I was an auditor for Case Construction and Ag in the mid-90s and had the hellhole that is Eastern Washington as part of my territory. One town called Lind, Washington had this sign that said "Drop on in, St. Helens did!" and I think I recall seeing some ash on their desolate tractor lot.Reagan was first thing in my head, but I do vividly remember MSH eruption. Living in Central Oregon we got some ash. My sister and her husband had moved to Yakima, WA not long before the eruption. We visited them early that summer and there was ash everywhere.
First thing I thought of was Reagan being shot. I can remember it vividly as I was home from school sick that day and I recall watching tons of coverage when I wasn't falling asleep.
Skimming through there are a few things mentioned here that I do remember seeing and were a big deal but wasn't what I thought of on my own.
Oooo, snap. I was four. I was really PO'd. I couldn't hear the music because the stupid girls in the audience wouldn't shut up.Beatles on Ed Sullivan. I was 5
I remember talk/fear of the Russian space program, but not any specific news events. Mostly I remember being fascinated that they sent dogs into space. SAme with the Cuban Missile crisis. We lived on the Gulf Coast and knew several neighbors starting to build fallout shelters. But again, not a specific news event.my reaction to the Sputnik launch, the wk b4 i turned 3, got me on TV. i've told the story too many times before - a FBG search of the name of the satellite should yield sumn
First election I voted in.I remember the Nixon election in 72. Should be other things, but that stands out.
Law school. One of the local TV stations came and interviewed some students when the verdict was given.Man, I'm old. I was drinking beer with my buddies in college when this went down.I might have to change my answer to this, I remember my parents watching but I had no concept of who OJ was or why it was important.
Probably Challenger for me as well...I was a year or so older than you, 7 or so. 2nd grade. We were actually watching the launch live in the classroom. I remember as a kid seeing that thing explode and thinking it looked like a scorpion cloud, and that I didn't think that was what was supposed to happen. The teacher calmly got up and turned the TV off and just went right back to the next lesson and didn't address anything about it. It was very confusing. I remember watching and learning more on the evening news when I got home.I saw this trending on Twitter and thought it might make for an interesting (shtick and non-shtick) topic.
The earliest one that I can remember was the Challenger explosion. I remember coming back into class after lunch/recess and my teacher telling my class about it, because she was watching in the faculty break room. Some teachers at my school (as many all over did) had applied for the spot that went to McAuliffe.
I was 6 at the time. That seems a bit old for first news memory, but I can't think of anything earlier.
Suck the asphalt right off of the streets.Born in 1978. I have to go with the Grenada invasion, or when Michael Jackson's hair caught on fire for the Pepsi commercial.
My first thought was the Barneveld tornado, which I suppose is only local major news.
So your user name isn't based on the football player? I figured you to be much older.The OJ Simpson chase
my wife just this second texted that she and the kids are staying at the hotel where reagan got shot (in front of the hotel)Reagan being shot
My family only got 3 channels in, and most of the time 2 of them didn't come in. But we always caught Ed.Beatles on Ed Sullivan. I was 5
Seriously, the only time in my life soap operas were a big deal was on General Hospital.I have three older sisters so for me, it was the Luke and Laura wedding.
I vaguely knew something was going on with Vietnam, but at 5-6 years old it wasn't on my radar. But I was 6 when Nixon resigned ... I remember being in a campground in NH when the word started to spread.I remember Nixon resigning, but not watergate.
She finally left you?my wife just this second texted that she and the kids are staying at the hotel where reagan got shot (in front of the hotel)
Yakima: The Madras of Washington (might just be a Central Oregon joke).I was an auditor for Case Construction and Ag in the mid-90s and had the hellhole that is Eastern Washington as part of my territory. One town called Lind, Washington had this sign that said "Drop on in, St. Helens did!" and I think I recall seeing some ash on their desolate tractor lot.
I'm sure my parents let me know what they thought was important for me to know that young. War and scandal not so much, but historic end of a president... SureI vaguely knew something was going on with Vietnam, but at 5-6 years old it wasn't on my radar. But I was 6 when Nixon resigned ... I remember being in a campground in NH when the word started to spread.
We were loading up the car to drive from Port Arthur to Detroit for a convention. I remember listening to the news on the radio as we were loading our suitcases, thinking wtf, dad.I have earlier memories, but the big news item I remember was the Detroit riots of '67. I had just turned 4 and lived in the Detroit suburbs. We saw National Guard troops in big trucks heading to the city to keep the peace.
The OJ Simpson chase
Its not my earliest memory (sadly far from it), but I remember meeting him at the Country Club I caddied just before this. He was golfing with guys the group in front of us and he left our CC in NY to go straight to the airport to go to California. I remember one of the members rushing the valets to get the car b/c "He had a plane to catch"I might have to change my answer to this, I remember my parents watching but I had no concept of who OJ was or why it was important.