January 30
Bloody Sunday. In Northern Ireland British troops shoot dead 13 Catholic civilans and wound 14 people, one of whom also died later, during a Civil Rights march in Derry (Londonderry).

February 3-13
Japan is the first Asian Nation to host the Winter Olympics.

February 21-27
President Richard M. Nixon makes an historic visit to Communist China (below) to visit with Chairman Mao Tse Tung (or Mao Zedong).

April 15
The United States resumes aerial bombing of North Vietnam. 

May 3
J. Edgar Hoover dies, ending the 48-year reign of the  autocratic founding director of the FBI.

May 15
Former Alabama Governor George C. Wallace is shot by Arthur Bremer and left paralyzed while campaigning for the Democratic presidential nomination, in a suburban Maryland shopping center.

June 17
Five burglars are arrested inside Democratic National Headquarters in Washington D.C.'s Watergate apartment complex attempting to install listening devices. The burglars are later linked to former White House aide and ex-CIA man, E. Howard Hunt. In October, the FBI establishes that the Watergate break-in were part of a campaign of political spying and sabotage conducted on behalf of President Nixon's reelection effort.

August 1
A $25,000 cashier's check earmarked for President Richard M. Nixon's reelection campaign, is found in the bank account of a Watergate burglar.

August 26 - September 11
Summer Olympics in Munich, Germany turn into a nightmare as the Black September terrorist group kidnap two coaches and murder 9 Israeli athletes.

September 1
The first American to win the world Chess Title is the brilliant and temperamental Bobby Fischer.

September 4
US swimmer Mark Spitz wins an unprecedented seventh Olympic gold medal, in the 400-meter relay at the Munich Summer Olympics.

October 24
Jackie Robinson dies at the age of 53, the first black baseball player in the major leagues.

November 7
Richard M. Nixon is reelected in one of the largest landslides in US history. He takes over 60 percent of the vote and completely crushes Democrat challenger Senator George McGovern (left) of South Dakota.

November 14
The Dow-Jones Industrial Average reaches a benchmark 1,000.

December 19
Apollo 17 splashes down, ending the moon exploring Apollo program.

December 31
Baseball superstar Roberto Clemente is killed in a plane crash while attempting to deliver disaster relief supplies to earthquake victims in Managua, Nicaragua.

ALSO IN 1972:
The Transamerican Building, in San Francisco is erected by William Pereira.

Equality for Women is instituted with the US Senate approving the Equal Right Amendment. The amendment does not become ratified by several states.

The Nike sports clothing concept is developed by Philip H. Knight and William Bowerman. Their popular slogan, "Just Do It." won’t be developed for quite some time.

2.5 million year old skull found in Kenya by R. Leakey.

The video game hit "Pong" is invented by Nolan Bushnell. At this time, the electronic ping pong game with vertically movable paddles and the slowly bouncing square "ball" is considered a technological breakthrough.

The Betamax format, a videotape system for the home is sold by Sony. However, this format (said to be of superior quality by aficionados) is eventually outsold by the less expensive VHS and will go the way of  the 8-track tape player (which in 1972 is also considered a technological breakthrough)

HBO (or Home Box Office) is launched onto cable TV by subscription.

DDT is banned by the EPA.

A computer database is built for news stories by the Philadelphia Inquirer.

By a count of 5-4, the Supreme Court rules that the death penalty is cruel and unusual punishment.

Got Mail? Email is invented by Ray Tomlinson.

The US government invents GPS (Global Positioning System) which uses twenty-four satellites.

What's On TV
In 1972, television news viewers are brought painful, daily reminders of the continuing horror in Vietnam, such as an accidental napalm bombing of a friendly village.

In Sports
A.J. Foyt wins the Daytona 500.
Winning their sixth title, the Oakland A's have a close call with the Cincinnati Reds, 4-3.
Inducted Baseball Hall of Famers this year include Sandy Koufax, Yogi Berra, and Early Wynn. Berra played in 14 World Series, had more hits in Series play than any other player, and he was a three-time MVP for the Yankees. Koufax won three Cy Young awards and was the youngest inductee in history.
NBA Finals – The LA Lakers win over the NY Knicks 4 games to 1.
Once again Jack Nicklaus wins the jackpot of golf - $320,542.
Riva Ridge is the winner of this year’s Kentucky Derby.
Most Valuable Player of the NHL is Bobby Orr of the Boston Bruins.
Billie Jean King slams her way through the US Open for the win.

At the Movies
Marlon Brando, as Don Vito Corleone (right) in Francis Ford Coppola's The Godfather, makes an offer that movie goers can't refuse. Wins Best Picture, Best Actor, Best Screenplay Oscars. The film launches the careers of Al Pacino, among others.

1972 CHART ACTION
1 AMERICAN PIE - Don McLean (United Artists)
2 THE FIRST TIME EVER I SAW YOUR FACE - Roberta Flack (Atlantic)
3 ALONE AGAIN (Naturally) - Gilbert O'Sullivan (MAM)
4 BRAND NEW KEY - Melanie (Neighborhood)
5 WITHOUT YOU - Nilsson (RCA Victor)
6 LET'S STAY TOGETHER - Al Green (Hi)
7 I GOTCHA - Joe Tex (Dial)
8 BRANDY (You're A Fine Girl) - The Looking Glass (Epic)
9 ME AND MRS. JONES - Billy Paul (Philadelphia Int'l)
10 I CAN SEE CLEARLY NOW - Johnny Nash (Epic)
11 I AM WOMAN - Helen Reddy (Capitol)
12 A HORSE WITH NO NAME - America (Warner Bros.)
13 (If Loving You Is Wrong) I DON'T WANT TO BE RIGHT - Luther Ingram (KoKo)
14 HEART OF GOLD - Neil Young (Reprise)
15 THE CANDY MAN - Sammy Davis Jr. (MGM)
16 BABY DON'T GET HOOKED ON ME - Mac Davis (Columbia)
17 DADDY DON'T YOU WALK SO FAST - Wayne Newton (Chelsea)
18 LEAN ON ME - Bill Withers (Sussex)
19 I'LL TAKE YOU THERE - The Staple Singers (Stax)
20 OH GIRL - The Chi-Lites (Brunswick)