1972 Trivia

Class of 1972 Information

The commencement ceremony for Class of 72 was Thursday, June 1

Class of 72 was the 85^th annual graduation commencement

 The colors of Class of 72 were purple and silver

The motto of Class of 72 was “We will find a path or make one”

There were 429 members in our Class of 72 graduating class

Facts:  On page 25 in Brainonian it states 429 in our graduating class

            On page 145 in Brainonian  it states we were a class of 459

            On page 15 it states we had 38 early grads

The Class of 72 was the 4^th graduating class of the Brainerd High School

Fact:  Brainerd High School opened it’s doors in 1968.  1969 was the first graduating class of BHS.  The first swimming pool of any of Brainerd High Schools was in our school.

There were 102 couples attending the 1972 Junior-Senior Prom.  Orchid and lavender were the dominate colors for the theme, “Something Special.”

 Costs of Items in 1972

New home:  $27,000

Yearly income:  $11,800.

Hourly rate:  $1.60.

New car:   $3,800.

Car tires:  $25 each.

Gallon of gas: $.36.

Ounce of gold:  $44.50. Fact:  It was a record high

Annual tuition of a public college:  $500.

Annual tuition of a private college:  $1,950.

Regular greeting card:  $.25 - $.35.

Postage stamp: $.08.

Movie ticket in Brainerd:  $.50.  Fact:  Nationwide average for a movie ticket was $1.70

Pack of cigarettes: $.50. 

A 23 inch color tv: $366.00.

Gallon of paint:  $5.00.

Loaf of bread:  $.24

Dozen of eggs: $.52.

Gallon of milk: $.52.

Candy bar:  $.25

Pound of hamburger:  $.60

Pound of bananas:  $.12

A pound of bacon:  $.84

6-pack of beer:  $2.07 

McDonald’s hamburger:  $.30   big mac:       $.65

TV dinner:  $.39

 Movies/television/Music

The French Connection won for the best picture at the Oscars

Three top movies besides the French Connection were

-  The God father (most popular) *

-  Deliverance

-  The Poseidon Adventure

Jane Fonda (Klute) won best actress at the Oscars

Gene Hackman (French Connection) won the best actor at the Oscar

Some of the Top T.V. Shows

-  Mash

-  All in the Family

-  Gunsmoke

-  Hawaii Five-O

-  The Wonderful World of Disney

-  Maude

-  The Mary Tyler Moore show

-  Marcus Welby, MD

-  Here’s Lucy

-  The Waltons

-  Sanford and Son

-  All in the family won for Outstanding Comedy series at the Primetime Emmy’s.

Music

 Popular billboard songs 

-  American Pie * (American Pie was #1)

-  A Horse with No Name

-  The First Time I Ever Saw your Face

-  The Candy Man

Other top ten songs

-  Hello It’s Me – Todd Rundgren

-  Do it Again – Steely Dan

-  Smoke on Water – Deep Purple

-  You Wear it Well – Rod Steward

-  Rocket Man – Elton John

-  All the Young Dudes – Mott the Hoople

-  Schools Out – Alice Cooper

-  Ziggy Stardust – David Bowie

-  Heart of Gold – Neil Young

-  Tumbling Dice – The Rolling Dice

Grammy’s

 You’ve Got a Friend” by Carole King won song of the year at the 14^th Grammy’s

 Carol King was the top female vocalist of the year at at the 14^th Grammy’s

 James Taylor won top male vocalist of the year at at the 14^th Grammy’s                                   

 The Carpenters were the top vocal group of the year at at the 14^th Grammy’sPage 4

Top Bands

-  Glen Campbell was the top country singer in 1972

-  The Rolling Stones were the top rock band in 1972

-  Led Zeppelin was the top heavy metal band in 1972

-  Deep Purple was the top hard rock band in 1972

-  Styx rock band was formed in Chicago in 1972 

 Oscars

Cloris Leachman - Best supporting actress for the Last Picture show

Ben Johnson - Best supporting actor for the Last Picture Show

Theme from Shaft (Issak Hayes) - Best song 

Charlie Chaplin - Academy Honorary Award

Movies released in 1972. The Godfather, Poseidon Adventure, Jeremiah Johnson, Cabaret, The Getaway, Last Tango in Paris, Valachi Papers, The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean, Conquest of the Planet of the Apes, Deliverance, Lady Sings the Blues, What’s up Doc, Concert for Bangladesh and man of La Mancha.

Miscellaneous

Avocado green was the most popular paint color

Volkswagon Beetle was the best selling car (Fact:  VW Beetle overtakes Ford Model T as world’s best selling car)

HBO pay television service begins operating in 1972?

The first Popeyes restaurant opened in Louisiana.

Richard Milhaus Nixon was our president in 1972

Nixon orders the development of the Space Shuttle Program?

The world population:  3.851 billion * (compared to 7,760 billion in 2020)

USA’s population:  209,986 million (compared to 329,500  million in 2020)

The Dallas Cowboys won the Super Bowl?

Oakland Athletics won the World Series?

 1972 Boston Marathon was the first marathan that allows women to complete officially

 The first female was hired by the FBI?                                                                                             

 Atari kicks off the first video game, “Pong”  to gain commercial success

Watergate was one of the biggest scandals of the year.

Top girls baby names

• Jennifer

• Michelle,

• Lisa

• Kimberly

• Amy

Top Boys baby names

•  Michael

• Chris

• James

• David

• John

Doritos were introduced in 1964 as a plain tortilla chip.  Nacho cheese was introduced in 1972

 Japan was the location of the Winter Olympics.

 Scientific pocket calculators were introduced in 1972?

 Tennis balls were changed from white to yellow (they were seen better on television)

 Uno was the best selling toy Christmas of 1972

 Other Information

 A child of the 70’s

-  Wore polyester pant suites

-  Wore bell bottoms

-  Had side burns

-  Had no remote to change tv channels

-  Learned to type on a typewrite

-  No remote contols

-  Played 8-track tapes

-  Remember shag carpet

-  Did not use seat belts

-  You rented a land line and long distance calls cost you extra

-  You made collect telephone calls

-  The Vietnam War was in progress

Stars Born in the 70’s

-  Jennifer Garner

-  Gwyneth Paltrow

-  Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson

-  Ben Affleck

-  Jude Law

- Sofia Vergara

- Cameron Diaz

- Brad Paisley

 Brainerd Facts

- Tanks Club:  Rib Dinner was $3.00

- Perkins:  Fish Dinner w/Fries, Coleslaw Roll and butter 1.00

- Resort on Lake Edwards 7 acres, 300 ft of Shoreline:  $35,000

- Gull Lake 4 bedroom home:  $24,900

- TV Channels seen in Brainerd:  Channels 2, 3 (Duluth), 7(Alex), 5, 9,11, 12(Walker)

- Popular places that no longer exist in Brainerd.

           Harolds Club

           Tanks Club

           LuGuyal Club/Lanes

           Paul Bunyan (in Baxter)

           House of Pizza (across from Train Depot)

           Akres Dutch Oven Nisswa

           Starlight Club

January 24, 1972 a fierce blizzard in SW, MN with 72 mph winds at Worthington, up to 10 inches of snow.  Schools closed buses were stranded, many sought shelter in farm homes. 

December 31, 1972, there was a New Year's Eve blizzed which halted many celebrations and activities.

Flooding Summer of 1972 (July 21-22):  Heavy rains occurred during an 8-10 hour period from the afternoon of July 21^st to the early morning of the 22^nd brought devastating floods to the Little Falls and Brainerd areas.  Flood damages were estimated at $20 million.  Hwy 10 and 25 were impassable because huge portions of the highways were gone.  The 24-hour rainfall aount at Fort Ripley was 10.84 inches, setting a new 24 hour rainfall total for the state of Minnesota.

Brainerd High Girls Athletics

Volleyball:span style="mso-spacerun:yes">  10-2 upset by Moorhead in Conference tournament

Gymnastics: 1-3 in dual meets. Hosted its first North Star Conference meet.

Swimming:  4-0 regular season. Placed 2nd in the North Star Conference meet

Tennis:  First year sport. Played 5 matches and won all 5.

Basketball:  Also first year sport. Comprised a record of 5-2 

Brainerd High Boy’s Athletics

Track: Won all three of it’s dual meets. Including the Staples Invitational which had 20 schools competing.Brainerd High School Mens Athletics/span>

Football 4-4. Lost to two #1 rated opponents. St.Cloud Tech and Moorhead. Lead by co-captains Brian Helmer and Rick Simmonds.

Cross Country:  Captured District 24 Title.

Gymnastics 4-4. Co-Captain Forest Compton was one of the most consistent performers.

Swimming:  13-5 Kevin Wahlberg set team records in 200 yard 400 yard free style and earned a trip to state. Bill Kisskeys won Region

Diving competition. Wes Manifold finished 9th.

Basketball:  15-5 regular season record.  John Straka received all-state honors.  State tournament berth.

Wresting:  6-4-2 Sent 8 wrestlers to regions.

Hockey:  8-11-2 Second year of being a high school sponsored sport, was ousted in sub-regional playoffs.

Track: 2nd in district 24 track meet. John Streachek had 3 firsts and a second place finish at the district meet.

Golf:  5 meets won 2. Sent 4 golfers to regionals.

Tennis: 8-9 Did well in districts. Qualifying for regions were Sandy Ruttger, Stuart Seale and Dave Shanks.

Baseball: 13-3 Rated in the top 10 all year, was upset in 2nd round District 24 competition. reeled off 12 consecutive wins

Sports

1972 Winter Olympics were held in Sapporo, Japan. The U.S. Hockey team won a silver metal,  the first hockey medal since the famous 1960 hockey team won gold. 

1972 Winter Olympics were held in Munich, Germany.  U.S. swimmer Mark Spitz wins his seventh gold medal at the 1972 Summper Olympics.

Evonne Goolagon was the female athlete of the year. 

Bob Donglas becomes the first African American elected to the Basketball Hall of Fame. 

Bert Blyleven, Jim Kaat, Tony Oliva , Rod Carew and Harmon Killebrew were all members of  the       1972 Twins.  They finished 77-77 and in 3rd place in the Al West. Managers were Bill Rigney and   Frank Quilici.

50 years ago last Jan 25, College Basketball witnessed the worst sports brawl in history. The last    minute of the game between Minnesota Gophers and Ohio State sent three Ohio State players to the hospital.

The Gophers finished the year 18-7 under coach Bill Musselman and lost to Alabama in the NIT        –   turnament to Alabama in the second round.

Minnesota Vikings. 7-7 3rd in the NFc Central Division. Coach was Bud Grant and Jerry Burns was Offensive Coordinator. Fran Tarkington returned from NY Giants in a blockbuster trade. Paul Krause, Dave Osborn, Carl Eller, Alan Page and Jim Marshall were all members of the team. This was only 1 of 2 times during the 1970’s which the Vikings failed to reach the playoffs.

Minnesota Northstar’s. 37-30-11 for 85 points to finish 3rd in West Division. Lost in quarter finals 4-2 to Philadelphia Flyers. Wren Blair was general manager. Jack Gordon was coach. Gump Worsley, Cesare Maniago, Dennis Hextall, Lou Nanne, Bill Goldsworthy and Tom Reid were all members of the 1972 Northstars.

Minnesota Fighting Saints 38-37-3 for 79 points to finish 4 in the WHA west division. Glen Sonmor was the coach. Mike Antonovich, Wayne Connelly, Dick Paradise and Ted Hampson were members of the team.

More Miscellaneous

Girl survives in being ejected out of airplane after a lightening strike and survives in the jungle for 11days. She walked, waded and swam to a camp of forest workers.

The Pioneer 10 Spacecraft, the first man-made satellite to leave the solar sytem is launched from Cape Kennedy.

President Nixon takes an unprecedented 8-day visit to People’s Republic of China where he meets with Mao Tse Tung.

Musicals were deemed too expensive to put together and produce in spite of the movie Cabaret with Joel Grey and Liza Minnelli being a huge box office success. Minnelli won an Academy Award for Best Actress. Grey won a best supporting Actor. Bob Fosse was Best Director. Cabaret holds the record for most Oscars earned by a film not honored for Best Picture. It won 8 Oscars.

Vietnam war protest occurred at the U of M.  Minneapolis (8 days, May 9-16) Mayor Charles Stenvig ordered the police on campus.  A police helicopter flying over Dinkytown sprayed tear gas on the assembled protesters.  Governor Wendell Anderson ordered in the National Guard. A crowd of 6,500 gathered at Coffman for a rally that featured U.S. Senator and Minnesota native Eugene McCarthy.  Demonstration cost to the taxpayers was between $300,000 and $500,000. The May demonstrations were the last major antiwar protests at the University and part of the last wave of protests nationally  - the University of California/Berkeley and the University of Wisconsin in Madison both saw significant disruptions, while dozens of demonstrators were arrested at Mankato State and Southwest State in Marshall, MN.  US military involvement in Vietnam ended in January,. 1973.  After years of disturbances, the Universary and dother college campuses were quiet. 

The first Twin Cities Pride event occured in 1972 to commemorate the 1969 Stonewall riots.  It was sponsored by members of Gay sanctioned GLBT student groups in the country.

Barry Zevan the
Weatherman was the meteorogist at Channel 5 and Tom Ryther was the Sports broadcaster.