!966 — A year of cultural upheaval, of political awareness, of war, destruction, and an emerging generation gap. A house in America cost $14,000, a car about $2600, a gallon of gas 32¢, and a postage stamp 5¢. Born this year were Mike Tyson, Gordon Ramsay, and Adam Sandler. Celebrating its centennial was the Salvation Army.  

              In politics, Labour Party and Harold Wilson won re-election in UK, Ronald Reagan was elected governor of California, and Indira Gandhi elected Prime Minister of India. Russia would land its first aircraft, Luna 9, on the moon, and land a second one later in the same year. In China, Chairman Mao would begin his purge of intellectuals. The countries of Lesotho and Barbados would declare independence from Great Britain. In America, a subway strike would paralyse New York City for several weeks.

               Innovations from 1966 would include the introduction of the mini-skirt from Mary Quant; the “Miranda” law, which required all those arrested to be read their rights; all cigarette packs were required to carry a health warning; and in US, the introduction of Medicare for elderly, deferments from the military draft, and the birth control pill.

              Biggest disasters of the year were an earthquake in Turkey killing nearly 2400 and injuring 10000, while in South Wales, a slag heap slid down a mountain, killing 144, mostly schoolchildren between 7 and 10.

             In crime, the UK’s notorious murderers Ian Brady and Myra Hindley were jailed for life, while in the US, mass murder became the big story, as Richard Speck murdered 8 student nurses near Chicago, while Charles Whitman killed 13 in random shootings from the top of the library tower at University of Texas in Austin. 

                 Checking out in 1966 were comedians Buster Keaton and Lenny Bruce, and showman Walt Disney.

              In pop culture, the eventual Oscar winners were “A Man For All Seasons” and its lead actor Paul Scofield, while Elizabeth Taylor won best actress for “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?” Most notable TV shows to debut in 1966 were “Batman,” “The Monkees,” and “Star Trek.” 50-year-old Frank Sinatra and 21-year-old Mia Farrow married. The Beatles did what would be their last live tour, coming in the midst of the controversy over John Lennon’s “we’re more popular than Jesus” remarks. Top selling singles were Nancy Sinatra’s “These Boots Are Made For Walking” in the US, and Tom Jones’ “Green Green Grass Of Home” in UK.

                In sport, the first indoor stadium, the Houston Astrodome, opened. In baseball, the Baltimore Orioles won the World Series over the Los Angeles Dodgers; in basketball, the Boston Celtics won the championship over the LA Lakers; and in football, the NFL Green Bay Packers would face the AFL Kansas City Chiefs at the end of the season in what would be the first “Super Bowl.”

                   In English sport, England won the World Cup soccer tournament, but no one talks about that here.