soccer defender (46 caps; Sparta Prague, Fiorentina, West Ham United), born in Slavičín, Czech Republic
  • Jan 3 Alessandro Petacchi, Italian road cyclist (Tour de France 2010; Giro d'Italia 2004; Vuelta a España 2005), born in La Spezia, Italy
  • Jan 3 Stefan Ustorf, Kaufbeuren Ger, NHL right wing (Washington Capitals)
  • Jan 4 Ian Moor, English pop singer, born in North Ferriby, East Riding of Yorkshire, England
  • Jan 6 Daniel Cordone, Argentine footballer, born in General Rodríguez Partido, Argentina
  • Jan 6 Juan Roque, American football tackle (Detroit Lions), born in San Diego, California
  • Jan 6 Marcus Crandell, CFL quarterback (Edmonton Eskimos), born in Charlotte, North Carolina
  • Jan 6 Paul Grant, NBA center (Minn Timberwolves), born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
  • Jan 8 Arjan Blaauw, Dutch soccer player (FC Groningen), born in Stadskanaal, Netherlands
  • Jan 9 Craig Wishart, Zimbabwean cricketer (Zimbabwe Test batsman vs South Africa 1995), born in Harare, Zimbabwe
  • Jan 9 Farhan Akhtar, Indian Bollywood film director and actor, born in Mumbai, India
  • Jan 10 Akari Kaida, Japanese composer, born in Hyogo, Japan
  • Jan 10 Davide Dionigi, Italian footballer, born in Modena, Italy
  • Jan 10 Hollis Thomas, American football defensive tackle (Philadelphia Eagles), born in Abilene, Texas
  • Jan 10 Hrithik Roshan, Indian actor and dancer (Bang Bang!; Fiza, Kaho Naa... Pyaar Hai), born in Mumbai, Maharashtra
  • Jan 10 Jemaine Clement, New Zealand comedian, actor, and musician (Flight of the Conchords - "Feel Inside (And Stuff Like That)"), born in Masterton, New Zealand
  • Jan 10 Steve Marlet, French footballer, born in Pithiviers, France
  • Jan 11 Goran Lozanovski, Australian soccer midfielder (Olyroos, Olympics 1996)
  • Jan 11 Jens Nowotny, German footballer, born in Malsch, Germany
  • Jan 11 Rod Jones, American NFL guard (Cincinnati Bengals), born in Detroit, Michigan
  • Jan 11 Warren Morris, American baseball infielder (Olympic bronze 1996), born in Alexandria, Louisiana

Mel C (50 years old)

Jan 12 English singer "Sporty Spice" (Spice Girls - "Wannabee"), born in Whiston, England

  • Jan 12 Tor Arne Hetland, Norwegian cross-country skier, born in Stavanger, Norway
  • Jan 13 Sergei Brylin, Russian ice hockey center (Stanley Cup 1995, 2000, 03 NJ Devils), born in Moscow, Russia
  • Jan 14 Kevin Durand, Canadian actor (The Strain), born in Thunder Bay, Canada
  • Jan 14 Nancy Napolski-Johnson, American sports shooter (Olympic gold 10m air rifle 2000), born in Hinsdale, Idaho
  • Jan 15 Mike Minter, American football safety (Carolina Panthers) and college coach (Campbell University 2013-23), born in Cleveland, Ohio
  • Jan 15 Ray King, American MLB baseball pitcher, 1999-2008 (Milwaulkee Brewers, Atlanta Braves, and 6 other teams), born in Chicago, Illinois

Kate Moss (50 years old)

Jan 16 English model, born in Croydon, England

  • Jan 17 Annemarie Jacir, Palestinian filmmaker and poet, born in Bethlehem, Palestine
  • Jan 17 Derrick Mason, American football wide receiver (First-team All-Pro 2000; Pro Bowl 2000, 03; Tennessee Oilers/Titans), born in Detroit, Michigan
  • Jan 17 Guillermo Mercedes, Dominican-American baseball infielder (Texas Rangers), born in La Romana, Dominican Republic
  • Jan 17 Jaakko Kuusisto, Finnish violinist, composer, and conductor, born in Helsinki, Finland (d. 2022)
  • Jan 17 Marcus Spriggs, American offensive tackle (Buffalo Bills), born in Hattiesburg, Mississippi
  • Jan 17 Vesko Kountchev, Bulgarian musician, born in Sofia, Bulgaria
  • Jan 17 Yang Chen, Chinese footballer, born in Beijing, China
  • Jan 18 Christian Burns, British rock singer-songwriter and guitarist (BBMak), born in Liverpool, England
  • Jan 18 Devon Odessa, American actress (Sharon-My So Called Life, Girl of Limberlost), born in Parkersburg, West Virginia
  • Jan 18 Maulik Pancholy, American actor, born in Dayton, Ohio
  • Jan 18 Michael Tunn, Australian radio announcer and television presenter, born in Adelaide, Australia
  • Jan 18 Princess Claire of Belgium, British-Belgian land surveyor, born in Bath, United Kingdom
  • Jan 19 Amaury Telemaco, Dominican baseball pitcher (Chicago Cubs), born in Higüey, Dominican Republic
  • Jan 19 Frank Caliendo, American comedian and impressionist, born in Chicago, Illinois
  • Jan 19 Gregory Playfair, Dutch football player (PSV), born in Paramaribo, Suriname
  • Jan 19 Jaime Moreno, Bolivian footballer, born in Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia
  • Jan 19 Tarik Oulida, Dutch football player (Ajax/Seville), born in Amsterdam, Netherlands
  • Jan 19 Walter Jones, American football offensive tackle (Seattle Seahawks), born in Aliceville, Alabama
  • Jan 20 Calvin Harrison, American athlete (Olympic gold medalist), born in Orlando, Florida
  • Jan 20 Rae Carruth, American football wide receiver (Carolina Panthers), born in Sacramento, California
  • Jan 21 Alex Sperafico, Brazilian racing driver
  • Jan 21 Jerald Sowell, American football fullback (NY Jets), born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana
  • Jan 21 Jerry Wunsch, tackle (Tampa Bay Buccaneers)
  • Jan 21 Keith Hufnagel, American skateboarder (founded skate/clothing company HUF), born in New York City (d. 2020)
  • Jan 21 Orpheus Roye, defensive end (Pittsburgh Steelers)
  • Jan 21 Rove McManus, Australian television host and comedian
  • Jan 22 Stephanie Rottier, Dutch tennis player (1995 semi Prague), born in Sint-Niklaas, Belgium
  • Jan 23 Glen Chapple, English cricketer (Lancashire & England A pace bowler), born in Skipton, United Kingdom
  • Jan 23 Rebekah Elmaloglou, Australian actress, born in Sydney, Australia
  • Jan 23 Richard T. Slone, British artist, born in Newton-in-Furness, United Kingdom
  • Jan 23 Tiffani Theissen, American actress (Saved by Bell, 90210), born in Long Beach, California
  • Jan 23 Yosvani Pérez, Cuban baseball player, born in Rodas, Cuba
  • Jan 24 Ed Helms, American comic actor (The Daily Show; The Office; The Hangover), born in Atlanta, Georgia
  • Jan 24 Kristy Sargeant, Canadian ice pairs (1994 Skate Canada), born in Edmonton, Alberta
  • Jan 24 Shii Ann Huang, American game show contestant, born in Taipei, Taiwan
  • Jan 24 Tim Biakabutuka, American football running back (Carolina Panthers), born in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo
  • Jan 25 Jonathan Bryan Colling, American pop singer (4 Fun - Unbelievable Fun Boys), born in Boston, Massachusetts
  • Jan 25 Robert Budreau, Canadian film director, born in London, Canada
  • Jan 26 Rokia Traoré, Bambara-Mali-French Afro-beat and folk singer-songwriter, and guitarist (Tchamantché; Né So), and arts patron (Foundation Passerelle), born in Kolokani, Mali
  • Jan 26 Shannon Hale, American author, born in Salt Lake City, Utah
  • Jan 27 Ole Einar Bjørndalen, Norwegian biathlete and coach, born in Drammen, Norway
  • Jan 28 Jermaine Dye, American baseball outfielder (MLB All-Star 2000, 06; World Series MVP 2005 Chicago White Sox; Gold Glove Award 2000 KC Royals), born in Oakland, California
  • Jan 28 Magglio Ordóñez, Venezuelan baseball outfielder (6 × MLB All-Star; AL batting champion 2007 Detroit Tigers; Chicago WS), born in Caracas, Venezuela
  • Jan 28 Tony Delk, American basketball guard (NCAA C'ship, Final Four MVP 1996 Kentucky; Greek C'ship, Greek Cup, EuroLeague C'ship 2007 Panathinaikos), born in Covington, Tennessee

Christian Bale (50 years old)

Jan 30 British actor (Batman Begins, American Psycho, The Machinist), born in Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire, Wales

  • Jan 30 Jemima Khan, English socialite, previously married to Imran Khan, born in London

Olivia Colman (50 years old)

Jan 30 English actress (Broadchurch, The Favourite), born in Norwich, England

  • Jan 30 Robert Rollins, English cricketer (big-hitting Essex wicketkeeper-batsman), born in London, England
  • Jan 31 Ariel Pestano, Cuban baseball player, born in Cuba
  • Jan 31 Bob Mulder, Dutch football player (Appingedam, FC Groningen), born in Delfzijl, Netherlands
  • Jan 31 Lorenzo Styles, American football linebacker (Atlanta Falcons), born in Sharon, Pennsylvania
  • Jan 31 Othella Harrington, American basketball forward (Houston Rockets), born in Jackson, Mississippi
  • Jan 31 Pavi Sald, Finnish ice hockey defenseman (Finland, Olympics 1998)
Born in 1974

Famous Weddings

Bill Bradley

Jan 14 US Senator Bill Bradley (30) weds professor Ernestine Schlant

Maya Angelou

Jan 18 American poet and author Maya Angelou (45) weds Welsh model and writer Paul Bernard Du Feu, her second marriage, his third; divorce in 1983

  • Jan 31 "The Outlaw" actress Jane Russell (52) weds real-estate broker John Calvin People (45) in Santa Barbara, California

Famous Deaths

  • Jan 2 (Woodward) "Tex" Ritter, American country singer (5 Star Jubilee, "Wayward Wind"), dies of a heart attack at 67
  • Jan 3 Arthur Daley, American sportswriter (NY Times-Pulitzer 1956), dies from a heart attack at 69
  • Jan 3 Gino Cervi, Italian actor (Les Miserables, Naked Maja), dies at 72
  • Jan 4 Karel Janeček, Czech composer, dies at 70
  • Jan 5 Lev Oborin, Russian-Soviet pianist (winner of 1st International Chopin Competition, 1927), composer and pedagogue, dies at 66
  • Jan 6 David Alfaro Siqueiros, Mexican sculptor/muralist, dies at 77
  • Jan 7 Charles Alfred Coulson, British chemist (theoretical), dies at 63
  • Jan 10 Eddie Safranski, American jazz double bassist and orchestra leader (Jonathan Winters Show), dies at 55
  • Jan 13 Raoul Jobin, French-Canadian operatic tenor (1930-58), and educator (Conservatoire de musique du Québec, 1960-71), dies at 69
  • Jan 13 Salvador Novo, Mexican writer and poet, dies at 69
  • Jan 14 Josef Smrkovský, Czechoslovak communist politician, dies at 62
  • Jan 15 Karel Salmon [Karl Salomon], Israeli operatic bass-baritone singer, composer, and conductor, dies at 76
  • Jan 16 Roy Bargy, American pianist and composer (Jimmy Durante Show), dies at 79
  • Jan 20 Edmund Blunden, English poet and critic (Undertones of War), dies at 77
  • Jan 21 Jan Arends, Dutch poet and author, commits suicide at 48
  • Jan 21 Ken Viljoen, South African cricket batsman (27 Tests, 2 x 100, HS 124; Griqualand West, Orange Free State, Transvaal), dies at 63
  • Jan 21 Lewis L Strauss, head US Atomic Energy Comm (1953-58), dies at 78
  • Jan 22 Leon Lontoc, Filipino-American character actor (The Ugly American; Burke's Law - "Henry"), and restaurateur, dies at 64
  • Jan 26 Siegfried von Vegesack, German writer, dies at 85
  • Jan 26 Wiktor Labunski, Polish-American composer, dies at 78
  • Jan 27 Georgios Grivas, Cypriot leader and patriot (fought guerilla war for independence against British), dies at 75
  • Jan 27 Paula Ludwig, Austrian German poet, dies at 74
  • Jan 29 H. E. Bates [Herbert Ernest Bates ], English writer (Love for Lydia, The Darling Buds of May), dies at 68
  • Jan 30 Bill Whitty, Australian cricketer (left-arm bowler 1909-12), dies at 87
  • Jan 31 Glenn Morris, American athlete (Olympic gold decathlon 1936) and actor (Tarzan's Revenge; Hold That Co-ed), dies of congestive heart failure at 61
  • Jan 31 Paul Haesaerts, Belgian architect and painter (Flandre), dies at 72
  • Jan 31 Roger Pryor, American actor (Lady by Choice, Belle of the Nineties, Identity Unknown), dies at 72

Samuel Goldwyn (1882-1974)

Jan 31 Polish born Jewish-American film producer (The Best Years of Our Lives) and movie magnate, dies of natural causes at 91