Historical Events
- Bryant Gumbel co-hosted his final "Today" show on NBC-TV
- Texas-El Paso head basketball coach Don Haskins becomes 10th coach in NCAA Division I history to record 700 career wins when the Miners edge SMU, 66-64
- The People's Republic of China announces it will spend $US27.7 billion to fight erosion and pollution in the Yangtze and Yellow river valleys
- Zimbabwe cricket fast bowler Eddo Brandes takes ODI hat-trick as home team scores another upset against England, winning by 131 runs and sweeping series, 3-0 in Harare
Famous Deaths
- Burton Lane, American film and stage composer and lyricist (Finian's Rainbow), dies at 84
- Cornelius Kee, Dutch organist and composer, dies at 96
- David Kraehenbuehl, American composer (March of the Trolls), pianist, teacher (Yale), and music theorist (Journal of Music Theory), dies of a heart attack at 73
- Roger Goeb, American composer, dies at 82
Died in 1997 1997 Highlights
About January 3, 1997
Day of the Week: Friday
How Long Ago? 27 years, 3 months and 26 days
Leap Year: No
Generation: Generation Z
Chinese Zodiac: Rat
Star Sign: Capricorn
Music Charts
#1 Song: Un-Break My Heart - Toni Braxton
#1 Song: 2 Become 1 - Spice Girls
Assassination
Drug Overdose
Gunshot Wound
Murder
Plane Crash
Suicide