1998
1998 was the 127th year after the founding of the City of Birmingham.
Events
- January 29: Eric Robert Rudolph detonated a bomb at the New Woman All Women Clinic in Birmingham, killing officer Robert Sanderson and critically injuring nurse Emily Lyons.
- February 26: The USAirways Flight 861 incident occurred at the Birmingham International Airport.
- March 18: All four lanes of I-20/59 North were closed for five days after a 23-ton steel coil bounced down the interstate after falling off a truck.
- April: Birmingham International Festival Salute to Brazil
- April 8: An F5 tornado killed 32 in western Jefferson County.
- April 15: President Clinton visited the area to view tornado damage.
- June: Phil Collins, the Doobie Brothers, the Gap Band, Ohio Players, Dixie Chicks, Violent Femmes and the Neville Brothers headlined the 1998 City Stages
- August 4: The MAPS proposal was defeated by voters.
- September 9: A 22-ton coil punched 17 holes along a section of I-65 South after falling off a truck.
- October: Sloss Fright Furnace debuted.
- The "Crawfish Crawl" 5K run was added to the Schaeffer Eye Center Crawfish Boil schedule.
- The Birmingham Zoo experienced a record low annual visitorship of 296,102.
- Jesse's Place shelter opened downtown.
- 40,000 attended Do Dah Day
- Pyro Productions began producing Thunder on the Mountain
- Samford University's chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi was chartered.
- Rock band Brother Cane split up.
- "The Fine Line" with Russ and Dee Fine premiered on WERC-AM
- A bill earmarking a percentage of lodging taxes for the American Village passed the Alabama legislature.
- The first "Perspectives" series exhibit, curated by David Moos, featured Willie Cole.
- Frances Carter founded the American Rosie the Riveter Association.
Business
- Saks, Inc. was formed by merger of Proffitt's Inc. and Saks Fifth Avenue.
- The Bank was formed as a public company.
- RugbyRugby.com was launched.
- John Cassimus launched Big Air Records
- Cohen Carnaggio Reynolds was formed.
- CAC's Gourmet Deli opened.
- David and Jimmy Gorji bought The Store on Highland.
- Tony and Tim Vaziri bought Triple T's.
- Compass Bank made major acquisitions in Florida, Texas and Arizona.
- BancorpSouth Bank and the Peoples Bank and Trust Company entered the Birmingham market.
- The Sheraton Birmingham Hotel became part of the Starwood system.
- Agnes relocated to the Hugh Martin Cottage.
- Just for Feet acquired Sneaker Stadium.
- Larry House resigned as CEO following a failed merger between MedPartners and PhyCor.
- Naked Art Gallery opened on 1st Avenue North.
Media
- February 5: WBMG 42 relaunched as WIAT with a new news format.
- WTTO 21 joined the WB network and introduced the Dubba Dubba Twins.
- WRRS-FM debuted at FM 101.1.
- WRAX-FM moved from FM 105.9 to FM 107.7. Beaner and Ken debuted, and Luka was dropped.
- The first WZZK-AM debuted on AM 610 as a simulcast of WZZK-FM.
- The Rick & Bubba Show debuted in Birmingham.
- The Birmingham Weekly was boycotted in Gardendale.
- Bama Environmental News first published by Pat Byington
Sports
- August 16: Birmingham Barons Demond Smith hit a record two triples vs the Mobile BayBears.
- October: Alabama State University defeated Alabama A&M 34-28 in the Magic City Classic at Legion Field.
- December: the 1998 Iron Bowl, won by Alabama, was the last one played at Legion Field.
- Terrell Owens caught a 25-yard touchdown to give the 49ers the win over the Packers in a wild card playoff matchup.
- The Alabama Gunners hockey team held their sole season.
- The Alabama Saints soccer team held their second season.
- Hubert Green won the Bruno's Memorial Classic
- Vestavia Hills High School won the state 6A football championship.
- The UAB Blazers men's basketball team received an NIT bid.
- Josh Hancock was selected by the Boston Red Sox in the 5th round of the MLB draft.
- 31,897 attended a game between the UAB Blazers and Virginia Tech.
Works
- Birmingham-in-a-Box, novelty board game.
- Floating Away, film directed by John Badham
- Main Street, film shot in Birmingham
Books
- Consilience: The Unity of Knowledge, by E. O. Wilson
- Gone for Good, novel by Mark Childress
- Behind the Stained Glass: a History of Sixteenth Street Baptist Church, by Christopher Hamlin
- Birmingham and Jefferson County, Alabama, by the Jefferson County Historical Commission
- BE&K, Inc., Newcomen Society Address by Ted C. Kennedy and Mike Goodrich
- Shelby Iron - A Celebration of Our History...And a Look to the Future. by the Historic Shelby Association
- Silk, novel by Caitlín R. Kiernan
- Principles of Clinical Electromyography: Case Studies, by Shin Oh
- Welcome to the World, Baby Girl, by Fannie Flagg
- Ransom My Heart, Whisper My Love, Remember My Touch, Honor's Bride, and Never Let Her Go, romance novels by Gayle Wilson
- Beating the Odds, Raising Academically Successful African American Males, by Freeman Hrabowski
- What Became of Wystan: Change and Continuity in Auden’s Poetry. by Alan Jacobs
- Like the Singing Coming Off of Drums: Love Poems, by Sonia Sanchez
- Important Things, by Melissa Springer
- Rejoice, by Mary Ann Sampson
- No Safe Place, novel by Richard North Patterson
- A Walk to Freedom: The Reverend Fred Shuttlesworth and the Alabama Christian Movement for Human Rights, by Marjorie Longenecker White
Buildings
- Grandview II office building
- Trussville Wastewater Treatment Plant
- McWane Center
- New Hope Baptist Church
- Kobe Japanese Steakhouse
- Visionland
- The Crescent
- Cahaba Pump Station renovation and additions
- Alabama Theatre interior restoration
- Bama 6 and Hoover Square 6 closed
- Trussville Public Library expansion and renovation
- Hewitt-Trussville Junior High was damaged by a sinkhole
- Hewitt-Trussville High School's "Husky Stadium" was renamed for Jack Wood
- Riverchase Galleria renovations
- Bryant-Denny Stadium, east upper deck addition
- Hamburger Heaven, Inverness location
- West End Masonic Temple demolished
Music
- Gangstabilly, album by the Drive-By Truckers
- Ezra Sims, album by Ezra Sims
- The Heritage of a Black Man, and Lovers Do, albums by Sam Dees
- Wishpool Virgin, album by Brother Cane
- Villa Elaine, album by Remy Zero
- Small Talk, album by Eric Essix
- Serve You, Ma'am, album by Robert Moore and the Wildcats
- Live in the X Lounge debut CD produced by WRAX-FM.
- "Spirit of Steel”: Music of the Mines, Railroads and Mills of the Birmingham District. album
People
- February 1: Jodi Newton became superintendent of Homewood City Schools.
- Don Siegelman won the gubernatorial election.
- Andrew Westmoreland became president of Ouachita Baptist University in Arkadelphia, Arkansas.
- Lonnie Holley was relocated to Harpersville.
- Paul Finebaum was named sports director for WIAT 42.
- Patricia Todd was named Director of Alumni Affairs at UAB.
- Mother Angelica reported a miraculous cure of debilitating problems with her legs.
- Relatives were unable to locate the gravesite of Addie Mae Collins at Greenwood Cemetery.
- Mike Coppage succeeded Johnnie Johnson as chief of the Birmingham Police Department.
- Terrence West began his teaching career for Birmingham City Schools.
- Anthony Barnes became Chairman of the Birmingham Water Works board.
- John Draper became principal of Homewood High School.
- Bill Cleveland became assistant principal of Minor High School.
- Jackie Dye became assistant principal of Shades Valley High School.
- Buddy Gray was elected president of the Alabama Baptist Convention.
- Pat Sullivan resigned as head football coach at Texas Christian University.
Awards
- Birmingham Business Hall of Fame: Wallace R. Bunn, John M. Harbert III, Emil C. Hess, C. Caldwell Marks, Thomas E. Rast, and Joseph E. Volker
- Alabama Healthcare Hall of Fame: Alston Callahan, Tinsley R. Harrison, Sr, Joseph Lister Hill, Jean Kelley, John H. Mosteller, Richard Scrushy, et al
- Red Farmer and Neil Bonnett were named to the list of the 50 Greatest Drivers in NASCAR History.
- Davey Allison was inducted into the International Motorsports Hall of Fame
- The first Birmingham Area Music Awards:
Graduations
- Sandra Gregory from Birmingham School of Law
- Henry Parsley, doctoral degrees from Sewanee and the General Theological Seminary
- Jeremy Brown, from Hueytown High School
- Jared Weinstein, from Mountain Brook High School
Deaths
- January 29: Robert Sanderson killed in abortion clinic bombing
- April 6: Tammy Wynette, singer
- April 15: Clettus Atkinson, columnist for the Birmingham Post-Herald
- September 13: George Wallace
- November 30: Margaret Walker, writer, poet
- Samantha (Birmingham Zoo lioness)
- Apache, (Birmingham Police Mounted Patrol horse)
- See also List of Birmingham homicides in 1998
See also
Context
1998 was the "International Year of the Ocean". California banned smoking in all bars and restaurants. Ted Kacszinsky pleaded guilty to a string of letter bombs. The Broncos beat the Packers 31-24 in Super Bowl XXXII. Ford bought Volvo. A USMC EA-6B Prowler cut a cable car line in Cavalese, Italy, killing 20. The S&P index broke 1000 for the first time. The Winter Olympic games were held in Nagano, Japan. Dale Earnhardt won the Daytona 500. Viagra was approved by the FDA. The iMac was launched by Apple Computer. Seinfeld aired its final episode. Michael Jordan played his last game for the Chicago Bulls. The International Criminal Court was founded. France won the FIFA World Cup. US embassies in Kenya and Tanzania were bombed by Al-Qaeda. Mark McGwire broke Roger Maris' record of 61 home runs in a season. Jesse Ventura became governor of Minnesota. John Glenn returned to outer space for Discovery mission STS-95. Daimler-Benz merged with Chrysler. President Clinton was impeached over the Monica Lewinsky scandal. Exxon merged with Mobil Oil. The Petronas Towers were completed in Kuala Lumpur.
Deaths in 1998 included those of Sonny Bono, Carl Perkins, Harry Carey, Benjamin Spock, Pol Pot, Frank Sinatra, Phil Hartman, Barry Goldwater, Roy Rogers and Gene Autry. The top-grossing films included Armageddon, Saving Private Ryan, There's Something About Mary, and Saving Private Ryan. Shakespeare in Love won the "Best Picture" Oscar. Philip Roth won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction for American Pastoral.
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