1978 Qom protest, Aftermath
The incident was spread throughout Iran and quickly became an important landmark triggering a revolutionary mobilization.


1978 Queen's Birthday Honours (Australia)
The 1978 Queen's Birthday Honours for Australia were appointments to recognise and reward good works by citizens of Australia and other nations that contribute to Australia. The Birthday Honours are awarded as part of the Queen's Official Birthday celebrations and were announced on 6 June 1978 in Australia.


1978 Queen's Birthday Honours (Australia)
The recipients of honours are displayed as they were styled before their new honour and arranged by honour with grades and then divisions i.e. Civil, Diplomatic and Military as appropriate.


1978 Queen's Birthday Honours (Australia), Order of Australia
The following appointments were made of the Order of Australia.


1978 Queen's Club Championships
The 1978 Queen's Club Championships, also known by its sponsored name Rawlings International, was a men's tennis tournament played on outdoor grass courts at the Queen's Club in London in the United Kingdom that was part of the 1978 Colgate-Palmolive Grand Prix circuit. It was the 76th edition of the tournament and was held from 19 June through 24 June 1978. Unseeded Tony Roche won the singles title.


1978 Queen's Club Championships, Finals, Doubles
Bob Hewitt /  Frew McMillan defeated  Fred McNair /  Raúl Ramírez 6–2, 7–5


1978 Queen's Club Championships – Doubles
Anand Amritraj and Vijay Amritraj were the defending champions but lost in the second round to Bob Hewitt and Frew McMillan.


1978 Queen's Club Championships – Doubles
Hewitt and McMillan won the doubles title at the 1978 Queen's Club Championships tennis tournament defeating Fred McNair and Raúl Ramírez in the final 6–2, 7–5.


1978 Queen's Club Championships – Singles
Raúl Ramírez was the defending champion but lost in the first round to Victor Amaya.


1978 Queen's Club Championships – Singles
Tony Roche won the singles title at the 1978 Queen's Club Championships tennis tournament defeating John McEnroe in the final 8–6, 9–7.


1978 RTHK Top 10 Gold Songs Awards
The 1978 RTHK Top 10 Gold Songs Awards (Chinese: 1978年度十大中文金曲得獎) was held in 1978 for the 1977 music season.


1978 RTHK Top 10 Gold Songs Awards, Top 10 song awards
The top 10 songs (十大中文金曲) of 1978 are as follows.


1978 Railway Cup Hurling Championship
The 1978 Railway Cup Hurling Championship was the 52nd staging of the Railway Cup since its establishment by the Gaelic Athletic Association in 1927. The cup began on 16 April 1978 and ended on 7 May 1978.


1978 Railway Cup Hurling Championship
On 7 May 1978, Munster won the cup following a 2-13 to 1-11 defeat of Leinster in the final. This was their 33rd Railway Cup title overall and their first title since 1976.


1978 Rangitikei by-election
The Rangitikei by-election of 1978 was a by-election in the New Zealand electorate of Rangitikei, a predominantly rural district in the middle of New Zealand's North Island. The by-election occurred on 18 February 1978, and was precipitated by the death of sitting National Party member of parliament (and Speaker of the House) Sir Roy Jack in December 1977.


1978 Rangitikei by-election, Background
The by-election was contested by all major parties. It was won by Bruce Beetham, the Social Credit Party candidate, with a majority of 1,335. He became the second Social Credit Party MP in New Zealand's history. This upset was extremely rare in the post-war political climate of New Zealand, especially in a rural electorate that traditionally voted National (although such voting is more likely in a by-election). The National Party candidate Jim Bull came second, the Labour Party candidate (and rugby coach) JJ Stewart came third and the Values Party candidate Denis Hocking came fourth. JJ Stewart was a former teacher of Beetham's at New Plymouth Boys' High School who once gave him a caning.


1978 Rangitikei by-election, Background
Beetham was the Social Credit leader and had polled a strong second in the seat in 1975. National was hampered as its candidate was only a stand in until the general election later in the year. Sir Roy Jack had planned to retire then, to be replaced by the Minister of Education Les Gandar whose Ruahine seat had been abolished in boundary changes.


1978 Redbridge London Borough Council election
The 1978 Redbridge Council election took place on 4 May 1978 to elect members of Redbridge London Borough Council in London, England. The whole council was up for election and the Conservative party stayed in overall control of the council.


1978 Revelation on Priesthood
The 1978 Revelation on Priesthood was a revelation announced by leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) that reversed a long-standing policy excluding men of black African descent from the priesthood.


1978 Revelation on Priesthood
Beginning in the late 1840s, individuals of black African descent were prohibited from ordination to the LDS Church's priesthood—normally held by all male members who meet church standards of spiritual "worthiness"—and from receiving temple ordinances such as the endowment and celestial marriage (sealing). The origins of the policy are still unclear: during the 20th century, most church members and leaders believed the policy had originated during founding prophet Joseph Smith's time, but church research in the 1960s and 1970s found no evidence of the prohibition before the presidency of Brigham Young. LDS Church presidents Heber J. Grant and David O. McKay are known to have privately stated that the restriction was a temporary one, and would be lifted at a future date by a divine revelation to a church president.


1978 Revelation on Priesthood
In 2013, the LDS Church posted an essay stating that the ban was based more on racism than revelation and disavowed racist theories for the origin of the ban.


1978 Revelation on Priesthood, Background
Men of black African descent were permitted to hold the priesthood in the early years of the Latter Day Saint movement, when Joseph Smith was alive. After Smith died, Brigham Young became leader of the LDS Church and many were excluded from holding the priesthood. This practice persisted after Young's death, and was maintained until the announcement of the 1978 revelation.


1978 Revelation on Priesthood, Events leading up to the revelation
In the decades leading up to the 1978 revelation, it became increasingly difficult for the church to maintain its policy on Africans and the priesthood. The difficulties arose both from outside protests and internal challenges encountered as the membership grew in far away areas of the world outside of the predominantly white Utah.


1978 Revelation on Priesthood, Events leading up to the revelation
Internal challenges in administering the priesthood ban were mainly due to the difficulty in determining which peoples were of African ancestry in areas such as Brazil, the Philippines and Caribbean and Polynesian Islands as well as shortages of available people for local church leadership positions in areas with a predominantly black population such as Nigeria or the Dominican Republic.


1978 Revelation on Priesthood, Events leading up to the revelation
The majority of the protests against the policy coincided with the rise of the civil rights movement in the United States during the 1960s. In 1963, Hugh B. Brown made a statement on civil rights during General Conference in order to avert a planned protest of the conference by the NAACP. During the late 1960s and 1970s, black athletes at some universities refused to compete against teams from church owned Brigham Young University. A protest in 1974 was in response to the exclusion of black scouts to become leaders in church sponsored Boy Scout troops. By 1978, when the policy was changed, external pressure had slackened somewhat.


1978 Revelation on Priesthood, Events leading up to the revelation
In the 1960s, an effort was made to establish a church presence in Nigeria where many natives had expressed interest. Church leaders found it difficult to make progress in establishing the church in that region without a change in the priesthood policy. Issues regarding possible expansion in Nigeria were considered in correspondence between the South African Mission and church general authorities from as early as 1946. LDS Church leaders in the Caribbean, notably in the Dominican Republic (described at the time as 98% black), had expressed the difficulty of proselytizing efforts in the region due to priesthood restrictions.


1978 Revelation on Priesthood, Events leading up to the revelation
In 1969, during a weekly meeting the apostles voted to overturn the priesthood ban. However, Harold B. Lee, a senior apostle at the time, was not present due to travel. When he returned he made the argument that the ban could not be overturned administratively but rather required a revelation from God. Lee called for a re-vote, which did not pass.


1978 Revelation on Priesthood, Events leading up to the revelation
On March 1, 1975, LDS Church president Spencer W. Kimball announced plans to build a temple in São Paulo, Brazil. Before the 1978 revelation, not only were men of black African descent denied ordination to the priesthood, but men and women of black African descent were also excluded from performing most of the various ordinances in the temple. Determining priesthood and temple eligibility in Brazil was problematic due to the considerable miscegenation between Amerindians, Europeans, and Africans since 1500, and high uncertainty in tracing ancestral roots.


1978 Revelation on Priesthood, Events leading up to the revelation
Furthermore, in the Brazilian culture, racial identification had more to do with physical appearance and social class than blood lines. The cultural differences in understanding race created confusion between the native Brazilians and the American missionaries. When the temple was announced, church leaders realized the difficulty of restricting persons with various bloodlines from attending the temple in Brazil.


1978 Revelation on Priesthood, Events leading up to the revelation
During the first half of the 20th century, most church members and leaders believed the priesthood ban had originated with church founder Joseph Smith. Because of this belief, church leaders were hesitant to overturn the ban. Scholars in the 1960s and 1970s found no evidence of the prohibition before Brigham Young. This evidence made it easier for Kimball to consider making a change.


1978 Revelation on Priesthood, Events leading up to the revelation, Softening of the policy
Prior to the complete overturning of the priesthood ban by revelation, several administrative actions were taken to soften its effect.


1978 Revelation on Priesthood, Events leading up to the revelation, Softening of the policy
Before David O. McKay visited the South Africa mission in 1954, the policy was that any man desiring to receive the priesthood in the mission was required to prove a lack of African ancestors in his genealogy. Six missionaries were tasked with assisting in the necessary genealogical research but even then it was often difficult to establish lack of African ancestry. McKay changed the policy to presume non-African ancestry except when there was evidence to the contrary. This change allowed many more people to be ordained without establishing genealogical proof.


1978 Revelation on Priesthood, Events leading up to the revelation, Softening of the policy
Four years later, McKay gave permission for Fijians to receive the priesthood despite their dark skin color. Thus, the priesthood ban was restricted to those people who were specifically of African descent. In 1967, the same policy that was used in South Africa was extended to cover Brazilians as well. In 1974, blacks were allowed to serve as proxies for baptisms for the dead.


1978 Revelation on Priesthood, Revelation
In the years prior to his presidency, Spencer W. Kimball kept a binder of notes and clippings related to the issue. In the first years of his presidency, he was recorded as frequently making the issue one of investigation and prayer. In June 1977, Kimball asked at least three general authorities—apostles Bruce R. McConkie, Thomas S. Monson, and Boyd K. Packer—to submit memos "on the doctrinal basis of the prohibition and how a change might affect the Church", to which McConkie wrote a long treatise concluding there were no scriptural impediments to a change.


1978 Revelation on Priesthood, Revelation
During 1977, Kimball obtained a personal key to the Salt Lake Temple for entering in the evenings after the temple closed, and often spent hours alone in its upper rooms praying for divine guidance on a possible change. On May 30, 1978, Kimball presented his two counselors with a statement he had written in longhand removing all racial restrictions on ordination to the priesthood, stating that he "had a good, warm feeling about it."


1978 Revelation on Priesthood, Revelation
On June 1, 1978, following the monthly meeting of general authorities in the Salt Lake Temple, Kimball asked his counselors and the ten members of Quorum of the Twelve Apostles then present to remain behind for a special meeting. Kimball began by describing his studies, thoughts, and prayers on removing the restriction and on his growing assurance that the time had come for the change. Kimball asked each of the men present to share their views, and all spoke in favor of changing the policy.


1978 Revelation on Priesthood, Revelation
After all present had shared their views, Kimball led the gathered apostles in a prayer circle to seek final divine approval for the change. As Kimball prayed, many in the group recorded feeling a powerful spiritual confirmation. Bruce R. McConkie later said: "There are no words to describe the sensation, but simultaneously the Twelve and the three members of the First Presidency had the Holy Ghost descend upon them and they knew that God had manifested his will .... I had had some remarkable spiritual experiences before ... but nothing of this magnitude."


1978 Revelation on Priesthood, Revelation
L. Tom Perry described: "I felt something like the rushing of wind. There was a feeling that came over the whole group. When President Kimball got up he was visibly relieved and overjoyed." Gordon B. Hinckley later said: "For me, it felt as if a conduit opened between the heavenly throne and the kneeling, pleading prophet of God who was joined by his Brethren."


1978 Revelation on Priesthood, Revelation
The church formally announced the change on June 9, 1978. The story led many national news broadcasts and was on the front page of most American newspapers, and in most largely Latter-day Saint communities in Utah and Idaho telephone networks were completely jammed with excited callers. The announcement was formally approved by the church at the October 1978 general conference, and is included in LDS Church's edition of the Doctrine and Covenants as Official Declaration 2.


1978 Revelation on Priesthood, Revelation accepted at general conference
On September 30, 1978, during the church's 148th Semiannual General Conference, the following was presented by N. Eldon Tanner, First Counselor in the First Presidency:


1978 Revelation on Priesthood, Revelation accepted at general conference
In early June of this year, the First Presidency announced that a revelation had been received by President Spencer W. Kimball extending priesthood and temple blessings to all worthy male members of the Church. President Kimball has asked that I advise the conference that after he had received this revelation, which came to him after extended meditation and prayer in the sacred rooms of the holy temple, he presented it to his counselors, who accepted it and approved it. It was then presented to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, who unanimously approved it, and was subsequently presented to all other General Authorities, who likewise approved it unanimously.


1978 Revelation on Priesthood, Revelation accepted at general conference
On that day, the general conference unanimously voted to accept the revelation "as the word and will of the Lord."


1978 Revelation on Priesthood, Ramifications
Following the revelation, black male members were allowed to be ordained to the priesthood. Black members and their spouses regardless of race were allowed to enter the temple and undergo the temple rituals, including celestial marriages. Black members could be adopted into a tribe of Israel through a patriarchal blessing. Black members were also allowed to serve missions and hold leadership positions. Proselytization restrictions were removed, so missionaries no longer needed special permission to teach black people, converts were no longer asked about African heritage, and marks were no longer made on membership records indicating African heritage.


1978 Revelation on Priesthood, Statements after the revelation
There are statements in our literature by the early brethren which we have interpreted to mean that the Negroes would not receive the priesthood in mortality. I have said the same things, and people write me letters and say, "You said such and such, and how is it now that we do such and such?" And all I can say to that is that it is time disbelieving people repented and got in line and believed in a living, modern prophet.


1978 Revelation on Priesthood, Statements after the revelation
Forget everything that I have said, or what President Brigham Young or President George Q. Cannon or whomsoever has said in days past that is contrary to the present revelation. We spoke with a limited understanding and without the light and knowledge that now has come into the world.... We get our truth and our light line upon line and precept upon precept. We have now had added a new flood of intelligence and light on this particular subject, and it erases all the darkness and all the views and all the thoughts of the past. They don’t matter any more.... It doesn’t make a particle of difference what anybody ever said about the Negro matter before the first day of June of this year.


1978 Revelation on Priesthood, Statements after the revelation
On the topic of doctrine and policy for the race ban lifting the apostle Dallin H. Oaks stated in 1988, "I don’t know that it’s possible to distinguish between policy and doctrine in a church that believes in continuing revelation and sustains its leader as a prophet. ... I’m not sure I could justify the difference in doctrine and policy in the fact that before 1978 a person could not hold the priesthood and after 1978 they could hold the priesthood."


1978 Revelation on Priesthood, Statements after the revelation
In 2013, the LDS Church posted an essay on the priesthood ban, stating that the ban was based more on racism than revelation. The essay places the origin of the ban on Brigham Young, arguing there was no evidence any black men were denied the priesthood during Joseph Smith's leadership.


1978 Revelation on Priesthood, Statements after the revelation
The essay also disavowed theories promoted in the past including "that black skin is a sign of divine disfavor or curse, or that it reflects actions in a premortal life; that mixed-race marriages are a sin; or that blacks or people of any other race or ethnicity are inferior in any way to anyone else."


1978 Revelation on Priesthood, Official Declaration 2
Official Declaration 2 is the canonized formal 1978 announcement by the church's First Presidency that the priesthood would no longer be subject to restrictions based on race or skin color. The declaration was canonized by the LDS Church at its general conference on September 30, 1978, through the process of common consent. Since 1981, the text has been included in the church's Doctrine and Covenants, one of its standard works of scripture. It is the most recent text that has been added to the LDS Church's open canon of scripture. The announcement that was canonized had previously been announced by a June 8, 1978, letter from the First Presidency, which was composed of Spencer W. Kimball, N. Eldon Tanner, and Marion G. Romney.


1978 Revelation on Priesthood, Official Declaration 2
Unlike much of the Doctrine and Covenants, Official Declaration 2 is not itself presented as a revelation from God. However, its text announces that Jesus Christ "by revelation has confirmed that the long-promised day has come when every faithful, worthy man in the Church may receive the holy priesthood." Thus, it is regarded as "the official declaration of the revelation." No text of the revelation has been released by the church, but it is common for Latter-day Saints to refer to the "revelation on the priesthood" in describing the changes wrought by the announcement and canonization of Official Declaration 2.


1978 Revelation on Priesthood, Modern clarification disavows reasons for the restrictions
Sometime between 2014 and 2015, the LDS Church, in publishing essays to expand understanding of church doctrines and policies, focused one on the subject of "Race and the Priesthood". As part of that essay, the church officially acknowledged that the reasons for the previous racial restrictions were unknown, and officially disavowed the racist explanations for the policy, but did not disavow the restrictions themselves.


1978 Revelation on Priesthood, Modern clarification disavows reasons for the restrictions
As part of the 40th anniversary celebration of the revelation Dallin H. Oaks said that, "the Lord rarely gives reasons for the commandments and directions He gives to His servants," but acknowledged the hurt that the restrictions caused before they were rescinded, and encouraged all church members to move past those feelings and focus on the future. The LDS Church has not formally apologized for its policies and former teachings.


1978 Rhode Island Rams football team
The 1978 Rhode Island Rams football team was an American football team that represented the University of Rhode Island in the Yankee Conference during the 1978 NCAA Division I-AA football season. In their third season under head coach Bob Griffin, the Rams compiled a 7–3 record (3–2 against conference opponents) and finished in a tie for second place in the conference.


1978 Rhode Island gubernatorial election
The 1978 Rhode Island gubernatorial election was held on November 7, 1978. Incumbent Democrat J. Joseph Garrahy defeated Republican nominee Lincoln Almond with 62.79% of the vote.


1978 Rice Owls football team
The 1978 Rice Owls football team was an American football team that represented Rice University in the Southwest Conference during the 1978 NCAA Division I-A football season. In their first year under head coach Ray Alborn, the team compiled a 2–9 record.


1978 Richmond WCT
The 1978 Richmond WCT, also known by its sponsored name United Virginia Bank Classic, was a men's tennis tournament played on indoor carpet courts in Richmond, Virginia, United States. The event was part WCT Tour which was incorporated into the 1978 Colgate-Palmolive Grand Prix circuit. It was the eighth edition of the tournament and was held from January 30 through February 5, 1978. Second-seeded Vitas Gerulaitis won the singles title.


1978 Richmond WCT, Finals, Doubles
Bob Hewitt /  Frew McMillan defeated  Vitas Gerulaitis /  Sandy Mayer 6–3, 7–5


1978 Richmond upon Thames London Borough Council election
The 1978 Richmond upon Thames Council election took place on 4 May 1978 to elect members of Richmond upon Thames London Borough Council in London, England. The whole council was up for election and the Conservative party stayed in overall control of the council.


1978 Rio de la Plata Championships
The 1978 Rio de la Plata Championships, also known as the River Plate Championships, was a women's singles tennis tournament played on outdoor clay courts in Buenos Aires in Argentina. The event was part of the A category of the 1978 Colgate Series. The tournament was held from 30 October through 5 November 1978. Third-seeded Caroline Stoll won the singles title and earned $6,000 first-prize money.


1978 Rio de la Plata Championships, Winners, Doubles
Françoise Dürr /  Valerie Ziegenfuss defeated  Laura DuPont /  Regina Maršíková 1–6, 6–4, 6–3


1978 Roller Hockey World Cup
The 1978 Roller Hockey World Cup was the twenty-third roller hockey world cup, organized by the Fédération Internationale de Roller Sports. It was contested by 12 national teams (5 from Europe, 3 from South America, 1 from North America, 1 from Africa, 1 from Asia and 1 from Oceania). All the games were played in the Estadio Aldo Cantoni, in the city of San Juan, in Argentina, the chosen city to host the World Cup.


1978 Romika Cup
The 1978 Romika Cup was a men's Grand Prix Tennis Circuit tournament held in Munich, West Germany. It was the 62nd edition of the tournament and was held from 23 May through 28 May 1978. It is now part of the ATP Tour. First-seeded Guillermo Vilas won the singles title, his second after 1975.


1978 Romika Cup, Finals, Doubles
Ion Ţiriac /  Guillermo Vilas defeated  Jürgen Fassbender /  Tom Okker 3–6, 6–4, 7–6


1978 Romika Cup – Doubles
František Pala and Balázs Taróczy were the defending champions, but lost in the first round this year.


1978 Romika Cup – Doubles
Ion Ţiriac and Guillermo Vilas won the title, defeating Jürgen Fassbender and Tom Okker 3–6, 6–4, 7–6 in the final.


1978 Romika Cup – Singles
Željko Franulović was the defending champion but lost in the semifinals to Buster Mottram.


1978 Romika Cup – Singles
Guillermo Vilas won in the final 6–1, 6–3, 6–3 against Mottram.


1978 Rose Bowl
The 1978 Rose Bowl was a college football bowl game, played on Monday, January 2, and was the 64th Rose Bowl Game. The Washington Huskies, champions of the Pacific-8 Conference, defeated the favored Michigan Wolverines, champions of the Big Ten Conference, 27–20. Washington quarterback Warren Moon was named the Rose Bowl Player of the Game.


1978 Rose Bowl
The Huskies led 17–0 at the half and extended it to 24–0 early in the third quarter, then held off a Wolverine comeback with two interceptions deep in their own territory in the last two minutes to win by seven. It was the second of three consecutive losses in the Rose Bowl for Michigan, a two-touchdown favorite entering this game.


1978 Rose Bowl, Teams, Michigan Wolverines
Led by junior quarterback Rick Leach, Michigan began the season ranked second, and were first after four of the first six weeks. However, a stunning 16–0 loss on October 22 at Minnesota dropped them to sixth. A 14–6 win over fourth-ranked rival Ohio State gave the Wolverines the Big Ten title and they came into the Rose Bowl ranked fourth.


1978 Rose Bowl, Teams, Washington Huskies
In their third season under head coach Don James and quarterback Warren Moon, Washington stumbled out of the gate, losing three of their first four games, all out of conference. They then won six of seven, losing 20–12 at UCLA on October 29 (later vacated by the Bruins, due to ineligible players). The Huskies won the Pac-8 title and earned the Rose Bowl berth when UCLA lost its final game on a last second field goal to USC, 29–27. Washington entered the game ranked thirteenth in the AP poll, and tied for fourteenth in the UPI coaches poll.


1978 Rose Bowl, Aftermath
With Notre Dame beating top-ranked and undefeated Texas in the Cotton Bowl, Michigan had hopes that a dominant win over Washington would boost the Wolverines to the national title. The Huskies' dramatic upset ended those hopes, and Notre Dame was voted first in the polls among five one-loss teams; Alabama, Arkansas, Texas, and Penn State were the others. Michigan dropped to ninth in the final AP poll and Washington climbed to tenth; both were a spot higher in the UPI coaches poll.


1978 Rothmans 500
The 1978 Rothmans 500 was an endurance motor race for Group C Touring Cars. The event was held at Oran Park in New South Wales, Australia on 4 June 1978 over 222 laps of the 2.7 km circuit, a total distance of 599.4 km. This was the second and last Rothmans 500 race for Touring Cars to be held at Oran Park, the 1977 Rothmans 500 having been the inaugural event.


1978 Rothmans Canadian Open
The 1978 Rothmans Canadian Open was a tennis tournament played on outdoor clay courts at the National Tennis Centre in Toronto in Canada that was part of the 1978 Colgate-Palmolive Grand Prix and of the 1978 WTA Tour. The tournament was held from August 14 through August 20, 1978.


1978 Rothmans Canadian Open, Finals, Men's Doubles
Wojciech Fibak /  Tom Okker defeated  Colin Dowdeswell /  Heinz Günthardt 6–3, 7–6


1978 Rothmans Canadian Open, Finals, Women's Doubles
Regina Maršíková /  Pam Teeguarden defeated  Chris O'Neil /  Paula Smith 7–5, 6–7, 6–2


1978 Rothmans International Series
The 1978 Rothmans International Series was an Australian motor racing competition  open to Australian Formula 1 cars. The series, which was the third Rothmans International Series, was won by Warwick Brown, driving a Lola T332 Chevrolet.


1978 Rothmans International Series, Schedule
The series was contested over four rounds with one race per round.


1978 Rothmans International Series, Points system
Series points were awarded on a 9-6-4-3-2-1 basis for the first six places at each round.


1978 Rudé Právo Cup
The 1978 Rudé Právo Cup was the second edition of the Rudé Právo Cup ice hockey tournament. The Soviet Union won the tournament by defeating Czechoslovakia in all three games played.


1978 Rutgers Scarlet Knights football team
The 1978 Rutgers Scarlet Knights football team represented Rutgers University in the 1978 NCAA Division I-A football season. In their sixth season under head coach Frank R. Burns, the Scarlet Knights compiled a 9–3 record while competing as an independent. The team outscored its opponents 284 to 165 and finished the season with a 34–18 loss to Arizona State in the Garden State Bowl. The team's statistical leaders included Bob Hering with 1,193 passing yards, Glen Kehler with 883 rushing yards, and David Dorn with 535 receiving yards. It was the Scarlet Knights' first major bowl appearance.


1978 Rwandan constitutional referendum
A constitutional referendum was held in Rwanda on 17 December 1978. It followed the 1973 coup d'état by Juvénal Habyarimana and the dissolution of the former sole legal party, MDR-Parmehutu. The new constitution created a presidential republic with no term limits for the President, and made the National Revolutionary Movement for Development the sole legal party. It was approved by 89.1% of voters.


1978 Rwandan presidential election
Presidential elections were held in Rwanda on 24 December 1978, a week after the country's new constitution was approved in a referendum. The constitution had made the country a one-party state with the National Revolutionary Movement for Development (MRND) the sole legal party. Its leader, incumbent President Juvénal Habyarimana, who had taken power in the 1973 coup d'état, was the only candidate. The results showed 99% of votes in favour of his candidacy.


1978 SANFL Grand Final
The 1978 SANFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the Sturt Football Club and the Norwood Football Club, held at the Football Park in Adelaide on the 30 September 1978. It was the 57th annual Grand Final of the South Australian National Football League, staged to determine the premiers for the 1978 SANFL season, and attended by 50,867 ticketed spectators.


1978 SANFL Grand Final
Sturt had only lost one game all season, were heavy favourites, and led by 29 points at three quarter time. However Norwood fought back and won by 1 point, marking the club's 24th premiership victory.


1978 SANFL season
The 1978 South Australian National Football League season was the 99th season of the top-level Australian rules football competition in South Australia.


1978 SMU Mustangs football team
The 1978 SMU Mustangs football team represented Southern Methodist University during the 1978 NCAA Division I-A football season.


1978 SMU Mustangs football team
With sagging attendance in recent years, including a dismal 6,918 against conference foe Rice, SMY athletic director Russ Potts orchestrated "Mustang Mania." Potts wanted to make SMU more visible in the Dallas area. Average attendance at SMU home games jumped from 25,644 in the previous year to 51,960 in the 1978 season. This was the highest average attendance for SMU home games since 1950.


1978 Sacramento State Hornets football team
The 1978 Sacramento State Hornets football team represented Sacramento State University during the 1978 NCAA Division II football season.


1978 Sacramento State Hornets football team
Sacramento State competed in the Far Western Conference (FWC). The Hornets were led by first-year head coach Bob Mattos. They played home games at Hornet Stadium in Sacramento, California. The team finished the season with a record of one win and nine losses (1–9, 1–4 FWC). Overall, the team was outscored by its opponents 84–304 for the season, or an average score in the losses of 7–31.


1978 Sacramento State Hornets football team, Team players in the NFL
No Sacramento State players were selected in the 1979 NFL Draft.


1978 Salvadoran legislative election
Legislative elections were held in El Salvador on 12 March 1978. The elections were boycotted by all but one of the opposition parties, resulting in an easy victory for the ruling National Conciliation Party, which won 50 of the 54 seats.


1978 Sammarinese general election
General elections were held in San Marino on 28 May 1978. The Sammarinese Christian Democratic Party remained the largest party, winning 26 of the 60 seats in the Grand and General Council.


1978 Sammarinese general election, Electoral system
Voters had to be citizens of San Marino and at least 24 years old.


1978 San Diego Chargers season
The 1978 San Diego Chargers season was the team's 19th season, and ninth in the National Football League.


1978 San Diego Chargers season
The Chargers improved on their 7–7 record in 1977. This season included the "Holy Roller" game. It was Don Coryell's first season as the team's head coach, replacing Tommy Prothro after four games, and the team's first 16-game schedule.


1978 San Diego Chargers season
Said the 2006 edition of Pro Football Prospectus, "The Chargers were one of the worst franchises in the NFL before they hired Don Coryell four games into the 1978 season. The Chargers were 1–3 at the time, but finished 8–4 under Coryell, winning seven of their last eight games for the franchise's first winning record since 1969. Blessed with Hall of Famer Dan Fouts, the creative Coryell always designed potent offenses, but the San Diego Defense didn't catch up until 1979...."


1978 San Diego Chargers season
It wasn't all roses for new head coach Coryell as he lost three out of his first four games, before ending the season by winning seven out of the last eight.


1978 San Diego Chargers season
Fouts had lost the starting job in Prothro's last game in charge, but grew in confidence as the season progress - 917 of his 2,999 passing yards came in the final three games alone. He had more attempts, completions, yards and touchdowns than in any of his five previous seasons in the NFL, and posted a league-leading 7.9 yards per attempts. Rookie John Jefferson had a sensational year, with 56 catches for 1001 yards. He also scored a league-leading 13 receiving touchdowns, tying a rookie record set in 1952 by Billy Howton.


1978 San Diego Chargers season
San Diego brought in Lydell Mitchell to strengthen the running game; in each of the three previous seasons, he had rushed for over 1,000 yards with Baltimore. While less effective in a Charger uniform, he did post 820 yards, while adding 500 more on a team-leading 57 catches. Hank Bauer was used as a short-yardage specialist - 6 of his 9 touchdowns were runs of 1 or 2 yards.


1978 San Diego Chargers season
The defense slipped slightly, from 6th to 8th in terms of yardage, but remained a solid unit. Fred Dean had 13.5 sacks, and Mike Fuller ran one of his four interceptions back for a touchdown. Second-year kicker Rolf Benirschke made 18 kicks out of 22; his success rate of 81.8% was the second best in the league.


1978 San Diego Chargers season, Early-season resignation of head coach Tommy Prothro and hiring of Don Coryell
The previous season Prothro had told team owner Gene Klein that he would coach for only one more year. After the team's third loss in a row, Prothro stayed at the stadium until almost midnight watching game films, and it was during this time that he decided to resign. In a public statement, he said, "I still believe this is a good football team and it is a playoff contender. However, after disappointing losses to Oakland and Denver and the disaster against Green Bay, I feel a fresh approach and a rude awakening may be what this team needs." Klein asked Prothro to stay on in an open-ended position to work in such areas as drafting and trading.


1978 San Diego Chargers season, Early-season resignation of head coach Tommy Prothro and hiring of Don Coryell
The Chargers hired former St. Louis Cardinal Coach Don Coryell who had been asked to step down from an active role by St. Louis at the end of the last season. Because he still had two years left on his contract with St. Louis, the two teams negotiated and it was agreed upon that the Chargers would give St. Louis a third round draft pick to fully release Coryell from his remaining contract. Coryell had previously coached at San Diego State University from 1961 to 1972 before going to St. Louis. He said, "I'm pleased with the opportunity to coach again in San Diego because it's like a dream come true."


1978 San Diego Chargers season, Regular season, Game summaries, Week 1
Rookie wide receiver John Jefferson had a successful debut as the Chargers won their opener. Two of Jefferson's three receptions went for touchdowns, and the Chargers led 17-13 after three quarters. A fumbled snap by Seattle quarterback Jim Zorn then gave San Diego a golden chance to increase their lead, but Fouts was picked off in the end zone when he looked for Jefferson once more.


1978 San Diego Chargers season, Regular season, Game summaries, Week 1
Seattle soon reached a 1st and 10 at the Charger 45, whereupon defensive tackle Gary "Big Hands" Johnson made his first career interception, picking off an ill-advised cross-field pass from Zorn and running it back 52 yards for the game's crucial touchdown. By the time Seattle scored again, only 6 seconds remained.


1978 San Diego Chargers season, Regular season, Game summaries, Week 2
San Diego began on the front foot, seeing a short Benirschke field goal blocked before Pat Curran opened the scoring when he grabbed a deflected Fouts pass in the end zone. Oakland soon tied the scores, but a pair of Hank Bauer runs put the Chargers up 20-7 early in the 4th quarter (Benirschke missed the extra point after the first of these). Ken Stabler had been kept in check up to this point, throwing three interceptions, including two snagged by Glen Edwards on consecutive 3rd quarter attempts. However, he threw his second touchdown of the game with 8:26 to play, then led his team to a 2nd and 10 at the San Diego 14 with 10 seconds to play.


1978 San Diego Chargers season, Regular season, Game summaries, Week 2
From there, Oakland won the game with the controversial "Holy Roller" touchdown.


1978 San Diego Chargers season, Regular season, Game summaries, Week 3
A strong 2nd quarter proved insufficient for the Chargers. They trailed 7-0 early in the 2nd, when Dan Fouts hit Charlie Joiner for 42 yards down to the Denver 13. An interception foiled that threat, but Fouts rebounded with consecutive touchdown drives, scoring himself on the first and hitting Jefferson from 20 yards for the second. San Diego led 14-7 at the break, and it was still 14-13 late in the game. However, Rick Upchurch returned a punt 75 yards for the winning score with 3:17 on the clock. Denver then stopped the Chargers on downs and added an insurance touchdown.


1978 San Diego Chargers season, Regular season, Game summaries, Week 4
Tommy Prothro resigned after a sloppy performance that saw San Diego commit eleven turnovers, one short of the NFL record. The game was scoreless when Lydell Mitchell fumbled on 1st and 10 from the Packer 15. That was the first of a strong of seven consecutive Charger drives which ended in turnovers, including five lost fumbles. James Harris, who got the start over Dan Fouts, threw a pair of interceptions as well as losing the ball once when sacked.


1978 San Diego Chargers season, Regular season, Game summaries, Week 4
Green Bay led only 7-0 at the break, but the miscues continued in the second half. Punter Jeff West, who had earlier dropped a lost a snap for one of the Charger turnovers, saw a punt blocked and returned for a touchdown. Dan Fouts replaced Harris and lost a fumble, before throwing two interceptions, the latter of which was run back for a touchdown. Finally, 3rd string quarterback Cliff Olander came in and added one more interception to the tally.


1978 San Diego Chargers season, Regular season, Game summaries, Week 4
San Diego wasted a defensive performance - they conceded only 9 first downs and, thanks to a new club record ten sacks, only 9 net passing yards. Louis Kelcher and Fred Dean each managed 2.5 sacks, while Gary Johnson and DeJurnett had 2.0 each.


1978 San Diego Chargers season, Regular season, Game summaries, Week 5
Don Coryell's first game in charge ended in defeat after San Diego couldn't hold a second half lead. The pass-oriented "Air Coryell" offense wasn't in evidence yet - San Diego ran the ball 38 times against 23 pass plays, with Hank Bauer gaining a career-high 60 yards. The touchdowns came through the air, though, Dan Fouts finding Pat Curran from 3 yards out, and Jefferson from 21 and 40, Jefferson's first score being set up by a Don Goode interception.


1978 San Diego Chargers season, Regular season, Game summaries, Week 5
Those success left San Diego up 20-7 early in the 3rd quarter, but they became ragged from there on in, Fouts being picked off to set up a Patriots touchdown, and Benirschke missing a 38 yard field goal. New England later took the lead with an 80 yard touchdown drive, and though Benirschke made amends with a 41 yard kick to put Sand Diego up 23-21, New England then went 73 yards for the game-winning points, which came with 31 seconds to play.


1978 San Diego Chargers season, Regular season, Game summaries, Week 5
Dan Fouts finished 14 of 18 for 173 yards, 3 touchdowns and an interception.


1978 San Diego Chargers season, Regular season, Game summaries, Week 6
The first win of the Don Coryell era was one of only two shutouts during his eight-year tenure. Fouts began poorly, with an interception on the game's third play, but bounced back to lead his team 85 yards on their next drive, with Don Woods going in from a yard out for the opening score. A fumble by Denver quarterback Craig Morton set up a touchdown reception by Bauer early in the 2nd quarter, and Benirschke added three field goals as the Chargers coasted home.


1978 San Diego Chargers season, Regular season, Game summaries, Week 6
Denver had particular trouble passing, with three quarterbacks combining for only 8 completions from 30 attempts. The trio threw one interception each - to Glen Edwards, Louie Kelcher and Mike Fuller.


1978 San Diego Chargers season, Regular season, Game summaries, Week 7
A trio of Lydell Mitchell touchdowns weren't quite enough for the Chargers to overcome five turnovers. The Chargers had 1st and Goal at the 4 when Fouts was sacked, losing a fumble that A. J. Duhe returned 68 yards to set up the game's opening touchdown; it was 14-0 shortly after another Fouts fumble. The quarterback rebounded with a 22 yard touchdown pass to Mitchell, but the Dolphins restored their 14 point lead after successfully gambling on 4th and goal from the 1 on the final play of the half.


1978 San Diego Chargers season, Regular season, Game summaries, Week 7
In the 3rd quarter, Mitchell added a pair of 1 yard rushing scores, either side of another Miami touchdown, and San Diego trailed by just seven points entering the final period. However, they could get no further than the Miami 44 on their final three possessions.


1978 San Diego Chargers season, Regular season, Game summaries, Week 7
Fouts finished 22 of 30 for 313 yards and a touchdown, but threw a pair of 4th quarter interceptions to go with his earlier fumbles. Mitchell had 77 yards rushing and 64 receiving.


1978 San Diego Chargers season, Regular season, Game summaries, Week 8
A weak performance on rush defense saw the Chargers slip to a one-sided defeat. Detroit used a variety on runners while piling up 273 yards on the ground, from 39 carries. This enabled the Lions to score four touchdowns and a field goal from their first six possessions, all but winning the game in the first half. Fouts threw a 55 yard touchdown pass to Lydell Mitchell, briefly tying the scores at 7-7, but was intercepted three times in the first half. Two of these occurred only seven seconds apart: the Lions tried a field goal immediately after the first interception, but missed, and Fouts threw another as time expired in the half. James Harris came on in relief in the 3rd quarter, and managed a consolation touchdown pass to Joiner.


1978 San Diego Chargers season, Regular season, Game summaries, Week 8
Joiner gained 110 yards on 5 catches. The previous week, Detroit had run for just 22 yards while getting shut out by Atlanta.


1978 San Diego Chargers season, Regular season, Game summaries, Week 9
San Diego came from behind the avenge their controversial Week 2 defeat. An 11 yard run by Bauer opened the scoring, but Oakland scored 20 unanswered points on three consecutive 2nd quarter drives, helped by two Fouts interceptions that set them up in good field position. The Chargers responded with an epic touchdown drive to start the second half, going 80 yards in 20 plays, taking 11 minutes off the clock. Lydell Mitchell converted a 4th and 1 on the drive, and Fouts ran it in from a yard out two plays later.


1978 San Diego Chargers season, Regular season, Game summaries, Week 9
Following an exchange of field goals, the Chargers forced a punt and began on their own 29 with 1:50 to play. Oakland appeared to have stopped San Diego on downs, but a pass interference call against Lester Hayes prolonged the drive. One play later, Fouts hit tight end Greg McCrary by the right pylon for a 29 yard touchdown; it would prove to be McCrary's lone catch of the season. Woodrow Lowe then intercepted Ken Stabler, and the Chargers added a field goal in the final seconds.


1978 San Diego Chargers season, Regular season, Game summaries, Week 10
Lydell Mitchell led a rushing attack which gained 173 yards on 49 carries, and San Diego won far more easily than the final scoreline suggested. The Chargers twice drove inside the Cincinnati 10 in the first half, but had to settle for a pair of Benirschke field goals. A Bob Klein catch made it 13-0 in the 3rd quarter, whereupon the Bengals, who had posed little threat up until then, reached a 3rd and 7 at the Charger 22.


1978 San Diego Chargers season, Regular season, Game summaries, Week 10
Mike Williams halted the threat with an end zone interception of Ken Anderson. Anderson's next pass was also intercepted, Mike Fuller snaring his second pick of the game, and running it back 21 yards for a game-breaking touchdown. It was 22-0 before the Bengals added some respectability to the final scoreline, finding the end zone twice in the final 1:27.


1978 San Diego Chargers season, Regular season, Game summaries, Week 11
The Chargers overcame their own dubious clock management to claim an epic win. Their first touchdown drive featured nine consecutive runs, opening with Lydell Mitchell's 25-yard burst and ending with Hank Bauer driving over from a yard out. Bauer later finished off a drive featuring eleven runs and one pass with another score from the same distance, and the Chargers led 13-3.


1978 San Diego Chargers season, Regular season, Game summaries, Week 11
Kansas City tied the game with scores either side of halftime, before Fouts went deep for Jefferson, who outran single coverage and hauled in a 46 yard touchdown pass near to the goal line. The Charger defense then foiled Kansas City on a 4th and 1 from the 3, but the Chiefs tied the scores on their next drive, Arnold Morgado running in his second touchdown of the game. Benirschke put San Diego back in front with 1:27 to play, but Jan Stenerud responded in kind with 2 seconds on the clock - his 47-yarder struck the uprights just behind the centre of the crossbar.


1978 San Diego Chargers season, Regular season, Game summaries, Week 11
Both sides wasted opportunities in overtime. First, Kansas City marched to a 3rd and 1 at the Charger 14; Morgado had converted a 4th down en route, but he proceeded to fumble, and Mike Fuller recovered. San Diego's response was a near mirror-image, Bauer converting on 4th down before Mitchell fumbled, having gained 9 yards on 1st and 10 from the 19. Kansas City recovered, but went 3 and out, giving San Diego a final chance at the Chief 38 with 1:43 to play.


1978 San Diego Chargers season, Regular season, Game summaries, Week 11
Two completions to Jefferson moved the ball to the 15, whereupon Fouts was almost intercepted with 42 seconds on the clock. A running play netted a single yard, after which San Diego let the clock run down to just four seconds before snapping the ball with the offense still on the field. The clock expired as Fouts threw for the end zone, costing the Chargers any opportunity for a field goal, but Jefferson's marker slipped, leaving him open to catch the ball inches above the ground.


1978 San Diego Chargers season, Regular season, Game summaries, Week 11
Mitchell ran for 144 yards on 29 carries, while Jefferson caught 7 passes for 130 yards and two scores. The winning touchdown, at 75:00, is the latest in any regular season game.


1978 San Diego Chargers season, Regular season, Game summaries, Week 12
San Diego evened their record with victory at a frigid Metropolitan Stadium. The icy conditions caused numerous errors, with the Charger defense edging the takeaway battle 4-3. After an early Viking touchdown, San Diego responded on their next possession with Bauer's short-range touchdown run. Both sides wasted opportunities in the 2nd quarter. First, Minnesota reached the Charger 13, from where Fran Tarkenton's pass was picked off in the end zone by Pete Shaw. Later, Fouts found Jefferson for a 40 yard gain, and Bauer converted a 4th down to set up 1st and goal from the 2, but he fumbled on the next play, and the ball went through the end zone for a touchback.


1978 San Diego Chargers season, Regular season, Game summaries, Week 12
The winning score came with 2:30 to play in the 3rd quarter. On 3rd and 9 from the Viking 10, Fouts stumbled on his dropback but got to his feet and fired a pass through heavy traffic to Jefferson in the front of the end zone. Minnesota had five possessions after that, their best chance coming on the final one, when they reached the Charger 30 before Fred Dean pounced on a loose ball to end the threat. Fouts had been forced from the game with an injury, but San Diego ran the final 3:26 off the clock by picking up four first downs with James Harris under centre.


1978 San Diego Chargers season, Regular season, Game summaries, Week 12
This result left the Chargers two wins back in the wildcard race with four weeks to play.


1978 San Diego Chargers season, Regular season, Game summaries, Week 13
James Harris had a rough game in relief of Dan Fouts as the Chargers were shut out and all but eliminated from the playoff race. He completed 15 of 41 for 164 yards and a career-high 5 interceptions, including three on consecutive possessions around halftime. Kansas City also turned the ball over three times, but ran for 238 yards and had no trouble putting sufficient points on the board.


1978 San Diego Chargers season, Regular season, Game summaries, Week 13
San Diego's best scoring chances came in the 3rd quarter - down 20-0, they reached the Chief's 12 yard line before Bo Matthews lost a fumble. The Chiefs fumbled it straight back, but Lydell Mitchell was then stopped a yard short on 4th down.


1978 San Diego Chargers season, Regular season, Game summaries, Week 14
With Dan Fouts back in the starting line-up, the Chargers cut loose on Monday Night Football. While Chicago fumbled their first kickoff and followed that with a pair of three-and-outs, Fouts set up one touchdown with a 46 yard completion to John Jefferson, and followed that with scoring passes to Charger debutant Larry Burton (16 yards) and Jefferson (42 yards); it was 23-0 less than a minute into the 2nd quarter. In the second half, Bauer broke two tackles at the line of scrimmage, and raced away for a career-long 37 yard touchdown. James Harris came in and threw a pick six for the only Bears points, but redeemed himself by finding Burton for another touchdown.


1978 San Diego Chargers season, Regular season, Game summaries, Week 14
San Diego outgained the Bears by 481 yards to 112, the smallest amount they'd given up for 17 years. Fouts was 16 of 24 for 269 yards, 2 touchdowns and 2 interceptions, while Jefferson caught 7 passes for 155 yards and a touchdown.


1978 San Diego Chargers season, Regular season, Game summaries, Week 15
While Miami's win in the early slate of games officially eliminated San Diego from the playoffs, they consoled themselves with another one-sided win. Seattle led 10-6 before Fouts threw a pair of touchdowns to Jefferson in the final two minutes of the first half, sandwiching a Fuller interception. Further scores by Larry Burton (a 55 yard reception) and Bauer (a 1 yard run) followed, as San Diego cruised after the break.


1978 San Diego Chargers season, Regular season, Game summaries, Week 15
Dan Fouts completed 22 of 33 for 279 yards, 3 touchdowns and 1 interception. On the defensive side of the ball, six sacks were split amongst as many players.


1978 San Diego Chargers season, Regular season, Game summaries, Week 16
The Chargers signed off for the year by routing the playoff-bound Oilers in their own stadium. Despite turning the ball over three times in the first half, they led 21-17 at the break, courtesy of touchdown receptions by Jefferson and Dwight McDonald (in his final game with the club), plus a short run by Don Woods. A chip-shot field goal by Benirschke and a Bob Klein touchdown catch followed on the first two Charger possessions of the second half, pushing the lead to 14 points.


1978 San Diego Chargers season, Regular season, Game summaries, Week 16
Houston then stopped San Diego on downs, and halved the deficit early in the 4th quarter. The Chargers quashed any thoughts of a comeback on their next two possessions. First, they went 80 yards on 8 plays, Fouts converting a 3rd and 13 with a 19 yard completion to Jefferson before Woods ran in his last career touchdown from 18 yards out. Then Fuller returned a punt 32 yards to the Oiler 36, and Fouts hit Jefferson for the clinching score a play later.


1978 San Diego Chargers season, Regular season, Game summaries, Week 16
Fouts completed 21 of 40 attempts, for 369 yards, 4 touchdowns and 2 interceptions. The yardage total was a personal best, and tied Tobin Rote's club record from the 1963 AFL Championship season. Jefferson caught 6 balls for 149 yards and 2 touchdowns. San Diego won their final three games by a combined score of 122-41; the 45 points in this game were their most for seven years.


1978 San Diego Padres season
The 1978 San Diego Padres season was the tenth in franchise history. They finished in fourth place in the National League West with a record of 84–78, eleven games behind the first-place Los Angeles Dodgers. This was the Padres' first-ever winning season.


1978 San Diego Padres season, Regular season
In 1978, the Padres achieved their first winning season in team history, finishing 84–78 (.519), six games over .500. On June 9, the one-third point of the season, the team stood at 23–31 (.426). The last two-thirds of the season, they went 61–47 (.565), which included a ten-game winning streak from July 25 to August 4. The Padres were also extremely impressive at home that season, going 51–30 (.630).


1978 San Diego Padres season, Regular season
Gaylord Perry became the second Padre in three seasons to win the National League Cy Young Award, leading the league in wins (21) and Winning Pct (.778). Rollie Fingers won the leagues Rolaids Relief Award, leading the league in saves (37). As for position players, OF Dave Winfield lead the team with his best offensive season to date (.308, 24 HR, 97 RBI, 21 SB, 151 OPS+). SS Ozzie Smith finished 2nd in the National League Rookie of the Year voting (40 SB). Along with their notable contributions, all 4 players have been inducted into the baseball Hall of Fame. Along with the 1979 season, this is the only time in franchise history that the Padres had 4 future Hall-of-Famers on their roster.


1978 San Diego Padres season, Player stats, Batting, Starters by position
Note: Pos = Position; G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in


1978 San Diego Padres season, Player stats, Batting, Other batters
Note: G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in


1978 San Diego Padres season, Player stats, Pitching, Starting pitchers
Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts


1978 San Diego Padres season, Player stats, Pitching, Other pitchers
Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts


1978 San Diego Padres season, Player stats, Pitching, Relief pitchers
Note: G = Games pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; SV = Saves; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts


1978 San Diego State Aztecs football team
The 1978 San Diego State Aztecs football team represented San Diego State University during the 1978 NCAA Division I-A football season as a member of the Western Athletic Conference (WAC). This was the Aztecs' first season in the WAC.


1978 San Diego State Aztecs football team
The team was led by head coach Claude Gilbert, in his sixth year, and played home games at San Diego Stadium in San Diego, California. They finished with a record of four wins and seven losses (4–7, 2–4 WAC).


1978 San Diego State Aztecs football team, Team players in the NFL
The following finished their college career in 1978, were not drafted, but played in the NFL.


1978 San Francisco 49ers season
The 1978 San Francisco 49ers season was the franchise's 29th season in the National Football League and their 33rd overall. The team began the season hoping to improve upon their previous output of 5–9. Instead, the team started the season 0–4 for the second straight year. The team also suffered a nine-game losing streak.


1978 San Francisco 49ers season
During the off-season, the 49ers acquired running back O. J. Simpson from Buffalo (himself originally from San Francisco). Although Simpson had been one of the best backs in the league over the previous decade, he was in poor physical condition and had recently undergone knee surgery. As a result, his playing ability was limited.


1978 San Francisco 49ers season
The 49ers finished with the worst record in the league and scored only 219 points the fewest in the league in 1978. Making matters worse is that the first pick in the 1979 NFL Draft was traded to the Bills as part of the Simpson deal. The team set an NFL record with 63 turnovers.


1978 San Francisco Giants season
The 1978 San Francisco Giants season was the Giants' 96th season in Major League Baseball, their 21st season in San Francisco since their move from New York following the 1957 season, and their 19th at Candlestick Park. The team finished in third place in the National League West with an 89-73 record, 6 games behind the Los Angeles Dodgers.


1978 San Francisco Giants season, Regular season
The Giants won 42 games by a one run margin, an MLB record.


1978 San Francisco Giants season, Player stats, Batting, Starters by position
Note: Pos = Position; G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in


1978 San Francisco Giants season, Player stats, Batting, Other batters
Note: G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in


1978 San Francisco Giants season, Player stats, Pitching, Starting pitchers
Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts


1978 San Francisco Giants season, Player stats, Pitching, Other pitchers
Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts


1978 San Francisco Giants season, Player stats, Pitching, Relief pitchers
Note: G = Games pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; SV = Saves; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts


1978 San Francisco State Gators football team
The 1978 San Francisco State Gators football team represented San Francisco State University during the 1978 NCAA Division II football season.


1978 San Francisco State Gators football team
San Francisco State competed in the Far Western Conference (FWC). The Gators were led by head coach Vic Rowen in his 18th year at the helm. They played home games at Cox Stadium in San Francisco, California. The team finished the season with a record of one win and nine losses (1–9, 0–5 FWC). For the season the team was outscored by its opponents 136–271.


1978 San Francisco State Gators football team, Team players in the NFL
The following San Francisco State players were selected in the 1979 NFL Draft.


1978 San Jose Earthquakes season
The 1978 San Jose Earthquakes season was the fifth for the franchise in the North American Soccer League. They finished in fourth place inthe Western Division of the American Conference.


1978 San Jose Earthquakes season, Squad
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.


1978 San Jose State Spartans football team
The 1978 San Jose State Spartans football team represented San Jose State University during the 1978 NCAA Division I-A football season as a member of the Pacific Coast Athletic Association. The team was led by third year head coach Lynn Stiles. They played home games at Spartan Stadium in San Jose, California. The Spartans finished the season as champions of the PCAA for the third time in four years, with a record of seven wins and five losses (7–5, 4–1 PCAA).


1978 San Jose State Spartans football team, Team players in the NFL
The following finished their San Jose State career in 1978, were not drafted, but played in the NFL.


1978 San Jose mayoral election
The 1978 San Jose mayoral election was held to elect the mayor of San Jose, California. It saw an initial election held on June 6, 1978, followed by a runoff election on November 7, 1978 after no candidate managed to obtain a majority in the initial election. The runoff was won by incumbent mayor Janet Gray Hayes.


1978 San Jose mayoral election, Campaign
Incumbent mayor Janet Gray Hayes campaigned almost exclusively on her support for controlling growth by placing restrictions on both the amount and location of new units of housing in the city. Her runoff opponent, Alfredo Garza Jr., had been on the opposite side of the issue both as a mayoral candidate and as a city council member, supporting more rapid growth in the city, being considered a member of the council's “let's‐grow‐faster" bloc. The issue of whether or not to mitigate growth was a hotly contested issue in the city's politics ahead of the election.


1978 San Jose mayoral election, Campaign
The City Council, in August, fired city manager Ted Tedesco over his attempts to control the rate of development in the city, with Garza being one of the City Council members who voted to fire him. Garza was believed to have been the main force behind the firing of Tedesco, and Hayes was greatly upset with Tedesco's firing. The election was seen as giving a strong mandate to controlling the rate of growth. Hayes, staking out this position, won an overwhelming victory in the runoff over an opponent with the opposing stance. Additionally, in the coinciding city council elections, Joe Colla, a longtime member of the council who was part of the "let's-grow-faster" bloc, notably lost reelection.


1978 San Jose mayoral election, Campaign
Garza, as a chicano (Mexican-American), was aiming to be the first such mayor of the city. Mexican Americans, at the time, comprised as much as 25% of the city's electorate. Neither the city, nor any other major Californian city, had had a Latino mayor since California obtained statehood in 1850, and this would remain the case until Ron Gonzales was elected mayor of San Jose in 1998.


1978 San Jose mayoral election, Campaign
Hayes was among very few female mayors in office at the time in the United States.


1978 Saskatchewan general election
The 1978 Saskatchewan general election was held on October 18, 1978, to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan.


1978 Saskatchewan general election
The New Democratic government of Premier Allan Blakeney was returned for a third consecutive term with an increased majority in the legislature, and a larger share of the popular vote.


1978 Saskatchewan general election
The Progressive Conservative Party of Richard Collver continued to increase its share of the popular vote in this election. They were the only other party to win seats and became the official opposition to the Blakeney government.


1978 Saskatchewan general election
Fierce political infighting in the Liberal Party after the resignation of leader David Steuart led to electoral disaster in 1978. The Liberals had lost two of the 15 seats they won in 1975 to by-elections and two more Grits crossed the floor to the Tories prior to the 1978 election. Under the disputed leadership of Ted Malone, the Liberals lost all of the 11 seats they still held in the legislature and more than half the votes it had won in the 1975 election.


1978 Saskatchewan general election, Riding results
Names in bold represent cabinet ministers and the Speaker. Party leaders are italicized. The symbol " ** " indicates MLAs who are not running again.


1978 Scheldeprijs
The 1978 Scheldeprijs was the 65th edition of the Scheldeprijs cycle race and was held on 1 August 1978. The race was won by Dietrich Thurau.


1978 Scottish Cup Final
The 1978 Scottish Cup Final was played on 6 May 1978 at Hampden Park in Glasgow and was the final of the 93rd Scottish Cup. Aberdeen and Rangers contested the match, Rangers won the match 2–1 with a flying header from Alex MacDonald and a second from Derek Johnstone in the second half.


1978 Scottish League Cup Final
The 1978 Scottish League Cup Final was played on 18 March 1978 and was the final of the 32nd Scottish League Cup competition. It was contested by the Old Firm derby rivals, Rangers and Celtic. Rangers won the match 2–1 after extra time thanks to goals by Davie Cooper and Gordon Smith.


1978 Scottish regional elections
Regional elections were held in Scotland on Tuesday 2 May 1978, as part of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973. They saw a resurgence of support for the Labour Party, retaining control of Strathclyde and Fife and winning Central and Lothian.


1978 Scottish regional elections, National results
More Details can be found:   on 3 and 4  May 1978


1978 Seattle Mariners season
The 1978 Seattle Mariners season was the second in franchise history. The Mariners ended the season by finishing 7th in the American League West with a record of 56–104 (.350).


1978 Seattle Mariners season, Player stats, Batting, Starters by position
Note: Pos = Position; G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in


1978 Seattle Mariners season, Player stats, Batting, Other batters
Note: G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in


1978 Seattle Mariners season, Player stats, Pitching, Starting pitchers
Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts


1978 Seattle Mariners season, Player stats, Pitching, Other pitchers
Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts


1978 Seattle Mariners season, Player stats, Pitching, Relief pitchers
Note: G = Games pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; SV = Saves; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts


1978 Seattle Seahawks season
The 1978 Seattle Seahawks season was the team's third season in the National Football League. The Seahawks won nine games, giving the franchise its first winning season. Coach Jack Patera won the National Football League Coach of the Year Award at seasons end.


1978 Seattle Seahawks season
Led by the third ranked offense, the team had some achievements. David Sims led the AFC in total touchdowns (TDs) – 15, including 14 rushing – and the team had 28 rushing TDs, number two in the league. Steve Largent made his first Pro Bowl with 71 receptions and 8 TDs. Quarterback Jim Zorn earned his sole All-Pro honor of his career by making the second team. This would be the only All-Pro by a Seahawks quarterback until Russell Wilson was selected in 2019. The defense, however, lagged far behind ranking 26th.


1978 Seattle Seahawks season
Season highlights included defeating the Oakland Raiders twice and a last-second win over the Minnesota Vikings. Also a memorable game was a 20–17 loss in overtime to the Denver Broncos. Following an interception of a Jim Zorn pass off of a deflection, in overtime, the Broncos drove to the 1 yard line, but could not punch it in for a TD. Jim Turner missed an 18-yard field goal attempt, but the Seahawks were penalized for having 12 men on the field and the Broncos made the second kick. A 37–10 defeat in San Diego in week 15 eliminated the Seahawks from playoff contention, but a 23–19 win at home against Kansas City gave the team their first winning season.


1978 Seattle Seahawks season, Schedule, Regular season
With the start of a 16-game season, inter-conference play began a rotating schedule. Divisional matchups have the AFC West playing the NFC Central.


1978 Segunda División de Chile
The 1978 Segunda División de Chile was the 27th season of the Segunda División de Chile.


1978 Seiko World Super Tennis
The 1978 Seiko World Super Tennis, also known as the Tokyo Indoor, was a men's tennis tournament played on indoor carpet courts at the Tokyo Municipal Gym in Tokyo, Japan that was part of the 1978 Colgate-Palmolive Grand Prix. It was the inaugural edition of the tournament and was held from 31 October to 5 November 1978. Matches were the best of three sets. Second-seeded Björn Borg won the singles title and earned $30,000 first-prize money.


1978 Seiko World Super Tennis, Finals, Doubles
Ross Case /  Geoff Masters defeated  Pat DuPré /  Tom Gorman 6–3, 6–4


1978 Seiko World Super Tennis – Doubles
Ross Case and Geoff Masters won the title, defeating Pat Du Pré and Tom Gorman 6–3, 6–4 in the final.


1978 Seiko World Super Tennis – Singles
Björn Borg won the tournament, beating Brian Teacher in the final, 6–3, 6–4.


1978 Senegalese general election
General elections were held in Senegal on 26 February 1978 to elect a President and National Assembly. Following a constitutional amendment in 1976, the elections were open to more than one party for the first time since 1963. President Léopold Sédar Senghor of the Socialist Party (formerly the Senegalese Progressive Union) was challenged by Abdoulaye Wade of the Senegalese Democratic Party, but won with 82% of the vote. Members of the National Assembly were elected by closed-list proportional representation. In the National Assembly election, the Socialist Party won 82 of the 100 seats. Voter turnout was 63.5% in the presidential election and 62.6% in the parliamentary election.


1978 Senegalese general election, Further reading
This Senegal-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by .


1978 Senegalese general election, Further reading
This African election-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by .


1978 Senior League World Series
The 1978 Senior League World Series took place from August 14–19 in Gary, Indiana, United States. Hualien, Taiwan defeated Burbank, Illinois in the championship game. It was Taiwan's seventh straight championship.


1978 Sheffield City Council election
Elections to Sheffield City Council were held on 4 May 1978. One third of the council was up for election.


1978 Sheffield City Council election, Election result
This result has the following consequences for the total number of seats on the Council after the elections:


1978 Shetland Islands Area Council election
Elections to the Shetland Islands Council were held on 2 May 1978 as part of Scottish regional elections, with 11 seats uncontested. The election saw 14 new councillors enter the Shetland Islands Council, an unusually large number, in part attributable to the charged political context surrounding the devolution debate of the late 1970s. Several of these incomers consisted of members of the pro-autonomy Shetland Group and local Scottish National Party branch, registered as independents.


1978 Shetland referendum
In March 1978 a referendum was held in Shetland regarding the position of the isles within a potential Scottish Assembly. The isles' MP Jo Grimond had submitted an amendment to the Scotland Bill seeking to establish a commission in the event of a successful vote for a Scottish Assembly. This amendment faced opposition from the Secretary of State for Scotland, Bruce Millan. With Jo Grimond's support, the Shetland Islands Council held the referendum to gauge the electorate's support for its position in the hope that it would give the Council a mandate to push for separate consideration for Shetland in the Bill.


1978 Shetland referendum
In view of the proposals for devolution for Scotland, do you agree that the Shetland Islands Council should continue to press for Shetland's position to be considered through the establishment of a commission as proposed by Mr Grimond?


1978 Shetland referendum, Aftermath
The referendum provided a resounding victory for the Council and Grimond's position, and the Scotland Act 1978 would contain provisions for setting up a commission for Orkney and Shetland.


1978 Shetland referendum, Aftermath
Plans for a Scottish Assembly ultimately failed as a result of the 1979 Scottish devolution referendum, ensuring a continuation of the status quo for Shetland. However, the constitutional debate fostered in part by the referendum led to the creation of the pro-autonomy Shetland Movement.


1978 Sierra Leonean constitutional referendum
A constitutional referendum was held in Sierra Leone on 12 July 1978. The constitutional amendments were aimed at turning the country into a presidential one-party state, with the All People's Congress as the sole legal party. The new constitution had been adopted by Parliament in May, and was put to public approval in the referendum. With more than 97% of voters voting in favour according to official results, the referendum has been described as "heavily rigged".


1978 Sierra Leonean constitutional referendum
APC leader and President Siaka Stevens had pushed for the adoption of one-party rule, contending that it was more "African" than Western-style democracy.


1978 Sierra Leonean constitutional referendum, Aftermath
Following the referendum, Stevens was sworn in for another seven-year term. In the next presidential elections in 1985, voters had the choice of supporting or opposing his successor, Joseph Saidu Momoh, with no opposition candidates allowed. The 15 Sierra Leone People's Party MPs elected in 1977 joined the APC.


1978 Sierra Leonean constitutional referendum, Aftermath
The country would remain a one-party state until 1991, when a referendum repealed the 1978 constitution and returned the country to multi-party politics.


1978 Sikh–Nirankari clash
The 1978 Sikh-Nirankari clash occurred between the Sant Nirankari Mission and traditional Sikhs on 13 April 1978 at Amritsar, Punjab, India. Sixteen people—thirteen traditional Sikhs and three Nirankari followers—were killed in the ensuing violence, occurring when some Akhand Kirtani Jatha and Damdami Taksal members led by Fauja Singh protested against and tried to stop a convention of Sant Nirankari Mission followers. This incident is considered to be a starting point in the events leading to Operation Blue Star and the 1980s insurgency in Punjab.


1978 Sikh–Nirankari clash, Background
The Sant Nirankari Mission splintered from the Nirankari sect in the 20th century. Nirankari, a movement within Sikhism, started in the 19th century. Their belief in a living guru as opposed to the scriptural guru Guru Granth Sahib, developing over the decades especially in one branch, resulted in their difference with traditional Sikhs, though they were tolerated.


1978 Sikh–Nirankari clash, Background
A Nirankari hymn-singer, Boota Singh, had been removed from his paid duties due to "personal lapses" considered incongruous in a missionary organization, and in 1929 tried and failed to set up a rival organization in Peshawar, nominating his devotee Avtar Singh, a bakery shop owner, as his successor in 1943. Without having established any significant religious base, Avtar Singh moved to Delhi after partition, getting his group registered as the "Sant Nirankaris" in 1948.


1978 Sikh–Nirankari clash, Background
His son Gurbachan Singh succeeded him in 1963, and tensions with the Sikhs escalated as he subsequently proclaimed himself as a godman and incarnation of Guru Nanak, styling himself as bājjāṅwālā (Punjabi for "master of the hawk") an epithet of Guru Gobind Singh, using the names of the Sikh Gurus for his servants, and coming out with publications like the Avtar Bani, which made derogatory references to the Guru Granth Sahib of the Sikhs; a story in the Yug Purush narrated that, unlike the prophets of the world's major religions, refused to go back to earth to "spread God’s message", except for Avtar Singh, who decided to do so "only after God agreed that anyone blessed by him would go to heaven irrespective of worldly deeds".


1978 Sikh–Nirankari clash, Background
By the 1970s, Gurbachan Singh had begun to put himself on par with the Guru Granth Sahib,  Sacrilegious versions of Sikh rituals, including administering to his sat sitāre, or seven stars, his version of the Panj Piare of Guru Gobind Singh, "charan amrit", the water used to wash his feet, in place of the amrit, or holy water mixed with sugar by a steel blade, as dictated by Guru Gobind Singh for the Amrit Sanchar.


1978 Sikh–Nirankari clash, Background
Clashes between the Sikhs and the Sant Nirankaris took place beginning in the early 1950s, and tensions simmered through the 1960s, during which the Damdami Taksal came to the forefront to counter Sant Nirankari influence, as well as the Akhand Kirtani Jatha at many places in Punjab. The skirmishes were attributed in significant part to political machinations to maintain a rift between the Akalis and the Damdami Taksal, using the willing Sant Nirankaris to do so; Bhindranwale was being harassed and provoked by senior Sant Nirankari officials in the Punjab administration.


1978 Sikh–Nirankari clash, Background
The Akalis claimed that the Sant Nirankaris were supported by the Congress to divide and undermine the Sikh community, while many Sikhs suspected that the Nirankaris were aided and abetted by the central government and the urban Hindu elite in Punjab, who were the base of the Jan Sangh, the Akali Dal's coalition partner, and from whom the Sant Nirankaris received donations from, and hence why the Akalis had permitted the convention.


1978 Sikh–Nirankari clash, Background
This reported continuous support of the organization by the central government was also evidenced by the fact that, during a very short span, the Sant Nirankaris established 354 branches: 27 abroad and the rest in India, with large amounts of property. The organization created a para-military branch called the Seva Dal, with a membership of over 7,000, headed by a commander, called a mukhya shishak. The Akali Dal's Janata allies warned the Akalis not to intervene in the growing tensions on the pretext of "religious freedom", against the wishes of a large section of the Sikh community. Gurbachan Singh had met prime minister Morarji Desai who gave him assurances; major Sikh leaders, including Jagdev Singh Talwandi and Gurcharan Singh Tohra, responded by telling the press and government not to meddle in the "internal affairs" of the Sikhs by commenting on hukamnamas.


1978 Sikh–Nirankari clash, Incident
On 13 April 1978, the day to celebrate the birth of Khalsa, a Sant Nirankari convention headed by their leader Gurbachan Singh was organized in Amritsar, with permission from the Akali state government.


1978 Sikh–Nirankari clash, Incident
While the original Nirankaris, founded in the nineteenth century with a focus on mysticism, coexisted peacefully with mainstream Sikh tradition despite its differences, the practices of the "Sant Nirankaris" subsect were considered heretical by the orthodox Sikhism expounded by Bhindranwale, as they had begun to revere their new founder and successors as gurus and added their own scriptures to the Guru Granth Sahib, the Sikh holy book, with Gurbachan Singh comparing himself to Guru Gobind Singh, saying that he would create the "sat sitārās" (seven stars) to complement the Panj Piare.


1978 Sikh–Nirankari clash, Incident
The government's approval of the new sect's convention in Amritsar in 1978 was particularly galling to orthodox Sikhs, as it fell on 13 April, the founding day of the Khalsa; some felt that the entire Sant Nirankari episode had been provoked on purpose by the central government to destabilize and disunify Sikhs, given its sudden rapid growth in the 1960s, and the unusual composition of converts to the sect, with a preponderance of either gazetted officers and deputy commissioners that could allot land, and the extremely poor as followers they attracted with their wealth, meant that the breakaway sect was being manipulated to undercut the power of Sikhism in the state by the central government at the time, part of what was believed to be constant attempts to "divide and destroy" Sikhism.


1978 Sikh–Nirankari clash, Incident
From the Golden Temple premises, Bhindranwale delivered a sermon in which he declared that he would not allow this convention. A procession of about two hundred Sikhs led by Bhindranwale and Fauja Singh of the Akhand Kirtani Jatha, which had been founded by Randhir Singh, who had been active in the Ghadr and independence movements and had been imprisoned by the British during that period, left the Golden Temple, heading towards the Nirankari Convention.


1978 Sikh–Nirankari clash, Incident
According to eyewitness accounts, the group, mostly men and joined by women who had refused the advice to stay back, headed out of the Darbar Sahib after an ardas and commitment to nonviolence. They were walked by Bhindranwale to the gates, where he was requested to not join, as he would be needed to lead in the event of casualties. The local police assigned to the Sant Nirankaris met the protesters and asked them to wait there, as they would go speak to the Nirankaris about their controversial program.


1978 Sikh–Nirankari clash, Incident
The police would return with armed Nirankaris directly behind them, and in the ensuing melee, the police fired selectively at the Sikh protesters, killing several unarmed men as well as hitting Fauja Singh, who according to KPS Gill (who was not present) attempted to behead Nirankari chief Gurbachan Singh with his sword but was shot dead by Gurbachan's bodyguard. In the ensuing violence, several people were killed: two of Bhindranwale's followers, eleven members of the Akhand Kirtani Jatha and two Nirankaris.


1978 Sikh–Nirankari clash, Incident
According to Kirpal Dhillon, former DGP of Punjab, the reported participation of some senior Punjab government officials in the convention also may have emboldened the Sant Nirankaris to initiate the attack; later police investigations revealed that the attack on the Sikhs was led by a man on horseback with armed attackers, taking place some 250-400 yards away from the venue.


1978 Sikh–Nirankari clash, Incident
Fauja Singh died as he was being rushed to the hospital, and the cremation of Fauja Singh and the 12 other Sikhs occurred in a large ceremony attended by tens of thousands; the photos of his maimed body, with a bullet wound in his left eye, spread along with the news of the death quickly. This event brought Bhindranwale to limelight in the media.


1978 Sikh–Nirankari clash, Aftermath
A criminal case was filed against sixty two Nirankaris charged with the murder of 13 Sikhs by the Akali led government in Punjab. The case was heard in the neighbouring Haryana state, and all the accused were acquitted, on the basis that they acted in self-defence. The Punjab government Chief Minister Prakash Singh Badal decided to appeal the decision in the Punjab and Haryana High Court, but Indira Gandhi dismissed the Badal Government on 17 Feb 1980 and Governor Mr Neelam Sanjeeva Reddy withdrew the appeal from the court on 10 April 1980.


1978 Sikh–Nirankari clash, Aftermath
The case of Nirankaris received widespread support in the media, who portrayed the incident as "inter-sect wars" and proof of rising Sikh orthodoxy, and the Prime Minister Morarji Desai put the entire blame on the Sikhs; orthodox Sikhs saw this as an attempt to manipulate the sect as a way to undercut Sikhism in Punjab. The government's apathy towards apprehending the perpetrators also caused outrage among the Sikhs, with the ruling Akalis accused of shielding them. The death of unarmed protesters had strongly affected the Sikhs, including those formerly apolitical; Bhindranwale increased his rhetoric against the perceived enemies of Sikhs.


1978 Sikh–Nirankari clash, Aftermath
A letter of authority was issued by Akal Takht to ostracize the Sant Nirankaris. A sentiment was created among some to justify extra judicial killings of the perceived enemies of Sikhism.


1978 Sikh–Nirankari clash, Aftermath
The chief proponents of this attitude were the Babbar Khalsa founded by the widow, Bibi Amarjit Kaur of the Akhand Kirtani Jatha, whose husband Fauja Singh had been at the head of the march in Amritsar; the Damdami Taksal led by Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale who had also been in Amritsar on the day of the outrage; the Dal Khalsa, formed with the object of demanding a sovereign Sikh state; and the All India Sikh Students Federation.


1978 Sikh–Nirankari clash, Aftermath
On 24 April 1980, the Nirankari head, Gurbachan Singh was assassinated. Bhindranwale temporarily took residence in the Akal Takht complex to escape arrest when he was accused of the assassination, though the Babbar Khalsa, who opposed Bhindranwale, claimed responsibility for the killing of Nirankaris. Several of Bhindranwale's associates and relatives were arrested. The FIR named nearly twenty people involved in the murder, claimed to have had ties to Bhindranwale. A member of the Akhand Kirtani Jatha, Ranjit Singh, surrendered and admitted to the assassination three years later, and was sentenced to serve thirteen years at the Tihar Jail in Delhi. Ranjit Singh later became head of Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC). Ranjit Singh spent 12 years in jail as an under-trial from 1984 to 1996. Several other members of Sant Nirankari Mission were also killed later.


1978 Sikh–Nirankari clash, Aftermath
The government and press often referred to Bhindranwale traveling with an armed retinue, though all the weapons carried were claimed to be licensed, no incidents ever occurred with his escort. The government dismissed to subsequent Sikh protests as "dogmatism and extremism," disarming the victims instead of the protestors in 1983 by revoking Bhindranwale's licenses.


1978 Sikh–Nirankari clash, Aftermath
During the Dharam Yudh Morcha launched in August 1982, the government response to peaceful protests involved beatings, torture in police custody, particularly those in Bhindranwale's group, 113 of whom had been killed by February 1983, 140 by July 1983, and over 200 later that year, with over 2000 returning from police stations severely injured. It was under these circumstances that Bhindranwale instructed his men to defy the license revocation so that, if need arose, they could defend themselves against Nirankaris as well as the police; .


1978 Sikh–Nirankari clash, Aftermath
The police crackdown in the state resulted in an average of 50 youths detained and 6 six killed per week, prompting a wider acceptance of Bhindranwale's claim that the government was out to destroy the Sikhs. The People's Union for Civil Liberties, an Indian human rights group, accused the Punjab police of behaving like a "barbarian force." In response, Akali initiatives like Rasta Roko ("Block the Roads") and Kamm Roko (Stop Work) drew massive popular support in Punjab, and seven other states supported Sikh demands for greater autonomy for Punjab and the decentralization of government power.


1978 Sikh–Nirankari clash, Aftermath
In 1978, after the incident Akal Takht issued a Hukamnama expelling Nirankaris out of the Sikh community.


1978 Sikh–Nirankari clash, Legacy
Gurdwara Shaheed Ganj, Amritsar was raised in the memory of the 13 Sikhs killed in the clash.


1978 Sikh–Nirankari clash, Legacy
The genesis of the real trouble between the Nirankaris and Akalis goes back to the years when Mrs. Indira Gandhi headed the Union Government. She wanted to weaken the Shiromani Akali Dal, but found that Akalis could not be brought to heel. She thought of an elaborate plan to strengthen the Nirankari sect not only in Punjab but throughout the country and abroad. Official patronage was extended to the Nirankaris, much to the chagrin of Akalis who have always considered the Nirankaris as heretics."


1978 Sikh–Nirankari clash, Legacy
"In pursuit of this policy of divide and rule, Mrs. Gandhi personally gave clearance for a diplomatic passport to be issued to the Nirankari Chief and the Indian High Commissioners and Ambassadors abroad were instructed to show him respect and regard. This was meant to help the sect to improve its image and increase its following abroad. During Mrs. Gandhi's regime, the Nirankaris were known to be receiving financial help from secret Government funds, not open to audit or scrutiny by Parliament." "During Emergency the recalcitrant attitude of the Akalis further annoyed Mrs. Gandhi and Mr. Sanjay Gandhi.


1978 Sikh–Nirankari clash, Legacy
Efforts for building a parallel organisation among the Sikhs of Punjab as a counterblast to the Akalis were intensified. At the insistence of Mrs. Gandhi, the Congress regime began giving great official patronage to the Nirankari sect. Mr. H.S. Chhina. I.A.S. a staunch Nirankari, was appointed Chief Secretary to the Punjab Government, in 1976."' "As a result of open official patronage and support, this sect got a considerable boost within the administrative set-up of the Punjab Government. Mr. Chhina appointed Mr. Niranjan Singh, I.A.S., as Deputy Commissioner of Gurdaspur. Mr. Niranjan Singh tried his best to enlarge the field of operation of the Nirankaris. It is during this period that Sant Bhindranwale took up the challenge posed by this growing sect.'"


1978 Sikh–Nirankari clash, Legacy
Even journalists partial to Congress and Indira Gandhi reported that neither Bhindranwale nor anyone with him had instigated the violence. Tavleen Singh wrote:


1978 Sikh–Nirankari clash, Legacy
"Contrary to the popular belief that he took the offensive, senior police sources in the Punjab admit that the provocation came in fact from a Nirankari official who started harassing Bhindranwale and his men. There were two or three Nirankaris in key positions in the Punjab in those days and they were powerful enough to be able to create quite a lot of trouble. The Nirankaris also received patronage from Delhi that made Sikh organizations like Bhindranwale's and the Akhand Kirtani Jatha, headed then by Bibi Amarjit Kaur's husband, Fauja Singh, hate them even more."


1978 Sikh–Nirankari clash, Legacy
"Terrorist activity preceded the morcha [("movement")] by more than six months and was born out of encounters faked by the Punjab police and the armed conflict between the Nirankaris and Sant Bhindranwale beginning April 13, 1978".


1978 Singapore flood
The 1978 Singapore flood was one of the worst floods in Singapore's history. As much as 512 millimetres (20.2 in) of rain fell in just 24 hours from 2 to 3 December, 1978. Seven people were killed and more than a thousand residents were evacuated from their homes by the army and police boats from five affected areas. Total damage reached S$10 million, the worst flood since the Hari Raya floods that hit the island in December 1969.


1978 Singaporean presidential election
The 1978 Singaporean presidential election was held to elect the next President of Singapore with Benjamin Sheares as the winning candidate elected by the Parliament of Singapore.


1978 Singaporean presidential election
A total of 59 members of Parliament were present at the election while nine members were absent.


1978 Singaporean presidential election
Sheares was sworn in for his third term as president on 30 December 1978.


1978 Skate Canada International
The 1978 Skate Canada International was held at the Pacific Coloseum in Vancouver, British Columbia on October 26–29. Medals were awarded in the disciplines of men's singles, ladies' singles, and ice dancing.


1978 Skate Canada International, Results, Men
The men's free skating took place on Saturday, October 28.


1978 Sligo Senior Football Championship
This is a round-up of the 1978 Sligo Senior Football Championship. Tourlestrane won their first title in 22 years, after defeating surprise finalists Grange, who had caused a major upset by knocking out the holders and reigning Connacht champions, St. Mary's, in the semi-final after a replay. This final remains not only Grange's only appearance in a Senior final, but the only occasion that a team from North Sligo has reached the final.


1978 Sligo Senior Football Championship
The Championship structure was changed in this year, from the two-section round-robin method, to a knockout system, where the sides defeated in the opening round played on in their own section, with two sides qualifying for the semi-finals, while two sides from the "winner's section" joined them in the last four. This was the only year that such a backdoor system operated in the Championship.


1978 Sligo Senior Football Championship
At the end of the year a more significant structure change took place - the Intermediate grade was introduced for 1979, with the sixteen teams divided in two by league position - the top eight remaining in Senior, the rest demoted to the new grade, and one went to Junior with the Junior champions taking their place in Intermediate. The result was that the 1978 finalists Grange, found themselves relegated along with semi-finalists Shamrock Gaels. Other sides who had made an impact in the previous decade, including Easkey, Mullinabreena and Owenmore Gaels, also made the drop, with the latter being the only one of the eight not to return to Senior level since.


1978 Sligo Senior Football Championship, Sligo Senior Football Championship Final
Team:A. NealonN. BrettD. O'MahonyM. MayeJ. QuinnM. BrennanM. HenryP. HenryG. LundyB. LeonardP.J. Gallagher (1-0)A. Brennan (1-3)L. Walshe (0-2)T. Carty (0-1)M. Curran (0-1)


1978 Sligo Senior Football Championship, Sligo Senior Football Championship Final
Team:C. FeeneyC. HerrityJ. WattersH. GallagherJ. KeaneyS. HoeyR. HenryS. KellyE. O'LoughlinJ. Watters (0-1)M. Hoey (0-3)M. FeeneyJ. Feeney (0-1)S. Feeney (0-1)H. McSharry (0-1)


1978 Somali coup d'état attempt
The 1978 Somali coup d'état attempt was a violent military coup attempt that took place in Somalia (then Somali Democratic Republic) on 9 April 1978, against the regime of President Siad Barre. The United States Central Intelligence Agency estimated that the coup, led by Colonel Mohamud Osman Irro, involved around 24 officers, 2,000 soldiers, and 65 tanks. Following the failed coup, 17 alleged ringleaders, including Osman, were summarily executed by firing squad.


1978 Somali coup d'état attempt, Background
The coup attempt was staged by a group of disgruntled Army officers, led by Colonel Mohamed Osman Irro, in the aftermath of the disastrous Ogaden War against Ethiopia (then ruled by the Mengistu-led Derg). The war was initiated by Siad Barre, who had himself come into power a decade earlier in the 1969 Somali coup d'état.


1978 Somali coup d'état attempt, Background
A United States Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) memorandum written the following month speculated that the coup was in response to Barre ordering the arrest and execution of officers that participated in the Ogaden War. The officers believed that Barre had intentionally used troops from other clans as "cannon fodder" while officers from his own Marehan clan were given safer orders. The report concluded that the officers involved in the coup "were motivated at least as much by long-standing ethnic animosities toward Barre as by disenchantment with his regime in the aftermath of the Ogaden debacle".


1978 Somali coup d'état attempt, Coup
The coup was launched on 9 April 1978. The bulk of the fighting concluded within the day.


1978 Somali coup d'état attempt, Coup
Gunfire broke out at the village of Afgoy, south of the capital Mogadishu, and small-arms fire and explosions were heard on the outskirts of the capital. The coup was originally planned to start in Hargeisa, but Barre likely knew of the attempt in advance and was able to disrupt the coup before it launched, as well as position forces loyal to himself in the capital.


1978 Somali coup d'état attempt, Coup
The CIA estimated that the coup involved around 24 officers, 2,000 soldiers, and 65 tanks.


1978 Somali coup d'état attempt, Aftermath
Following the failed coup, 17 alleged ringleaders, including Osman, were summarily executed by firing squad. All but one of the executed were members of the Majeerteen clan, which resides mostly in northeastern Somalia. Barre used the coup as justification to purge members of the clans involved in the coup from government and military positions.