1996 All-Ireland Under-21 Football Championship
On 8 September 1996, Kerry won the championship following a 1-17 to 2-10 defeat of Cavan in the All-Ireland final. This was their eighth All-Ireland title overall and their second in successive championship seasons.


1996 All-Ireland Under-21 Hurling Championship
The 1996 All-Ireland Under-21 Hurling Championship was the 33rd staging of the All-Ireland Under-21 Hurling Championship since its establishment by the Gaelic Athletic Association in 1964. The championship began on 12 June 1996 and ended on 10 September 1996.


1996 All-Ireland Under-21 Hurling Championship
Tipperary entered the championship as the defending champions, however, they were beaten by Cork in the Munster semi-final.


1996 All-Ireland Under-21 Hurling Championship
On 10 September 1995, Galway won the championship following a 1-14 to 0-7 defeat of Wexford in the All-Ireland final. This was their 7th All-Ireland title overall and their first championship title since 1993.


1996 All-Ireland Under-21 Hurling Championship
Cork's Joe Deane was the championship's top scorer with 4-09.


1996 All-Ireland Under-21 Hurling Championship Final
The 1996 All-Ireland Under-21 Hurling Championship final was a hurling match that was played on 8 September 1996 to determine the winners of the 1996 All-Ireland Under-21 Hurling Championship, the 33rd 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 Wexford of Leinster, with Galway winning by 1-14 to 0-7.


1996 All-Pro Team
The 1996 All-Pro Team is composed of the National Football League players that were named to the Associated Press, Pro Football Writers Association, and The Sporting News All-Pro Teams in 1996. Both first and second teams are listed for the AP team. These are the three teams that are included in Total Football II: The Official Encyclopedia of the National Football League. In 1996 the Pro Football Writers Association and Pro Football Weekly combined their All-pro teams, a practice with continues through 2008. In 1996 the AP added a new position, that of "Fullback",  a primarily blocking position.


1996 All-SEC football team
The 1996 All-SEC football team consists of American football players selected to the All-Southeastern Conference (SEC) chosen by various selectors for the 1996 NCAA Division I-A football season.


1996 All-SEC football team
The Florida Gators won the conference, beating the Alabama Crimson Tide 45 to 30 in the SEC Championship game. The Gators then won the national championship, defeating the Florida State Seminoles 52 to 20 in the Sugar Bowl.


1996 All-SEC football team
Florida quarterback Danny Wuerffel repeated as SEC Player of the Year.


1996 Allan Cup
The 1996 Allan Cup was the Canadian national senior ice hockey championship for the 1995-96 Senior "AAA" season. The event was hosted by the Unity Miners in Unity, Saskatchewan. The 1996 tournament marked the 88th time that the Allan Cup has been awarded.


1996 Allan Cup
The Warroad Lakers wrapped up their third of three consecutive Allan Cup titles in 1996, this would mark the seventh and last time and American club would win the Canadian Senior "AAA" title.


1996 Allsvenskan
Allsvenskan 1996, part of the 1996 Swedish football season, was the 72nd Allsvenskan season played. IFK Göteborg won the league ahead of runners-up Malmö FF, while Umeå FC, Djurgårdens IF and IK Oddevold were relegated.


1996 Aloha Bowl
The 1996 Aloha Bowl was a college football bowl game played December 25, 1996, in Honolulu, Hawaii. It was part of the 1996 NCAA Division I-A football season. It featured the Navy Midshipmen, and the California Golden Bears.


1996 Aloha Bowl
The game started with California cornerback Deltha O'Neal taking the opening kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown, giving the Golden Bears a 6-0 lead, but the extra point was blocked. Navy answered with a 7-yard touchdown run from tailback Tim Canada taking a 7-6 lead with 6:21 remaining in the 1st quarter.


1996 Aloha Bowl
The Golden Bears retook the lead just 3 minutes later with a 6-yard touchdown pass from Pat Barnes to Bobby Shaw giving Cal a 13-7 lead. The Midshipmen answered with two scores in the opening 5 minutes of the second stanza giving the Midshipmen a 21-13 lead. Navy had scored on touchdown drives of 76 and 95 yards.


1996 Aloha Bowl
With 6 minutes to play in the first half, Cal quarterback Pat Barnes found wide receiver Sean Bullard for a 20-yard touchdown pass, and found Na'il Benjamin for the two-point conversion tying the game at 21. The Cal defense than forced a 3 and out, and Deltha O'Neal scored on a 31 yard wide receiver reverse giving the Golden Bears a 28-21 lead.


1996 Aloha Bowl
With just 39 seconds in the first half, Navy quarterback Chris McCoy threw a 2-yard touchdown pass tying the game at 28, but Cal answered with a 20-yard Pat Barnes strike to Bobby Shaw, giving Cal a 35-28 lead going into halftime.


1996 Aloha Bowl
The second half featured less scoring. In the third quarter, Ryan Longwell kicked a 41-yard field goal to give Cal a 38-28 lead. In the fourth quarter, with 8 minutes remaining, back up quarterback Ben Fay forever became a part of Navy Football lore as he came off the bench and led the first of 2 Navy 4th quarter drives first scored on a 3-yard touchdown run making the score 38-35. Cal drove deep into Navy territory, but turned it over at the Navy 16-yard line with 3 minutes left. Then with just 1:41 remaining in the game, Fay scored on the game winning 10-yard touchdown run, making the final 42-38 Navy.


1996 Aloha Bowl
The game was notable for its offensive output, with both teams putting up 1080 combined yards, an Aloha Bowl record. Navy rolled up 646 yards of total offense in the game. The first half featured 63 points being scored. Wide receiver Cory Schemm broke the bowl game record for receiving yards with 193 in the game.


1996 Alpine Skiing World Cup – Men's Downhill, Final point standings
In the last race only the best racers were allowed to compete and only the best 15 finishers were awarded with points.


1996 Alpine Skiing World Cup – Men's Downhill, Final point standings
Overall | Downhill | Super G | Giant Slalom | Slalom | Combined


1996 Alpine Skiing World Cup – Men's Super G, Final point standings
In Men's Super G World Cup 1995/96 all results count. Atle Skårdal won the cup with only one race win. All races were won by different skiers.


1996 Alpine Skiing World Cup – Men's Super G, Final point standings
In the last race only the best racers were allowed to compete and only the best 15 finishers were awarded with points.


1996 Alpine Skiing World Cup – Men's Super G, Final point standings
Overall | Downhill | Super G | Giant Slalom | Slalom | Combined


1996 Amarnath Yatra tragedy
Amarnath Yatra tragedy (1996) is referred to the deaths of over 250 pilgrims in 1996 in Jammu and Kashmir state in India due to bad weather. The pilgrims were on annual pilgrimage (Yatra) to Amarnath shrine.


1996 Amarnath Yatra tragedy
The number of pilgrims in 1992 reached 50,000. The first attack against the pilgrims happened in 1993, that year Pakistan-based Harkat-ul-Ansar had announced a ban due to demolition of Babri Masjid. The pilgrimage however passed off mostly peacefully.


1996 Amarnath Yatra tragedy
In 1994-5 and 1998, the group again announced a ban on the annual Amarnath yatra. In 1996 the militants had assured that they would not interfere.


1996 Amarnath Yatra tragedy
So the number of pilgrims in  1996 were higher than usual. Between, 21 and 25 August 1996  about one lakh (100,000) yatris were simultaneously moving either up or down between  Jammu and the Amarnath.


1996 Amarnath Yatra tragedy
During this period there was unusually heavy snowfall along with severe blizzards along the yatra route. Nearly 242 yatris lost their lives due to exhaustion, exposure, freezing, etc. Over 263 dead bodies were found in and about the surroundings of the temple. National Conference government constituted a committee  headed by the retired IAS officer Dr. Nitish Sengupta which was asked to inquire into various aspects of the tragedy and suggest measures and remedies to avoid recurrence of such incidents in future.


1996 America's Red Clay Court Championships
The 1996 America's Red Clay Court Championships was a men's tennis tournament played on outdoor clay courts at the Sportsplex in Coral Springs, Florida in the United States and was part of the World Series of the 1996 ATP Tour. It was the fourth edition of the tournament and took place from May 13 through May 19, 1996. Jason Stoltenberg won the singles title.


1996 America's Red Clay Court Championships, Finals, Doubles
Todd Woodbridge /  Mark Woodforde defeated  Ivan Baron /  Brett Hansen-Dent 6–3, 6–3


1996 America's Red Clay Court Championships – Doubles
Todd Woodbridge and Mark Woodforde were the defending champions and won in the final 6–3, 6–3 against Ivan Baron and Brett Hansen-Dent.


1996 America's Red Clay Court Championships – Singles
Todd Woodbridge was the defending champion but lost in the second round to Sandon Stolle.


1996 America's Red Clay Court Championships – Singles
Jason Stoltenberg won in the final 7–6(7–4), 2–6, 7–5 against Chris Woodruff.


1996 American League Championship Series
The 1996 American League Championship Series (ALCS), the second round of the 1996 American League playoffs, matched the East Division champion New York Yankees against the Wild Card team, the Baltimore Orioles. The Yankees had the home field advantage in the series because they had won their division while the Orioles were the Wild Card team.


1996 American League Championship Series, Background
The two teams were victorious in the AL Division Series (ALDS), with the Yankees defeating the West Division champion Texas Rangers three games to one, and the Orioles defeating the Central Division champion Cleveland Indians three games to one. The Orioles were the first wild card team to advance to the LCS. The Yankees won the series four games to one to become the American League champions, and won against the National League champion Atlanta Braves in the 1996 World Series.


1996 American League Championship Series, Game summaries, Game 1
Wednesday, October 9, 1996, at Yankee Stadium (I) in Bronx, New York


1996 American League Championship Series, Game summaries, Game 1
The Yankees struck first in Game 1 when Tim Raines doubled to lead off the first off Scott Erickson, moved to third on a groundout, and scored on Bernie Williams's groundout, but the Orioles tied in the second off Andy Pettitte when Rafael Palmeiro drew a leadoff walk, moved to third on a double and scored on Eddie Murray's ground out.


1996 American League Championship Series, Game summaries, Game 1
The Yankees retook the lead in the second when Cecil Fielder drew a leadoff walk, moved two bases on an error and force out, then scored on Jim Leyritz's groundout, but Brady Anderson's home run in the third tied the game again. Next inning, Palmeiro's home run put the Orioles up 3–2. In the sixth, inning the Orioles loaded the bases on two walks and a single before B.J. Surhoff's sacrifice fly put them up 4–2. In the bottom of the seventh, inning Armando Benitez walked Darryl Strawberry with the bases loaded to cut Baltimore's lead to 4–3.


1996 American League Championship Series, Game summaries, Game 1
Next inning, the game would become most notable for the infamous "Jeffrey Maier Incident." Rookie Derek Jeter hit a fly ball to deep right field off Benítez. Right fielder Tony Tarasco backed up to the wall, but 12-year-old Yankees fan Jeffrey Maier reached over the fence and brought the ball into the stands and out of the field of play before Tarasco could attempt to catch the ball for a possible out.


1996 American League Championship Series, Game summaries, Game 1
Tarasco immediately pointed above and protested that it was fan interference, but right field umpire Rich Garcia controversially ruled it a home run and his call was upheld by the other members of the umpiring crew. The game then went into extra innings, where Bernie Williams ended it in the 11th inning with a walk-off home run into the left field seats off Baltimore's Randy Myers.


1996 American League Championship Series, Game summaries, Game 2
Thursday, October 10, 1996, at Yankee Stadium (I) in Bronx, New York


1996 American League Championship Series, Game summaries, Game 2
The Yankees struck first in Game 2 on three consecutive leadoff singles in the first off David Wells, the last of which to Bernie Williams scored Derek Jeter and put Tim Raines at third. Raines scored on Cecil Fielder's double play to put the Yankees up 2–0, but the Orioles tied the game on Todd Zeiles' two-run home run in the third after a walk off David Cone. In the seventh, Rafael Palmeiro drove a Jeff Nelson slider high over the right field fence for a two-run home run to put Baltimore up 4–2.


1996 American League Championship Series, Game summaries, Game 2
Wells allowed two singles in the bottom of the inning and was relieved by Alan Mills, who allowed an RBI single to Fielder to make it 4–3 Orioles, but in the eighth, Brady Anderson and Zeile hit back-to-back one-out singles off Nelson, who was relieved by Graeme Lloyd and Roberto Alomar's sacrifice fly made it 5–3 Orioles. In the ninth, the Yankees put runners on first and second with one out off Randy Myers before Armando Benítez came on to slam the door on the budding rally as the Orioles tied the series 1–1. Cone was wild, walking five batters in six innings of work, while Wells won for the tenth time in 11 career decisions at Yankee Stadium. The Yankees continued a trend that started in Game 1 by stranding 11 men on base, bringing their total to 24 for the series.


1996 American League Championship Series, Game summaries, Game 3
Friday, October 11, 1996, at Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore, Maryland


1996 American League Championship Series, Game summaries, Game 3
The Orioles got on the board in the first inning with a Todd Zeile two-run homer, his second of the series. After that, Jimmy Key cruised allowing only one more hit through eight innings. Meanwhile, Mike Mussina pitched well also, allowing just one run in the fourth when Bernie Williams walked with one out, moved to third on a single and scored on Cecil Fielder's groundout, but unraveled with two outs in the top of the eighth inning. Jeter started the rally with a double and scored on Bernie Williams' RBI single to tie the game.


1996 American League Championship Series, Game summaries, Game 3
Tino Martinez followed by spanking an opposite field double to left. As the relay came in from left field, Todd Zeile caught the ball and then faked a throw towards second. However, the ball slipped out of his hand and straight towards the ground. As the ball trickled away from him and shortstop Cal Ripken on the infield, Williams, who had been content to stay at third on the double, alertly scampered home to give the Yankees a 3–2 lead. Mussina then served up a hanging curveball to the next batter Cecil Fielder, who blasted it into the left field stands making the score 5–2. John Wetteland earned a save with a perfect ninth to give the Yankees a 2–1 series lead.


1996 American League Championship Series, Game summaries, Game 4
Saturday, October 12, 1996, at Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore, Maryland


1996 American League Championship Series, Game summaries, Game 4
The Yankees struck first on Bernie Williams's two-run home run in the top of the first off Rocky Coppinger. The Orioles cut the lead to 2–1 in the bottom of the inning on Rafael Palmeiro's sacrifice fly with runners on first and third off Kenny Rogers. Darryl Strawberry's leadoff home run next inning made it 3–1 Yankees, but Chris Hoiles's lead off home run in the third again cut their lead to one.


1996 American League Championship Series, Game summaries, Game 4
Paul O'Neill's two-run home in the fourth extended the Yankees' lead to 5–2, but in the bottom of the inning, Rogers allowed a walk and single to put runners on first and third with no outs for the Orioles. David Weathers in relief allowed an RBI single to B.J. Surhoff and groundout to Hoiles that again cut the Yankees' lead to one. Weathers and three relieved held Baltimore scoreless for the rest of the game while the Yankees padded their lead in the eighth. Williams hit a one-out double off Alan Mills, who was relieved by Jesse Orosco.


1996 American League Championship Series, Game summaries, Game 4
After Tino Martinez singled, Armando Benitez relieved Orosco and allowed an RBI groundout to Cecil Fielder before Strawberry's second home run of the game made it 8–4 Yankees. The Orioles in the bottom of the inning hit three straight leadoff singles to load the bases with no outs off Mariano Rivera, who struck out Hoiles and Brady Anderson, then got Todd Zeile to pop up to short to end the inning. John Wetteland retired the Orioles in order in the ninth to give the Yankees a 3–1 series lead.


1996 American League Championship Series, Game summaries, Game 5
Sunday, October 13, 1996, at Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore, Maryland


1996 American League Championship Series, Game summaries, Game 5
The Yankees clinched the series with a six-run third off Scott Erickson. Jim Leyritz led off the inning with a home run, then Derek Jeter and Wade Boggs hit consecutive one-out singles. Second baseman Roberto Alomar's error on Bernie Williams's ground ball let Jeter score and put runners on first and third. After Tino Martinez hit into a fielder's choice at home, Cecil Fielder's three-run home run put the Yankees up 5–0. Darryl Strawberry's home run then made it 6–0.


1996 American League Championship Series, Game summaries, Game 5
Though Erickson and three relievers held the Yankees scoreless for the rest of the game, Andy Pettitte pitched 5+2⁄3 shutout innings before Todd Zeile's home run in the sixth put the Orioles on the board. Eddie Murray's leadoff home run in the eighth made it 6–2 Yankees. In the ninth, John Wetteland relieved Pettitte and allowed a two-out two-run home run to Bobby Bonilla before Cal Ripken grounded out to end the series and send the Yankees to the World Series for the first time since 1981.


1996 American League Championship Series, Aftermath
Jeffery Maier became a mini-celebrity due to his role in Jeter’s controversial home run during Game 1. The New York Daily News allowed him to sit behind the Yankee dugout later in the postseason and he appeared on national talk shows throughout October '96. Maier played college baseball at Wesleyan University in Middletown, Connecticut and was available to be drafted in the 2006 MLB draft, but he was not selected by any team.


1996 American League Championship Series, Aftermath
After winning this series, the Yankees went on to defeat the Atlanta Braves in the World Series in six games. They would go on to win four out of the next five World Series and two more pennants in 2001 and 2003.


1996 American League Championship Series, Aftermath
The Orioles and Yankees have been division rivals since there has been an American League East, but the rivalry peaked from 1996 to 1998, and was highlighted by a near 15-minute brawl on May 19, 1998. The fight started when Orioles’ closer Armando Benitez threw a fastball near Tino Martinez’s shoulder after Benitez allowed a three-run homer to Yankees star Bernie Williams. Yankee reliever Graeme Lloyd sprinted in from the home bullpen toward Benitez. Eventually the fight rolled toward the Orioles' dugout with designated hitter Darryl Strawberry throwing a sucker punch at Benitez.


1996 American League Championship Series, Aftermath
The force of Strawberry's swing carried him into the Orioles' dugout, with players from both teams following. Alan Mills led the way, and pounded Strawberry in the face multiple times. Strawberry emerged with a bloodied mouth and a sore left hand after being restrained by Orioles bench coach and his former teammate Eddie Murray, third baseman Cal Ripken and Yankees manager Joe Torre.


1996 American League Championship Series, Aftermath
The Orioles would return to the ALCS the following year but were defeated by the Cleveland Indians. The Orioles would not reach the postseason again until 2012 after 14 straight losing seasons. The Orioles defeated the Texas Rangers in the first ever American League Wild Card game that same year to advance to the American League Division Series, where they would once again face the Yankees, who defeated them in five games.


1996 American League Division Series
The 1996 American League Division Series (ALDS), the opening round of the 1996 American League playoffs, began on Tuesday, October 1, and ended on Saturday, October 5, with the champions of the three AL divisions—along with a "wild card" team—participating in two best-of-five series. The teams were:


1996 American League Division Series
The Baltimore Orioles and New York Yankees went on to meet in the AL Championship Series (ALCS). The Yankees became the American League champion, and defeated the National League champion Atlanta Braves in the 1996 World Series. The Yankees' first World title since 1978.


1996 American League Division Series, Cleveland vs. Baltimore, Game 1
It was Baltimore's first playoff game since the clinching Game 5 of the 1983 World Series. For the Indians, it was their second consecutive division title. Charles Nagy and David Wells matched each other, but in the wrong way. Brady Anderson's leadoff homer in the bottom of the first gave the Orioles a 1–0 lead. In the top of the second, Manny Ramírez led off with a home run of his own to tie the game. Then B. J. Surhoff's one-out home run gave the Orioles the lead back.


1996 American League Division Series, Cleveland vs. Baltimore, Game 1
In the third, after a leadoff single, the Orioles added two more runs on an RBI double by Rafael Palmeiro and an RBI single by Cal Ripken, Jr., but after a single and double, Sandy Alomar, Jr. singled home a run and Omar Vizquel followed with a sacrifice fly that made it a one-run game in the fourth. That made it 4–3 and the Orioles needed to put the game away. With one out in the sixth, the Orioles loaded the bases on a single and two walks and chased Nagy out of the game.


1996 American League Division Series, Cleveland vs. Baltimore, Game 1
His reliever, Alan Embree, made things worse for Cleveland. He allowed a sacrifice fly that made it 5–3, then hit Palmeiro. With the bases loaded, Bobby Bonilla got his only hit of the game: a grand slam off Paul Shuey, which made it 9–3 Orioles. In the seventh, Vizquel hit a ground-rule double and scored on Kenny Lofton's single, but the Orioles got that run back in the bottom of the inning on Surhoff's second home run of the game off Shuey. Four Baltimore relievers held the Indians scoreless over the last 2+2⁄3 innings as the Orioles took a 1–0 series lead with a 10–4 win.


1996 American League Division Series, Cleveland vs. Baltimore, Game 2
After a 37-minute rain delay, Game 2 commenced. Veterans Orel Hershiser of Cleveland and Scott Erickson of Baltimore met in this crucial game. In the bottom of the first, after two two-out walks, first baseman Kevin Seitzer's error on Bobby Bonilla's ground ball gave the Orioles the lead. In the bottom of the fifth, a Brady Anderson lead off home run made it 2–0 Orioles. After a two-out single and walk, a Cal Ripken, Jr. single and Eddie Murray double scored a run each to make it 4–0, but the Indians rallied for three runs in the sixth.


1996 American League Division Series, Cleveland vs. Baltimore, Game 2
Kenny Lofton singled with one out, stole two bases, and scored on Seitzer's groundout. After a single, a two-run home run by Albert Belle made it a one-run game.


1996 American League Division Series, Cleveland vs. Baltimore, Game 2
In the eighth, the Indians loaded the bases on two singles off Jesse Orosco and walk off Armando Benitez before a misjudged fly ball by Brady Anderson from Julio Franco allowed them to tie the game at four, but, in the bottom of the eighth, the Orioles loaded the bases with no outs on a double and two walks off Eric Plunk, then a B.J. Surhoff groundout put them back atop 5–4 off Paul Assenmacher.


1996 American League Division Series, Cleveland vs. Baltimore, Game 2
A walk reloaded the bases before an Anderson sacrifice fly scored another run, then after another walk reloaded the bases, an RBI hit by Roberto Alomar off Julián Tavárez made it 7–4 Orioles. In the ninth, Randy Myers had a 1–2–3 inning for the save, giving Baltimore a 2–0 series lead heading to Cleveland.


1996 American League Division Series, Cleveland vs. Baltimore, Game 3
Game 3 was critical with Cleveland facing elimination. Mike Mussina was sent to the mound against Jack McDowell to try to end the series in Cleveland. The Indians scored first when Kenny Lofton reached second on an error by Bobby Bonilla, stole third and scored on Kevin Seitzer's groundout. In the top of the second, the Orioles loaded the bases and forced home a run when McDowell hit Brady Anderson with a pitch, but a Manny Ramírez home run and an RBI double by José Vizcaíno after a single made it 3–1 in the bottom half.


1996 American League Division Series, Cleveland vs. Baltimore, Game 3
In the top of the fourth, B. J. Surhoff silenced the crowd with a towering three-run home run after two singles that gave the Orioles their first lead of the night. However, Kevin Seitzer would deliver the game-tying RBI single in the bottom of the fourth. The game would remain tied until the bottom of the seventh when the Indians loaded the bases on three walks off Jesse Orosco, then Albert Belle hit a grand slam off Armando Benitez to put the Indians back atop 8–4. They added another run on another RBI hit by Seitzer off Terry Matthews (the run charged to Arthur Rhodes) to ensure a Game 4.


1996 American League Division Series, Cleveland vs. Baltimore, Game 4
Game 4 saw a rematch of Game 1: David Wells vs. Charles Nagy. In the top of the second, back-to-back lead-off home runs by Rafael Palmeiro and Bobby Bonilla gave the Orioles a 2–0 lead. Then, Sandy Alomar, Jr.'s two-run single tied the game in the fourth. In the fifth, the Indians broke the tie with an RBI single by Omar Vizquel to score Jose Vizcaino, who singled and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt.


1996 American League Division Series, Cleveland vs. Baltimore, Game 4
The bats on both sides were then silenced until the top of the ninth inning, when José Mesa came on in a save situation and looked to extend the series to a deciding Game 5. However, after two one-out singles, Roberto Alomar's two-out RBI single tied the game. It looked like the Indians might win in the bottom half with two runners in scoring position and two out for Kenny Lofton, but he struck out to force extra innings. In the top of the 12th, the Orioles recaptured the lead when Roberto Alomar (who would play for Cleveland later in his career) hit the go-ahead home run. Randy Myers would finish off the Indians and send the Orioles to the 1996 American League Championship Series.


1996 American League Division Series, Texas vs. New York, Game 1
John Burkett took the mound for the Rangers in their first ever postseason game, facing David Cone. The Yankees would get a run in the first on a groundout by Bernie Williams with runners on second and third, but in the fourth, after a leadoff single and walk, Juan González's three-run home run gave the Rangers a 3–1 lead. After a single and strikeout, Dean Palmer's two-run home run made it 5–1. The Yankees would get a run in the bottom half when Tino Martinez doubled with one out and scored on Mariano Duncan's RBI single but no more. The Rangers added an insurance run in the sixth on Mark McLemore's RBI single. Burkett would go the distance for the win. He would allow only two runs despite giving up ten hits.


1996 American League Division Series, Texas vs. New York, Game 1
The Rangers' win in Game 1 was their first postseason win in franchise history. They proceeded to lose the rest of the series to the Yankees, and did not win another postseason game until their pennant season of 2010, when they won Game 1 of the ALDS.


1996 American League Division Series, Texas vs. New York, Game 2
Game 2 proved memorable as Ken Hill faced 21-game winner Andy Pettitte. In the top of the second, innings Juan González's second home run of the series gave the Rangers a 1–0 edge, but two walks and a groundout allowed the Yankees to tie the game in the bottom half on Jim Leyritz's forceout. In the third innings, González hit his third homer of the series, this time a towering three-run home run, to give the Rangers a 4–1 lead, but the Yankees spent the next six innings chipping away at the lead.


1996 American League Division Series, Texas vs. New York, Game 2
Cecil Fielder's home run in the fourth innings made it a two-run game. In the seventh, innings Charlie Hayes lifted a sacrifice fly off Dennis Cook to make it a one-run game, the run charged to Hill. In the eighth inning, the Yankees were five outs away from losing when Fielder tied the game with an RBI single to score Bernie Williams, who had the singled to lead off and moved to second on a fly out. The game moved to extra innings and the Rangers blew scoring opportunities in the tenth, eleventh, and twelfth innings.


1996 American League Division Series, Texas vs. New York, Game 2
They put their leadoff men on but get nothing. In the 12th inning, the Yankees put their first two men on off Mike Stanton when Hayes laid down a sacrifice bunt off Mike Henneman, but Dean Palmer made an error on that bunt down the third base line and Jeter managed to score all the way from second base, allowing the Yankees to walk off in dramatic fashion.


1996 American League Division Series, Texas vs. New York, Game 3
Game 3 saw Jimmy Key face Darren Oliver. In the first, Oliver gave up a homer to Bernie Williams. That was all the Yankees could muster as Oliver began to settle in. In the bottom of the  fourth,innings Juan González's fourth home run in three games tied the game and earned him the reputation of "Señor October." Then in the fifth inning, Kevin Elster walked, stole second and scored on Iván Rodríguez's RBI double to give the Rangers a 2–1 edge. Oliver, along with the Rangers' bullpen, kept the Yankees scoreless until the ninth.


1996 American League Division Series, Texas vs. New York, Game 3
After two leadoff singles off Oliver, Williams' sac fly off Mike Henneman to tie the game and after a groundout and intentional walk, Mariano Duncan's RBI single put the Yankees up 3–2. In the ninth inning the Rangers' Mickey Tettleton walked. His pinch-runner, Damon Buford would advance to third on a sacrifice bunt by Mark McLemore and a groundout from pinch hitter Warren Newson. That put Buford 90 feet away and the winning run at the plate, but John Wetteland got Darryl Hamilton to strike out to end the game.


1996 American League Division Series, Texas vs. New York, Game 4
Kenny Rogers faced Bobby Witt in the potential clincher. Rogers pitched a scoreless first but in the second the Rangers struck for two on RBI hits by Mickey Tettleton after a leadoff double and Iván Rodríguez two outs later after a single. In the third inning Rogers was replaced by Brian Boehringer.


1996 American League Division Series, Texas vs. New York, Game 4
Juan González led off the inning with his fifth home run of the series to make it 3–0, then an error by Derek Jeter and the walk put two men on before the Mark McLemore's RBI single gave the Rangers a 4–0 lead, but, in the top of the fourth inning after a single, wild pitch and walk put runners on first and third with no outs, Cecil Fielder's RBI single put the Yankees on the board. One out later, Mariano Duncan's RBI single cut Texas's lead to 4–2 and knock Witt out of the game.


1996 American League Division Series, Texas vs. New York, Game 4
After a Joe Girardi single loaded the bases off Danny Patterson, Jeter's RBI groundout made it a one-run game. In the fifth inning the Yankees tied the game at four when Bernie Williams hit a leadoff home run off Roger Pavlik. In the seventh,inning the Yankees completed a four-run comeback by taking the lead on Cecil Fielder's RBI single with two on. In the ninth,inning Williams once again for provided insurance by win hitting his second home run of the game off Mike Stanton. That made it 6–4 Yankees. In the bottom half, the Rangers put the tying runs on against John Wetteland, but he got Will Clark and Dean Palmer, both potential home run threats, to fly out and strike out to end the game and the  series.


1996 American West Basketball Tournament
The 1996 American West Conference Men's Basketball Tournament was held March 10–11, 1996, in St. George, Utah at the Centrum Center. The champion of this conference did not receive a bid to the NCAA tournament.


1996 Ameritech Cup
The 1996 Ameritech Cup was a women's tennis tournament played on indoor carpet courts at the UIC Pavilion in Chicago, Illinois in the United States that was part of Tier II of the 1996 WTA Tour. It was the 25th edition of the tournament and was held from October 28 through November 3, 1996. Second-seeded Jana Novotná won the singles title.


1996 Ameritech Cup, Finals, Doubles
Lisa Raymond /  Rennae Stubbs defeated  Angela Lettiere /  Nana Miyagi 6–1, 6–1


1996 Ameritech Cup – Doubles
Gabriela Sabatini and Brenda Schultz-McCarthy were the defending champions but did not compete that year.


1996 Ameritech Cup – Doubles
Lisa Raymond and Rennae Stubbs won in the final 6–1, 6–1 against Angela Lettiere and Nana Miyagi.


1996 Ameritech Cup – Doubles, Seeds
Champion seeds are indicated in bold text while text in italics indicates the round in which those seeds were eliminated.


1996 Ameritech Cup – Singles
Magdalena Maleeva was the defending champion but lost in the second round to Jennifer Capriati.


1996 Ameritech Cup – Singles
Jana Novotná won in the final 6–4, 3–6, 6–1 against Capriati.


1996 Ameritech Cup – Singles, Seeds
A champion seed is indicated in bold text while text in italics indicates the round in which that seed was eliminated. The top four seeds received a bye to the second round.


1996 Amstel Gold Race
The 1996 Amstel Gold Race was the 31st edition of the annual road bicycle race "Amstel Gold Race", held on Sunday April 27, 1996, in the Dutch province of Limburg. The race stretched 253 kilometres, with the start in Heerlen and the finish in Maastricht. There were a total of 192 competitors, with 84 cyclists finishing the race and the first ever Italian winner.


1996 Amsterdam Admirals season
The 1996 Amsterdam Admirals season was the second season for the franchise in the World League of American Football (WLAF). The team was led by head coach Al Luginbill in his second year, and played its home games at Olympisch Stadion in Amsterdam, Netherlands. They finished the regular season in third place with a record of five wins and five losses.


1996 Amway Classic
The 1996 Amway Classic was a women's tennis tournament played on outdoor hard courts at the ASB Tennis Centre in Auckland in New Zealand that was part of Tier IV of the 1996 WTA Tour. The tournament was held from 1 January until 6 January 1996. Qualifier Sandra Cacic won the singles title.


1996 Amway Classic, Finals, Doubles
Els Callens /  Julie Halard-Decugis defeated  Jill Hetherington /  Kristine Radford 6–1, 6–0


1996 Amway Classic – Doubles
Jill Hetherington and Elna Reinach were the defending champions but only Hetherington competed that year with Kristine Radford.


1996 Amway Classic – Doubles
Hetherington and Radford lost in the final 6–1, 6–0 against Els Callens and Julie Halard-Decugis.


1996 Amway Classic – Doubles, Seeds
Champion seeds are indicated in bold text while text in italics indicates the round in which those seeds were eliminated.


1996 Amway Classic – Singles
Nicole Bradtke was the defending champion but did not compete that year.


1996 Amway Classic – Singles
Sandra Cacic won in the final 6–3, 1–6, 6–4 against Barbara Paulus.


1996 Amway Classic – Singles, Seeds
A champion seed is indicated in bold text while text in italics indicates the round in which that seed was eliminated.


1996 Andalusian regional election
The 1996 Andalusian regional election was held on Sunday, 3 March 1996, to elect the 5th Parliament of the autonomous community of Andalusia. All 109 seats in the Parliament were up for election. The election was held simultaneously with the 1996 Spanish general election.


1996 Andalusian regional election
The 1994 election had resulted in a hung parliament. Manuel Chaves had formed a minority government of the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party of Andalusia (PSOE–A), but was forced to dissolve the Parliament and call a snap election for March 1996 after barely twenty months into his term, as a result of the conservative People's Party (PP) and left-wing United Left (IULV–CA) joining into an unofficial alliance (dubbed as la pinza, Spanish for "the clamp") to block the Chaves government's parliamentary action. Scandals rocking Felipe González's national government and favourable opinion polls were among the reasons that led the two parties to team up to bring down the PSOE regional government.


1996 Andalusian regional election
Despite opinion polls predicting a likely PSOE defeat, the election result was a major upset: the PSOE gained over 500,000 votes and 7 seats compared to the previous election and won a resounding victory as the PP stagnated and the IU vote collapsed. At 77.9%, turnout was the highest ever registered for a regional election in Andalusia. This result allowed Chaves to form a coalition government with the Andalusian Party (PA), ending the period of political turmoil that had dominated the previous legislature.


1996 Andalusian regional election, Overview, Electoral system
The Parliament of Andalusia was the devolved, unicameral legislature of the autonomous community of Andalusia, having legislative power in regional matters as defined by the Spanish Constitution of 1978 and the regional Statute of Autonomy, as well as the ability to vote confidence in or withdraw it from a regional president.


1996 Andalusian regional election, Overview, Electoral system
Voting for the Parliament was on the basis of universal suffrage, which comprised all nationals over eighteen, registered in Andalusia and in full enjoyment of their political rights. The 109 members of the Parliament of Andalusia were elected using the D'Hondt method and a closed list proportional representation, with an electoral threshold of three percent of valid votes—which included blank ballots—being applied in each constituency.


1996 Andalusian regional election, Overview, Electoral system
Seats were allocated to constituencies, corresponding to the provinces of Almería, Cádiz, Córdoba, Granada, Huelva, Jaén, Málaga and Seville, with each being allocated an initial minimum of eight seats and the remaining 45 being distributed in proportion to their populations (provided that the number of seats in each province did not exceed two times that of any other).


1996 Andalusian regional election, Overview, Electoral system
The use of the D'Hondt method might result in a higher effective threshold, depending on the district magnitude.


1996 Andalusian regional election, Overview, Electoral system
The electoral law allowed for parties and federations registered in the interior ministry, coalitions and groupings of electors to present lists of candidates. Parties and federations intending to form a coalition ahead of an election were required to inform the relevant Electoral Commission within ten days of the election call, whereas groupings of electors needed to secure the signature of at least one percent of the electorate in the constituencies for which they sought election, disallowing electors from signing for more than one list of candidates.


1996 Andalusian regional election, Overview, Election date
The term of the Parliament of Andalusia expired four years after the date of its previous election, unless it was dissolved earlier. Election day was to take place between the thirtieth and the sixtieth day from the date of expiry of parliament barring any date within from 1 July to 31 August. The previous election was held on 12 June 1994, which meant that the legislature's term would have expired on 12 June 1998. The election was required to take place no later than the sixtieth day from the date of expiry of parliament on the condition that it was not held between 1 July and 31 August, setting the latest possible election date for the Parliament on Tuesday, 30 June 1998.


1996 Andalusian regional election, Overview, Election date
After legal amendments in 1994, the president was granted the prerogative to dissolve the Parliament of Andalusia and call a snap election, provided that no motion of no confidence was in process and that dissolution did not occur before one year had elapsed since the previous one. In the event of an investiture process failing to elect a regional president within a two-month period from the first ballot, the candidate from the party with the highest number of seats was to be deemed automatically elected.


1996 Andalusian regional election, Opinion polls
The table below lists voting intention estimates in reverse chronological order, showing the most recent first and using the dates when the survey fieldwork was done, as opposed to the date of publication. Where the fieldwork dates are unknown, the date of publication is given instead. The highest percentage figure in each polling survey is displayed with its background shaded in the leading party's colour. If a tie ensues, this is applied to the figures with the highest percentages. The "Lead" column on the right shows the percentage-point difference between the parties with the highest percentages in a given poll. When available, seat projections are also displayed below the voting estimates in a smaller font. 55 seats were required for an absolute majority in the Parliament of Andalusia.


1996 Andhra Pradesh cyclone
The 1996 Andhra Pradesh cyclone (also known as Cyclone 07B) was a small but powerful storm that left heavy damage in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. It formed on 4 November in the eastern Bay of Bengal. Moving westward, it quickly organized and developed a well-defined eye. On 6 November, the cyclone struck about 50 km (30 mi) south of Kakinada, Andhra Pradesh at peak intensity. The India Meteorological Department estimated peak winds of 145 km/h (90 mph), while the American-based Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) assessed peak winds of 215 km/h (135 mph). Soon after landfall, the cyclone weakened and dissipated by 7 November.


1996 Andhra Pradesh cyclone
Ahead of the storm, about 225,000 families evacuated, although many towns lacked proper storm shelters. When the cyclone made landfall, it produced strong winds up to 100 km (60 mi) inland, dropped 210 mm (8.3 in) of rainfall across a 40 km (25 mi) region, and flooded over 250 villages along a 60 km (37 mi) portion of the coast. About 70% of the overall damage was in East Godavari district, where two villages were entirely destroyed. The storm destroyed  241,802 ha (597,510 acres) of crops and killed millions of cattle and chicken.


1996 Andhra Pradesh cyclone
Across Andhra Pradesh, the storm damaged 647,554 houses, including over 10,000 that were destroyed. Overall damage totaled ₹21.5 billion (equivalent to ₹95 billion or US$1.3 billion in 2019), comparable to a cyclone in 1977 that also hit Andhra Pradesh. There were 1,077 confirmed deaths with many others missing, although many of the dead were washed into the sea and were unlikely to be found. After the storm, the government and local Red Cross chapters helped residents recover from the damage, while the World Bank provided money to better prepare Andhra Pradesh for future storms.


1996 Andhra Pradesh cyclone, Meteorological history
On 30 October, a Pacific tropical depression crossed the Kra Isthmus into the Bay of Bengal, dissipating the next day over Myanmar. A new area of convection, or thunderstorms, developed over the Andaman Sea on 1 November The system was located within the monsoon trough, and a weak flow steered it slowly westward across the Bay of Bengal, bringing it briefly over southwestern Myanmar. After the convection organized more, the Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) issued a Tropical Cyclone Formation Alert at 07:30 UTC on 3 November.


1996 Andhra Pradesh cyclone, Meteorological history
At 12:00 UTC that day, the agency initiated advisories on the system, designating it Tropical Cyclone 07B about 645 km (400 mi) west of Yangon, Myanmar. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) – the official Regional Specialized Meteorological Center for the basin – did not classify the system until 4 November; at 15:00 UTC, the agency designated it as a depression.


1996 Andhra Pradesh cyclone, Meteorological history
Located beneath the axis of an upper-level ridge, the depression was able to intensify and organize more, with prominent outflow developing. On 5 November, the IMD upgraded the system to a deep depression and later to a cyclonic storm. At 06:00 UTC on the same day, the JTWC upgraded the storm to the equivalent of a minimal hurricane, estimating 1 minute winds of 120 km/h (75 mph). It continued westward toward eastern India at a slow pace, later turning more to the west-northwest.


1996 Andhra Pradesh cyclone, Meteorological history
Early on 6 November, the storm began rapidly intensifying, and the IMD upgraded the storm to a severe cyclonic storm and later a very severe cyclonic storm. At 04:00 UTC that day, an irregular eye formed in the middle of the central dense overcast, which quickly became more circular and distinct. At 06:00 UTC on 6 November, the JTWC estimated peak 1 minute winds of 215 km/h (135 mph), the equivalent of a Category 4 on the Saffir–Simpson scale, and a minimum barometric pressure of 927 mbar (27.4 inHg). The IMD assessed a much lower intensity, estimating 3 minute winds of 145 km/h (90 mph) based on a Dvorak rating of 4.5.


1996 Andhra Pradesh cyclone, Meteorological history
While approaching land, the eye contracted from a peak width of 64 km (40 mi) to 17 km (11 mi). At 16:00 UTC on 6 November, the cyclone made landfall about 50 km (30 mi) south of Kakinada, Andhra Pradesh along the east coast of India. The estimated landfall pressure was 978 mbar (28.9 inHg). It was a smaller-than-normal cyclone, only 450 km (280 mi) in diameter. The storm rapidly weakened after moving ashore, deteriorating into a deep depression early on 7 November. The JTWC issued their last advisory at 06:00 UTC that day, and the IMD downgraded the system to a remnant low-pressure area over Telangana at 12:00 UTC.


1996 Andhra Pradesh cyclone, Preparations and impact
The IMD issued warnings related to the cyclone that were distributed to the public by television, telegraph, news outlets, and other government departments. The All India Radio broadcast warnings beginning on 5 November, the day before landfall. Train service was disrupted throughout Andhra Pradesh, stranding thousands of travelers. India's Oil and Natural Gas Corporation suspended operations during the storm. The storm caused local Diwali festivities to be canceled. It ultimately struck about 50 km (30 mi) north of where it was expected, in a region farther away from state shelters. About 225,000 families evacuated due to the storm.


1996 Andhra Pradesh cyclone, Preparations and impact
However, about 30% of the towns in the region lacked a storm shelter, and the existing shelters were generally in poor shape. Some residents avoided the shelters due to their state of disrepair, or stayed in their homes for fear they would be robbed. In addition, storm emergency plans enacted after a cyclone in 1977 that struck Andhra Pradesh had not been used since 1986. Roads and shelters built following a cyclone in 1990 fared the storm better than older structures.


1996 Andhra Pradesh cyclone, Preparations and impact
The powerful cyclone brought intense winds, heavy rainfall, and high waves to Andhra Pradesh in eastern India. Hurricane-force winds – at least 120 km/h (75 mi) – penetrated 100 km (60 mi) inland. Peak gusts were estimated at 200 km/h (125 mph), based on anemometers that were blown away in Yanam. The highest recorded sustained wind was 111 km/h (69 mph) by a ship at the Kakinada Port, only 50 km (30 mi) from the landfall location. The storm dropped heavy rainfall near the coast, peaking at 390 mm (15 in) in Amalapuram.


1996 Andhra Pradesh cyclone, Preparations and impact
Rainfall rates of over 210 mm (8.3 in) occurred over 3 hours in a 40 km (25 mi) stretch of land. Along a 60 km (37 mi) portion of the coast, 3.7 m (12 ft) waves accompanied a 2 m (6.6 ft) storm surge, spreading 5 km (3 mi) inland. The storm struck just three weeks after another storm killed 350 people. Storm damage extended 130 km (80 mi) inland. Widespread areas of crop fields were inundated with floodwaters, washing away tons of rice, coconuts, and bananas. The winds knocked down about 5 million coconut trees. It was estimated that the storm destroyed 174,000 ha (430,000 acres) of rice paddy, along with 67,802 ha (167,540 acres) of other crops. About 13,500 livestock and 1 million chickens were killed by the storm; many of them rotted on arable fields after the waters receded.


1996 Andhra Pradesh cyclone, Preparations and impact
Heavy rainfall and high tides flooded more than 250 villages, and the cyclone affected 1,380 villages throughout Andhra Pradesh. Many canals and drains were breached by the floods. The storm washed four cargo ships ashore and sank or destroyed 6,464 boats. About 70% of the overall damage was in East Godavari district, where Kakinada was among the hardest hit villages. Two nearby villages – Bhairvapada and Bulusutippa – were entirely destroyed. The villages did not receive advanced warning, and Bhairvapada did not have a functioning cyclone shelter. There, 90% of the boats were damaged or destroyed.


1996 Andhra Pradesh cyclone, Preparations and impact
In Amalapuram, also in East Godavari, roughly two of every three houses were destroyed. The cyclone also destroyed 55 electrical towers, including a 100 m (330 ft) tall telecommunications tower, as well as nearly 17,000 power lines in West Godavari. About 1,300 km (810 mi) of roads were damaged or washed out, including 210 km (130 mi) of National Highway 5. Flooding also washed out several railroads, while damaged water drainage systems spewed sewage onto the streets. Many hospitals in the region were washed away or flooded.


1996 Andhra Pradesh cyclone, Preparations and impact
Across Andhra Pradesh, the storm damaged 647,554 houses, with about 200,000 sustaining roof damage, and over 10,000 that were destroyed. Over 100,000 people were left homeless. In the hardest hit areas, only houses made of brick and cement withstood the high winds, and huts made of mud and thatch were decimated. Overall damage was officially estimated at RS$21.5 billion (US$602 million). However, the World Bank indicated damage reached as high as US$1.5 billion. Officials likened damage to the 1977 cyclone that also struck Andhra Pradesh.


1996 Andhra Pradesh cyclone, Preparations and impact
After the storm, there were 1,000 fishermen missing at sea, despite warnings not to leave port. After being presumed lost, 162 boats returned to port four days after the storm, and additional fishermen returned over the succeeding days. However, there were 569 fishermen killed or left missing due to lost boats at sea. Many of these fishermen had departed days before the storm, and those that survived had transistors in their boats. Lacking advanced warning, many shrimp farmers in remote villages were swept away by waves.


1996 Andhra Pradesh cyclone, Preparations and impact
Hundreds of dead bodies were discovered along the shore; after they were identified, the corpses were cremated instead of bringing the bodies into local villages. Most of the fatalities on land were the result of buildings collapsing on people who stayed inside. A ferry crossing the Godavari River sank amid rough waves, killing all 42 people on board. Overall, the cyclone killed at least 978 people in Andhra Pradesh, with 1,375 people listed as missing in January 1997. However, the Red Cross did not expect to find all of the missing bodies, as some were likely washed into the Bay of Bengal. A later report to the Food and Agriculture Organization indicated there were 1,077 confirmed deaths, with an unconfirmed death toll as high as 2,760.


1996 Andhra Pradesh cyclone, Aftermath
Following the storm's heavy damage, homeless residents resided in temporary camps. Later, the Indian government set up 742 relief centers housing 177,000 people, utilizing schools and office buildings. However, residents did not stay for extended periods of time in the shelters, as rebuilding began within three days of the storm's landfall. Many of the displaced people returned to their homes after the storm receded. Workers restored water service and distributed potable water to those in need. Workers used cranes to remove trees from highways. Roads and communication links were quickly restored, as was the power supply. Later, damaged houses were reconstructed with tiled roofs while destroyed houses were rebuilt on concrete slabs, both to withstand stronger winds.


1996 Andhra Pradesh cyclone, Aftermath
The Andhra Pradesh government coordinated with the Indian Red Cross Society to provide relief goods to the affected citizens, such as 75 kg (165 lb) of rice per family. The Red Cross sent 10 trucks carrying blankets, food, and cooking supplies from Delhi to Andhra Pradesh, to be distributed by the Andhra Pradesh Red Cross. India's military enacted search and rescue missions in the days following the storm. Six helicopters worked continuously to airlift food, water, and medicine to storm victims, although residents fought over the aid in poor areas.


1996 Andhra Pradesh cyclone, Aftermath
Helicopters also surveyed the storm damage, as many affected small villages were not linked by roads. About 935 medical teams were established following the storm, and chlorinated drinking tablets were distributed to purify water, in an attempt to prevent a cholera outbreak. Cholera spreads through stagnant contaminated water, and there were eight reports of storm victims contracting the disease. In the months after the storm, foreign governments and international organizations donated about US$500,000.


1996 Andhra Pradesh cyclone, Aftermath
The World Bank considered the cyclone as having a significant effect on Andhra Pradesh's economy. Andhra Pradesh's chief minister N. Chandrababu Naidu estimated that the state would take as long as 30 years to recover from the storm. The government provided Rs. 1,500 (US$420) to every family whose hut collapsed during the storm, and Rs. 100,000 (US$2,857) to the family of every person killed by the storm. However, there were also reports of people stealing bodies to receive the payment. The federal government provided about US$12 million to the state, as well as tax deductions for monetary donations.


1996 Andhra Pradesh cyclone, Aftermath
Former Union Minister Rangaiah Naidu opined that the state government overinflated the damage estimates to qualify for additional aid, in part due to the government spending annual disaster subsidies for salaries. The World Bank credited the government's experience with disasters as saving lives, although the response to the disaster was largely in repairing damage, rather than mitigating against future storms. The storm also demonstrated the region's outdated infrastructure.


1996 Andhra Pradesh cyclone, Aftermath
Following the heavy damage from the cyclone and other recent disasters, the World Bank enacted a plan for Andhra Pradesh in April 1997, consisting of repairing damaged infrastructure, an updated disaster plan, and technical assistance to the state government. Shelters and roads would be improved to higher standards. This plan ultimately cost about US$175 million and was completed in July 2003, three years longer than expected but at a lower cost due to the Indian rupee losing some of its value. Power lines were improved to withstand winds of 200 km/h (120 mph), while drains were enlarged and a coastal plant system was created to lessen flooding. An additional 82 public shelters were constructed. However, the plan failed to yield a long term disaster policy for the state.


1996 Ansett Australia Cup
The 1996 AFL Ansett Australia Cup was the Australian Football League competition played in its entirety before the Australian Football League's 1996 Premiership Season began. It culminated the Final in March 1996. The AFL National Cup is also sometimes referred to as the pre-season cup because it is played in its entirety before the Premiership Season begins.


1996 Ansett Australia Cup, Final Placings
1. St Kilda 2. Carlton 3. West Coast 4. North Melbourne 5. Collingwood 6. Brisbane 7. Footscray 8. Adelaide 9. Sydney 10. Fremantle 11. Fitzroy 12. Richmond 13. Essendon 14. Geelong 15. Hawthorn 16. Melbourne


1996 Arab Club Champions Cup
The 1996 Arab Club Champions Cup edition, was won by Egyptian side Al-Ahly, the hosts. It was the 12th tournament and was held from 4 September to 15 September 1996.


1996 Arab Club Champions Cup, Final tournament, Group stage
The seven teams were drawn into two groups of four and three. Each group was played on one leg basis. The winners and runners-up of each group advanced to the semi-finals.


1996 Arab Cup Winners' Cup
The 1996 Arab Cup Winners' Cup was the seventh edition of the Arab Cup Winners' Cup held in Amman, Jordan between 13 – 22 May 1996. The teams represented Arab nations from Africa and Asia. Olympique Khouribga from Morocco won the final against Al-Faisaly from Jordan.


1996 Arab Cup Winners' Cup, Group stage
The height teams were drawn into two groups of five. Each group was played on one leg basis. The winners and runners-up of each group advanced to the semi-finals.


1996 Arab Junior Athletics Championships
The 1996 Arab Junior Athletics Championships was the seventh edition of the international athletics competition for under-20 athletes from Arab countries. It took place in Latakia, Syria. A total of 41 athletics events were contested, 22 for men and 19 for women. Morocco, a regional power in the sport, did not send a team to the meeting.


1996 Arab Junior Athletics Championships
The road race competition was dropped from the programme, matching the change at the 1996 World Junior Championships in Athletics and a general move away from road running events for junior athletes. A women's 5000 metres replaced the 3000 metres, but this was a short-lived change as the 3000 m was brought back the following edition. This was the last time the women's 10,000 metres was held (the 5000 m taking its place at future editions (a change also reflected at world junior level).


1996 Arab Junior Athletics Championships
Algeria topped the medal table with twelve gold medals, closely followed by Tunisia on ten golds. Saudi Arabia managed seven gold medals despite having no participation in the women's section. Sudan won its first titles at the competition, courtesy of Mohammed Yagoub's middle-distance double.


1996 Arab Junior Athletics Championships
In the men's section, Algeria provided the most prominent athletes. Abderrahmane Hammad improved one place from the last edition to win the high jump – an event he won an Olympic medal in four years later. Two others here would medal at the 2000 Sydney Olympics: 800 metres bronze medallist Djabir Saïd-Guerni and 1500 metres runner-up Ali Saïdi-Sief. Two Saudi Arabian medallists later became successful seniors: Mukhlid Al-Otaibi (5000 m runner-up here) did a long-distance double at the 2002 Asian Games; 15-year-old Hamdan Al-Bishi won a 200 m bronze in Latakia and won numerous medals at Asian level. Tunisia's Sofiane Labidi won a 200 m/400 m double and later won African and Arab medals as a senior. Jean-Claude Rabbath, runner-up in the high jump, was Lebanon's first ever medallist at the tournament.


1996 Arab Junior Athletics Championships
In the women's section Algeria's Baya Rahouli was dominant: she won the 100 metres, long jump and triple jump titles, and also a shot put bronze. This versatility continued at the 1997 Pan Arab Games, where she was a quadruple gold medallist. Double sprint medallist Nahida Touhami would also become a senior champion at the Arab Games. Fatma Lanouar was a double medallist in middle-distance and was a two-time Mediterranean Games champion later in her a career.


1996 Arab Super Cup
The 1996 Arab Super Cup was an international club competition played by the winners and runners up of the Arab Club Champions Cup and Arab Cup Winners' Cup. It was the third edition of the tournament to be played. Espérance de Tunis were crowned champions, with Saudi Arabian outfit Al-Riyadh runner up. Also represented were Al-Hilal, also of Saudi Arabia. It is unclear why Al-Riyadh took part in the competition as they weren't represented as either champions or runners up of the Arab Club Champions Cup or Arab Cup Winners' Cup.


1996 Arena Football League season
The 1996 Arena Football League season was the tenth season of the Arena Football League. It was succeeded by 1997. The league champions were the Tampa Bay Storm, who defeated the Iowa Barnstormers in ArenaBowl X. The AFL finally stabilized its scheduled number of games. It expanded to a 14-game season, which would remain until 2003. Previously, the scheduled number of games had not stayed the same for more than three years.


1996 Arena Football League season, Team movement
The Texas Terror joined the league as an expansion team.


1996 Arena Football League season, Team movement
Meanwhile, the Fort Worth Cavalry were relocated to Minneapolis and became the Minnesota Fighting Pike; the Las Vegas Sting moved to Anaheim, California, becoming the Anaheim Piranhas, and the Miami Hooters were renamed to the Florida Bobcats. The franchise rights to the Denver Dynamite were sold and the team announced they would return in 1997 as the Nashville Kats


1996 Argentina rugby union tour of England
The 1996 Argentina rugby union tour of England was a series of seven matches played by the Argentina national rugby union team in November and December 1996.


1996 Argentine Grand Prix
The 1996 Argentine Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held on 7 April 1996 at Autódromo Oscar Alfredo Gálvez, Buenos Aires. Despite suffering a bout of food poisoning, Damon Hill made it three wins out of three, with Jacques Villeneuve helping Williams complete their second one-two of the season. Jos Verstappen scored his only point of the season, Andrea Montermini his only finish of the season. This was the first race of 1996 where no drivers failed to meet the 107% time.


1996 Argentine Grand Prix
Pedro Diniz was involved in two major incidents during the race. First he collided with Luca Badoer, whose Forti was flipped and landed upside down in the gravel, forcing the marshals to bring out the safety car. Trackside marshals were heavily criticized for their delay in aiding Badoer's escape from the car; ultimately the Italian was forced to crawl out from underneath the Forti (the explanation for which was later given by the marshals that an uncharacteristic delay in the safety car picking up the race leader had caused confusion on the trackside).


1996 Argentine Grand Prix
Diniz managed to continue and made a pit stop as the safety car was preparing to pull in - only to retire when he came back onto the circuit and his Ligier burst into flames, because a safety-valve in the fuel tank had jammed open, with the safety car staying out for three extra laps as a result.


1996 Arizona Cardinals season
The 1996 Arizona Cardinals season was the franchise's 98th season, 77th season in the National Football League and the 9th in Arizona. The team improved upon their previous output of 4–12, winning seven games. Despite this improvement, the Cardinals failed to qualify to the playoffs for the fourteenth consecutive season.


1996 Arizona Cardinals season
The low point of the season was providing a notorious New York Jets team with its only win in front of fewer than thirty thousand people. This was the first time the Cardinals had opposed the Jets since 1978. The reason for this is that before the admission of the Texans in 2002, NFL scheduling formulas for games outside a team’s division were much more influenced by table position during the previous season.


1996 Arizona Cardinals season
This was Boomer Esiason's only season with the Cardinals as he would re-sign with the Cincinnati Bengals after this season.


1996 Arizona State Sun Devils football team
The 1996 Arizona State Sun Devils football team represented the Arizona State University in the 1996 NCAA Division I-A college football season. The team's head coach was Bruce Snyder, who was coaching his fifth season with the Sun Devils and 17th season overall. Home games were played at Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe, Arizona. They participated as members of the Pacific-10 Conference.


1996 Arizona State Sun Devils football team, Regular season
In 1996, the Sun Devils went a surprising 11–1, highlighted by a 19–0 shutout of the number-one-ranked, two-time defending national champion, Nebraska Cornhuskers in Tempe, ending Nebraska's 26-game win streak. The upset win also gained a measure of revenge from the previous season, when they went into Lincoln and were not only defeated by a 77–28 margin, but were enraged after the eventual national champions threw a long touchdown pass in the game's final minutes. ASU quarterback Jake Plummer led the Sun Devils, propelling Arizona State into the Rose Bowl against the Ohio State Buckeyes.


1996 Arizona State Sun Devils football team, Regular season
Had the Sun Devils won, they would have had a very good chance of winning at least a share of the national championship, as they would have been the only undefeated major-college team in the nation. The Sun Devils led 17–14 with 1:47 left in the fourth quarter, but surrendered a late touchdown to Ohio State, falling by a final score of 20–17. As it turned out, Florida State lost in the Sugar Bowl to the Florida Gators; had the Sun Devils won, they would have had a perfect 12–0 record while the Gators would have finished with one regular season loss (to the Seminoles).


1996 Arizona State Sun Devils football team, Regular season, Schedule
The Sun Devils finished the season with an 11–1 record.


1996 Arizona State Sun Devils football team, 1996 Team Players in the NFL
The following players were claimed in the 1997 NFL Draft.


1996 Arizona Wildcats football team
The 1996 Arizona Wildcats football team represented the University of Arizona in the Pacific-10 Conference (Pac-10) during the 1996 NCAA Division I-A football season. In their tenth season under head coach Dick Tomey, the Wildcats compiled a 5–6 record (3–5 against Pac-10 opponents), finished in a tie for fifth place in the Pac-10, and outscored their opponents, 310 to 280.


1996 Arizona Wildcats football team
The team played its home games in Arizona Stadium in Tucson, Arizona. On November 23, 1996, the team drew a record crowd of 59,920 to Arizona Stadium to watch a 56–14 loss to Arizona State. As of today, this remains the Arizona Stadium attendance record. The Wildcats allowed 450 rushing yards in the loss to the Sun Devils. The highlight of the Arizona State game for the Wildcats was a 98-yard interception return, the second longest in program history, by Mikal Smith.


1996 Arizona Wildcats football team
Team records set during the 1996 season included: three interception returns for touchdown in a game (vs. Illinois); eight touchdowns allowed in a game (vs. California); 16 touchdowns scored in a Pac-10 game (vs. UCLA); 659 yards of total offense allowed in a Pac-10 game (vs. California); and 450 rushing yards allowed in a Pac-10 game (vs. Arizona State).


1996 Arizona Wildcats football team
The team's statistical leaders included Keith Smith with 1,450 passing yards, Gary Taylor with 564 rushing yards, and Jeremy McDaniel with 607 receiving yards. Linebacker Chester Burnett led the team with 124 tackles.


1996 Arizona Wildcats football team, Before the season
After completing the 1995 season, the Wildcats had to rebuild the team by finding recruits. Duane Akina, the team’s offensive coordinator since 1992, stepped down from his position and would become the defensive backs coach. Tomey brought in Alabama offensive coordinator Homer Smith to take over at the same position to fix Arizona’s offense that had been mediocre under Akina. They also had to get a new quarterback and replacing most of the “Desert Swarm” defensive players, which included Tedy Bruschi, the leader of the unit, who graduated.


1996 Arizona Wildcats football team, Before the season
By the preseason, Arizona, even though with a new offensive coordinator, was picked to finish in the bottom half of the Pac-10 standings.


1996 Arizona Wildcats football team, Game summaries, Iowa
Arizona went to Iowa City and took on the Hawkeyes, who were ranked 22nd. It was Tomey’s first meeting against Iowa since his first season with the Wildcats in 1987 (Arizona lost to the Hawkeyes that year). The Wildcats would play tough with Iowa, but mistakes would cost them a chance at winning and they came up short.


1996 Arizona Wildcats football team, Game summaries, Illinois
At home, the Wildcats hosted Illinois in their second straight game against a Big Ten opponent. Arizona’s defense would play like the Desert Swarm by picking apart the Illini offense and intercepted five passes, with three of them being returned for touchdowns on its way to a shutout victory and avenging the Wildcats’ loss to the Illini in the previous season. To date, this remains the most recent meeting between Arizona and Illinois.


1996 Arizona Wildcats football team, Game summaries, USC
Arizona traveled to the Coliseum to face USC. The Wildcats would hold the Trojans in check, but the offense struggled in a defense-dominated game. Arizona committed crucial turnovers during scoring threats, which would ultimately lead them to lose.


1996 Arizona Wildcats football team, Game summaries, California
The Wildcats traveled to Berkeley to play California. The game would go back and forth between the two teams and went to overtime. It was the first overtime game for Arizona in its football history. Both teams would then trade touchdowns in the first three periods which set up a wild fourth frame.


1996 Arizona Wildcats football team, Game summaries, California
In the fourth overtime period, the Golden Bears scored to regain the lead at 56–49. The Wildcats then answered on their possession with a touchdown of their own to make it 56–55. However, on the extra point attempt, Arizona faked the play but botched an errant two-point conversion run which would have been for the win and California escaped with the victory.


1996 Arizona Wildcats football team, Game summaries, California
After the game, Tomey said that he wanted to go for the win instead of forcing a fifth overtime due to the team being exhausted after four overtimes. He also said that the blunder on the game’s final play would likely affect the team for the rest of the reason.


1996 Arizona Wildcats football team, Game summaries, UCLA
On homecoming day, the Wildcats hosted UCLA. After a slow first half, Arizona came up big in the second half with touchdowns, including one on a returned interception and another on a kickoff. The Wildcats would then shut down the Bruins the rest of the way for the win and kept their bowl hopes alive.


1996 Arizona Wildcats football team, Game summaries, Arizona State
In the season finale, the Wildcats hosted Arizona State in the annual “Duel in the Desert”. The Sun Devils, who were ranked fourth and unbeaten, had already clinched the Pac-10 and a spot in the Rose Bowl and the Wildcats hoped to spoil ASU’s possible national title hopes like they did ten years prior. However, all of these plans were put to rest as ASU jumped out to an early lead and broke the game open before halftime, as Arizona didn’t seem to have a chance against the mighty Devils.


1996 Arizona Wildcats football team, Game summaries, Arizona State
A bright spot for the Wildcats occurred early in the fourth quarter after a wild sequence of events. With the Devils up big at 42–7 and Wildcat fans already heading for the exits, ASU threw a pass toward the end zone that was intercepted by Arizona and returned 98 yards for a touchdown, which mirrored the Wildcats’ pick-six against ASU in 1986. During the play, an ASU offensive player shoved a violent hit on an Arizona defender, which would lead to a fight between both teams and the ASU player involved being ejected from the game. Both teams were also penalized for the brawl.


1996 Arizona Wildcats football team, Game summaries, Arizona State
After order was restored, ASU would add a pair of scores to ice the game. In the end though, the Wildcats’ deficit was too much to overcome and lost big to end their season at 5–6 and missing the postseason.


1996 Arizona Wildcats football team, Game summaries, Arizona State
Tomey told reporters after the game that ASU “played like an NFL team” against the Wildcats by putting up several points and stopping Arizona’s offense. Arizona State would ultimately lose to Ohio State in the Rose Bowl, much to the delight of Wildcat fans.


1996 Arizona Wildcats football team, After the season
The Wildcats had to once again rebuild the program after concluding the season. Defensive coordinator Larry Mac Duff, who had been with Arizona since Tomey’s hiring in 1987 and one of the masterminds of the Desert Swarm, would leave Arizona to become the special teams coach for the NFL’s New York Giants. Arizona had to replace him with a new coach to re-energize the defense and only the last few members of the Swarm remained on the team.


1996 Arizona Wildcats football team, After the season
The 1996 football season would become forgotten by the spring of 1997, as Arizona’s basketball team reached the Final Four and won the national championship, though the football program continued to rebuild and recruit during the span.


1996 Arizona Wildcats football team, After the season
The Wildcats’ rebuilding offense would later improve and become dominant for the rest of the decade, and become a force in the Pac-10 as well as in the nation.


1996 Arizona Wildcats softball team
The 1996 Arizona Wildcats softball team represented the University of Arizona in the 1996 NCAA Division I softball season. The Wildcats were coached by Mike Candrea, who led his eleventh season. The Wildcats finished with a record of 58–9. They played their home games at Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium and competed in the Pacific-10 Conference, where they finished second with a 23–5 record.


1996 Arizona Wildcats softball team
The Wildcats were invited to the 1996 NCAA Division I Softball Tournament, where they swept the West Regional and then completed a run through the Women's College World Series to claim their fourth NCAA Women's College World Series Championship.


1996 Arkansas Razorbacks football team
The 1996 Arkansas Razorbacks football team represented the University of Arkansas during the 1996 NCAA Division I-A football season.


1996 Arkansas State Indians football team
The 1996 Arkansas State Indians football team represented Arkansas State University in the 1996 NCAA Division I-A football season as independents. Under fourth-year head coach John Bobo, the team compiled a record of 4–7.


1996 Armenian presidential election
Presidential elections were held in Armenia on 22 September 1996. The result was a victory for Levon Ter-Petrosyan, who won 51.3% of the vote. Turnout was 60.3%.


1996 Armenian presidential election, Background
The 1996 presidential election was the second presidential election after Armenia's independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. On 18 September 1996, few days before the election, the influential Defence Minister Vazgen Sargsyan stated that he is "satisfied with the situation." Addressing Ter-Petrosyan's supporters, he proclaimed that Armenia "will enter the 21st century victoriously and stable with Ter-Petrosyan." The opposition parties (Armenian Revolutionary Federation, Paruyr Hayrikyan's Union for National Self-Determination, Aram Sargsyan's Democratic Party) consolidated around the former Karabakh Committee member and former Prime Minister Vazgen Manukyan.


1996 Armenian presidential election, Conduct
The observation and monitoring organizations were mostly critical of the conduct of the elections. OSCE observation mission found "serious violations of the election law."


1996 Armenian presidential election, Results
Following the elections, both Ter-Petrosyan and Manukyan claimed victory. Official results by the Central Electoral Commission recorded Ter-Petrosyan's victory in the first round with just above 50% of the total vote in favor of the incumbent.


1996 Armenian presidential election, Results, Analysis
Hrant Mikayelian, researcher at the Caucasus Institute, noted that in precincts where turnout was lower than 64% Manukyan received 49.6% of the votes, while Ter-Petrosyan received 41.1%. Mikayelian notes that while it is clear that widespread falsifications took place, it is impossible to say with certainty that Manukyan actually received over 50% of the votes in the first round.


1996 Armenian presidential election, Protests and aftermath
Oppositional leader Vazgen Manukyan officially received 41% of the vote and denouncing them started mass demonstrations in the afternoon of 23 September claiming electoral fraud by Ter-Petrosyan's supporters. An estimated of 200,000 people gathered in Freedom Square to protest the election results. On 25 September, the mass of 150,000 to 200,000 gathered in the same square. Manukyan led the demonstrators to Baghramyan Avenue, where the parliament building is located (the Electoral Commission was inside the building at the time). Later during the day, the protesters broke the fence surrounding the Armenian parliament and got into the building.


1996 Armenian presidential election, Protests and aftermath
They beat up the parliament speaker Babken Ararktsyan and vice-speaker Ara Sahakyan. The security forces were brought into Yerevan to restore order. On the same day, Defence Minister Vazgen Sargsyan stated that "even if they [the opposition] win 100 percent of the votes, neither the Army nor the National Security and Interior Ministry would recognize such political leaders." Sargsyan was later criticized by the West for such statement. Vazgen Sargsyan and Minister of National Security Serzh Sargsyan announced on the Public Television of Armenia that their respective agencies have prevented an attempted coup d'état. The government sent tanks and troops to Yerevan to enforce the ban on rallies and demonstrations on 26 September 1996. A number of opposition leaders were stripped of legal immunity. Manukyan appealed to the Constitutional Court with the request for a new election, but it was rejected.


1996 Armenian presidential election, Later developments
A few years after the election, Ter-Petrosyan's closest "power minister" Vano Siradeghyan claimed in an interview that Ter-Petrosyan fell into a three-month depression and that he wanted Vazgen Sargsyan and Siradeghyan to resign. According to him "the whole state apparatus was demoralized, paralyzed and no government was formed during [the ensuing] three months." Despite these claims, in a February 1997 interview Ter-Petrosyan denied the rumors of the resignation of Vazgen Sargsyan stating that "rumors are the innocent thing–but in this case I think that they are extremely dangerous. I mean the resignation of Vazgen Sargsyan–scandals which–in my opinion–are not innocent.


1996 Armenian presidential election, Later developments
If it is misinformation–it is ill-intentioned misinformation." He accused the opposition led by Manukyan for being a power "for which political ambitions are more important than our army–the problem of Artsakh–the Armenian Cause–which they made their slogan." Ter-Petrosyan then accused the opposition in being irresponsible: "I don’t know the meaning of their existence–but [they] have made no positive contribution to the problem of Artsakh–be it certain individuals or political parties."


1996 Armenian presidential election, Later developments
Since 1995 until his resignation in February 1998, Ter-Petrosyan was being criticized for his alleged authoritarian rule. History Professor Stephan H. Astourian of the University of California, Berkeley suggests that after crushing popular protest by "military force, legal recourse had been perverted, and a president had been elected fraudulently." Astourian claims that the elections "tarnished Ter-Petrosian's image, but the West did not dwell on the problem." as "a weak president has his uses." The West increased the pressure on the non-democratically elected president on the Karabakh issue. Astourian believes that "even more than his image in the West, it was the president's own self-image, his 'ego ideal,' that was tarnished."


1996 Army Cadets football team
The 1996 Army Cadets football team was an American football team that represented the United States Military Academy in the 1996 NCAA Division I-A football season. In their sixth season under head coach Bob Sutton, the Cadets compiled a 10–2 record and outscored their opponents by a combined total of 379 to 224. In the annual Army–Navy Game, the Cadets defeated Navy, 28–24. They also lost to Auburn, 32–29, in the 1996 Independence Bowl.


1996 Army Cadets football team, Game summaries, vs. Navy
President Bill Clinton became the first sitting U.S. president to attend game since 1974.


1996 Army Cadets football team, Radio
Some games broadcast on WPLJ–FM 95.5 because of broadcast conflict with the New York Yankees


1996 Asian Acrobatic Gymnastics Championships
The 1996 Asian Acrobatic Gymnastics Championships were the third edition of the Asian Acrobatic Gymnastics Championships, and were held in Kawasaki, Japan, in December 1996.


1996 Asian Artistic Gymnastics Championships
The 1996 Asian Artistic Gymnastics Championships were the first edition of the Asian Artistic Gymnastics Championships, and were held in Changsha, China, in September 1996.


1996 Asian Badminton Championships
The 1996 Badminton Asia Championships was the 14th tournament of the Badminton Asia Championships. It was held at the GOR Pancasila in Surabaya, Indonesia in 17 - 21 April 1996.


1996 Asian Classic
The 1996 Suntory Asian Classic was a professional ranking snooker tournament that took place between 9–15 September 1996 at the Riverside Montien Hotel in Bangkok, Thailand.


1996 Asian Classic
Ronnie O'Sullivan won the tournament, defeating Brian Morgan 9–8 in the final. The defending champion John Parrott was eliminated by Rod Lawler in the first round.


1996 Asian Judo Championships
The 1996 Asian Judo Championships were held in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam 9 to 10 November 1996.


1996 Asian Junior Athletics Championships
The 1996 Asian Junior Athletics Championships was the sixth edition of the international athletics competition for Asian under-20 athletes, organised by the Asian Athletics Association. It took place from 3–6 December in New Delhi, India. It was the second time that the Indian capital had hosted the competition, following the 1992 edition. A total of 41 events were contested, 22 for male athletes and 19 for female athletes.


1996 Asian Junior Women's Volleyball Championship
The 1996 Asian Junior Women's Volleyball Championship was held in Chiang Mai, Thailand


1996 Asian Men's Junior Handball Championship
The 1996 Asian Men's Junior Handball Championship (5th tournament) took place in Dubai from 21 August–30 August. It acts as the Asian qualifying tournament for the 1997 Men's Junior World Handball Championship.


1996 Asian Men's Junior Handball Championship, Preliminary round
The top two finishers from each preliminary round group progressed to the next round.


1996 Asian Men's Junior Handball Championship, Elimination round
United Arab Emirates,  Saudi Arabia and  Qatar won their Elimination matches and advanced to the final round.


1996 Asian PGA Tour
The 1996 Omega Tour was the second season of the Asian PGA Tour, the second men's professional golf tour in Asia (outside of Japan) alongside the long established Asia Golf Circuit.


1996 Asian PGA Tour, Tournament schedule
The table below shows the 1996 Asian PGA Tour schedule.


1996 Asian Rhythmic Gymnastics Championships
The 1996 Asian Rhythmic Gymnastics Championships was held in Changsha, China, September 1996.


1996 Asian Super Cup
The 1996 Asian Super Cup was the 2nd Asian Super Cup, a football match played between the winners of the previous season's Asian Club Championship and Asian Cup Winners Cup competitions. The 1996 competition was contested by Cheonan Ilhwa Chunma of South Korea, who won the 1995 Asian Club Championship, and Bellmare Hiratsuka of Japan, the winners of the 1995–96 Asian Cup Winners' Cup.


1996 Asian Super Cup, Route to the Super Cup, Cheonan Ilhwa Chunma
1Ilhwa Chunma goals always recorded first. 2 GD Lam Pak withdrew after the 1st leg.


1996 Asian Table Tennis Championships
The 13th Asian Table Tennis Championships 1996 were held in Osaka, Japan from 4 to 10 December 1996. It was organised by the Singapore Table Tennis Association under the authority of Asian Table Tennis Union (ATTU) and International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF).


1996 Asian Taekwondo Championships
The 1996 Asian Taekwondo Championships are the 12th edition of the Asian Taekwondo Championships, and were held in Melbourne, Australia from 14 June to 16 June, 1996.


1996 Asian Winter Games
The 3rd Asian Winter Games (Chinese: 第三届亚洲冬季运动会; pinyin: Dì sān jiè yàzhōu dōngjì yùndònghuì) were held from February 4 to 11, 1996 in Harbin, Heilongjiang, China. North Korea's Samjiyon was the original host for the games scheduled in 1995, but withdrew in August 1992. After the withdrawal, South Korea and then China submitted bids respectively. The Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) decided to elect the host cities for these 3rd games and the next 4th games simultaneously. On December 2, 1993, The OCA announced that the 3rd games would be held in China in 1996 and the 4th games would be held in South Korea in 1999.


1996 Asian Winter Games, Mascot
The 1996 Winter Asiad mascot is Doudou, a character inspired by the pea plant.


1996 Asian Winter Games, Sports
A total of 43 events in eight medal sports were held in the Third Winter Asian Games. Figure skating was reinstated and Freestyle skiing was added to the program.


1996 Asian Wrestling Championships
The 1996 Asian Wrestling Championships were held in Xiaoshan, China. The event took place from April 4 to April 10, 1996. It acted as the Asian qualifying tournament for the 1996 Summer Olympics wrestling tournament.


1996 Asian Wrestling Championships
The first women's tournament was an open competition, an American wrestler Tricia Saunders was the only non-Asian wrestler in competition and won the gold.


1996 Atlanta Braves season
The 1996 Atlanta Braves season was the 126th season in the history of the franchise and 31st season in the city of Atlanta. They secured a regular season record of 96-66 and reached the World Series, where it lost to the underdog New York Yankees in six games, failing to defend its championship in 1995. Heavily favored and seen as one of the greatest Braves teams in history and despite taking a 2-0 lead the Braves unexpectedly lost the next 4 games. This World Series appearance was their fourth appearance in the last 5 years as a franchise.


1996 Atlanta Braves season
Atlanta won its seventh division title (second in the National League East, the other five in the NL West) and its fifth in six years. In the previous round, Atlanta completed a miraculous comeback. After trailing in the NLCS to St. Louis three games to one, Atlanta outscored St. Louis 32-1 in games five through seven to complete the comeback. The collapse was remembered as one of the largest in North American sports history.


1996 Atlanta Braves season
The 1996 season was the Braves' final season at Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium, with Game 5 of the 1996 World Series being the last game played in the stadium. Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium was also served as a venue during the 1996 Summer Olympics held in Atlanta, prompting the Braves to go on an extended road trip as their stadium hosted the baseball competition. Following the closing ceremonies of the 1996 Summer Paralympics, Centennial Olympic Stadium was reconstructed as planned into Turner Field, which would become the home of the Braves for the next 20 seasons.


1996 Atlanta Braves season, Player stats, Batting, Starters by position
Note: Pos = Position; G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in


1996 Atlanta Braves season, Player stats, Batting, Other batters
Note: G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in


1996 Atlanta Braves season, Player stats, Pitching, Starting pitchers
Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts


1996 Atlanta Braves season, Player stats, Pitching, Other pitchers
Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts


1996 Atlanta Braves season, Player stats, Pitching, Relief pitchers
Note: G = Games pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; SV = Saves; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts


1996 Atlanta Braves season, World Series, Game 1
October 20, 1996, at Yankee Stadium in New York City


1996 Atlanta Braves season, World Series, Game 2
October 21, 1996, at Yankee Stadium in New York City


1996 Atlanta Braves season, World Series, Game 6
October 26, 1996, at Yankee Stadium in New York City


1996 Atlanta Falcons season
The 1996 Atlanta Falcons season was the franchise’s 31st season in the National Football League (NFL). The Falcons were unable to match their previous season’s output of 9–7 and failed to reach the playoffs. Atlanta started the season 0–8, going winless until November. Two of the team’s three wins were over the equally inept New Orleans Saints, who also finished 3–13.


1996 Atlanta Falcons season
This was the final season were the Falcons wore the screen printed numbers on the jerseys.


1996 Atlanta Falcons season
The Falcons allowed 461 points in 1996, the most in team history. Football Outsiders calculates that the 1996 Falcons had the third-worst pass defense they had ever tracked.


1996 Atlanta Falcons season
The season was notable when Jeff George was engaged in a shouting match with June Jones in a nationally televised game against Philadelphia. The next day, George was suspended for his act and was eventually released by the team. As for coach Jones, he was fired at the conclusion of the season.


1996 Atlantic 10 Conference Baseball Tournament
The 1996 Atlantic 10 Conference Baseball Championship was held at Bear Stadium in Boyertown, Pennsylvania from May 10–12. The double elimination tournament featured the top two regular-season finishers of each of the conference's six-team divisions. East Division top seed Massachusetts defeated Virginia Tech in the title game to win the tournament for the third time, earning the Atlantic 10's automatic bid to the 1996 NCAA Tournament.


1996 Atlantic 10 Conference Baseball Tournament, Seeding and format
Each division's top teams, based on winning percentage in the 20-game regular season schedule, qualified for the field. In the opening round of the four-team double-elimination format, the East Division champion played the West Division runner-up, and vice versa.


1996 Atlantic 10 Conference Baseball Tournament, All-Tournament Team
The following players were named to the All-Tournament Team. Massachusetts's Nate Murphy, one of five Minutemen selected, was named Most Outstanding Player.


1996 Atlantic 10 Conference Baseball Tournament, All-Tournament Team
1996 was the first time the league named an All-Tournament Team. Previously, it had named only a Most Outstanding Player and Pitcher.


1996 Atlantic 10 Men's Basketball Tournament
The 1996 Atlantic 10 Men's Basketball Tournament was played from March 6 to March 9, 1996. The tournament was played at the Philadelphia Civic Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The winner was named champion of the Atlantic 10 Conference and received an automatic bid to the 1996 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament. The University of Massachusetts won the tournament for the fifth year in a row. Massachusetts eventually reached the semifinals of the NCAA tournament. George Washington, Temple, and Virginia Tech also received bids to the tournament. Carmelo Travieso of Massachusetts was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player. Future NBA players Marcus Camby (Massachusetts), Marc Jackson (Temple), and Tyson Wheeler (Rhode Island) were among those also named to the All-Championship Team. The top two teams in each division received a first-round bye.


1996 Atlantic 10 Men's Basketball Tournament, Bracket
All games played at Philadelphia Civic Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania* - Overtime


1996 Atlantic Championship
The 1996 Toyota Atlantic Championship season was the 23rd season of the formula race car Atlantic Championship. It was contested over 12 races between March 3 and September 7, 1995. The Player's Toyota Atlantic Championship Drivers' Champion was Patrick Carpentier. All teams had to utilize Toyota engines. In C2-class 23 different drivers competed, but none of them for the whole season.


1996 Atlantic Championship, Calendar
Race 1 was held on a combination track;  cars used the esses off the backstretch for safety reasons.


1996 Atlantic Championship, Final points standings, Driver, Main championship
For every race the points were awarded: 20 points to the winner, 16 for runner-up, 14 for third place, 12 for fourth place, 11 for fifth place, winding down to 1 point for 15th place. Lower placed drivers did not award points. Additional points were awarded to the pole winner (1 point) and to the driver leading the most laps (1 point). C2-class drivers were also able to score points in the main class.


1996 Atlantic Coast Conference Baseball Tournament
The 1996 Atlantic Coast Conference Baseball Tournament was held at the Durham Bulls Athletic Park in Durham, NC from May 13th through May 17th. Due to rain, some games were played at Boshamer Stadium in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Virginia won the tournament and earned the Atlantic Coast Conference's automatic bid to the 1996 NCAA Division I Baseball Tournament.


1996 Atlantic Coast Conference Baseball Tournament, Tournament, Main Bracket, Seeding Procedure
On Saturday (The Semifinals) of the ACC Baseball Tournament, the match-up between the four remaining teams is determined by previous opponents. If teams have played previously in the tournament, every attempt will be made to avoid a repeat match-up between teams, regardless of seed. If it is impossible to avoid a match-up that already occurred, then the determination is based on avoiding the most recent, current tournament match-up, regardless of seed. If no match-ups have occurred, the team left in the winners bracket will play the lowest seeded team from the losers bracket.


1996 Atlantic hurricane season
The 1996 Atlantic hurricane season had the most major hurricanes since 1950, which are Category 3 or higher on the Saffir-Simpson scale. The season was above-average, featuring a total of thirteen named storms, nine hurricanes, and six major hurricanes. The season officially began on June 1, 1996 and ended on November 30, 1996, dates which conventionally delimit the period of each year when most tropical cyclones form in the Atlantic basin. The season's first tropical cyclone, Tropical Storm Arthur, developed on June 17, while the final cyclone, Hurricane Marco dissipated on November 26.


1996 Atlantic hurricane season
The most intense hurricane, Edouard, was a powerful Cape Verde-type hurricane that affected portions of the Mid-Atlantic states and New England. The season featured nine tropical cyclone landfalls, including six hurricanes, one of which was a major hurricane. In total, six major hurricanes formed during the 1996 Atlantic hurricane season—the highest number produced in a single season since 1950.


1996 Atlantic hurricane season
The four most notable tropical cyclones of the season were hurricanes Bertha, Cesar, Fran, and Hortense. Bertha made landfall as a Category 2 hurricane on the coast of North Carolina, causing a total of 12 deaths and $335 million (1996 USD) in damage. Hurricane Fran made landfall in the same general area a little over a month later as a Category 3 hurricane, causing 37 deaths and $5 billion in damage.


1996 Atlantic hurricane season
Hurricane Cesar developed in the east Caribbean during late-July and crossed Nicaragua into the east Pacific as a strong tropical storm several days later, at which time it earned the name Douglas. The system produced strong winds and flooding, leading to 113 deaths and $202.96 million in damage. Finally, Hurricane Hortense formed in the east Atlantic during the month of September and crossed Hispaniola and Puerto Rico, causing 39 direct deaths and $158 million in damage. Collectively, the tropical cyclones of the 1996 Atlantic hurricane season caused $6.52 billion in damage and 256 deaths.


1996 Atlantic hurricane season, Seasonal forecasts, Pre-season forecasts
Forecasts of hurricane activity are issued before each hurricane season by noted hurricane experts such as Dr. William M. Gray and his associates at Colorado State University (CSU) and the Weather Research Center (WRC). A normal season, as defined by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), has 12.1 named storms, of these 6.4 reach hurricane strength, and 2.7 major hurricanes, which are Category 3 or higher on the Saffir–Simpson scale. Additional, the 1950-2000 CSU average for a normal season is 9.6 named storms, of these 5.9 reach hurricane strength, and 2.3 become major hurricanes.


1996 Atlantic hurricane season, Seasonal forecasts, Pre-season forecasts
In December 1995, CSU predicted that only 8 named storms would form and 5 of those would become hurricanes; no specific number of major hurricanes was given. However, in April 1996, CSU revised their forecast, stating that 11 named storms would develop, with seven of those intensifying into a hurricane, and three reaching major hurricane intensity. In June, CSU predicted 10 named storms, 6 hurricanes, and 2 major hurricanes. The forecast by the WRC in early 1996 was 10 named storms and 6 hurricanes, though there was no prediction on the number of major hurricanes.