NEWS: 1978

As 1978 begins, it's mostly cloudy and 34 degrees F at Baltimore's weather station (at BWI Airport). The wind is from the north-northeast at 8 miles an hour.

All 213 passengers and crew on board Air India Flight 855 are killed when the Boeing 747 operating the flight crashes about two miles off the coast of Bandra, less than two minutes after take-off in the dark of night. An investigation into the crash determined the most likely probable cause was the captain becoming spatially disoriented and losing control of the aircraft after the failure of one of the flight instruments. The flight was a scheduled passenger flight from Bombay (now Mumbai), India, to Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

It's the beginning of International Anti-Apartheid Year, as declared by the United Nations. (It extends into 1979.)

Baltimore weather at BWI Airport: Partly to mostly cloudy, then cloudy; light snow (0.4") from mid-afternoon to early evening;; High temp. 35 F; Low temp. 29 F; Precipitation: 0.08 inch (liquid).  A trace of snow on the ground.

Karina Smirnoff is born Karina Smirnova in Kharkiv in what is now Ukraine. She's a Soviet-born American professional ballroom dancer of Ukrainian origins. She is known as a professional dancer on Dancing with the Stars, winning the thirteenth season with army veteran and soap opera star J. R. Martinez. She's also won two runner-up titles, a semifinal title, and several quarterfinal titles. She is a five-time U.S. National Champion, World Trophy Champion, and Asian Open Champion. Smirnoff has won the title at the UK Open, is a three-time champion at the US Open, two-time champion at the Asian Open, five-time champion at the Dutch Open, and five-time US National Professional Champion. She has taken second at the British Open Blackpool Dance Festival and she is the first woman to also ever make the "British Professional Final" with three different partners.

Baltimore weather at BWI Airport: Cloudy, then clear, then mostly cloudy, then clear; breezy from early morning to early evening (41 mph gust at 8:00 am); High temp. 37 F; Low temp. 24 F; Precipitation: None.  A trace of snow on the ground.

Kimberley Locke is born in Hartsville, Tennessee. She's a  singer-songwriter, TV personality, and model. She has recorded in the dance and pop genres, and has targeted the adult contemporary radio format. She's the cohost of Dr. and the Diva, a daytime talk show. Locke gained fame with her participation in the 2003 American Idol television series in which she placed third. In 2007 she garnered media attention for her participation in Celebrity Fit Club.

Baltimore weather at BWI Airport: Clear, then mostly cloudy, then clear, then partly cloudy, then clear;breezy in the afternoon (26 mph gusts at 2:00 pm and 5:00 pm);  High temp. 32 F; Low temp. 16 F; Precipitation: None.  A trace of snow on the ground.

1.18 inches of precipitation falls in Baltimore, the largest amount ever in Baltimore on any January 13th (up to this point) since recordkeeping began in 1871.

Baltimore weather at BWI Airport: Cloudy; snow (3.5 inches) in the morning, changing to rain in the afternoon; rain lasting until midnight; breezy in late afternoon and evening (24 mph gust at 9:00 pm); High temp. 35 F; Low temp. 27 F; Precipitation: 1.18 inches (liquid).  2 inches of snow on the ground.

1.25 inches of precipitation falls in Baltimore, the largest amount ever in Baltimore on any January 17th (up to this point) since recordkeeping began in 1871.

Baltimore weather at BWI Airport: Cloudy; light snow in the morning and afternoon (2.4 inches), changing to heavy rain in the evening; breezy at times from late morning to mid-evening;; High temp. 38 F; Low temp. 26 F; Precipitation: 1.25 inches (liquid).  2 inches of snow on the ground.

1.83 inches of precipitation falls in Baltimore, the most-ever amount in Baltimore on any January 25th (up to this point)  since recordkeeping began in 1871.

Baltimore weather at BWI Airport: Rain (heavy at times); High temp. 41° F; Low temp. 34 F, Precip.: 1.83 inches.  2 inches of snow on the ground.

Baltimore weather at BWI Airport: High temp. 32° F; Low temp. 12° F, Precip.: None.  A trace of snow on the ground.

The total precipitation for Baltimore during January 1978 is 7.34 inches, including melted snow and ice, more than double the normal amount for January (3.08 inches).  The average daily high temperature for Baltimore during January 1978 is 36.5 degrees F, below the normal of 43.2 degrees.  The average daily low temperature for Baltimore during January 1978 is 21.9 degrees F, below the normal of 25.4 degrees.  A total of 12.4 inches of snow falls at Baltimore's official weather station during January 1978, well above the normal of 6.4 inches.

The Orioles again lose to the Brewers, this time by a score of 16 to 3.

The U.S. Senate approves the Panama Canal Treaty, providing for the turnover of control of the waterway to Panama on the last day of 1999.

The Orioles lose to the Yankees, 4-3.

The Orioles lose to Kansas City, 5-3. Attendance is 7,277.

The Oriole sweep this 3-gameseries  oad against the White Sox, winning the third game 8 to 7.

The total precipitation for Baltimore during April 1978 is 1.26 inches. less than half the normal amount for April.

The Orioles defeat the Red Sox 3-1.

The low temperature in Baltimore reaches 36 degrees F, the lowest temperature ever recorded for Baltimore on any May 2nd (up to this point) since recordkeeping began in 1871.

In Baltimore, the Orioles defeat the Minnesota Twins, 2-1. Attendance is 3,897.

Pete Rose of the Cincinnati Reds gets his 3,000th base hit, becoming both the youngest and the 14th major-league baseball player ever to do so. The Reds lose 4-3 to the Montreal Expos.

The Orioles lose to the Minnesota Twins 8-7. Attendance is 26,870.

Affirmed wins the Kentucky Derby horse race.

The scheduled baseball doubleheader between the Chicago White Sox and the Orioles at Baltimore is postponed by rain.

Affirmed wins the Preakness Stakes horse race after winning the Kentucky Derby two weeks earlier.

The Orioles win against the Indians 2-1 as Jim Palmer evens his win-loss record at 4-4.

The Orioles defeat the Yankees 3-2 in New York. Mike Flanagan pitches a complete game.

The total precipitation for Baltimore during May 1978 is 5.49 inches.

California voters overwhelmingly approve Proposition 13, a primary ballot initiative calling for major cuts in property taxes.

THe Orioles sweep this 2-game away series against the Angels, winning 8-6. THe Orioles have won 7 consecutive games.

A jury in Clark County, Nevada, rules that a will purportedly written by the late billionaire Howard Hughes is a forgery.

The Orioles have a day off.

Leaders of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints strike down a policy that excluded Black men from priesthood.

In Oakland, California, the Orioles defeat the Athletics, 5-3.. Mike Flanagan pirches pitches a 3-hitter.

Affirmed wins the Belmont Stakes horse race, becoming the eleventh horse to win the Triple Crown of Thoroughbred racing: Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes, and Belmont Stakes.

The Orioles again defeat Oakland, this time 1-0.Jim Palmer pitches a 3-hitter, his fourth consecutive complete-game shutout.

The Orioles win their 13th game in a row, 5-2 over the California Angels in Baltimore. The Orioles are 35-25 this season. Attendance is 21,815.

Pete Rose of the Cincinnati Reds has two hits in a 3-1 win over the Chicago Cubs to begin his 44-game hitting streak.

The low temperature in Baltimore reaches 46 degrees F, the lowest temperature ever recorded for Baltimore on any June 14th (up to this point) since recordkeeping began in 1871.

The Orioles lose to the California Angels, 5-1, breaking the Orioles' 13-game winning streak. Attendance is 15,004.

The low temperature in Baltimore reaches 47 degrees F, the lowest temperature ever recorded for Baltimore on any June 15th (up to this point) since recordkeeping began in 1871.

The Orioles defeat the Oakland Athletics in Baltimore, 6-0. Dennis Martinez pitches a complete-game shutout. Attendance is 31,944.

Tom Seaver pitches a no-hitter as the Cincinnati Reds defeat the St. Louis Cardinals 4-0 in Cincinnati, Ohio. Attendance is 38,216.

In Milwaukee, the Orioles defeat the Brewers 8-5.

The Orioles get swept by the Red Sox in this 3-game series, losing the third game, 4-1.

The U.S. Supreme Court orders the University of California-Davis Medical School to admit Allan Bakke, a White man who argues he's been a victim of reverse racial discrimination.

The Blue Jays again defeat the Orioles, 3-2. This gives the Blue Jays a 4-game sweep over the Orioles in this series.

The U.S. Gross National Product rises by 16.4 percent on an annualized basis during the second quarter (April 1 through June 30) of 1978. This is the best U.S. economic performance for any quarter during the entire 1970s.

THe Orioles defeat the Red Sox, 3-2 in 11 innings, to break the Orioles' 8-game losing streak. Attendance is 33,034.

The total precipitation for Baltimore during June 1978 is 2.81 inches.

At Cleveland, the Orioles lose to the Indians, 9-0.

2.33 inches of precipitation falls in Baltimore, the most in Baltimore on any July 3rd (up to this point) since recordkeeping began in 1871.

In Baltimore, the Orioles defeat the Minnesota Twins, 8-6. Attendance is 8.119.

The low temperature in Baltimore reaches 55 degrees F, the lowest temperature ever recorded for Baltimore on any July 13th (up to this point) since recordkeeping began in 1871.

The Orioles again defeat Texas, this time by a score of 7 to 6. The Orioles sweep this 2-game series.

2.00 inches of precipitation falls in Baltimore, the most in Baltimore on any July 25th (up to this point) since recordkeeping began in 1871.

The low temperature in Baltimore reaches 59 degrees F, the lowest temperature ever recorded for Baltimore on any July 29th (up to this point) since recordkeeping began in 1871.

The Orioles lose to the Angels, 2-1. Attendance is 23,504.

In Baltimore, the Orioles defeat the Milwaukee Brewers, 6-5. Attendance is 10,514.

The total precipitation for Baltimore during July 1978 is 6.83 inches, about twice the normal amount for July.

Pope Paul VI dies at age 80 in Castel Gandolfo, Italy. He was born on September 26, 1897, with the birth name Giovanni Battista Enrico Antonio Maria Montini, in Concesio, Brescia, Lombardy, Kingdom of Italy.

The Orioles lose again to the Yankees, this time by a score of 3-0.

The Double Eage II gas-fueled hot-air balloon leaves Presque Isle, Maine, USA, for a flight across the Atlantic Ocean. (It lands safely near Paris, France, on August 17, making it the first successful trans-Atlantic balloon flight.)

In Baltimore, the Orioles lose to the New York Yankees, 2-1, in a game that goes only 5 1/2 innings because of rain. Attendance is 29,539.

The first successful trans-Atlantic balloon flight ends as Mazie Anderson, Ben Abruzzo and Larry Newman land their Double Eagle II in Miserey near Paris, France. (It had taken off from Presque Isle, Maine, USA. on August 11, 1978.)

In Anaheim, California, the Orioles lose to the Angels, 3-2.

Kobe Bean Bryant is born in Philadelphia, PA. He would become one of the greatest NBA basketball players of all time, spending 20 seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers (1997-2006) and helping the Lakers to win 5 NBA Championships. He was killed in a helicopter crash in Calabasas, California on January 26, 2020, at age 41.

The Orioles again defeat Oakland, this time by a score of 11-0. Jim Palmer pitches a complete-game shutout to improve his win-loss record to 15-12. The Oriles sweep this 3-game series against Oakland.

Pope John Paul I begins his papacy. (It lasts until his death on August 28, 1978.)

The Orioles again win against Seattle, this time 9 to 2. Mike Flanagan improves his win-loss record to 17-11. Attendance is 16,484.

The Orioles lose again to the Yankees, this time by a score of 6 to 2. Attendance is 15,579.

The total precipitation for Baltimore during August 1978 is 3.39 inches.

The Orioles lose to the Red Sox, 2-0, but Dennis Martinez does pitch a 2-hitter. Attendance is 11,251.

Adolf Dassler, founder of the German sportswear company Adidas, dies in Herzogenaurach, West Germany, at age 77. He was born on November 3, 1900.

Israeli Prime Minister Menachim Begin and Egyptian President Anwar Sadat sign a framework for a peace treaty.

The Orioles defeat Toronto for the third time in a row, this time by a score of 5 to 0. Mike Flanagan pitches a complete-game shutout and improves his win-loss reocrd to 18-13.

At Cleveland, the Orioles defeat the Indians, 10-3.

The high temperature in Baltimore reaches 91 degrees F, a tie for the highest temperature ever recorded for Baltimore on any September 18th (up to this point) since recordkeeping began in 1871. This high temperature ties the 91 degrees F that was recorded in Baltimore on September 18, 1898, and again on September 18, 1977.

The Orioles defeat Cleveland by the identical score of the previous day: 3-1.  Dennis Martinez pitches a complete game and improves his win-loss record to 15-11. Attendance is 2,987.

Pope John Paul I dies at age 75 in Vatican City.

The Orioles defeat Cleveland for a third consecutive time, this time by a score of 3-2. Jim Palmer improves his win-loss record to 21-12. Attendance at this final Orioles home game of the 1978 season is 5,143.

Pope John Paul I is found dead in his apartment in Vatican City a little over a month after becoming head of the Roman Catholic Church. He was born Albino Luciani on October 17, 1912, in Venice, Kingdom of Italy.

In Detroit, the Orioles lose to the Tigers, 3-2.

The Orioles again lose to the Tigers, this time by a score of 5-4.

The total precipitation for Baltimore during September 1978 is 1.03 inches, about 1/3 of the normal amount for September.

Bucky Dent's three-run, seventh-inning home run off Mike Torrez puts the visiting New York Yankees ahead for good as they defeat the Boston Red Sox, 5–4, in a one-game playofff for the American League East title. Reggie Jackson's solo home run in the eighth inning off Bob Stanley provides the winning margin. Ron Guidry gets the win, finishing 25–3 on the season.

 Final 1978 Major League Baseball standings (Regular season):

American League

The total precipitation for Baltimore during December 1978 is 4.63 inches, including melted snow and ice.

Total precipitation for Baltimore in 1978 is 41.49 inches, about a half inch below normal.