Beech Tree News Network

When I was in Pigeon Forge, there was a store called 5 and 10.  There was a little bit of everything in that store.  One thing was a book called Back in the day: Reflections of a special year.  This one was the year I was born, 1979. This week, we’ll look at how things were around the world in 1979.  For instance, did you know thar the 1979 Camaro is offered only as a two-door coupe.  There are nearly 10,000 more Camaros sold in 1979 than in 1978.

Did you know that the McDonald’s Happy Meal is introduced nationwide, featuring a circus wagon theme, in 1979? The music for UNICEF Concert is held at the U.N. General Assembly to raise money for UNICEF and promote the Year of the Child.  Convicted bank robber Patty Hearst is released from prison after her sentence is commuted by President Jimmy Carter.

Pluto moves inside Neptune’s orbit for the first time since either was known to science.  The annual Mardi Gras celebration in New Orleans, Louisiana is cancelled due to a strike called by the New Orleans Police Department.  Phillips demonstrates the compact disc publicly for the first time.  The Pinwheel Network changes its name to Nickelodeon.  Two families flee from East Germany by balloon.  Pope John Paul II visits the United States. 

In the sports world in 1979: Sugar Ray Leonard won his first world title, beating WBC World Welterweight champion Wilfred Benitez by knockout in round 15.  Fuzzy Zoeller defeats Ed Sneed and Tom Watson on the second round of a sudden-death playoff, the first time the Master’s used a sudden-death format.  Richard Petty wins the Daytona 500.  It’s the first Daytona 500 to be televised flag-to-flag by CBS Sports.

Willie Mays receives 409 of 432 votes in the BBWAA election to earn enshrinement in the Hall of Fame.  1979 champions include World Series: Pittsburgh Pirates, U,S Open Golf: Hale Irwin, NFL: Pittsburgh Steelers, Indianapolis 500: Rick Mears, Stanley Cup: Montreal Canadiens, NCAA basketball: Michigan State, College Football: Alabama, Heisman Trophy: Charles White, Kentucky Derby: Spectacular Bid, Wimbledon: Bjorn Borg and NASCAR: Richard Petty.

At the movies: Bet Picture went to Kramer vs Kramer.  Dustin Hoffman won Best Actor for Kramer vs Kramer.  Sally Field won Best Actress for Norma Rae.  Some 1979 box office favorites were Kramer vs Kramer, Rocky II, Apocalypse Now, Star Trek: the motion picture, Alien, 10, The Jerk and Moonraker.  Did you know that Kramer vs Kramer tells the story of a married couple’s divorce and its impact on everyone involved, including the couple’s young son.

Average income in 1979:

Overall: $19,587.00 per year

School Teacher: $15,970.00 per year

Coal Miner: $18,983.00 per year

Clerical: $9,920.00 per year

Manufacturing: $14,006.00 per year

Construction: $17,835.00 per year

Retail employee: $14571.00 per year

State & Local Government Employee: $13,829.00 per year

President of the United States: $200,000 per year

V.P. of the United States: $62,500.00 per year

Senator: $60,662.50 per year

A new house cost $62,900.00 in 1979.  Gasoline cost 86 cents a gallon.  A new car cost $6,847.00.  Eggs cost 85 cents a dozen.  Butter cost $1.59 a pound.  Bread was 45 cents a loaf.  Coffee costed $2.30 a pound.  Ten pounds of potatoes costed $1.55.  Milk costed $1.92 a gallon.  Bacon costed $1.35 a pound.  Sugar costed 80 cents per 5 pounds.  A movie ticket in 1979 was $2.51.  U.S. Postage was 15 cents each.  There were 99,828,883,000 pieces of mail handled by the Post Office.  Life expectancy in 1979 was 73.9 years.  There were 3,494,000 babies born in 1979.  I was one of those.  The U.S. Population was 225,055,487.  Unemployment in 1979 was at 5.9%.  Minimum wage was $2.90 per hour.  The Dow Average was 843.

The President was Democrat James Earl “Jimmy” Carter.  He was born October 1, 1924 in Plains, Georgia.  He served from January 20, 1977-January 20, 1981.  Federal spending was $504,028,000,000.00.  Federal debt was $829,467,000,000.00.  Military spending was $116,342,000,000.00.  The Vice President was Walter Frederick Mondale.  He was born January 5, 1928, in Ceylon, Minnesota.  He served from January 20, 1977-January 20, 1981. 

Popular music of 1979: “My Sharona” by The Knack, “Reunited” by Peaches & Herb, “I Will Survive” by Gloria Gaynor, “Escape(The Pina Colada Song)’ by Rupert Holmes, :Babe” by Styx, “What a Fool Believes” by the Doobie Brothers, “Heart of Glass” by Blondie, “Y.M.C.A” by the Village People, “We Are Family” by Sister Sledge and “The Devil Went Down to Georgia” by the Charlie Daniels Band.  Popular TV shows: 60 Minutes, Three’s Company, That’s Incredible, Alice, M*A*S*H, Dallas, Flo, The Jeffersons, Dukes of Hazzard and One Day At A Time. 

Columbia is delivered to the JFK Space Center to be prepared for ts first launch.  Michael Jackson releases his breakthrough album, Off The Wall.  It sells 7 million copies in the United States alone, going 7X platinum.  The Entertainment Sports Programming Network(ESPN) debuts.  Sunkist brand of orange and lemonade drinks debuts.  Sony introduces the Walkman personal stereo.  Honey Nut Cheerios are introduced, as is Hubba Bubba bubblegum.  The board game Trivial Pursuit is created in Canada.  The Maglite flashlight is introduced by Mag Instrument, Inc.  Twix caramel cookie bars are introduced in the United States in 1979. 

Famous 1979 births: Drew Brees(Jan 15), Tatyana Ali-Ashley from Fresh Prince of Belair (January 24), Adam Levine(March 18), Norah Jones(March 30), the late Heath Ledger(April 4), Keisha Knight Pulliam(April 9), Kate Hudson(April 19), Lance Bass(May 4), John Krasinsk(October 20), Cote de Pablo( November 12 and Sara Bareilles(December 7). 

Top baby names of 1979 were Michael, Christopher, Jason, David, James, Matthew, John, Robert, Brian, Joseph for boys.  Top girls names of 1979 were Jennifer, Melissa, Amanda, Jessica, Amy, Sarah, Heather, Angela, Nicole and Michelle.  Popular toys and games were Mad Magazine Game, Trivial Pursuit Game, Merlin, Simon gam and Legoland Space.  Candies shoes made of molded plastic with a single strap over the ball of the foot or “BareTraps” made of wood are becoming very popular, Designer jeans with straight, cigarette-legs, and painters’ pants start to come into style.

There you have it: Reflections of 1979.  I hope you enjoyed!