The Headlines and Key Facts For 1966

On The Natural Scene

As the war in Vietnam continues and protests expand, monthly draft calls rise to ten times the average for 1965.

A Sniper atop the tower at the University of Texas kills 12 and wounds 31.

For the second time in two years, there is violent rioting in the Watts section of Los Angeles as well as Cleveland and Atlanta.

The Supreme Court issues its "Miranda" ruling, which dictates that suspects must be told that they have a right to legal counsel and that they do not have to answer police questions.

Russia makes first soft moon landing.

Artificial pump is implanted in heart.

James Meredith is shot on civil rights march.

Tidbits

Increased use of drugs, especially LSD, becomes a natural concern.

The first artificial heart transplant in a human is a success.

Miniskirts are the fashion rage and colorful mod clothes especially for men become fashionable.

Proctor & Gamble markets Pampers, juist in time for the tail end of the boomer generation.

The Vatican rescinds the rule forbidding U.S. Catholics to eat meat on Friday. Fish heave a sigh of relief, but fish sales drop only briefly.

The Beatles perform their final live concert at Candlestick Park in San Francisco, on August 29th.

Complexity in rock reaches new heights with the Beatles "Rubber Soul" album and is quickly responded to by the Beach Boys "Pet Sounds" which ignites the studio-era of rock 'n' roll as records become artistic statements.

Southern soul music gets its first Pop #1 with Percy Sledge's "When A Man Loves A Woman".

After releasing his classic "Blonde On Blonde" album, Bob Dylan goes into seclusion in upstate New York for over a year following a motorcycle accident.

Riots break out on the Sunset Strip in Los Angeles where rock 'n' roll club patrons and authorities clash.

Psychedelic rock music begins its meteoric climb as the Byrds "Eight Miles High", The Beach Boys "Good Vibrations" and The Count Five's "Psychotic Reaction" bring the avant garde sound to the world.

Rock 'n' roll proves too popular for mainstream television not to take advantage of and so a show based on a rock band called "The Monkees" debuts in the fall to high ratings. Debate rages over their qualifications as a real group despite the fact their first record hit #1 before the show was even on the air.

Sports

The Baltimore Orioles win the World Series and after his greatest season Los Angeles Dodger's ace Sandy Koufax retires.

The Green Bay Packers edge out the Dallas Cowboys for the NFL championship.

Bill Russell leads the Celtics to its eighth consecutive NBA championship.

Jack Nicklaus establishes himself as the world's greatest golfer by winning the Masters and the British Open.

Jim Brown of the Cleveland Browns retires from football with 12,312 yards of rushing.

Movies and Television

At the box office are Hawaii , The Bible , Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? but the year's most honored movie goes to A Man For All Seasons (starring Paul Schofield). A Man And A Woman is one of the decade's most popular foreign films. Raquel Welch becomes Hollywood's hottest sex symbol of the decade.

Buster Keaton and Walt Disney dies.

An explosive fad series is The Monkees. Also debutting is Mission: Impossible and Star Trek. Most popular series include Bonanza, The Red Skelton Hour, The Andy Griffith Show, The Lucy Show, and The Jackie Gleason Show.

Books: The Valley Of The Dolls    by Jacqueline Susann is the    year's #1 best seller. Truman Capote's    In Cold Blood    is the most acclaimed book.