1977–78 in English football, UEFA Competitions
Liverpool thrashed Hamburg 6–0 to win the European Super Cup 7–1 on aggregate. In the Hamburg side was former Liverpool striker Kevin Keegan. They went on to beat Club Brugge 1–0 thanks to a Kenny Dalglish goal to retain the European Cup.


1977–78 in English football, UEFA Competitions
Manchester United were thrown out of the European Cup Winners' Cup on owing to the behaviour of their fans in the away leg of their tie against St. Étienne. They were reinstated a week later, but had to play the second leg at least 300 km from Manchester, at Plymouth Argyle's Home Park ground.


1977–78 in English football, FA Cup
Bobby Robson led Ipswich Town to victory in the FA Cup, winning the final 1–0 against Arsenal.


1977–78 in English football, FA Cup
Northern League side Blyth Spartans beat Second Division Stoke City 3–2 away to become the first non-League team to reach the fifth round of the FA Cup since 1949. They were seconds away from reaching the quarter-finals, but Wrexham equalised from a retaken corner kick before winning a replay.


1977–78 in English football, League Cup
Nottingham Forest won the League Cup after victory over Liverpool in the replay.


1977–78 in English football, Football League, First Division
Nottingham Forest won the First Division title with just three league defeats all season, one season after promotion. In doing so, their manager Brian Clough became only the second manager in English football to win the First Division title with different clubs. Clough's men also won the Football League Cup. It was the first time that Forest had won either trophy.


1977–78 in English football, Football League, First Division
Liverpool finished runners-up in the league and retained the European Cup. Everton, Manchester City and Arsenal completed the top five. West Bromwich Albion finished sixth and sealed a UEFA Cup place, having continued to impress in the First Division following the mid-season resignation of Ronnie Allen as manager and the appointment of Ron Atkinson as his successor.


1977–78 in English football, Football League, First Division
Manchester United broke the British transfer fee record on 9 February by paying Leeds United £495,000 for Scottish defender Gordon McQueen but finished a disappointing 10th, having sacked Tommy Docherty in the close season following the revelation of his affair with the wife of the club's physiotherapist. His replacement was former QPR boss Dave Sexton.


1977–78 in English football, Football League, First Division
Leicester City and Newcastle United were bracketed together on 22 points after a terrible First Division campaign, Newcastle's relegation coming just one season after they had finished fifth in the league and qualified for the UEFA Cup. They were joined in the drop zone by West Ham United, the 1975 FA Cup winners, who kept faith in manager John Lyall and managed to hold on to key players Billy Bonds and Trevor Brooking.


1977–78 in English football, Football League, Second Division
After narrowly missing out on promotion for the last two seasons, Bolton Wanderers finally ended their lengthy absence from the First Division by clinching the Second Division title. Southampton finished a point behind them in second place, ending their four-year absence from the First Division, during which they had won the FA Cup in 1976. Tottenham Hotspur clinched the final promotion place on goal difference, their advantage over fourth-placed Brighton being assisted by a 9-0 scoreline over Bristol Rovers in October 1977, during which striker Colin Lee had scored four goals on his club debut.


1977–78 in English football, Football League, Second Division
For much of the season it had been a four-horse race at the top of the Second Division, with fifth placed Blackburn Rovers finishing 11 points behind the leading pack.


1977–78 in English football, Football League, Second Division
Hull City were relegated to the third tier for the first time since 1966, after a campaign in which four different managers took charge of the team. Mansfield Town were relegated straight back to Division Three after a year, never looking like they would survive in their first-ever season at this level, though a late fightback after the appointment of veteran manager Billy Bingham at least saw them avoid last place.


1977–78 in English football, Football League, Second Division
Blackpool were the final relegated side; they had been safely in mid-table for much of the campaign, but a disastrous end to the season combined with a host of other results going against them sent them down to the third tier for the first time ever. Despite the manner of their relegation, it wouldn't be until 2007 before they returned to this level.


1977–78 in English football, Football League, Third Division
Wrexham won the Third Division title to clinch a place in the Second Division. They were joined by Cambridge United and Preston North End. Peterborough United, who had yet to progress beyond this level of the league, missed out on promotion on goal difference. Chester, another club with a similar track record in the league, finished two points short of the promotion places.


1977–78 in English football, Football League, Third Division
Portsmouth, the 1939 FA Cup winners and with two league titles to their name from the early postwar years, finished bottom of the Third Division to fall into the Fourth Division for the first time, and their very existence was also threatened by large debts. Hereford United, Bradford City and Port Vale also went down.


1977–78 in English football, Football League, Fourth Division
Graham Taylor guided Watford to the Fourth Division title by an 11-point margin to repeat the promotion success he had achieved at Lincoln City two seasons earlier. Southend United finished second, while John Toshack kicked off his managerial career by taking Swansea City to promotion just weeks after being appointed. Brentford clinched the final promotion place, with Aldershot missing out on promotion by two points.


1977–78 in English football, Football League, Fourth Division
Wimbledon played their first season in the Football League, replacing Workington.


1977–78 in English football, Football League, Fourth Division
Southport, having finished second-from-bottom for the third season in succession, were voted out of the Football League and replaced by Wigan Athletic. This would ultimately prove the final occasion where a football club failed to earn re-election to the League, and the same 92 clubs would continue to make up its membership until 1987, by which point automatic promotion and relegation between the League and the Football Conference had been introduced.


1977–78 in English football, Famous debutants
3 September 1977: Cyrille Regis, 19-year-old French Guiana born striker, makes his debut for West Bromwich Albion against Middlesbrough at The Hawthorns in the First Division, scoring in a 2–1 win.


1977–78 in English football, Famous debutants
3 September 1977: Russell Osman, 18-year-old defender, makes his debut for Ipswich Town in the 1–0 First Division win over Chelsea at Portman Road.


1977–78 in English football, Famous debutants
14 January 1978: Alan Brazil, 18-year-old Scottish striker, makes his debut for Ipswich Town as a substitute in the 2-1 First Division defeat by Manchester United at Portman Road.


1977–78 in English football, Famous debutants
28 January 1978: Craig Johnston, 17-year-old Australian midfielder, makes his debut for Middlesbrough in the 3-2 F.A Cup 4th Round win over Everton at Ayresome Park.


1977–78 in English football, Famous debutants
18 March 1978: Alvin Martin, 19-year-old defender, makes his debut as a substitute for West Ham United in the 4-1 First Division defeat by Aston Villa at Villa Park.


1977–78 in English football, Famous debutants
11 April 1978: Paul Goddard, 18-year-old striker, makes his debut as a substitute for Queen's Park Rangers in the 2-1 First Division win over Arsenal at Loftus Road.


1977–78 in English football, Famous debutants
15 April 1978: Terry Butcher, 19-year-old defender, makes his debut for Ipswich Town in the 1–0 First Division defeat by Everton at Goodison Park.


1977–78 in Scottish football
The 1977–78 season was the 105th season of competitive football in Scotland and the 81st season of Scottish league football. In the Scottish Premier League, the Rangers F.C. were champions. Notable events included the Scotland national football team qualifying for the 1978 FIFA World Cup.


1977–78 in Scottish football, Other Honours, County
* – aggregate over two legs – play off – won on penalties


1977–78 in Turkish football
The 1977–78 season was the 74th season of competitive football in Turkey.


1977–78 in Turkish football, Overview
Fenerbahçe won their ninth 1.Lig title in 1977–78. Cemil Turan, forward for Fenerbahçe, finished as top scorer with 17 goals. Trabzonspor finished runners-up, and Adanaspor finished third, their highest finish. Ankaragücü and Mersin İdmanyurdu were relegated to the 2.Lig, while Göztepe and MKE Kırıkkalespor were promoted to the 1.Lig. Trabzonspor won the Türkiye Kupası (Turkish Cup), Cumhurbaşkanlığı Kupası (Super Cup), and Başbakanlık Kupası (Chancellor Cup).


1977–78 in Turkish football, Overview
All clubs qualified for European competition (Trabzonspor, Fenerbahçe, Altay, and Beşiktaş) were knocked out in the first round of their respective competitions.


1977–78 in Turkish football, National team
The Turkey national football team competed in seven matches during the 1977–78 season. The team finished with a record of one win, one draw, and five losses.


1977–78 snooker season
The 1977–78 snooker season was a series of snooker tournaments played between September 1977 and June 1978. The following table outlines the results for the ranking and the invitational events.


1977–80 Balkan Cup
The 1977–80 Balkan Cup, was the 12th Balkan Cup football tournament. It was the first to have a group stage involving the five teams split into two groups, one of three teams and the other of two, with the winner of each one meeting in the final. It was played between February 1977 and August 1980 between Turkey, Romania, Bulgaria, Yugoslavia and Greece. The tournament was won by Romania the general score being 4–3 against Yugoslavia in the two legs of the final. The top goalscorer was Anghel Iordănescu from Romania with 6 goals.


1978
1978 (MCMLXXVIII) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar, the 1978th year of the Common Era (CE) and Anno Domini (AD) designations, the 978th  year of the 2nd millennium, the 78th  year of the 20th century, and the  9th   year of the 1970s decade.


1978 1. deild, Overview
It was contested by 7 teams, and Havnar Bóltfelag won the championship.


1978 1. deild, Results
The schedule consisted of a total of 12 games. Each team played two games against every opponent in no particular order. One of the games was at home and one was away.


1978 1. deild karla
The 1978 season of 1. deild karla was the 24th season of second-tier football in Iceland. It is notable for being the only season KR have spent outside the top tier.


1978 1. divisjon
The 1978 1. divisjon was the 34th completed season of top division football in Norway.


1978 1. divisjon, Overview
It was performed in 12 teams, and IK Start won their first championship.


1978 2. deild karla
The 1978 season of 2. deild karla was the 13th season of third-tier football in Iceland.


1978 2. deild karla, Final round, Final
Both Selfoss and Magni won promotion to the 1979 1. deild karla.


1978 2. divisjon
The 1978 2. divisjon was a Norwegian second-tier football league season.


1978 2. divisjon
The league was contested by 30 teams, divided into a total of three groups; A and B (non-Northern Norwegian teams) and Group C, a district group which contained teams from Northern Norway. The winners of group A and B were promoted to the 1979 1. divisjon. The second placed teams in group A and B met the winner of group C in a qualification round where the winner was promoted to 1. divisjon. The bottom team in group A and B and the seven lowest ranked teams in group C were relegated to the 3. divisjon. The second last teams in group A and B met in a two-legged qualification round to avoid relegation.


1978 2. divisjon
Mjøndalen won group A with 29 points. Rosenborg won group B with 27 points. Both teams promoted to the 1979 1. divisjon. Tromsø won group C and qualified for and the promotion play-offs but was not promoted.


1978 2. divisjon, Play-offs, Relegation play-offs, Results
Os won 3–1 on aggregate. Strømmen was relegated to 3. divisjon.


1978 24 Hours of Le Mans
The 1978 24 Hours of Le Mans was the 46th Grand Prix of Endurance, and took place on 10 and 11 June 1978. In many ways it was a continuation of the race from the year before – the two main protagonists would be the very evenly-matched works teams of Alpine-Renault and Porsche, with four cars each.


1978 24 Hours of Le Mans
This time it was the Porsche team that had reliability issues – on only the second lap of the race two of their cars were in the pits. Renault soon established a solid hold of the top three positions. Like the year before, after the Ickx /Pescarolo car had early problems, Ickx was transferred to the second Porsche of Barth/Wollek. Once again he set about driving back through the field during the night, getting up to second by midnight behind the Jabouille] /Depailler car. But a loss of fifth gear cost them half an hour to repair it.


1978 24 Hours of Le Mans
When the lead Renault stopped on the circuit with a jammed gearbox, there was a sense of déjà vu for the French team. The sister car of Jean-Pierre Jaussaud and Didier Pironi inherited the lead, with a 7-lap margin over the Porsches. Although the second-placed Porsche pulled back two laps, this time Renault would not be denied, and Pironi took the flag for a popular local victory with a record race-distance.


1978 24 Hours of Le Mans
Porsche were second and third, the remaining Renault fourth with the Porsche 935s of customer teams in the next four places. The race also saw several high-speed crashes on the Mulsanne straight, but fortunately only one driver was seriously injured.


1978 24 Hours of Le Mans, Regulations
With the predictable demise of the FIA Championship for Group 6 (World Championship for Sports Cars), Le Mans was left as the only significant race that combined Group 6 and Group 5 racecars. No changes were made to the race regulations.


1978 24 Hours of Le Mans, Regulations
This year, the IMSA GT Championship added the Le Mans GTX class to the incumbent GTO and GTU classes. This, in turn, meant the Automobile Club de l'Ouest (ACO) could merge the IMSA and GTX into a single class. The IMSA regulations allowed a lower minimum weight and wider rear wheels than Group 5. IMSA also inaugurated the World Challenge for Endurance Drivers. Not sanctioned by the FIA, it was a series that linked American races at Daytona, Sebring and Talladega with Le Mans and the Nürburgring. Finally, the Daytona-Le Mans Trophy was repeated.


1978 24 Hours of Le Mans, Entries
The ACO received only 70 applications, the smallest number in a decade with 60 chosen for qualification with a further 7 kept on reserve. Once again, the only manufacturer works teams were from Porsche and Renault, bolstered by entries from small-scale racing specialists Mirage, Osella and WM.


1978 24 Hours of Le Mans, Entries, Group 6 and GTP
Defending winners, the Martini-Porsche works team, brought back the 936 for its only race of the season. The 2140cc engine with twin KKK (Kühnle, Kopp & Kausch) turbos had been enhanced with quads-cams and at 1.4bar of turbo boost now put out 580 bhp. Wound up to 1.7bar, it was a bit slower at top speed 345 kp/h (215 mph) but overall, with new aerodynamics, much faster around a complete lap. The extra engine power meant higher running temperatures and for the first time, Porsche had water-cooling, combined with its regular air-cooling.


1978 24 Hours of Le Mans, Entries, Group 6 and GTP
The cars were also fitted with the same gearboxes the Can-Am Porsche 917s had used to handle the great engine power. Once again, the endurance experts Jacky Ickx and Henri Pescarolo were paired up, and given the new car. Jürgen Barth had a new co-driver in Bob Wollek, driving the car that failed to finish last year fitted with the new engine. For Wollek, it was his first drive with the works team, after fulfilling a prior commitment with Kremer the year before. Americans Hurley Haywood and Peter Gregg were given the winning car from 1976 and '77, still fitted with the twin-cam, single-turbo engine. Jochen Mass and Reinhold Joest were designated as reserve drivers.


1978 24 Hours of Le Mans, Entries, Group 6 and GTP
After a disastrous showing the previous year, Renault Alpine did extensive work on the 2.0-litre twin-turbo engines, making over thirty modifications. The chassis also got scrutiny, with side-skirts and a Perspex bubble-canopy trialled. They did unprecedented testing, covering over 10,000 miles (16,000 km) at Circuit Paul Ricard and Istres airfield. Two short-tail chassis from the last season were given the new engine (A442A), while another was given a longer chassis (A442B). Finally, a brand-new chassis (only unveiled a month before) was built (A443) that had a 15cm longer wheelbase and was broader to carry wider wheels.


1978 24 Hours of Le Mans, Entries, Group 6 and GTP
The bigger 2138cc engine with a single turbo put out slightly more power (520 vs 500 bhp) but could reach 360 kp/h (225 mph) on the Hunaudières straight, fully 25 kp/h faster than the Porsche. Once again, the cream of French Grand Prix talent was brought in: Jean-Pierre Jabouille/Patrick Depailler shared the new car, Jean-Pierre Jaussaud/Didier Pironi had the A442B. The older cars were driven by rally specialists Jean Ragnotti, Guy Fréquelin with José Dolhem and Jean-Pierre Jarier with Le Mans veteran Derek Bell. Patrick Tambay had been slated to race with Jabouille, but his burned foot had not healed sufficiently.


1978 24 Hours of Le Mans, Entries, Group 6 and GTP
Mirage engineer John Horsman further developed the M8 to the M9. Keeping the 490 bhp Renault turbo engine, the new chassis was lower and narrower, with a long tail. The revised gearing was able to be tested on the new Interstate 10 section outside of Phoenix before it opened, where team driver Vern Schuppan was able get the car up to 335 kp/h. Two cars were entered: Schuppan had Formula 1 driver Jacques Laffite as co-driver, while Sam Posey and Michel Leclère once again shared the second car.


1978 24 Hours of Le Mans, Entries, Group 6 and GTP
Alain de Cadenet brought his next iteration based on the Lola T380, designed by Len Bailey (who had previously worked with John Wyer). The LM78 was longer, and faster: with the 460 bhp Cosworth DFV engine, De Cadenet's regular co-driver Chris Craft was able to make 345 kp/h (215 mph) on the back straight. A true privateer effort, as de Cadenet got virtually had no sponsorship. He even sold most of his valuable stamp collection to raise money. Last year's model had been sold to privateer Pete Lovett, while the earlier model returned with Simon Phillips.


1978 24 Hours of Le Mans, Entries, Group 6 and GTP
A new entrant this year was the Ibec, for the Ian Bracey Engineering Company. The Ibec P6 was designed by Harvey Postlethwaite, currently involved with the Hesketh Formula 1 team and the chassis layout was based on the Hesketh 308. But the focus on that meant the Group 6 car fell behind schedule so Bracey took the car to the Lyncar plant to assemble. Drivers Ian Grob and Guy Edwards got their first drive of the car in testing less than a fortnight before the race.


1978 24 Hours of Le Mans, Entries, Group 6 and GTP
After the withdrawal of the sponsorship money of Inaltéra, Le Mans local Jean Rondeau, despite keeping the design plans, had been forced to sell his cars and start building his designs again. He toyed with a 6-wheeler idea inspired by the Tyrrell P34. Assisted with funding from the city and local region his new car, the M378, was narrower, longer and lighter than the previous model. Testing on the Bugatti Circuit improved the aerodynamics. His co-drivers were rally driver Bernard Darniche and Jacky Haran. One of the Inaltéra bought by the Swiss concern was entered in GTP by André Chevalley.


1978 24 Hours of Le Mans, Entries, Group 6 and GTP
Welter Racing had a new design in the GTP class. The P78 had a longer, more aerodynamic shell. It kept the Peugeot 2.7-litre V6 engine with a KKK turbo and, after improvements, now put out 440 bhp. It would be driven by Debias/Sourd/Mathiot. The team also had last year's P77 model with its same turbo engine (Raulet/Mamers and the older P76. Driven by Bob Neyrat's squad of female racers Christine Dacremont/Marianne Hoepfner, it had a bigger 2.85-litre Peugeot non-turbo engine. The other GTP entry was the return of Bernard Decure's modified Alpine A310.


1978 24 Hours of Le Mans, Entries, Group 6 (2-litre)
This year, the biggest class was the 2-litre category with fifteen entries. The class showed a good variety of chassis combined by different engines. The French engine-builder team, Société ROC, had three of the B36 Chevrons. This was the last model of Chevron produced when company founder Derek Bennett was killed in a hang-gliding accident. The Simca-ROC engine was also seen in two Lola. Two types of Cosworth engine powered the other five Lolas, as well as Charles Graemiger's Cheetah.


1978 24 Hours of Le Mans, Entries, Group 6 (2-litre)
With the demise of the World Group 6 Championship, the European Sportscar Championship was revived and Osella supplied a number of customer cars. Ted Toleman brought one of the Osella-BMWs to Le Mans, co-entered by BMW's British division, with a strong driver lineup of Tom Walkinshaw, Dieter Quester and his Formula 2 team driver Rad Dougall. Once again the small Sauber team was back with the C5, powered by a BMW engine. This year Swiss Formula 2 driver Marc Surer joined the regular drivers Eugen Strähl and Harry Blumer.


1978 24 Hours of Le Mans, Entries, Group 5 and IMSA GTX
With the Porsche works team not contesting the World Championship, it devolved to a duel between the two German customer teams of Georg Loos (buying the services of the underemployed works pit-crews) and Kremer Racing with their 935s. BMW, with their new M1 model delayed, had to make do with the 2-litre 320i in the junior Division 1 class, that could not compete with the bigger cars. Porsche produced fifteen 935 cars for their customer teams. The 1978 version had twin-turbos and a two-level rear wing to improve downforce.


1978 24 Hours of Le Mans, Entries, Group 5 and IMSA GTX
Meanwhile, the Martini-Porsche works team had developed their Third Generation of the Porsche 935. Nicknamed "Moby Dick", the mighty 935-78 had the most powerful Porsche engine since the 917 Can-Am turbos of the early '70s. The 3.2-litre flat six twin-cam could put out a massive 750 bhp with its twin KKK turbos. Engineer Norbert Singer had ingeniously lowered the car, by lifting the chassis floor, fitting the gearbox and final-drive upside-down and putting the radiators in front of the massive 19" rear wheels.


1978 24 Hours of Le Mans, Entries, Group 5 and IMSA GTX
The engine-size bumped it up to the 5-litre class, it had to have a minimum weight of 1025kg (compared to ~800kg for Group 6) and the smaller 120-litre petrol tank for Group 5 cars would demand more fuel-stops in the race (45-minute stints vs 80-minutes for Group 6). Ickx and Mass had won on its only race to date, at Silverstone the month before. As in previous Le Mans, the Group 5 car was handed to Rolf Stommelen and Manfred Schurti.


1978 24 Hours of Le Mans, Entries, Group 5 and IMSA GTX
There were seven other 935s entered by the customer teams. The Kremer brothers had three cars, despite losing their two main drivers (Wollek and Pescarolo) to the works team. Instead they had three relatively inexperienced sets: Gurdjian/Schornstein/Krages, Raymond/Franey/Wielemans and Americans Busby/Cord/Knoop. Georg Loos only entered one of his two cars, but it had his best driving team of John Fitzpatrick/Toine Hezemans. The other three teams were regular Championship contenders –the French ASA-Cachia team, Mecarillos Racing Team (Switzerland) and Konrad Racing (Germany). A prospective works entry from AMG-Mercedes did not eventuate.


1978 24 Hours of Le Mans, Entries, Group 5 and IMSA GTX
The broadening of the IMSA regulations had sent a further fleet of Porsche 935s across the Atlantic to dominate that series. The IMSA-GTX class was well supported with a number of those teams coming across for the first time: Dick Barbour's Hawaiian Tropic team had two cars – driven by Brian Redman/John Paul Snr and Barbour himself, with Bob Garretson/Steve Earle/Bob Akin in the second. The Whittington brothers, Bill and Don, hired Joest's car and got Championship driver Franz Konrad to partner them. There were also two teams running IMSA Porsche 911 Carreras.


1978 24 Hours of Le Mans, Entries, Group 5 and IMSA GTX
After a single Ferrari returned to Le Mans the previous year, there were five entered this year. The 512 BB had recently replaced the 365 GT/4, as the next in the mid-engined series. The 4.9-litre engine was bigger but slightly down on power. Revised rear suspension could accommodate wider tyres. Three cars were specially built by the Ferrari factory to IMSA specifications; two for Charles Pozzi's French team, and one for Luigi Chinetti from NART. A fourth was modified from a road-car by the Ecurie Francorchamps for the regular driver Jean Blaton, who raced under the pseudonym "Beurlys". The fifth car was the older NART 365/4 returning, and run again by the Frenchmen, Lucien Guitteny and François Migault.


1978 24 Hours of Le Mans, Entries, Group 5 and IMSA GTX
Beyond the Porsche vs Ferrari battle in this IMSA class, there was a solitary BMW driven by former European champion Pierre Dieudonné with Alain Cudini. American Brad Friselle, who raced with the Brumos Porsche team in the US, brought a Chevrolet Monza that he had purchased from Michael Keyser (who had raced a similar car in the 1976 race). Its 5.7-litre engine was the biggest one in the race.


1978 24 Hours of Le Mans, Entries, Group 4 GT
The nine entries in the Group 4 class made this the sole preserve of Porsche, all run by small privateer teams. The five Porsche 934s, with the 3-litre turbo, had a distinct power advantage over the three normally-aspirated 3-litre Porsche 911 Carreras. Biggest car in the class was the new 3.3-litre turbo Porsche 930 of Joël Laplacette.


1978 24 Hours of Le Mans, Practice and Qualifying
Rolf Stommelen had never driven the Porsche 935-78 before, but in Wednesday practice he initially held the fastest time. The car was the second-fastest down the Hunaudières Straight, behind the Renaults, reaching 350 kp/h (220 mph). But the next day, in a misguided publicity action, Porsche chose to drive their 935 to the circuit through the streets of Le Mans. Unfortunately the gridlock and slow pace overheated the engine and holed a piston, forcing an unanticipated engine change. The cars of the works Porsche and Renault-Alpine teams filled the top eight places on the grid.


1978 24 Hours of Le Mans, Practice and Qualifying
Jacky Ickx set a sensational new lap record of 3:27.6, beating Arturo Merzario's mark by over a second to put the new Porsche on pole position. Jabouille was almost a second back in the first of the Renaults. Rolf Stommelen got the 935 up to 3rd (3:30.9) well ahead of team-mate Wollek (3:35.2). Ninth was Schuppan's Mirage (3:45.8) ahead of Chris Craft in the De Cadenet. The Mirages had chronic handling issues, which burned up a lot of practice time to resolve. The Gelo 935 was the second Group 5 Porsche, at 11th, over 15 seconds behind Stommelen.


1978 24 Hours of Le Mans, Practice and Qualifying
The Dick Barbour 935 was fastest of the IMSA class in 16th (3:52.6) just ahead of the Whittington Brothers' 935. It was readily apparent the Ferraris were outpaced, with the leading one, of Charles Ballot-Léna, down in 33rd (4:07.1). The new WM was quickest GTP (3:52.9, 18th), the Osella led the 2-litre Group 6 (3:56.2, 22nd) comfortably ahead of the Sauber. Hervé Poulain's turbo Porsche was the first Group 4 in 32nd (4:07.0).


1978 24 Hours of Le Mans, Practice and Qualifying
Twenty-four cars broke the 4-minute barrier this year, compared to only twelve in 1976. After qualifying Pironi and Jaussaud chose to keep the bubble canopy, which they estimated was worth an extra 15 kp/h (10 mph) on the back straight. Both Depailler and Jabouille, driving the new A443, had found the bubble claustrophobic and causing bad reflections at night, so they asked for it to be removed from their car. Pironi and Jaussaud, in the A442B, however, chose to keep theirs. The non-qualifiers were selected from the slowest in several classes to keep a balanced quota. In Group 6, the ToJ was well off the pace, but DeCadenet's second car was unlucky to be bumped, having done the 19th fastest time.


1978 24 Hours of Le Mans, Race, Start
On a sunny Saturday morning before the main event, there was a half-hour race for historic cars. In a slight anachronism, it was Stirling Moss, coming out of retirement, who won driving a Maserati 250F Grand-Prix car. Moss had previously had two second places at Le Mans in 11 attempts, in 1953 and 1956. Second and third were a pair of Jaguar D-Types.


1978 24 Hours of Le Mans, Race, Start
The honorary starter this year was legendary French cyclist Raymond Poulidor who had recently retired. Things started going wrong for Porsche from the start when Jabouille roared past Ickx into the Dunlop curve. At the end of the first lap, it was Jabouille twelve seconds ahead of Ickx, Wollek, Schurti in the 935 and Pironi. But at the end of the next lap, there was a sensation when both Ickx and Haywood had to pit their Porsches. The former had high fuel pressure, while the latter had loose turbo pipes and a jammed throttle.


1978 24 Hours of Le Mans, Race, Start
Both rejoined several laps later, but Renault had Jabouille, Pironi and Jarier now running 1-2-3 line ahead of Wollek which is how it stayed to the first pitstops. Ragnotti's Calberson-Ranault was fifth with the two Mirages were next, Leclère ahead of Laffite. Then came Schurti, the De Cadenet and Sourd, in the WM turbo, leading GTP and rounding out the top-10. But in those pitstops, the leaders were delayed by a bad tyre-change and Depailler came out in fifth.


1978 24 Hours of Le Mans, Race, Start
In the third hour, the Mirage of Michel Leclère stopped on the far side of the track with a complete electrical failure. Four laps later the sister-car was refuelling and could not restart. In replacing the dead battery, a pit-man left a live wire on the chassis and when the key was turned it fried the electrics. Repairing that cost almost thirty minutes, dropping them to 30th. Early casualties in the Group 5 class were the highly favoured Loos Porsche and one of the Kremer Porsches, both put out with broken pistons.


1978 24 Hours of Le Mans, Race, Start
Meanwhile, Ickx was driving hard back through the field. By 8pm he had the Porsche back up to 6th. But, just on 9pm they lost fifth gear and all that work was undone as they lost 37 minutes while the gearbox was repaired, dropping them back to 19th. To that was added power loss and an ignition problem. So, in a repeat of the decision in the previous year's race, Ickx was pulled from his ailing car to help the surviving Wollek/Barth car. Jochen Mass, the reserve driver, was brought in to co-drive with Pescarolo. So as night fell, the Porsche was fourth (93 laps) chasing the French cars a lap ahead. Stommelen, duelling with the Calberson-Renault (92) with Haywood (89) and Craft (88) next. Three laps further back (85) were the American 935s: Busby's Kremer, and Barbour, leading the IMSA class, in tenth.


1978 24 Hours of Le Mans, Race, Night
The De Cadenet had been stopped early – a wheel weight had come off and fired through the chassis; it was running eighth, then the clutch started failing in the evening that eventually caused a 100-minute stop at 2am to rebuild. It started a long drive back through the field.


1978 24 Hours of Le Mans, Race, Night
By 11pm, after 7 hours, Renault held their 1-2-3 sequence. Jabouille/Depailler were back in the lead at dusk after the Pironi/Jaussaud car spent 7 minutes changing brake pads. Ickx was putting in an epic night-drive, ably assisted by Wollek and together they were consistently fast. To catch the French cars, Porsche pushed the turbo pressure of their leading car up from 1.4 to 1.5 bar. This extra speed gradually allowed them to reel in the cars ahead of them. But again, the progress was lost by several stops to correct dodgy wheel fittings.


1978 24 Hours of Le Mans, Race, Night
However in the half-hour before midnight, they progressively passed two of the Renaults to move back up into second place. Then when the Jarier/Bell car, running third, stopped at the Tertre Rouge with a broken transmission at 2.30am, alarm bells started ringing for the French team. Haywood's #7 Porsche was up to fifth, Stommelen/Schurti were sixth in the 935 and Pescarolo/Mass had got back up to seventh. Earlier, just after midnight, the Toleman Osella had been leading the Group 6 2-litre class when it crashed at high speed following a puncture at the Mulsanne kink. Driver Dieter Quester got a nasty gash to his face but was otherwise all right.


1978 24 Hours of Le Mans, Race, Night
So at the halfway point, with Renault running 1-3-4 and Porsche ready to pounce in 2-5-6-7, the race was keenly balanced. The Mirage had driven back through the field up to tenth. This time the mechanical issues struck every works Porsche: At 4am, Pescarolo pitted with electrical issues losing six laps. Their best-placed car had two stops to fix bad handling, and then Haywood lost 4 laps as the mechanics fixed a power-loss. Finally, the 935 was delayed getting a new fuel-pump fitted. The hard-working Mirage then had the throttle linkage break undoing their effort. The eighty minutes to repair dropped them back down to 17th.


1978 24 Hours of Le Mans, Race, Morning
In the cooler air, Jabouille put in the fastest lap of the race setting a new lap record of 3:34.2. As the light got better, the second Dick Barbour IMSA 935 crashed spectacularly. Bob Garretson lost control at the Mulsanne kink and rolled over and over for more than half a kilometre. Them at 7am, there was another big accident at almost the same location. Tony Charnell was leading the 2-litre class when his Mogil Motors Chevron lost a suspension link at over 260 kp/h (160 mph).


1978 24 Hours of Le Mans, Race, Morning
Although the car flew into the trees and went to pieces, Charnell was uninjured. Not long after, at 8am, the Ragnotti/Fréquelin/Dolhem #4 car lost 32 minutes repairing its gearbox. Then at 8.30am was the third major accident in two hours, far more serious, when Christian Débias crashed the turbo WM P78 at top speed on the Hunaudières Straight. The force was such to break the car in three and pull the barrier out of the ground. Pulled out unconscious, despite a fractured skull and many broken ribs, Débias would make a full recovery.


1978 24 Hours of Le Mans, Race, Morning
The Porsche challenge started fading when Wollek brought his car into the pits just before 9am with the same ailment that had struck their team-mate earlier: no fifth gear and another 37 minutes lost. The Calberson-Renault also had trouble with its gearbox, losing third gear and taking 20 minutes to repair. The Renault team wound back the turbo boost on their race-leader, but then half an hour later Depailler coasted to a halt at Mulsanne corner in a cloud of smoke with a jammed gearbox. After leading for 11 hours, it was out with a holed piston, in an alarming echo of the previous year. The Pironi/Jaussaud car, a lap behind, inherited the lead with a comfortable 7-lap lead over the Haywood/Gregg Porsche. Jabouille was transferred to the Calberson Renault to help bring it home.


1978 24 Hours of Le Mans, Race, Morning
Before noon the Barth/Wollek/Ickx overtook its stablemate to move into second place. In the 20th hour, Mass crashed in the Porsche Curves having just got up to sixth. The works 935 had a very difficult race, with a myriad of problems: a stuck throttle, leaking radiator, loose windscreen, replacing the distributor and the fuel pump. Every 16 laps, the minimum allowed, it needed a complete oil refill. All up the car spent nearly 3 hours in the pits.


1978 24 Hours of Le Mans, Race, Finish and post-race
But Renault would not be denied this year. With a 30-minute lead, the Pironi/Jaussaud car, despite a fading clutch, ran faultlessly for the rest of the race to take the victory, finishing five laps ahead of the two works Porsches. Fourth was the Calberson Renault, 11 laps behind their team-mates, despite a dodgy fourth gear. Four Porsche 935s finished next, led home by the IMSA-class winning car of Dick Barbour Racing, beating the Group 5 winner from Kremer Racing by a lap. For experienced sports-car campaigner, Brian Redman, this was his first Le Mans finish.


1978 24 Hours of Le Mans, Race, Finish and post-race
Jean Rondeau came through to win the GTP class for the third year in a row, having the small pleasure of beating his former car by 15 laps (200 km). The Mirage drivers, Schuppan and Laffite, had been bedevilled by mechanical issues through the day, including three gearbox malfunctions and a broken turbo costing a total of four hours in the pits. But the drivers persisted and were rewarded with a tenth-place finish.


1978 24 Hours of Le Mans, Race, Finish and post-race
From the biggest class-entry there was but a single classified finisher from the Group 6 2-litres: Michel Pignard getting back-to-back victories for himself and Société ROC. The winner of the Group 4 GT class, in twelfth, was the Porsche 911 of Anny-Charlotte Verney. After an early gearbox issue, the car had run well, outlasting the more powerful 934 turbos. Their troubles meant they took the class-lead in the 8th hour and were never headed. The only other classified finisher in the class was the privateer entry of "Ségolen", also afflicted by gearbox problems and 20 laps behind.


1978 24 Hours of Le Mans, Race, Finish and post-race
In a race of attrition, where many cars had had mechanical issues and delays, there were eight cars that would not be classified as they had not completed the 70% threshold (259 laps). Marc Surer and his Sauber team missed out by just 2 laps. Having initially led the class, they had to undergo a full gearbox rebuild in the early evening, then were plagued by an overheating and misfiring engine. It had been in the pits for much of the afternoon until going out to take the flag. After gearbox problems took out the Ferraris, the only one to finish was the Migault/Guitteny 365, which by coincidence, had also finished 16th the year before with the same drivers but had covered 6 further laps.


1978 24 Hours of Le Mans, Race, Finish and post-race
Race-winner Didier Pironi had put in a double-shift at the end. Completely exhausted, he needed to be lifted out of the cockpit and given medical attention to get to the podium, leaving an emotional Jaussaud to take the trophy. He and Pironi had covered a record distance of 5044 km in the 24 hours. The race victory meant a lot to Renault, and France. As the team's Competition Director and former race-winner, Gérard Larrousse put it:


1978 24 Hours of Le Mans, Race, Finish and post-race
" The sales battle in Europe has never been so tough. The commercial fall-out of a race like this is far more obvious than the technical spin-offs, for a victory at Le Mans is one that cannot he doubted”.


1978 24 Hours of Le Mans, Race, Finish and post-race
With the greater weighting on American races (that most European teams did not attend), the World Challenge for Endurance Drivers was won by John Paul Snr. By also taking a second at the 24 Hours of Daytona, Dick Barbour won the Daytona-Le Mans Trophy.


1978 24 Hours of Le Mans, Race, Finish and post-race
This time it had been Porsche that had the unreliability issues and Renault-Alpine finally achieved its aim of a Le Mans win. Straight after the race, the Renault Managing Director, Bernard Hanan, announced it was mission accomplished and that they would withdraw from sports-car racing to put their focus henceforth onto Formula 1. For the event, the ACO had spent over 1 million francs (£125,000). With the withdrawal of the major local manufacturer, drawcard and sole competition, the organisation was very worried about the next year, and the financial losses if the crowds stayed away, disinterested.


1978 24 Hours of Le Mans, Official results, Finishers
Results taken from Quentin Spurring's book, officially licensed by the ACO Class Winners are in Bold text.


1978 24 Hours of Le Mans, Official results, Statistics
Taken from Quentin Spurring's book, officially licensed by the ACO


1978 ABC Championship for Women
The 1978 Asian Basketball Confederation Championship for Women were held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.


1978 ABN World Tennis Tournament
The 1978 ABN World Tennis Tournament was a men's tennis tournament played on indoor carpet courts at Rotterdam Ahoy in the Netherlands. It was a World Championship Tennis (WCT) event that was part of the 1978 Colgate-Palmolive Grand Prix circuit. It was the sixth edition of the tournament and was held from 3 April through 9 April 1978. First-seeded Jimmy Connors won the singles title.


1978 ABN World Tennis Tournament, Finals, Doubles
Fred McNair /  Raúl Ramírez defeated  Robert Lutz /  Stan Smith 6–2, 6–3


1978 ABN World Tennis Tournament – Singles
Dick Stockton was the defending champion of the singles event at the ABN World Tennis Tournament, but lost in the quarterfinals to first-seeded Jimmy Connors who won the title after a victory in the final against fourth-seeded Raúl Ramírez 7–5, 7–5.


1978 ACC Men's Basketball Tournament
The 1978 Atlantic Coast Conference Men's Basketball Tournament was held in Greensboro, North Carolina, at the Greensboro Coliseum from March 1–4. Duke defeated Wake Forest, 85–77, to win the championship. Jim Spanarkel of Duke was named the tournament MVP.


1978 AFC Youth Championship
The 1978 AFC Youth Championship was held in Dhaka, Bangladesh from 5 October to 28 October 1978. It also served as qualification for the 1979 FIFA World Youth Championship.


1978 AFC Youth Championship, Qualification to World Youth Championship
The following teams qualified for the 1979 FIFA World Youth Championship.


1978 AIAW National Large College Basketball Championship
The 1978 AIAW National Large College Basketball Championship was held on March 17–25, 1978. Sixteen teams were invited, and UCLA was crowned national champion at the conclusion of the tournament.


1978 AIAW National Large College Basketball Championship
This was the first AIAW Tournament to divide the first two rounds into four regional sites, and also the first to be held over the course of two weekends. The host site for the Final Four was UCLA in Los Angeles. The championship game was televised nationally for the first time, by NBC.


1978 ARFU Asian Rugby Championship
The 1978 ARFU Asian Rugby Championship was the 6th edition  of the tournament, and was played in Kuala Lumpur


1978 ARFU Asian Rugby Championship
The 7 teams were divided in two pool, with final between the winner of both of them. Japan won the tournament


1978 ATP Challenger Series
The ATP Challenger Series is the second tier tour for professional tennis organised by the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP). The 1978 ATP Challenger Series calendar comprises 18 tournaments with prize money of $25,000.


1978 ATP Challenger Series, Statistical information
These tables present the number of singles (S) and doubles (D) titles won by each player and each nation during the season, within all the tournament categories of the 1978 ATP Challenger Series. The players/nations are sorted by: 1) total number of titles (a doubles title won by two players representing the same nation counts as only one win for the nation); 2) a singles > doubles hierarchy; 3) alphabetical order (by family names for players).


1978 African Cup Winners' Cup
The 1978 season of the African Cup Winners' Cup football club tournament was won by AC Horaya in two-legged final victory against NA Hussein-Dey. This was the fourth season that the tournament took place for the winners of each African country's domestic cup. Twenty-two sides entered the competition, with Sodiam withdrawing before the 1st leg of the preliminary round.


1978 African Cup of Champions Clubs
The 1978 African Cup of Champions Clubs was the 14th edition of the annual international club football competition held in the CAF region (Africa), the African Cup of Champions Clubs. It determined that year's club champion of association football in Africa.


1978 African Cup of Champions Clubs
The tournament was played by 24 teams and was used a playoff scheme with home and away matches. Canon Yaoundé from Cameroon won that final, and became for the second time CAF club champion.


1978 African Cup of Champions Clubs, Top scorers
The top scorers from the 1978 African Cup of Champions Clubs are as follows:


1978 African Cup of Nations
The 1978 African Cup of Nations was the eleventh edition of the Africa Cup of Nations, the football championship of Africa (CAF). It was hosted by Accra and Kumasi, Ghana. The format of the competition changed from 1976: the field of eight teams was still split into two groups of four, but the final group stage was eliminated in favor of the knockout semifinals used in tournaments prior to 1976. Ghana won its third championship, beating Uganda in the final 2−0.


1978 African Cup of Nations
Ivory Coast and Mali were both disqualified in the second round of the qualifiers: Ivory Coast for using an ineligible player, and Mali after stadium security and police assaulted match officials during the first leg. As Mali had received a first qualifying round walkover when Niger failed to appear, Upper Volta, who had been beaten by the Ivory Coast in the first qualifying round, were given their place in the final tournament.


1978 African Cup of Nations, Qualified teams
1 Ivory Coast originally qualified by beating Mali 2–1 on aggregate, but both teams were disqualified: Ivory Coast for fielding an ineligible player in the second leg, and Mali due to police and stadium security assaulting the match officials during the first leg. Upper Volta, who had lost to Ivory Coast in the previous round, were given their place in the finals.


1978 African Cup of Nations, Venues
The competition was played in two venues in Accra and Kumasi.


1978 African Cup of Nations, Knockout stage, Third place match
1 The match was abandoned after Tunisia walked off in the 42nd minute with the score tied at 1–1 to protest the officiating. Nigeria were awarded a 2–0 win, and Tunisia were banned from the next tournament.


1978 African Cup of Nations Final
The 1978 African Cup of Nations Final was a football match that took place on 16 March 1978, at the Accra Sports Stadium in Accra, Ghana, to determine the winner of the 1978 Africa Cup of Nations. Ghana defeated Uganda 2–0 with two goals from Opoku Afriyie to win their third African Cup. As of 2019, this is the only Ugandan appearance in an African Cup of Nations final.


1978 African Cup of Nations qualification
This page details the qualification of the 1978 African Cup of Nations


1978 African Cup of Nations qualification, First round
Ivory Coast won 5–1 on aggregate, but later were disqualified.


1978 African Cup of Nations qualification, First round
Mali had a walkover to the next round, but later were disqualified.


1978 African Cup of Nations qualification, Second round
Ivory Coast and Mali were disqualified. Upper Volta, losers to Ivory Coast in the first round, were given a place in the finals.


1978 African Cup of Nations qualification, Second round
Zambia won 6–5 in penalty shootout after 2–2 on aggregate.


1978 African Cup of Nations qualification, Second round
Both teams were disqualified: Ivory Coast for using an ineligible player in the second leg, and Mali after security forces assaulted the officials at the end of the first leg. Upper Volta, losers to Ivory Coast in the first round, were given a place in the finals.


1978 African Cup of Nations squads
Below is a list of squads used in the 1978 African Cup of Nations.


1978 African Cup of Nations squads, Group B, Uganda
Henry Matte was part of that squad. from Express team.


1978 Afro-Asian Cup of Nations
The 1978 Afro-Asian Cup of Nations was the first edition of the Afro-Asian Cup of Nations, it was contested by Ghana, winners of the 1978 African Cup of Nations, and Iran, winners of the 1976 AFC Asian Cup. The tournament planned to be played into two legs. The first leg was played in Tehran and Iran beat Ghana 3–0. However the second leg which was normally played in Accra was cancelled because political problems in Iran.


1978 Afro-Asian Cup of Nations, Match details, Second leg
The trophy was not awarded, because the second leg was cancelled.


1978 Agoura-Malibu firestorm
The 1978 Agoura-Malibu firestorm was a firestorm fueled by at least eight significant wildfires in the Los Angeles area on October 23, 1978. At around noon that day, an arsonist started a fire that eventually burned 25,000 acres (10,000 ha) from Cornell to Broad Beach in Malibu. The first fire alarm in Agoura was reported at 12:11 PM, and by 2:30 PM, the fire had reached the Pacific Ocean 13 miles (21 km) south in Malibu. It had been declared a Level 2 (maximum emergency) fire at 1:57 PM.


1978 Agoura-Malibu firestorm
As the fires spread through the canyons of the Santa Monica Mountains over the next four days, a total of 230 homes were destroyed in Agoura and Malibu, and in the Los Angeles community of Mandeville Canyon to the east. At least 254 other structures were also destroyed. The fire was contained on October 25 and controlled on October 27. 136 engine companies, 28 camp crews, 8 bulldozers, 6  helicopters and 6 fixed wing air tankers helped fight this fire.


1978 Agoura-Malibu firestorm
Known at the "Agoura-Malibu Firestorm" and the "Mandeville Canyon Fire", these two major fires were bolstered by winds as high as 60 miles per hour (97 km/h) and extremely dry conditions. Residents of Agoura evacuated to a shopping center next to the Ventura Freeway in Agoura Hills, where massive flames could be seen engulfing Castro Peak.


1978 Agoura-Malibu firestorm
Damage caused by the group of fires burning was estimated at US$71.4 million, according to California officials. Three people were killed and 50 were injured, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department.


1978 Agoura-Malibu firestorm
A 15-year-old Agoura youth was arrested for starting the fire, and sentenced to be confined in the California Youth Authority until his 21st birthday. Arson investigators determined that he had used a lit cigarette wrapped in a matchbook to set the fire.


1978 Agoura-Malibu firestorm
This was the largest of several fires set over the period of a week in the Agoura area.


1978 Air Canada Silver Broom
The 1978 Air Canada Silver Broom, the men's world curling championship, was held from March 27 to April 2 at the Winnipeg Arena in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.


1978 Air Canada Silver Broom, Teams
Skip : Keith WendorfThird: Balint von BerySecond: Sascha Fischer-WepplerLead: Heino von L'Estocq


1978 Air Force Falcons football team
The 1978 Air Force Falcons football team represented the United States Air Force Academy in the 1978 NCAA Division I-A football season as an independent. Future National Football League (NFL) head coach Bill Parcells replaced Ben Martin as head coach in his only season as Air Force head coach. The Falcons played their home games at Falcon Stadium in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and they finished the season with a record of three wins and eight losses (3–8).


1978 Akron Zips football team
The 1978 Akron Zips football team represented Akron University in the 1978 NCAA Division II football season as a member of the Mid-Continent Conference. Led by sixth-year head coach Jim Dennison, the Zips played their home games at the Rubber Bowl in Akron, Ohio. They finished the season with a record of 6–5 overall and 4–1 in MCC play, placing second.


1978 Alabama Crimson Tide football team
The 1978 Alabama Crimson Tide football team (variously "Alabama", "UA" or "Bama") represented the University of Alabama in the 1978 NCAA Division I-A football season. It was the Crimson Tide's 84th overall and 45th season as a member of the Southeastern Conference (SEC). The team was led by head coach Bear Bryant, in his 21st year, and played their home games at Bryant–Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa and Legion Field in Birmingham, Alabama. They finished season with eleven wins and one loss (11–1 overall, 6–0 in the SEC), as SEC champions and as national champions after a victory over Penn State in the Sugar Bowl. Alabama's costumed "Big Al" mascot officially debuted this season, appearing at the Sugar Bowl.


1978 Alabama Crimson Tide football team, Before the season
Alabama ended the 1977 season with the disappointment of a #2 finish, an 11-point voting margin behind national champion Notre Dame.


1978 Alabama Crimson Tide football team, Before the season
On April 13, 1978, Paul Bryant was one of several coaches quoted in an AP interview that focused on efforts to rid college football of cheating. Bryant advocated a rule requiring coaches notify the NCAA of suspected infractions immediately and getting it over with rather than complaining after losing a game.


1978 Alabama Crimson Tide football team, Before the season
On April 20, nearly a dozen players with injuries were held out of the annual A-Day game that ended in a colorless 7-7 tie. The biggest concern was a knee injury to second-string QB Steadman Shealy. Bryant, in the post A-Day game press conference, declared his 1978 team would have "a questionable offense, an average kicking game, and a good defense" in the post-A-Day game press conference.


1978 Alabama Crimson Tide football team, Sugar Bowl
The 1979 Sugar Bowl against Penn State would go down as a classic. Alabama scored in the second quarter, then Penn State answered in the third, then Alabama took a 14–7 lead on a touchdown set up by a 62-yard punt return. Penn State had a chance to tie in the fourth, but quarterback Chuck Fusina threw an interception into the Alabama end zone. Then Alabama had a chance to put the game away, but fumbled the football back to Penn State at the Nittany Lion 19-yard-line with four minutes to go.


1978 Alabama Crimson Tide football team, Sugar Bowl
Penn State drove to a first and goal at the Alabama eight. On third and goal from the one, Fusina asked Bama defensive lineman Marty Lyons "What do you think we should do? ", and Lyons answered "You'd better pass." On third down, Penn State was stopped inches short of the goal line. On fourth down, Penn State was stopped again, Barry Krauss meeting Mike Guman and throwing him back for no gain. Alabama held on for a 14–7 victory. The Crimson Tide split the national championship, winning the AP poll while Southern California won the UPI Coaches' poll. It was Alabama's fifth wire service national championship.


1978 Alabama gubernatorial election
The 1978 Alabama gubernatorial election took place on November 7, 1978, to elect the Governor of Alabama. Incumbent Democratic Governor George Wallace did not run for re-election. Fob James, a businessman who had switched from the Republican Party to the Democratic Party and campaigned as a "born-again Democrat", won the Democratic primary in an upset over Attorney General Bill Baxley. He went on to defeat Guy Hunt in a landslide in the general election. Incumbent Democrat George Wallace was term limited and could not seek a third consecutive term.


1978 Alabama gubernatorial election, Democratic primary, Results
Despite entering the race as a former Republican with low name identification and little political experience, by the time of the primary, James led Baxley, Beasley, and Brewer, who were considered the main contenders, in the polls. James placed first in the primary, followed by Baxley. Fob James then won the primary runoff against Bill Baxley.


1978 Alabama gubernatorial election, General election, Results
Fob James won all but two counties: Cullman, where Hunt had been Probate Judge; and Winston, a traditionally Republican stronghold.


1978 Alan King Tennis Classic
The 1978 Alan King Tennis Classic was a men's tennis tournament played on outdoor hard courts at the Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, Nevada in the United States that was part of the 1978 Colgate-Palmolive Grand Prix. It was the seventh edition of the tournament was held from April 24 through April 30, 1978. Harold Solomon won the singles title after Barazzutti had to forfeit in the second set due to illness induced by food poisoning. Solomon earned $50,000 first-prize money as well as 225 Grand Prix points.


1978 Alan King Tennis Classic, Finals, Doubles
Álvaro Fillol /  Jaime Fillol defeated  Bob Hewitt /  Raúl Ramírez 6–3, 7–6


1978 Alan King Tennis Classic – Singles
Jimmy Connors was the defending champion but lost in the second round to Hank Pfister. Sixth-seeded Harold Solomon claimed the title after Corrado Barazzutti retired from the final due to food poisoning.


1978 Alaska gubernatorial election
The 1978 Alaska gubernatorial election took place on November 7, 1978, for the post of governor of Alaska. Republican incumbent Jay Hammond defeated four opponents: former Governor of Alaska and write-in candidate Wally Hickel, Alaska Senator and Democratic nominee Chancy Croft, former Commissioner of Natural Resources and Independent candidate Tom Kelly and Alaskan Independence Party nominee Don Wright. After losing to Hammond in the Republican primary, Hickel ran as a write-in candidate and was able to outperform Croft. Republican Tom Fink and Democrat Jay Kerttula also ran in the open primary.


1978 Alaska gubernatorial election
As of 2019, this is the earliest gubernatorial election in Alaska in which at least one candidate, Chancy Croft, is still living.


1978 Albanian parliamentary election
Parliamentary elections were held in the People's Socialist Republic of Albania on 12 November 1978. The Democratic Front was the only party able to contest the elections, and subsequently won all 250 seats. Voter turnout was reported to be 100%, with all but one of the country's 1,436,289 registered voters casting votes.


1978 Algerian Cup Final
The 1978 Algerian Cup Final was the 16th final of the Algerian Cup. The final took place on May 1, 1978, at Stade 5 Juillet 1962 in Algiers with kick-off at 20:00.


1978 Alitalia Florence Open
The 1978 Alitalia Florence Open was a men's tennis tournament played on outdoor clay courts in Florence, Italy that was part of the 1978 Colgate-Palmolive Grand Prix circuit. It was the sixth edition of the tournament and was played from 15 May until 21 May 1978. Unseeded José Luis Clerc won the singles title.


1978 Alitalia Florence Open, Finals, Doubles
Corrado Barazzutti /  Adriano Panatta defeated  Mark Edmondson /  John Marks 6–3, 6–7, 6–3


1978 All England Open Badminton Championships
The 1978 All England Championships was a badminton tournament held at Wembley Arena, London, England, from 15–18 March 1978. The event was sponsored by John Player.


1978 All England Open Badminton Championships, Men's singles, Seeds
1-2  Rudy Hartono1-2  Svend Pri3-4  Flemming Delfs3-4  Thomas Kihlström5-8  Morten Frost Hansen5-8  Liem Swie King


1978 All-Africa Games
The 3rd All-Africa Games – Algiers 1978 was a multi-sport event played from July 13, 1978, to July 28, 1978, in Algiers, Algeria. 45 countries from 49 independent African countries participated in twelve sports.


1978 All-Africa Games
At the closing ceremonies the torch was passed to Nairobi, Kenya to begin preparations for the IVth All-Africa Games in 1987. After the games, Morocco boycotted the competition following the recognition of Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic by the AU until 2019.


1978 All-Africa Games, The games, Opening ceremony
The opening ceremony officially began on July 13, 1978. It was organized by Mohamed Zerguini, president of the Algerian Olympic Committee and member of the International Olympic Committee. It was attended by Lord Killanin (president of the International Olympic Committee), Mohamed Mzali (vice-president of the IOC), Masaji Kiyokawa (Vice Chairman of the IOC), the French Count Jean de Beaumont, the IOC executive members Juan Antonio Samaranch, Mohamed Benjelloun, Lamine Keita, Mohamed Abel Halim and other members and 45 presidents or representatives of the African National Olympic Committees. And finally Ignaty Novikov president of the Organizing Committees of the Olympic Games accompanied with representatives of Organizing Committees of the 1979 Mediterranean Games in Split.


1978 All-Africa Games, The games, Closing ceremony
At the conclusion of the games it was known where the next games would be held as Nairobi had come forth to offer to hold the games in 1987.


1978 All-Africa Games, The games, Stars of the games
Henry Rono, the Kenyan star who had already set four world records on the track in 1978 won the 10,000 meters and 3000 meters steeplechase. Filbert Bayi again took the 1500 meters gold medal. The Algeria national football team wins the gold medal of the games against Nigeria, Ghana wins the bronze medal.


1978 All-Africa Games, Participating Nations
The following is a list of nations that participated in the 1978 All-Africa Games:


1978 All-Africa Games, Results, Athletics
Malian discus thrower Namakoro Niaré won his third title, being the only athlete to do so. Four athletes, two male and two female, won more than one event:


1978 All-Africa Games, Results, Athletics
Some new events were added: Decathlon and pentathlon, for men and women respectively, as well as men's 20 km road walk.


1978 All-Africa Games, Results, Football
The football tournament was won by the host country Algeria.


1978 All-Africa Games, Concerns and controversies, Egyptian incident
The Egyptian team, which had topped the medals table in the previous two games was called home by its government midway through the games after a brawl marred the football tournament. A fight between Libyans and Egyptians began at the end of the match after a Libyan player struck his opponent. The field became a ring between the players and leaders on both sides. It was reported that Algerian police did stop the violence. Live television broadcast the melee to Egypt. Egypt decided, as a result of these incidents, to withdraw from the competition and the Egyptian Prime minister called the team home immediately.


1978 All-Africa Games, Concerns and controversies, The meeting of Algiers
The meeting gave those African nations associated with the Commonwealth a chance to address another brewing controversy; their proposed boycott of the 1978 Commonwealth Games which were to be held the following month in Edmonton, Canada. The discussions were fruitful and the boycott was not carried out.


1978 All-Big Eight Conference football team
The 1978 All-Big Eight Conference football team consists of American football players chosen by various organizations for All-Big Eight Conference teams for the 1978 NCAA Division I-A football season. The selectors for the 1978 season included the Associated Press (AP).


1978 All-Big Ten Conference football team
The 1978 All-Big Ten Conference football team consists of American football players chosen by various organizations for All-Big Ten Conference teams for the 1978 Big Ten Conference football season. The only player unanimously selected by the conference coaches as a  first-team player was Michigan fullback Russell Davis. Michigan State flanker Kirk Gibson fell one point short of unanimity, and running back Marion Barber, Jr., fell two points short.


1978 All-Big Ten Conference football team, Key
UPI = United Press International, selected by the Big Ten Conference coaches


1978 All-Ireland Minor Football Championship
The 1978 All-Ireland Minor Football Championship was the 47th staging of the All-Ireland Minor Football Championship, the Gaelic Athletic Association's premier inter-county Gaelic football tournament for boys under the age of 18.


1978 All-Ireland Minor Football Championship
Down entered the championship as defending champions, however, they were defeated in the Ulster Championship.


1978 All-Ireland Minor Football Championship
On 24 September 1978, Mayo won the championship following a 4-9 to 3-8 defeat of Dublin in the All-Ireland final. This was their fourth All-Ireland title overall and their first title in seven championship seasons.


1978 All-Ireland Minor Hurling Championship
The 1978 All-Ireland Minor Hurling Championship was the 48th staging of the All-Ireland Minor Hurling Championship since its establishment by the Gaelic Athletic Association in 1928.


1978 All-Ireland Minor Hurling Championship
On 3 September 1978 Cork won the championship following a 1-15 to 1-8 defeat of Kilkenny in the All-Ireland final. This was their 13th All-Ireland title and their first in four championship seasons.


1978 All-Ireland Senior B Hurling Championship
The All-Ireland Senior B Hurling Championship of 1978 was the fifth staging of Ireland's secondary hurling knock-out competition. Antrim won the championship, beating London 1–16 to 3–7 in the final at Croke Park, Dublin.


1978 All-Ireland Senior B Hurling Championship, The championship, Format
Home final: (1 match) The winners of the two semi-finals contest this game. One team is eliminated at this stage while the winners advance to the 'proper' All-Ireland final.


1978 All-Ireland Senior B Hurling Championship, The championship, Format
Final: (1 match) The winners of the All-Ireland 'home' final join London to contest this game. One team is eliminated at this stage while the winners are allowed to participate in the All-Ireland SHC quarter-final.


1978 All-Ireland Senior Camogie Championship
The 1978 All Ireland Camogie Championship was won by Cork, who beat Dublin by 17 points in the final. It was the last final to be played using the second crossbar.


1978 All-Ireland Senior Camogie Championship, Championship
Margaret O'Toole scored the goal to bring Clare into the All-Ireland semi-final for the second successive year and third time in all.


1978 All-Ireland Senior Camogie Championship, Semi-final
Dublin’s superior ground play and first half goals from Anne Byrne and Mary Mernagh proved decisive in a semi-final victory over Wexford played in torrential rain.


1978 All-Ireland Senior Camogie Championship, Final
Cork scored three goals (from Sheila Murray, Nancy O'Driscoll and Pat Moloney) and two points without reply in the opening twenty minutes, ending the game as a contest. Cork added two goals late in the second half when Dublin showed signs of recovering. Sean Kilfeather wrote in the Irish Times:


1978 All-Ireland Senior Camogie Championship, Final
Dublin were left with a completely hopeless task after only 20 minutes, by which time Cork had scored three goals and two points, without reply. By half-time Cork had added another goal and Dublin were still scoreless. The second half saw Dublin put up a plucky fright and we were left wondering why they were so ineffective earlier. Had Dublin adopted different tactics from the start, they would scarcely have been outscored to the extent of 17 points.


1978 All-Ireland Senior Camogie Championship, Final
In many years watching Cork camogie teams I do not think I have seen one play better than yesterday. Cork, for whom nothing could go wrong yesterday, were obviously far the superior side from the start, the game was always entertaining, even though it lacked a real competitive element. All through it was a delight t watch the speed style, and skill of such long serving Corkonians as Pat Moloney and full back Marie Costine.


1978 All-Ireland Senior Camogie Championship, Final
Mary Geaney was an Ireland women's field hockey international and officials of the Irish Ladies Hockey Union attended the match as guests. Nancy O'Driscoll was the first player to have captained Cork at two different grades.


1978 All-Ireland Senior Camogie Championship Final
The 1978 All-Ireland Senior Camogie Championship Final was the 47th All-Ireland Final and the deciding match of the 1978 All-Ireland Senior Camogie Championship, an inter-county camogie tournament for the top teams in Ireland.


1978 All-Ireland Senior Club Hurling Championship Final
The 1978 All-Ireland Senior Club Hurling Championship final was a hurling match played at Semple Stadium on 27 March 1978 to determine the winners of the 1977–78 All-Ireland Senior Club Hurling Championship, the eighth season of the All-Ireland Senior Club Hurling Championship, a tournament organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association for the champion clubs of the four provinces of Ireland. The final was contested by St Finbarr's of Cork and Rathnure of Wexford, with St Finbarr's winning by 2-7 to 0-9.


1978 All-Ireland Senior Club Hurling Championship Final
The All-Ireland final between St Finbarr's and Rathnure was a unique occasion as it was the first ever championship meeting between the two teams. It remains their only championship meeting. St Finbarr's were hoping to become only the third team to win a second All-Ireland title. Rathnure were appearing in their third All-Ireland final having never won the title.


1978 All-Ireland Senior Club Hurling Championship Final
A gale-force wind hindered the St Finbarr's challenge in the opening half, allowing Rathnure to take an 0-8 to 0-1 interval lead. Ten minutes from the full-time whistle Barry Wiley scored an equalizer that gave "the Barr's" an increased impetus. A Jimmy Barry-Murphy goal from a rebound settled the game as St Finbarr's claimed a four-point victory.


1978 All-Ireland Senior Club Hurling Championship Final
The All-Ireland victory for St Finbarr's was the second of their two championship titles. They were the third Cork representatives to win two All-Ireland titles.


1978 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship
The 1978 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship was the 92nd staging of the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship, the Gaelic Athletic Association's premier inter-county Gaelic football tournament. The championship began on 7 May 1978 and ended on 24 September 1978.


1978 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship
On 24 September 1978, Kerry won the championship following a 5-11 to 0-9 defeat of Dublin in the All-Ireland final. This was their 24th All-Ireland title and their first in three championship seasons.


1978 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship
Kerry's Pat Spillane was the choice for Texaco Footballer of the Year. Dublin's Jimmy Keaveney was the championship's top scorer with 2-31.


1978 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship, Leinster Championship format change
In 1978 Round 2 returns to the Leinster football championship.


1978 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Final
The 1978 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Final was the 91st All-Ireland Final and the deciding match of the 1978 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship, an inter-county Gaelic football tournament for the top teams in Ireland.


1978 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Final
Dublin had won the previous two finals and were bidding for a third consecutive victory. Kerry, their opponents, denied them to secure their own third from four All-Ireland football titles they won during the 1970s. This was Kerry's first of four consecutive championships, setting them on the streak that inspired the five in a row that never occurred.


1978 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Final
In 2018, Martin Breheny listed this as the eighth greatest All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Final. It is also noted for a famous first-half goal by Mikey Sheehy, with Sheehy lobbing the Dublin goalkeeper Paddy Cullen while Cullen argued with referee Séamus Aldridge.


1978 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Final, Match, Summary
Dublin played the opening half towards the Railway End of Croke Park, that part of the stadium featuring Hill 16. Kerry played the first half towards the Canal End.


1978 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Final, Match, Summary
Dublin dominated the opening third. Their goalkeeper Paddy Cullen, according to Con Houlihan, caught "a few swirling lofted balls, dropping almost onto his crossbar... as composed and technically correct as if being done to illustrate a text book". Cullen's distribution was also perfect during this period of the game. Dublin's "swift triangular" play led Kerry to foul their opponents and Jimmy Keaveney duly converted the frees. Kerry forward Eoin Liston roamed so far down field that his marker Séan Doherty was within sight of the Kerry goal.


1978 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Final, Match, Summary
With 25 minutes gone, Dublin were ahead by 0–6 to 0–1. Dublin kept confidently going forward until a quick brace of passes from Jack O'Shea and Pat Spillane put John Egan through on Cullen in the Dublin goal. Cullen was not far enough forward. He set off only for Egan to fist the football over his head and into the Dublin net. Kerry, encouraged, scored a few points only for Dublin to take the lead with a point of their own.


1978 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Final, Match, Summary
John O'Keeffe took a free, deep within the Kerry half. Jack O'Shea caught the football and drove it on a long central trajectory to the 21-yard line. A fist from Mikey Sheehy sent the football behind Dublin's backs. Dublin goalkeeper Paddy Cullen kicked the ball away from Sheehy. Referee Séamus Aldridge blew his whistle for a Kerry free. Sheehy then scored his famous lobbed goal, while Cullen argued with Aldridge. Michael O'Hehir's befuddled live television commentary went: "Paddy Cullen going out for it... And Paddy Cullen... Oh dearie me. Paddy Cullen adjudged... Oh!


1978 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Final, Match, Summary
A goal, in the greatest freak of all time! The referee gave a free to, eh, Kerry from the 14 metre line, here it is again. Nobody was expecting the ball to be kicked, and before Paddy Cullen could get back into the goal, the ball was in the net". The manner of the goal is still contentious today. While Aldridge had awarded a free to Kerry, there are those who maintain that Ger Power had fouled Cullen shortly before. In any event, Sheehy lobbed the ball over Cullen to give his team the lead. RTÉ chose it as one of the Top 20 GAA Moments in 2005 and it features prominently in the 1978 episode of Reeling in the Years. According to Martin Breheny, it is also one of the most viewed incidents from the GAA's archives.


1978 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Final, Match, Summary
Dublin's resistance collapsed in the second half. The half ended in a score of 3–8 to 0–2 in Kerry's favour. Eoin Liston scored the three second-half goals. Kerry won by seventeen points.


1978 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Final, Post-match
In the Evening Press the following day, Con Houlihan memorably described Cullen's misfortune: "Paddy dashed back towards his goal like a woman who smells a cake burning. The ball won the race and it curled inside the near post as Paddy crashed into the outside of the net and lay against it like a fireman who had returned to find his station ablaze".


1978 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Final, Post-match
Cullen and Sheehy recreated the goal in 2017 as part of the centenary commemorations of Austin Stacks (the club of Sheehy and Ger Power in Tralee). Cullen donned an apron for the occasion and roared "Me cake" as he ran towards the goal.


1978 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Final, Post-match
Kevin Moran was a member of the losing Dublin team that day. Moran is known to the English (and others) for his time spent playing soccer with Manchester United.


1978 All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship
The 1978 All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship was the 92nd staging of the All-Ireland hurling championship since its establishment by the Gaelic Athletic Association in 1887. The championship began on 30 April 1978 and ended on 3 September 1978.


1978 All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship
On 3 September 1978, Cork won the championship following a 1-15 to 2-8 defeat of Kilkenny in the All-Ireland final. This was their 24th All-Ireland title, their third championship in succession.


1978 All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship
Kilkenny's Liam "Chunky" O'Brien was the championship's top scorer with 1-23. Cork's John Horgan was the choice for Hurler of the Year.


1978 All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship, Broadcasting
The following matches were broadcast live on television in Ireland on RTÉ.


1978 All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship Final
The 1978 All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship Final was the 91st All-Ireland Final and the culmination of the 1978 All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship, an inter-county hurling tournament for the top teams in Ireland. The match was held at Croke Park, Dublin, on 3 September 1978, between Cork and Kilkenny. The Leinster champions lost to their Munster opponents on a score line of 1-15 to 2-8.


1978 All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship Final, All-Ireland final, Overview
In the early days of 1978 Cork's hurling followers wondered if the county senior team would complete the holy grail of capturing three consecutive All-Ireland wins in-a-row. A poor showing in the National Hurling League discouraged the followers; however, the side comfortably won the Munster Championship and qualified for a third consecutive All-Ireland final appearance. Cork had defeated Wexford in the two previous championship deciders, however, to defeat their old rivals Kilkenny to capture the third in-a-row would prove the worth of this team. It was the first championship meeting of these two teams since Kilkenny defeated Cork in the All-Ireland final of 1972.


1978 All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship Final, All-Ireland final, Match report
Sunday 3 September was the date of the All-Ireland final and conditions were almost excellent with sunshine in the early stages of the game. Roy Jenkins, the President of the European Commission, was a special guest at the game and he sat beside Jack Lynch, a former Cork player and one of the all-time greats of the game who was now Taoiseach.


1978 All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship Final, All-Ireland final, Match report
The game began at a lightning pace with Jimmy Barry-Murphy grabbing the sliothar on the wing after the throw-in. His shot went straight over the bar to put Cork on the scoreboard after just twenty-five seconds of play. Immediately after the puck-out the play switched to the Cork goalmouth, however, a Frank Cummins shot went wide. Back at the other end of the field after the puck-out team captain Charlie McCarthy did likewise for Cork when his first shot of the day went wide.


1978 All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship Final, All-Ireland final, Match report
Soon after this the ball broke to Ray Cummins down on the wing on the Hogan Stand side and he was completely unmarked. His shot was not a good one and was pulled down by Kilkenny goalkeeper Noel Skehan and was promptly cleared. What could have been another Cork score quickly turned into a Kilkenny attack. As the sliothar was sent into the Cork goalmouth two of the team’s defenders collided as it dropped to Liam ‘Chunky’ O’Brien. O’Brien flicked it onto Kevin Fennelly who had an easy tap into the net to capture Kilkenny’s first score of the afternoon.


1978 All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship Final, All-Ireland final, Match report
Almost immediately Brian Cody had the opportunity to his side three points up, however, his shot went wide. Cork’s ultra accurate free-taker, John Horgan, did likewise for his team soon afterwards when his long-range free tailed wide. After another intensive tussle around midfield the ball broke to Ray Cummins once again and he took off on a solo run in the direction of Kilkenny’s goal. As he edged nearer he was pulled down and a penalty was awarded. Tim Crowley stepped up to take the penalty and had every intention of going for a goal. His shot was a good one, however, it was stopped by Noel Skehan who cleared his lines and gave his defenders some respite. The next score of the day came for Cork when 21-year-old Tom Cashman pointed for his team.


1978 All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship Final, All-Ireland final, Match report
Shortly after the puck-out Cork were awarded a free in their own half. John Horgan stepped up to take the free and, while his effort was a good one, the sliothar hit Kilkenny’s upright and came back into play to an unsuspecting Charlie McCarthy. The sliothar eventually broke to Gerald McCarthy who slotted over Cork’s third point to level the sides for the first time. Kilkenny’s response was not an effective one as Billy Fitzpatrick and Mick Brennan sent over two wides in close succession.


1978 All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship Final, All-Ireland final, Match report
At the other end of the field Tim Crowley was more accurate for Cork when he pointed to give his side the narrowest of leads. Both sides exchanged wides soon afterwards while John Horgan’s nightmare continued as another one of his frees went wide. A Mick Brennan point for Kilkenny leveled the sides once again; however, this was quickly cancelled out by a Seánie O'Leary effort at the canal end of the pitch. On the stroke of twenty minutes ‘Chunky’ O’Brien sent over a free to restore parity on the scoreboard once again.


1978 All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship Final, All-Ireland final, Match report
This period of level scores was soon over when Charlie McCarthy sent over another free to give Cork the narrowest of leads once again. The puck-out broke around the midfield area to Jimmy Barry-Murphy who failed to raise the sliothar onto his hurley but passed it along the ground to Seánie O’Leary. He too was unable to control the sliothar and went crashing out over the sideline into a photographer and ended up under a Coca-Cola advertisement in front of the canal end terrace.


1978 All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship Final, All-Ireland final, Match report
Not long after this incident John Horgan failed to increase the lead when he sent his third free of the day wide before Billy Fitzpatrick restored level scores again with another point for ‘the Cats’. After play resumed Jimmy Barry-Murphy failed to capture his second point of the day when his shot also failed to hit the target while a Ray Cummins shot was also batted out as he was yet to make an impact on the game.


1978 All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship Final, All-Ireland final, Match report
Kilkenny took the lead for the second time shortly after these two misses when ‘Chunky’ O’Brien captured his second point of the day. Mick Brennan failed to extend this lead when his effort went wide. With three minutes left before the interval Charlie McCarthy scored his second point of the day to level the scores once again. This was the last score of the half and both sides were level at half-time - Cork 0-7, Kilkenny 1-4.


1978 All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship Final, All-Ireland final, Match report
Mick Brennan gave Kilkenny the lead again immediately after the restart when he captured another point for Kilkenny. Cork, however, fought back and quickly restored their lead courtesy of two converted frees by Charlie McCarthy. Ray Cummins continued to have a dismal afternoon when his shot on goal was saved again by Noel Skehan and cleared immediately. Kevin Fennelly was equally unlucky when his attempt at a point hit the upright and was cleared. Richie Reid subsequently failed to draw the teams level when his effort also went wide.


1978 All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship Final, All-Ireland final, Match report
Joe Hennessy got his name on the score sheet soon afterwards when his ‘65’ went straight over the bar. ‘Chunky’ O’Brien gave Kilkenny a one-point lead once again, however, Cork quickly embarked on their most impressive passage of play since the game began. A Charlie McCarthy free from an awkward angle gave Cork a lift and sent the players on a scoring spree. Tim Crowley, who was enjoying a great battle with Frank Cummins at midfield, gradually wore down the dominance of his opponent.


1978 All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship Final, All-Ireland final, Match report
He grabbed the sliothar straight after the puck-out, broke away down the Cusack Stand side wing on a strong solo run and shot over a spectacular point to lift his team even more. Kilkenny’s response came in the form of a shot from Brian Cody, however, this went wide. Charlie McCarthy stretched Cork’s lead to two points after fifty-five minutes of play after he converted a free. Gerald McCarthy chipped in with another point to give Cork more confidence and a solid lead for the first time in the game.


1978 All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship Final, All-Ireland final, Match report
‘Chunky’ O’Brien converted another free to claw one back for ‘the Cats’ before he was taken off and replaced by Pat Henderson. The game tightened up once again and the scores were slower in coming. With about thirteen minutes left to play in the game the ball broke to Jimmy Barry-Murphy just to the left of the Kilkenny goalpost. He sent in a low shot that bobbled along the ground and somehow found its way into the Kilkenny net.


1978 All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship Final, All-Ireland final, Match report
The significance of this goal was summed up by RTÉ commentator Michael O'Hehir who declared ‘…and Jimmy Barry-Murphy, the scorer of the goal that could win an All-Ireland.’  This gave Cork a five-point lead; however, this was eaten into immediately when Billy Fitzpatrick responded with a goal of his own. With Cork leading by 1-13 to 2-8 the destination of the Liam McCarthy Cup still hung in the balance. Charlie McCarthy failed to extend Cork’s lead after the puck-out as his effort went wide.


1978 All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship Final, All-Ireland final, Match report
With time running out Kilkenny were awarded a line ball in the corner of the Hogan and Nally Stands. Ray Cummins, who was having an off day by his standards, blocked the sliothar and nonchalantly sent it over the bar to restore Cork’s three-point lead. The dying minutes of the game saw both sides shoot over wides, two for Cork and one for Kilkenny. The final score of the day, and indeed the final score of the championship, went to Cork’s captain Charlie McCarthy who slotted over a neat point. The referee blew the full-time whistle immediately after the puck-out and Cork had won the game by 1-15 to 2-8.


1978 All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship Final, All-Ireland final, Match report
As Charlie McCarthy climbed the steps of the Hogan Stand to receive the Liam McCarthy Cup there was a large Cork contingent there to meet him. The Secretary-General of the Gaelic Athletic Association, Seán Ó Síocháin, hailed from Cork and was the first to greet McCarthy on the rostrum. Jack Lynch, one of the all-time greats of hurling and the Taoiseach at the time, was the next person to extend his congratulations to the winning captain. Finally, Con Murphy, the President of the GAA, was also a native of Cork and a former player. He presented the cup to a Cork captain for the third year in-a-row.


1978 All-Ireland Senior Ladies' Football Championship Final
The 1978 All-Ireland Senior Ladies' Football Championship Final was the fifth All-Ireland Final and the deciding match of the 1978 All-Ireland Senior Ladies' Football Championship, an inter-county ladies' Gaelic football tournament for the top teams in Ireland.


1978 All-Ireland Senior Ladies' Football Championship Final
The wet conditions didn't suit Roscommon's speedy players, but they won anyway.


1978 All-Ireland Senior Ladies' Football Championship Final
Madeline Treacy and Triona Moran scored the goals. Liz O'Brien pitched in with two points. Mary Shield registered Roscommon's remaining score.


1978 All-Ireland Under-21 Football Championship
The 1978 All-Ireland Under-21 Football Championship was the 15th staging of the All-Ireland Under-21 Football Championship since its establishment by the Gaelic Athletic Association in 1964.


1978 All-Ireland Under-21 Football Championship
Kerry entered the championship as defending champions in search of a record-breaking fourth successive All-Ireland title.


1978 All-Ireland Under-21 Football Championship
On 15 October 1978, Roscommon won the championship following a 1-9 to 1-8 defeat of Kerry in the All-Ireland final. This was their second All-Ireland title overall and their first in 12 championship seasons.


1978 All-Ireland Under-21 Hurling Championship
The 1978 All-Ireland Under-21 Hurling Championship was the 15th staging of the All-Ireland Under-21 Hurling Championship since its establishment by the Gaelic Athletic Association in 1964.


1978 All-Ireland Under-21 Hurling Championship
Kilkenny entered the championship as the defending champions, however, they were defeated in the provincial series.


1978 All-Ireland Under-21 Hurling Championship
On 29 October 1978, Galway won the championship following a 3-15 to 2-08 defeat of Tipperary in a replay of the All-Ireland final. This was their second All-Ireland title in the under-21 grade and their first in six championship seasons.


1978 All-Ireland Under-21 Hurling Championship Final
The 1978 All-Ireland Under-21 Hurling Championship final was a hurling match played at the Gaelic Grounds, Limerick on 8 October 1978 to determine the winners of the 1978 All-Ireland Under-21 Hurling Championship, the 15th season of the All-Ireland Under-21 Hurling Championship, a tournament organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association for the champion teams of the four provinces of Ireland. The final was contested by Galway of Connacht and Tipperary of Munster, with the game ending in a 3-5 to 2-8 draw. The replay took place on 29 October 1978, with Galway winning by 3-15 to 2-8.


1978 All-Pacific-10 Conference football team
The 1978 All-Pacific-10 Conference football team consists of American football players chosen by various organizations for All-Pacific-10 Conference teams for the 1978 NCAA Division I-A football season.


1978 All-Pro Team
The following is a list of players that were named to the Associated Press All-Pro Team, the Newspaper Enterprise Association All-Pro team and the Pro Football Writers Association  and Pro Football Weekly All-Pro teams in 1978. Both first- and second- teams are listed for the AP and NEA teams. These are the four All-Pro teams that were included in the Total Football II: The Official Encyclopedia of the National Football League.


1978 All-Pro Team, Key
AP = Associated Press All-Pro team; AP-2 Associated Press Second-team All-Pro; PFWA = Pro Football Writers Association All-Pro team; NEA = Newspaper Enterprise Association All-Pro team. ; NEA-2 Newspaper Enterprise Association Second-team All-Pro; PFW = Pro Football Weekly All-pro team; t = players tied in voting.


1978 All-SEC football team
The 1978 All-SEC football team consists of American football players selected to the All-Southeastern Conference (SEC) chosen by various selectors for the 1978 NCAA Division I-A football season.


1978 All-SEC football team, Key
Bold = Consensus first-team selection by both AP and UPI


1978 Allan Cup
The 1978 Allan Cup was the Canadian national senior ice hockey championship for the 1977-78 Senior "A" season. The event was hosted by the Kimberley Dynamiters in Kimberley, British Columbia. The 1978 playoff marked the 70th time that the Allan Cup has been awarded.


1978 Allsvenskan, Overview
The league was contested by 14 teams, with Östers IF winning the championship.


1978 Alpine Skiing World Cup – Men's Downhill, Final point standings
In Men's Downhill World Cup 1977/78 the best 5 results count. Four racers had a point deduction, which are given in brackets. For the very first time there was a shared win, when Josef Walcher and Sepp Ferstl tied in the second race at Kitzbühel. Franz Klammer won his fourth Downhill World Cup in a row - this record is still unbeaten.


1978 Amateur World Series
The 1978 Amateur World Series was the 25th Amateur World Series (AWS), an international men's amateur baseball tournament. The tournament was sanctioned by the International Baseball Federation (which titled it the Baseball World Cup as of the 1988 tournament). The tournament took place in Italy, only the second time outside the Americas, from August 25 to September 6, and was won by Cuba – its 15th AWS victory.


1978 Amateur World Series
There were 11 participating countries, including first-time participants Belgium and Australia.


1978 Amco Cup
The 1978 Amco Cup was the 5th edition of the NSWRFL Midweek Knockout Cup, a NSWRFL-organised national club Rugby League tournament between the leading clubs and representative teams from the NSWRFL, the BRL, the CRL, the QRL, the NZRL, Western Australia and the Northern Territory.


1978 Amco Cup
A total of 38 teams from across Australia and New Zealand played 37 matches in a straight knock-out format, with the matches being held midweek during the premiership season.


1978 Amco Cup, Final
As with all mid-season Cup games, the Final of the 1978 Amco Cup was broadcast into NSW by 0–10 with commentary from Ray Warren, Keith Barnes and in his first ever co-commentating role on television, legendary rugby league broadcaster Frank Hyde.


1978 American 500
The 1978 American 500 was a NASCAR Winston Cup Series race that took place on October 22, 1978, at North Carolina Motor Speedway in Rockingham, North Carolina. Four hundred and ninety-two laps were done on a paved oval track spanning 1.017 miles (1.637 km). Forty-six thousand people would attend the race live to see 36 cars (and only 19 of them finish the race). Other notable drivers included: Darrell Waltrip (who went on to be a NASCAR announcer for FOX), Benny Parsons, Richard Petty, Richard Childress, and J.D. McDuffie (who would die at Watkins Glen during a racing event in the 1991 NASCAR Winston Cup Series season).


1978 American 500
North Carolina Motor Speedway was affectionately referred to at the time as The Action Track; delivering much action from motorcycle racing to stock car events. The Baby Grand 125 was an ARCA (Automobile Racing Club of America) companion race that took place the previous day. People could buy the official program during both races at a relatively low price of $3 USD ($11.76 when adjusted for inflation).


1978 American 500, Race report
Cale Yarborough won the race's pole position and would eventually go onto leading 376 laps of the 492 that were actually done. Bobby Allison lost to Yarborough by more than two laps. Cale Yarborough automatically clinched his third straight NASCAR Winston Cup championship as a result of winning this race.


1978 American 500, Race report
As a result of recent rule changes brought about by the implementation of an organized NASCAR playoffs system in the 21st century; this situation is no longer possible under the current NASCAR regime. Bobby Wawak drove Richard Childress Backup car in this race.


1978 American 500, Race report
The racing entries were mostly made of Chevrolet vehicles with very few Ford and Dodge entries. Four hours, fifteen minutes, and fifty-eight seconds was the duration of the entire race. The first green flag was waved at noon while the checkered flag was waved at approximately 4:15 P.M.. Engine problems were dominant in the race with only Bill Hollar actually quitting the race for "personal reasons." Donnie Allison would become ill after leading 12 laps and would drop out of the race; no relief driver was ever found. Five cautions slowed the race for 52 laps and Baxter Price (in his Chevrolet Chevelle Laguna) was the lowest driver to actually finish the race.


1978 American 500, Race report
Joe Frasson would finish his NASCAR Cup Series career by participating in this race and finishing in 23rd place after starting in 25th place (improving his position by two places). Charlie Blanton and Johnny Halford would also retire from NASCAR after this race. Frasson drove the race using a self-owned #18 vehicle with a 1978 Buick Century as his manufacturer and model. The number would be transferred over to a Chevrolet machine when it was transferred to Joe Gibbs Racing starting in the 1992 Daytona 500 and remains with JGR to the present day. The number in question would ultimately become synonymous with Kyle Busch's Toyota Camry starting in 2008. Top prize at this race would be $23,360 in American dollars ($91,568.82 when adjusted for inflation).


1978 American 500, Finishing order
† Driver is known to be deceased * Driver failed to finish race


1978 American Airlines Tennis Games
The 1978 American Airlines Tennis Games was a men's tennis tournament played on outdoor hard courts. It was the fifth edition of the Indian Wells Masters and was part of the 1978 Colgate-Palmolive Grand Prix. The tournament was played at the Mission Hills Country Club in Rancho Mirage, California in the United States and held from February 13 through February 19, 1978. Roscoe Tanner won the singles title.


1978 American Airlines Tennis Games, Finals, Doubles
Raymond Moore /  Roscoe Tanner defeated  Bob Hewitt /  Frew McMillan 6–4, 6–4


1978 American Airlines Tennis Games – Doubles
Bob Hewitt and Frew McMillan were the defending champions but lost in the final 6–4, 6–4 against Raymond Moore and Roscoe Tanner.


1978 American Airlines Tennis Games – Singles
Brian Gottfried was the defending champion but lost in the quarterfinals to Peter Fleming.


1978 American Airlines Tennis Games – Singles
Roscoe Tanner won in the final 6–1, 7–6 against Raúl Ramirez.


1978 American League Championship Series
The 1978 American League Championship Series was held between the New York Yankees and the Kansas City Royals for the third consecutive year.


1978 American League Championship Series, Background
The Royals won 92 games that year and won the Western Division title by five games over the Texas Rangers. The Yankees overcame a midseason deficit of 14 games and went on to win a one-game playoff against the Boston Red Sox to win the Eastern crown and finish with 100 wins.


1978 American League Championship Series, Background
Unlike the prior two ALCS which went five games, this one took the Yankees only four games to wrap up, and the Yankees went on to represent the American League in the 1978 World Series. Notable performers in this series included Reggie Jackson, who hit two home runs, and Chris Chambliss, who had six base hits in 15 at bats. George Brett and Amos Otis were the hitting stars for the Royals.