Major Events of 1974 India conducts her first nuclear test. Richard Nixon resigns as US President. Turkey invades Cyprus. NATO allies Greece and Turkey, on the brink of war. Emperor Haile Selassie deposed in Ethopia. West Germany wins soccer World Cup. India conducts its first atomic bomb test. UPC (Universal Product Code) barcodes introduced. Rumble in the Jungle: Boxers, Muhammad Ali and George Foreman, fight in Zaire. The year 1974 was one of those years where the economy was waving. Up it goes one day down it goes in another. World trading and buying was one of United States major subjects that would also increase and decrease United States' debt. For example, World oil prices escalated in the wake of previous year’s actions by OPEC (Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries.) Efforts increased to find new sources of energy as higher coal prices brought a boom to depressed coal-mining areas. Wall Street’s Dow Jones Industrial Average bottomed out December 9 at 570.01, down from 1003.16 late in 1972. "Zebra" killings terrorize San Francisco as black fanatics shoot whites at random in the streets. Watergate was in the headlines most of the year. Famine in Bangladesh causes hundreds of thousands to die. • Miami beats Minnesota 24 to 7 at Houston January 13 in Super Bowl VIII Super Bowl VIII. • Israel and Egypt have signed a disengagement agreement January 18 after negotiations by U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger. Israel withdraws from the west bank of the Suez Canal, Egypt reoccupies the east bank, and a UN buffer zone is created between the two. • On February 5 publishing heiress Patty Hearst is kidnapped by the Symbionese Liberation Army. • Nobel Prize winning writer Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, The Gulag Adchipelago, is arrested and charged with treason on February 12 by the KGB and expelled from the Soviet Union. • People magazine begins publication March 4. Time, Inc.'s new 35¢ weekly is an attempt to regain readers lost when Life magazine stopped weekly publication late in 1972. • Hank Aaron breaks Babe Ruth’s career home run record April 8 at Atlanta, hitting his 715th off a pitch by Al Downing of the Los Angeles Dodgers. • The "Heimlich_maneuver" is first described in the June issue of Emergency Medicine by Cincinnati surgeon Henry Jay Heimlich. • On June 21 Federal Judge W. Arthur Gerrity Jr. orders the desegregation of Boston's public schools through busing of students. Violence erupts and in October Governor Francis W. Sargent calls out the National Guard to keep peace. • The Supreme Court has ruled 8 to 0 July 24 that Nixon must turn over 64 White House tape recordings to a special prosecutor. The House Judiciary Committee has voted July 27 to adopt three articles of impeachment charging Nixon with obstruction of justice, failure to uphold laws, and refusal to produce material that the committee has subpoenaed. • President Nixon resigns in disgrace August 9 —the first U.S. chief of state ever to quit office. Gerald Ford is sworn in as our 38th President at 12:03 pm saying, "Our long nightmare is over." • On September 8 President Ford pardons former President Nixon granting Nixon a "full, free, and absolute pardon" for all federal crimes that Nixon "committed or may have committed or taken part in" while in office. President Ford asks Congress to appropriate $850,000 for Nixon’s transition to private life; Congress gives him $200,000. • On October 17 The Oakland Athletics win the World Series defeating the Los Angeles Dodgers in 5 games. • Muhammad Ali regains the world heavyweight boxing crown October 20 by knocking out George Foreman in the eighth round in Kinshasa, Zaire. The fight was known as the Rumble in the Jungle. • On November 21 Congress overrode President Ford's veto of the Freedom of Information Act giving the public better access to public information. • Karen Silkwood, a technician at the Kerr-McGee plutonium production plant near Oklahoma City dies in an automobile crash on November 13 on her way to meet with a New York Times reporter. Silkwood was exposed to plutonium, she felt there was negligence on the part of her employer and she was planning to share her story with a New York Times reporter just before died. • On December 19 Nelson Rockefeller is sworn is as 41st Vice President of the United States. • The computed axial tomography (CAT) scanner is developed in England. • Jimmy Connors wins in men’s singles at Wimbledon and the U.S. Open, Chris Evert wins in women’s singles at Wimbledon, Billie Jean King at the U.S. Open Forest Hills. • In the spring of "Streaking" becomes a popular U.S. fad as male and female college students dash naked between dormitories. • The U.S. Army grants a parole to Lieutenant William L. Calley, Jr., who has been serving a 10-year sentence for his role in the 1968 My Lai Massacre in South Vietnam. • South Carolina evangelist Jim Bakker, founds the PTL Club (Praise the Lord) television ministry. • All the President’s Men by Washington Post reporters Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein is published. It is the story of Watergate and President's Nixon's involvement. • Knight-Ridder Newspapers is created as publisher John S. Knight merges his many papers with those of the 82-year-old Ridder chain. 47th Annual Academy Awards: Best Actor: Art Carney for Harry and Tonto Best Actress: Ellen Burstyn for Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore Best Picture: The Godfather Part II Emmy Awards: Outstanding Comedy: The Mary Tyler Moore Show Outstanding Drama: Upstairs Downstairs 17th Annual Grammy Awards: Record of the Year: I Honestly Love You by Olivia Newton John Album of the Year: Fulfillingness First Finale by Stevie Wonder Song of the Year: The Way We Were by Marvin Hamlisch Best New Artist: Marvin Hamlisch Great site for more about 1974 These are the Billboard magazine Hot 100 number one hits of 1974. January 5 Time in a Bottle Jim Croce January 12 The Joker Steve Miller Band January 19 Show and Tell Al Wilson January 26 You're Sixteen Ringo Starr February 2 The Way We Were Barbra Streisand February 9 Love's Theme Love Unlimited Orchestra February 16 The Way We Were Barbra Streisand February 23 The Way We Were Barbra Streisand March 2 Seasons in the Sun Terry Jacks March 9 Seasons in the Sun Terry Jacks March 16 Seasons in the Sun Terry Jacks March 23 Dark Lady Cher March 30 Sunshine on My Shoulders John Denver April 6 Hooked on a Feeling Blue Swede April 13 Bennie and the Jets Elton John April 20 TSOP (The Sound of Philadelphia) MFSB featuring The Three Degrees April 27 TSOP (The Sound of Philadelphia) MFSB featuring The Three Degrees May 4 The Loco-Motion Grand Funk May 11 The Loco-Motion Grand Funk May 18 The Streak Ray Stevens May 25 The Streak Ray Stevens June 1 The Streak Ray Stevens June 8 Band on the Run Paul McCartney and Wings June 15 Billy, Don't Be a Hero Bo Donaldson & the Heywoods June 22 Billy, Don't Be a Hero Bo Donaldson & the Heywoods June 29 Sundown Gordon Lightfoot July 6 Rock the Boat The Hues Corporation July 13 Rock Your Baby George McCrae July 20 Rock Your Baby George McCrae July 27 Annie's Song John Denver August 3 Annie's Song John Denver August 10 Feel Like Makin' Love Roberta Flack August 17 The Night Chicago Died Paper Lace August 24 (You're) Having My Baby Paul Anka and Odia Coates August 31 (You're) Having My Baby Paul Anka and Odia Coates September 7 (You're) Having My Baby Paul Anka and Odia Coates September 14 I Shot the Sheriff Eric Clapton September 21 Can't Get Enough of Your Love, Babe Barry White September 28 Rock Me Gently Andy Kim October 5 I Honestly Love You Olivia Newton-John October 12 I Honestly Love You Olivia Newton-John October 19 Nothing From Nothing Billy Preston October 26 Then Came You Dionne Warwick and The Spinners November 2 You Haven't Done Nothin' Stevie Wonder November 9 You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet Bachman-Turner Overdrive November 16 Whatever Gets You Thru the Night John Lennon November 23 I Can Help Billy Swan November 30 I Can Help Billy Swan December 7 Kung Fu Fighting Carl Douglas December 14 Kung Fu Fighting Carl Douglas December 21 Cat's in the Cradle Harry Chapin December 28 Angie Baby Helen Reddy Top 100 Hits of 1974 / Top 100 Songs of 1974 1. The Way We Were, Barbra Streisand 2. Seasons In The Sun, Terry Jacks 3. Love's Theme, Love Unlimited Orchestra 4. Come And Get Your Love, Redbone 5. Dancing Machine, Jackson 5 6. The Loco-Motion, Grand Funk Railroad 7. TSOP, MFSB 8. The Streak, Ray Stevens 9. Bennie And The Jets, Elton John 10. One Hell Of A Woman, Mac Davis 11. Until You Come Back To Me (That's What I'm Gonna Do), Aretha Franklin 12. Jungle Boogie, Kool and The Gang 13. Midnight At The Oasis, Maria Muldaur 14. You Make Me Feel Brand New, Stylistics 15. Show And Tell, Al Wilson 16. Spiders And Snakes, Jim Stafford 17. Rock On, David Essex 18. Sunshine On My Shoulder, John Denver 19. Sideshow, Blue Magic 20. Hooked On A Feeling, Blue Swede 21. Billy Don't Be A Hero, Bo Donaldson and The Heywoods 22. Band On The Run, Paul McCartney and Wings 23. The Most Beautiful Girl, Charlie Rich 24. Time In A Bottle, Jim Croce 25. Annie's Song, John Denver 26. Let Me Be There, Olivia Newton-John 27. Sundown, Gordon Lightfoot 28. (You're) Having My Baby, Paul Anka 29. Rock Me Gently, Andy Kim 30. Boogie Down, Eddie Kendricks 31. You're Sixteen, Ringo Starr 32. If You Love Me (Let Me Know), Olivia Newton-John 33. Dark Lady, Cher 34. Best Thing That Ever Happened To Me, Gladys Knight and The Pips 35. Feel Like Makin' Love, Roberta Flack 36. Just Dont Want To Be Lonely, Main Ingredient 37. Nothing From Nothing, Billy Preston 38. Rock Your Baby, George McCrae 39. Top Of The World, Carpenters 40. The Joker, Steve Miller Band 41. I've Got To Use My Imagination, Gladys Knight and The Pips 42. The Show Must Go On, Three Dog Night 43. Rock The Boat, Hues Corporation 44. Smokin' In The Boys Room, Brownsville Station 45. Living For The City, Stevie Wonder 46. The Night Chicago Died, Paper Lace 47. Then Came You, Dionne Warwick and The Spinners 48. The Entertainer, Marvin Hamlisch 49. Waterloo, Abba 50. The Air That I Breathe, Hollies 51. Rikki Don't Lose That Number, Steely Dan 52. Mockingbird, Carly Simon 53. Help Me, Joni Mitchell 54. You Won't See Me, Anne Murray 55. Never, Never Gonna Give You Up, Barry White 56. Tell Me Something Good, Rufus 57. You And Me Against The World, Helen Reddy 58. Rock And Roll Heaven, Righteous Brothers 59. Hollywood Swinging, Kool and The Gang 60. Be Thankful For What You Got, William Devaughn 61. Hang On In There Baby, Johnny Bristol 62. Eres Tu (Touch The Wind), Mocedades 63. Taking Care Of Business, Bachman-Turner Overdrive 64. Radar Love, Golden Earring 65. Please Come To Boston, Dave Loggins 66. Keep On Smilin', Wet Willie 67. Lookin' For Love, Bobby Womack 68. Put Your Hands Together, O'Jays 69. On And On, Gladys Knight and The Pips 70. Oh Very Young, Cat Stevens 71. Leave Me Alone (Ruby Red Dress), Helen Reddy 72. Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, Elton John 73. I've Been Searchin' So Long, Chicago 74. Oh My My, Ringo Starr 75. For The Love Of Money, O'Jays 76. I Shot The Sherrif, Eric Clapton 77. Jet, Paul McCartney and Wings 78. Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me, Elton John 79. Tubular Bells, Mike Oldfield 80. Love Song, Anne Murray 81. I'm Leaving It All Up To You, Donny and Marie Osmond 82. Hello, It's Me, Todd Rundgren 83. I Love, Tom T. Hall 84. Clap For The Wolfman, The Guess Who 85. I'll Have To Say I Love You In A Song, Jim Croce 85. The Lord's Prayer, Sister Janet Mead 87. Trying To Hold On To My Woman, Lamont Dozier 88. Don't You Worry 'Bout A Thing, Stevie Wonder 89. A Very Special Love Song, Charlie Rich 90. My Girl Bill, Jim Stafford 91. My Mistake Was To Love You, Diana Ross and Marvin Gaye 91. Helen Wheels, Paul McCartney and Wings 93. Wildwood Weed, Jim Stafford 94. Beach Baby, First Class 95. Me And Baby Brother, War 96. Rockin' Roll Baby, Stylistics 97. I Honestly Love You, Olivia Newton-John 98. Call On Me, Chicago 99. Wild Thing, Fancy 100. Mighty Love, Pt. 1, Spinners