Class of 1972
1972 This year is marked as a black year in history due to the use of terrorism entering sport with the massacre of 11 Israel Athletes by Arab Gunman. Also this is the beginning of the biggest political scandal in modern times and the start of the Watergate Scandal. On the other side of the Atlantic a worsening of the problems between the IRA and the British government see wrongs from both sides and innocent lives are lost. 
Cost of Living 1972

How Much things cost in 1972
Yearly Inflation Rate USA 3.27% 
Year End Close Dow Jones Industrial Average 1020 
Average Cost of new house $27,550.00 
Average Income per year $11,800.00 
Average Monthly Rent $165.00 
Cost of a gallon of Gas 55 cents 
Roxanne Ladies Swimsuit $30.00 
Kodak Pocket Camera History $28.00 
Wrangler Jeans $12.00 
ladies Timex Watch From $30.00 



What Events Happened in 1972

11 Israel Athletes murdered by Arab Gunman at Munich Olympics
Three gunmen open fire at Lod International Airport in Tel Aviv, Israel, killing 26 people and injuring dozens more
Bloody Sunday - the British Army kills 13 unarmed Roman Catholic civil rights marchers in Derry, Ireland.
The British government declares a state of emergency over 47 day miners' strike
Earthquake lasting 20 seconds destroys most of Bingol, Turkey - more than 1000 dead, 10.000 made homeless
Earthquake in the town of Ghir, in southern Iraq leaves over 5,000 dead
Hurricane Agnes kills 117 in US east coast.
16 survivors from plane crash survive and are rescued after practicing cannibalism
Five White House operatives are arrested for burglarizing the offices of the Democratic National Committee ( the start of the Watergate Scandal.
Last US ground troops withdrawn from Vietnam
Earthquake in Nicaragua kills 5000-10.000 in the capital Managua
The last major epidemic of smallpox in Europe breaks out in Yugoslavia.
The Black Lung Benefits bill signed into law by President Nixon
Bloody Friday 22 bombs explode in Belfast Ireland and 9 people are killed with a further 130 seriously injured.
Bloody Sunday 14 unarmed Catholic protesters are gunned down by British Police on bloody Sunday
IRA bomb explodes at the 16th Parachute Brigade headquarters at Aldershot
The Equal Rights Amendment which provided for the legal equality of the sexes passed by the U.S. Senate
Pilots organize worldwide strike protesting increased Air Piracy / Hijacking and lack of government action.
CND ( Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament ) organizes a series of demonstrations against nuclear arms
The Second Cod War between UK and Iceland
The worlds leaders agree to banning biological warfare
Antiwar demonstrations draw 100,000 demonstrators in US cities
Palestinian hijackers hijack a Lufthansa jet
The ex RMS Queen Elizabeth Sets on Fire and Sinks in Hong Kong
Ceylon becomes a republic and changes its name to Sri Lanka
General Idi Amin of Uganda takes control of British firms and interests in the country
UK unemployment rises to one million for the first time since the depression years of the 1930s
The Dow Jones closes above 1000 for the first time in history
The Largest Diamond The Star of Sierra leone is unearthed it is 969.8 carats
Flash Flood caused by dam burst in Rapid City, South Dakota kills over 200
Richard Nixon Visits China
A dam In West Virginia’s Buffalo Creek Valley collapses killing 118 people
American Swimmer Mark Spitz wins a record 7 gold medals in the Summer Olympics in Munich
Bangladesh Gains Independence From Pakistan
Cameroon Gains Independence From France and Britain
The Winter Olympic Games are held in Sapporo, Japan
Federal Water Pollution Control Amendments come into force 
Popular Culture 1972

Popular Films

The Godfather 
Fiddler on the Roof 
Diamonds Are Forever 
What's Up, Doc? 
Dirty Harry 
The Last Picture Show 
A Clockwork Orange 
Cabaret 
Popular Musicians

ABBA 
Roxy Music 
The Eagles 
John Lennon 
Paul Simon 
Simon and Garfunkel 
Rod Stewart 
Don Mclean with " American Pie " 
Michael Jackson with " Ben " 
Don McLean 
Elton John 
The Moody Blues 
David Bowie 
Led Zeppelin
Popular TV Programs

Monty Python's Flying Circus 
Sesame Street 
The Benny Hill Show 
The Brady Bunch 
Dad's Army 
Hawaii Five-O 
Here's Lucy 
Technology 1972

HBO launched in US , first subscription cable service
Richard Nixon orders the start for the space shuttle program
Apollo 16 lands on the moon where the Lunar Rover is tested by astronauts John W Young and Charles M Duke
Digital Watches are introduced
First scientific hand-held calculator (HP-35) introduced (price $395).
The Volkswagen Beetle becomes the most popular car ever sold with in excess of 15 million sold.
Atari kicks off the first generation of video games with the release of PONG, the first game to achieve commercial success
Inventions Invented by Inventors and Country ( or attributed to First Use )
Artificial Heart USA Willem J Koiff
Optical Fiber USA