1990s Sporting Events
During the ’90s, baseball’s “home run race” featured star players Mark McGwire and this Chicago Cub.
Sammy Sosa
Their epic 1998 home run race captivated fans, with McGwire hitting 70 and Sosa hitting 66. Barry Bonds broke the record in 2001 with 73 home runs.
Now the subject of a popular television series, The Handmaid’s Tale is a novel by this female author.
Margaret Atwood
Atwood makes a cameo appearance in the show.
John Williams won the Oscar in 1976 for the soundtrack to this Spielberg summer blockbuster.
Jaws
The iconic soundtrack was Williams’ second Oscar win.
These Hasbro favorite toys had a catchy tagline—they “wobble, but they don’t fall down!”
Weebles
The retro toy from the early ’70s made a comeback in 2010 with jumbo Weebles.
One of the longest-standing No. 1 hits, “Candle in the Wind 1997” is a song by him.
Elton John
Starting in October 1997, the song hit No. 1 and stayed there for 14 weeks.
The 1992 Olympic Games featured a star-studded American team in this sport, with players like Larry Bird taking the court.
basketball
The Dream Team won gold—unsurprisingly, considering their lineup contained Bird, Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan, and more.
Her books include the incredibly popular Harry Potter series.
J. K. Rowling
The idea for her internationally bestselling seven-part series about a boy wizard came to her on a train ride, and she began writing in cafés.
1976’s Bound for Glory won an Oscar for Best Adaptation Score and features the early life of this folk singer.
Woody Guthrie
The film stars David Carradine as a young Guthrie alongside Melinda Dillon portraying his wife.
Abbreviated “D&D,” this popular tabletop game emerged in the 1970s.
Dungeons & Dragons
Created by Dave Arneson and Gary Gygax, D&D remains popular today.
The year-end No. 1 hit for 1970 was their “Bridge Over Troubled Water.”
Simon and Garfunkel
The song hit No. 1 in February of that year and stayed in the Hot 100 for 15 weeks total.
In the lead-up to the 1994 Winter Olympics, a bitter rivalry between these two athletes led to an attack.
Nancy Kerrigan and Tonya Harding
Harding was banned by the U.S. Figure Skating Association for her role in the attack on Kerrigan.
This S. E. Hinton classic from the ’60s features characters like Sodapop and Ponyboy.
The Outsiders
The story centers around two teen gangs, the Greasers and the Socs.
Winning in 1980 for Best Adaptation Score, All That Jazz tells the story of this director and choreographer through the character of Joe Gideon.
Bob Fosse
Stanley Kubrick called the film the best he had ever seen.
In 1956, a chemist invented this popping, crackling candy that comes in a small pouch.
Pop Rocks
The General Foods chemist was trying to create an instant soda but instead invented a childhood favorite candy. They weren’t released for purchase until 1975.
With an incredible 18 weeks on the Billboard charts in 1972, her song “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face” was an undeniable hit.
Roberta Flack
The tune hit No. 1 for six weeks, starting in April 1972.
This golfer took his first swing as a professional on the PGA tour in 1996 and won the Masters in 1997.
Tiger Woods
At 21, he was the youngest player to win the Masters and still holds the record today.
Her books were popular with ’80s teens, including classics like Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret and Forever.
Judy Blume
She is noted for her true-to-life coming-of-age stories.
Another win for John Williams came in 1983, for the score of this beloved tale of a friendly alien.
E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial
Williams scored the film, which stars Henry Thomas and Drew Barrymore.
A favorite after-school snack, Cheez Balls were released in the 1970s by this company, also known for peanuts.
Planters
The snack was retired in the early 2000s but brought back in 2018 by popular demand.
The 1973 No. 1 song by Dawn was titled “Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round” this.
the ole oak tree
The song was on the Hot 100 for 23 weeks, starting on February 17, 1973.
Between 1993 and 2000, this tennis superstar won at Wimbledon seven times and ranked No. 1 globally for 286 weeks.
Pete Sampras
Sampras’ seven Wimbledon singles wins are second only to Roger Federer’s eight wins.
Her works are largely in the science-fiction and fantasy genres, including 1985’s Always Coming Home as well as the Earthsea books.
Ursula K. Le Guin
Le Guin is known for her feminist themes and magical worlds.
In 1997, the win for Best Dramatic Score went to this Ralph Fiennes and Juliette Binoche World War II tale.
The English Patient
The score is by Gabriel Yared, who also scored The Talented Mr. Ripley.
Throughout the ’70s, action figures based on this George Lucas film were popular toys.
Star Wars
A recent line of films and TV shows set in the Star Wars universe has continued the massive popularity of similar toys.
In 1975, this duo declared that “Love Will Keep Us Together”—it certainly put them on top!
Captain and Tennille
This song was No. 1 for four weeks, starting in June 1975.