1991-1992 Facts & History

[NerdiestKen]

All facts and history from the 1993 World Almanac can be read here.

[NerdiestKen]

Ex-Klan Leader Loses Louisiana Runoff - November 1991
Edwin Edwards recaptured his old job, the governorship of Louisiana, defeating David Duke, a former leader of the Ku Klux Klan, in a runoff election. Duke ran as a Republican, but on November 6, Pres. George Bush lashed out at what he called Duke's "long record---an ugly record---of racism and bigotry." The supporters of Edwards, a Democrat, said they were worried that Duke's election would set back tourism and economic development by outside investors. In the voting, November 16, Edwards won by 61 percent of the vote, overall, because he swept almost all of the black vote. Duke won about 55 percent of votes cast by whites.

[NerdiestKen]

Fire in California Kills 24 - October 1991
Fires driven by high winds and benefitting from dry conditions swept through residential areas of Oakland and Berkeley, Calif., on October 20 and 21, causing the death of at least 24 people and injuries to 148. More than 1,800 houses and 900 apartment units were destroyed. Damage was estimated at $5B.

[NerdiestKen]

TWA Files for Bankruptcy - January 1992
Trans World Airlines, Inc., January 31, became the latest major U.S. carrier to file for bankruptcy. TWA had been burdened with large debt since its new owner, Carl Ichan, had made it a private company in 1988. Revenues had fallen during the economic recession. TWA was negotiating a restructuring plan with its major creditors.

[NerdiestKen]

Biggest Quake in 40 Years Jolts California - June 1992
Southern California was rocked by 2 big earthquakes in June. The quakes came 2 months after other shocks in April that had caused about 100 injuries. On June 26, an earthquake measuring 7.4 on the Richter scale---the highest reading in California in 40 years---shook Southern California. Its epicenter was in Yucca Valley, about 90 miles east of Los Angeles. A second quake, measuring 6.5 followed 3 hours later. Its center was about 20 miles west of the first shock. Seismologists said the 2 were related. One child was killed, some 350 persons were injured, and damage was estimated at $16M.

[NerdiestKen]

U.N. Confronts Iraq on Weapons - February 1992
United Nations representatives sought to carry out a U.N. mandate that all Iraqi ballistic missiles and other weapons of mass destruction be destroyed. The elimination of the weapons had been a condition of the cease-fire that had ended the Persian Gulf war. Iraq, February 26-28, refused to allow the U.N. team to begin dismantling the Scud missile production plants and other facilities. The U.N. Security Council, February 28, issued a statement warning Iraq that it had "no later than the week of 9 March 1992" to respond of face "serious consequences."

[NerdiestKen]

Carson Retires from 'The Tonight Show' - May 1992
Comedian Johnny Carson retired after 29 years as the host of 'The Tonight Show' on NBC. Carson had taken over the late-night program from Jack Paar in 1962. The show then originated from New York, but it was subsequently moved to California. The program known for Carson's droll wit and for the thousands of entertainers and other celebrities who appeared on it. Some 55M people watched Carson's final appearance on the program, May 22nd. Jay Leno succeeded Carson as the host.

[NerdiestKen]

NFL Final 1991 Standings

NFC Eastern Division Washington Redskins 14W/2L/0T Dallas Cowboys 11W/5L/0T Philadelphia Eagles [e] 10W/6L/0T New York Giants [e] 8W/8L/0T Phoenix Cardinals [e] 4W/12L/0T	AFC Eastern Division Buffalo Bills 13W/3L/0T New York Jets 8W/8L/0T Miami Dolphins [e] 8W/8L/0T New England Patriots [e] 6W/10L/0T Indianapolis Colts [e] 1W/15L/0T
NFC Central Division Detroit Lions 12W/4L/0T Chicago Bears 11W/5L/0T Minnesota Vikings [e] 8W/8L/0T Green Bay Packers [e] 4W/12L/0T Tampa Bay Buccaneers [e] 3W/13L/0T	AFC Central Division Houston Oilers 11W/5L/0T Pittsburgh Steelers [e] 7W/9L/0T Cleveland Browns [e] 6W/10L/0T Cincinnati Bengals [e] 3W/13L/0T
NFC Western Division New Orleans Saints 11W/5L/0T Atlanta Falcons 10W/6L/0T San Francisco 49ers [e] 10W/6L/0T Los Angeles Rams [e] 3W/13L/0T	AFC Western Division Denver Broncos 12W/4L/0T Kansas City Chiefs 10W/6L/0T Los Angeles Raiders 9W/7L/0T Seattle Seahawks [e] 7W/9L/0T San Diego Chargers [e] 4W/12L/0T

Note(s)
New York Jets owned the tiebreaker over the Miami Dolphins after winning both games.
Chicago Bears had a better conference record than the Cowboys. [Bears 9-3 to Cowboys' 8-4]
Atlanta Falcons owned the tiebreaker by finishing ahead of the 49ers sweeping both games. And also ahead of the Eagles based on their conference record [Falcons 7-5 to Eagles' 6-6]

[NerdiestKen]

NHL Final 1991-92 Standings

Prince of Wales Conference - Adams Division Montreal Canadiens 41W/28L/11T Boston Bruins 36W/32L/12T Buffalo Sabres 31W/37L/12T Hartford Whalers 26W/41L/13T Quebec Nordiques [e] 20W/48L/12T	Clarence Campbell Conference - Norris Division Detroit Red Wings 43W/25L/12T Chicago Blackhawks 36W/29L/15T St. Louis Blues 36W/33L/11T Minnesota North Stars 32W/42L/6T Toronto Maple Leafs [e] 30W/43L/7T
Prince of Wales Conference - Wales Patrick Division New York Rangers 50W/25L/5T Washington Capitals 45W/27L/8T Pittsburgh Penguins 39W/32L/9T New Jersey Devils 38W/31L/11T New York Islanders [e] 34W/35L/11T Philadelphia Flyers [e] 32W/37L/11T	Clarence Campbell Conference - Smythe Division Vancouver Canucks 42W/26L/12T Los Angeles Kings 35W/31L/14T Edmonton Oilers 36W/34L/10T Winnipeg Jets 33W/32L/15T Calgary Flames [e] 31W/37L/12T San Jose Sharks [e] 17W/58L/5T

[NerdiestKen]

Bush Submits 1993 Federal Budget - January 1992
Pres. George bush, January 29, submitted to Congress a budget for the 1993 fiscal year that contained a projected deficit of $351.9B. The budget estimated that for the current 1992 fiscal year the deficit would be $399.4B, an all-time record. The 1993 budget contained details of proposals Bush had made in his State of the Union message. While proposing to eliminate or cut back hundreds of programs, Bush also called for increased spending on the Head Start pre-school education program, antidrug programs, prisons, highway development, and aid to the newly independent states emerging from the former Soviet Union.

[NerdiestKen]

Czechoslovakia Moves Toward a Split - June 1992
Czechoslovakia moved toward a division into separate Czech and Slovakia states. Vladimir Meciar, the Slovak nationalist leader, had been pressing for a confederation in which Slovakia would control its own economy and foreign policy. The federal premier-designate, Vaclav Klaus, countered, June 18, with a proposal that the country split in two. Mecial welcomed the offer, and on June 20, he and Klaus agreed to prepare for the transition. Pres. Vaclav Havel urged, June 21, that the issue be decided in a national referendum.

[NerdiestKen]

Ex-Leader of Panama Convicted - April 1992
Gen. Manuel Noriega, former military ruler of Panama, was convicted, April 9, in U.S. District Court in Miami of racketeering, drug trafficking, and money laundering. Noriega, the first foreign head of state convicted by a U.S. jury, had been seized by U.S. forces early in 1990 after the American invasion of Panama. At the trial, witnesses, many of them convicted drug traffickers themselves, tied Noriega to the Medellin drug cartel. The government sought to show that Noriega had taken millions of dollars in bribes from the cartel. Testifying for the defense, Adm. Daniel Murphy (ret), chief of staff for Vice Pres. George Bush during the 1980s, said that Noriega had cooperated with U.S. efforts to intercept drug shipments. On July 10, Judge William Hoeveler sentenced Noriega to 40 years in prison.

[NerdiestKen]

Reputed Crime Boss Convicted in New York - April 1992
John Gotti, who had been described by police and prosecutors as leader of the Gambino crime family, was convicted, April 2, in U.S. District Court in Brooklyn of crimes that included murder, extortion, and obstruction of justice. A codefendant, Frank Locascio, was convicted of racketeering and murder. Gotti had been acquitted of other charges in 3 recent trials. In this instance, however, Salvatore Gravano, a former associate of Gotti, testified to Gotti's involvement in 10 murders. Gravano said he and Gotti watched the killing, on a New York City street in 1985, of Paul Castellano, reputed head of the Gambino family at that time. For cooperating, Gravano, who admitted to involvement in 19 murders himself, was assured that he would serve no more than 20 years in prison. As evidence, the government also presented tape recording in which Gotti and others discussed criminal activities. On June 23, Gotti and Locascio were sentenced to life in prison without parole.

[NerdiestKen]

'Cop Killer' Song Dropped From Album - July 1992
Time Warner Inc. became the focus of many complaints because of the lyrics in the song "Cop Killer" in the Body Count album recorded by the rapper Ice-T. Police associations objected to the lyrics and police officers demonstrated against Time Warner and organized boycotts. Public officials also criticized the song. Ice-T asked Time Warner to delete the song from the album, and the company announced, July 28, that it would do so.

[NerdiestKen]

Shiites Free Last Western Hostages - June 1992
Shiite guerrillas in Lebanon, June 17, freed 2 German relief workers who had been kidnapped in 1989. the workers, Heinrich Struebig and Thomas Kemptner, were the last Western hostages known to be held in Lebanon.