Year 1992 Fun Facts, Trivia, and History
What Happened During the Year 1992?
What are some fun facts, trivia, and history events from the year 1992? What were the top news stories in the U.S. and around the world, and what major events took place in the business and financial sectors? How much did a gallon of gas cost, and what happened in science, technology, sports, and in the entertainment industry?
Back in 1992, what were the biggest food and fashion trends, and what were the most popular baby names and Christmas gifts? Likewise, who won the Nobel Peace Prize, and how much did a first-class stamp or a gallon of milk cost? What about famous birthdays and deaths that year, and what were the best-selling books?
From world leaders to pioneers to innovators, who were the most influential people in 1992? What was the median household income, the average life expectancy, and how much did a new house or car cost? Finally, what was 1992 best known for, and was it a good or bad year overall? Let's find out.
Here is a summary of the top news stories and history events that happened in 1992:
- President George H. W. Bush and Russian President Boris Yeltsin jointly announced that the Cold War had ended.
- Bill Clinton was elected president of the United States, and Congress broke President Bush’s streak of 35 successful vetoes.
- In 1992, serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer and businesswoman Leona Helmsley both went to prison.
- A December nor'easter produced record high tides and snowfall totals across the northeastern United States.
- Four Los Angeles police officers were indicted for the Rodney King beating.
- Windsor Castle suffered a serious fire, and the Russian newspaper Pravda stopped publishing.
- The Mall of America—the second-largest shopping mall in the U.S.—opened in Bloomington, Minnesota.
- AT&T introduced the video phone, IBM developed the first smartphone, and the 10 millionth cell phone was sold.
- The largest McDonald's in the world opened in Beijing, China.
- PepsiCo began to test market Crystal Pepsi, and the bread machine made its way into the American kitchen.
- The year 1992 marked the 500th anniversary of Christopher Columbus' voyage to the Americas.
- 60 Minutes was the most popular TV show, Aladdin was the most popular film, and All Around the Town was the best-selling book.
- The Silence of the Lambs won the top five Academy Awards, Murphy Brown (CBS) won an Emmy for Outstanding Comedy Series, and Unforgettable won a Grammy for Song of the Year.
- Johnny Carson made his last appearance on The Tonight Show (NBC), and the 1700th David Letterman Show (CBS) aired.
- Bonnie and Clyde (1967), Psycho (1960), and Detour (1945) were all entered into the National Film Registry.
- Prince Charles and Princess Diana announced that they were separating after 11 years of marriage.
- Inflation was 3.01%, unemployment averaged 6.8%, and a gallon of gas cost around $1.13.
- In 1992, Idaho potatoes cost $1.69 for a five-pound bag, rye bread was 99 cents for a 16-ounce loaf, and Oreos were $1.59 for a 20-ounce package. Jack Frost sugar cost $1.49 for a five-pound bag, a gallon of milk was $2.78, and a dozen eggs were 93 cents.
- Michael and Ashley were popular baby names, platform shoes and animal prints were fashion trends, and Beefaroni and Lunchables were all the rage.
- The cost of a 30-second Super Bowl ad was $850,000. (In 2022, a Super Bowl commercial cost $223,000 per second.)
- About one million computers worldwide had Internet access, and there were 10 websites online by the end of the year.
- The Washington Redskins won Super Bowl XXVI, and the Toronto Blue Jays won the 89th World Series. Likewise, the Pittsburgh Penguins clinched the 29th Stanley Cup, and Al Unser Jr. won the 76th Indianapolis 500.
- NHL players went on strike for the first time in their 75-year history. As a result of the 10-day strike, the hockey season was expanded to 84 games, and "included provisions for each team to play two games per season in non-NHL cities."
- From February 8-23, the 1992 Winter Olympics—officially known as the XVI Olympic Winter Games—were held in Albertville, France. A total of 1,801 athletes (1,313 men and 488 women) participated.
- At the 65th Scripps National Spelling Bee, the winner was 13-year-old Amanda Goad of Richmond, Virginia, who correctly spelled the word "lyceum."
This article teaches you fun facts, trivia, and history events from the year 1992. Find out about popular TV shows and movies, best-selling books, food and fashion trends, sports facts, pop music artists and songs, famous birthdays, economic and tech news, as well as unusual news events to get the right mix of questions and answers for your 1990s-themed trivia quiz.
Table of Contents
Here is a sneak preview of what this article is about:
- Grocery Prices in the Year 1992
- History Facts and Events From the USA and World
- Sports Facts and Trivia
- Entertainment News
- Miscellaneous Fun Facts, Trivia, and Pop Culture Trends
- Nobel Prize Winners
- Best-Selling Books
- Most Popular Television Shows From 1992-93
- Highest-Grossing Films
- Entries Into the National Film Registry
- Horror Movies From the Year 1992
- Biggest Pop Music Artists
- Top 40 Songs for the Year
- Favorite Video Games
- Food and Beverage Trivia
- Notable Weddings
- Famous People Who Died in 1992
- America’s Largest Corporations
- American Companies That Were Launched
1. Grocery Prices in the Year 1992
These 1992 grocery prices have been made available courtesy of the Morris County Public Library in Whippany, NJ.
- Apples (Red Delicious): 99 cents a pound
- Bacon (Oscar Mayer): $1.49 for a one-pound package
- Beef (eye round roast): $2.99 per pound
- Bread (rye): 99 cents for a 16-ounce loaf
- Butter (Land O’Lakes): $3.00 for a two-pound package
- Cookies (Nabisco Oreos): $1.59 for a 20-ounce package
- Eggs: 93 cents a dozen
- Fish (salmon steak): $5.99 a pound
- Ham: 79 cents per pound
- Ice cream (Breyers): $2.99 for a half-gallon carton
- Ketchup (Heinz): 99 cents for a 28-ounce bottle
- Lettuce (iceberg): 37 cents for one head
- Milk: $2.78 a gallon
- Onions (yellow): $1.49 for a three-pound bag
- Oranges (navel, Sunkist): Four for 99 cents
- Peanut butter (Skippy): $5.99 for a 64-ounce jar
- Pork & beans (Campbell’s): $1.00 for three 16-ounce cans
- Potatoes (Idaho): $1.69 for a five-pound bag
- Soup (Campbell’s): $2.00 for five 10.5-ounce cans
- Strawberries: $1.69 per quart
- Sugar (Jack Frost): $1.49 for a five-pound bag
2. History Facts and Events From the USA and World
- In 1992, George H. W. Bush was President of the United States, and Dan Quale was Vice-President.
- The U.S. unemployment rate averaged 6.8%.
- The rate of inflation was 3.01%.
- In 1992, Idaho potatoes cost $1.69 for a five-pound bag, rye bread was 99 cents for a 16-ounce loaf, and Oreos were $1.59 for a 20-ounce package. Jack Frost sugar cost $1.49 for a five-pound bag, a gallon of milk was $2.78, and a dozen eggs were 93 cents.
- The average price for a gallon of gas was $1.13.
- A first-class stamp cost 29 cents.
- The average household income was $30,636, up from $29,430 a year earlier.
- In 1992, Americans paid an average of $16,950 for a new car.
- The average price for a new house was $144,100, and the average monthly rent was $519.00.
- The federal minimum wage was $4.25.
- The prime rate hovered around 6.00%, and an ounce of gold cost $350.90.
- On the last day of trading for the year, the Dow Jones Industrial Average closed at 3,301.
- In 1992, the 500th anniversary of Christopher Columbus' voyage to the Americas was observed.
- On January 1, New York City’s transit fare increased from $1.15 to $1.25.
- On January 7, AT&T introduced the video phone—priced at $1,499—and described it as the world's first full-color motion video phone that allowed home telephone customers to send and receive video images as well as spoken words.
- On January 13, serial killer Jeffrey L. Dahmer admitted to killing 15 young men, but pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity. On February 15, a jury found Dahmer to be legally sane at the time of the murders, and sentenced him to “15 consecutive life sentences without chance of parole.”
- On January 31, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (M.T.A.) increased the tolls on New York City’s major bridges and tunnels by 50 cents each way.
- From February 8-23, the 1992 Winter Olympics—officially known as the XVI Olympic Winter Games—were held in Albertville, France. A total of 1,801 athletes (1,313 men and 488 women) participated.
- On February 22, Barry Diller resigned as CEO of Fox.
- On March 3, President George H. W. Bush admitted that raising taxes was the biggest blunder of his presidency because it was “hobbling his bid for re-election.” The New York Times reports that Bush regretted raising taxes, “because of all the ‘political grief’ he has suffered for agreeing to a 1990 budget compromise with Congressional Democrats that raised taxes.”
- On March 14, the Russian newspaper Pravda, which was recognized as the voice of the Communist Party for nearly 80 years, stopped publishing because of debt issues. The New York Times explains that “Lavishly subsidized by the party through most of its existence, the paper fell victim to the harsh realities of shortages, soaring prices, unimaginative management, and a dwindling readership. The daily had already reduced publication to only three issues a week of four pages each, and kiosks were freed to set their own prices.”
- On April 1, the leaders of the world's major industrial nations unveiled a one-year plan to give $24 billion in aid to Russia. According to the New York Times, “President Bush and [German] Chancellor Helmut Kohl presented the program as a way for the United States and its allies to prevent economic collapse in Russia and stop a new authoritarianism from rising from the rubble of the former Soviet Union.”
- On April 1, NHL players went on strike for the first time in their 75-year history. (The strike ended on April 10.)
- On April 6, Microsoft released Windows 3.1.
- On April 9, John Major became the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.
- On April 13, PepsiCo introduced Crystal Pepsi to test markets in Denver, Sacramento, Dallas, Providence, and Grand Rapids. Overall, the new soft drink generated a positive response from consumers.
- On April 23, the largest McDonald's restaurant in the world opened in Beijing, China. It had 28,000 square feet and 700 seats.
- On April 29, a jury acquitted three Los Angeles police officers in the beating of Rodney King. Within hours, “the 1992 Los Angeles riots started, sparked by outrage among African Americans over the verdicts and long-standing social issues.”
- On May 7, the 27th Amendment to the United States Constitution was ratified. Originally proposed by James Madison in 1789, the 27th Amendment “prohibits any law that increases or decreases the salary of members of Congress from taking effect until the start of the next set of terms of office for representatives.”
- On May 15, Alexanders, the New York-based budget department store, filed for bankruptcy protection from its creditors and closed its remaining stores. AlexanderRegoPark.com explains that “The first Alexander’s opened on 3rd Avenue in the Bronx in 1928, and other branches were on Fordham Road, 58th Street in Manhattan, and in White Plains and Paramus. It was also the only store in New York to feature a subway entrance of its own, and had an automatic indoor railroad system to transport merchandise between levels.”
- On June 16, Caspar Weinberger, the Secretary of Defense under President Ronald Reagan, was indicted on five felony charges related to the Iran-Contra affair.
- On June 16, Great Britain issued a postage stamp commemorating the 350th anniversary of the Battle of Edgehill.
- On June 26, New York’s M.T.A. voted to ban cigarette ads on its subways, buses, and commuter railroads. The ban—which went into effect on January 1, 1993—cost the agency an estimated $4.5 million in advertising revenue. (Adjusted for inflation, $4,500,000.00 in 1993 is equal to $7,967,219.87 in 2019.)
- On July 2, Braniff Airlines went out of business. According to the Texas State Historical Association, “Braniff Airways was once the world's sixth largest airline. Oklahoma City insurance man and financier Thomas Elmer Braniff and four friends founded the Oklahoma City-Tulsa Airline, beginning with partial payment on a five-seat Stinson Detroiter airplane. On June 20, 1928, this aircraft made its maiden voyage between the two cities, piloted by the founder's brother Paul.”
- From July 25-August 9, the Summer Olympics—officially known as the Games of the XXV Olympiad—were held in Barcelona, Spain. A total of 9,356 athletes (6,652 men and 2,704 women) participated.
- On August 11, the Mall of America opened in Bloomington, Minnesota. It had 330 stores and 10,000 employees.
- On October 1, the new Pittsburgh airport terminal opened, “with operations having been transferred overnight from the old terminal.”
- On October 5, Congress voted to override President Bush's veto of legislation designed to regulate cable television companies, thus breaking Bush’s streak of 35 successful vetoes.
- On October 20, in the first World Series game outside of the U.S., the Toronto Blue Jays beat the Atlanta Braves.
- On October 30, New York’s M.T.A. began installing the first 125 Automated-Fare-Collection (AFC) turnstiles.
- On November 3, Democrat Bill Clinton was elected President of the United States by defeating incumbent President George H. W. Bush. What wounded Bush’s candidacy? Britannica points out that “At the Republican National Convention in 1988, Bush had pledged to the delegates that he would resist any tax increases, giving his famous ‘read my lips’ pledge. But in 1990, in an attempt to cope with a soaring budget deficit, Bush reneged on that pledge, earning him the enmity of his conservative supporters and the distrust of many voters who had backed him in 1988.”
- On November 20, Windsor Castle—one of the official residences of Queen Elizabeth—suffered a serious fire. UnofficialRoyalty.com points out that Windsor Castle “has been a royal residence for over 900 years and has the distinction of being the world’s longest occupied castle and the world’s largest occupied castle.”
- On November 22, the 10 millionth cell phone was sold.
- On December 11, the December 1992 nor'easter came ashore and “wrought a half-billion dollars worth of damage in New Jersey, with the barrier islands taking the brunt of the hit. Gusts were measured as high as 90 mph.”
- On December 24, President Bush pardoned Caspar Weinberger for his role in the Iran-Contra affair.
3. Sports Facts and Trivia
Generally suitable for all age groups, sports questions are a welcome addition to any trivia quiz.
- On January 1, Miami defeated Nebraska in the Orange Bowl.
- On January 1, Washington beat Michigan in the Rose Bowl.
- On January 1, Notre Dame defeated Florida in the Sugar Bowl.
- On January 25, the Washington Redskins won Super Bowl XXVI by defeating the Buffalo Bills.
- In June, the Pittsburgh Penguins clinched the 29th Stanley Cup by beating the Chicago Blackhawks.
- In May, Al Unser Jr. won the 76th Indianapolis 500.
- On May 2, Lil E. Tee won the 118th running of the Kentucky Derby.
- In July, Miguel Induráin won the 79th Tour de France.
- In October, the Toronto Blue Jays won the 89th World Series by defeating the Atlanta Braves in seven games.
- NBA Champions: Chicago Bulls
- NCAA Basketball Champions: Duke
- NCAA Football Champs: Alabama
- U.S. Open Golf: Tom Kite
- U.S. Open Tennis (men/women): Stefan Edberg/Monica Seles
- Wimbledon (men/women): Andre Agassi/Steffi Graf
4. Entertainment News
- Heartthrobs and fashion icons for the year included Christina Applegate, Candice Bergen, Naomi Campbell, Cindy Crawford, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Linda Evangelista, Robin Givens, Whitney Houston, Rachel Hunter, Kathy Ireland, Elle Macpherson, Kate Moss, Princess Diana, Claudia Schiffer, Anna Nicole Smith, Sharon Stone, Niki Taylor, Heather Thomas, and Christy Turlington.
- Carolyn Sapp (Hawaii) won the Miss America crown.
- Shannon Marketic (California) became Miss USA.
- Top-grossing Broadway shows were Miss Saigon, The Phantom of the Opera, Crazy for You, Les Miserables, Will Rogers’ Follies, Cats, Guys and Dolls, Jelly’s Last Jam, The Secret Garden, and Catskills on Broadway.
- Broadway shows that opened in 1992 included A Christmas Carol, A Small Family Business, Chinese Coffee, Crazy for You, Falsettos, Five Guys Named Moe, Guys and Dolls, Hamlet, Man of La Mancha, Private Lives, Someone Who’ll Watch Over Me, The Master Builder, The Price, and The Visit.
- At the 64th Academy Awards, which honored the best films of 1991, The Silence of the Lambs won an Oscar for Best Picture, and Jonathan Demme (The Silence of the Lambs) won an Oscar for Best Director. Likewise, Anthony Hopkins (The Silence of the Lambs) won an Oscar for Best Actor, and Jodie Foster (The Silence of the Lambs) won an Oscar for Best Actress.
- At the 44th Primetime Emmy Awards, Murphy Brown (CBS) won an Emmy for Outstanding Comedy Series, and Northern Exposure (CBS) won an Emmy for Outstanding Drama Series. Likewise, Craig T. Nelson (Coach) won an Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series, and Candace Bergen (Murphy Brown) won an Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series.
- On April 15, Star Trek actors William Shatner (Captain James T. Kirk), Leonard Nimoy (Mr. Spock), and DeForest Kelley (Dr. Leonard “Bones” McCoy) were all inducted into the National Association of Broadcasters Hall of Fame.
- On April 20, the 100th episode of the sitcom Murphy Brown aired on CBS.
- On April 26, the final episode of Who’s the Boss? was broadcast on ABC.
- On May 9, the last episode of the sitcom The Golden Girls aired on NBC.
- On May 22, Johnny Carson made his final appearance on The Tonight Show. On May 25, Jay Leno became the new host of the late-night talk show.
- On August 1, NBC’s Saturday Today premiered.
- On September 26, Roseanne Barr received a Star on Hollywood’s Walk of Fame.
- On October 1, the Cartoon Network was launched on cable television.
- On October 16, the 1700th David Letterman Show aired on CBS.
- On December 8, NBC announced that the sitcom Cheers would broadcast its final episode in May 1993.
5. Miscellaneous Fun Facts, Trivia, and Pop Culture Trends
PBS.org explains that pop culture is that loose blend of books, music, fashion and other daily ephemera that contributes to the identity of a society at a particular point in time. In the 1990s, radio, film, television, books, and the internet defined the essence of American pop culture.
- In 1992, the most popular baby names were Michael and Ashley.
- The average life expectancy at birth in the United States was 75.8 years.
- The cost of a 30-second Super Bowl ad was $850,000.
- Favorite holiday gifts included Barbie's Dream House, the Fort Bravo Playset, Creepy Crawlers, X-Men action figures, and the Nestle Talking Vending Machine.
- Popular Halloween costumes were Batman, Catwoman, The Lost Boys, Freddy Kruger, Axel Foley from Beverly Hills Cop, Hulk Hogan, and Joe Niekroand.
- Fashion trends in 1992 were crop tops, platform shoes, animal prints, faux fur, velvet, windbreakers, and denim. LiveTheOliver.com adds that “Matching your top to your bottom was very important. Monochromatic and dichromatic looks were the way to go. Tartan ruffle skirts that came with a matching tie or jacket were the coolest.”
- Time Magazine’s “Person of the Year” was Bill Clinton.
- In 1992, bread machines—first introduced in Japan in 1986—made their way into the American kitchen. One year later, when the price tag dropped to $200, over three million of them were sold in the U.S. Two decades later, however, bread machines were nonexistent, “having fallen into oblivion along with Walkmans and the Pogo Ball.”
- The first smartphone was developed at IBM.
- The nicotine patch was introduced to help reduce cigarette cravings that are associated with quitting smoking. By the end of the year, over five million people were using the patch, and sales of the product reached $1 billion.
- The price of a compact disc (CD) was $11.98. For the first time, CDs were more popular than cassette tapes for recorded music.
- There were 900 million television sets in use around the world, and about 200 million of them were in the United States.
- By the end of the year, there were about 25 websites. (In January 2019, there were 1.94 billion web destinations.)
- About one million computers worldwide had Internet access, and the term “surfing the Internet” was coined.
- Prince Charles and Princess Diana announced that they were separating after 11 years of marriage. The New York Times tells us that “Prince Charles and Princess Diana were married in 1981 in a lavish ceremony that was televised around the world and watched by nearly a billion people. However, their marital problems eventually became public. The British tabloids published stories of both the prince and princess having extramarital relationships.”
- Johnny Carson and Roseanne Barr were probably the two funniest people in America.
6. Nobel Prize Winners
Beth Rowen tells us that winning a Nobel Prize is a life-changing honor. Whether the laureate is an internationally known figure (such as Mother Teresa) or a scientist from obscurity (like Richard R. Ernst), the award brings worldwide recognition that highlights one's life work and provides the funds to continue the mission.
This Nobel Prize information from 1992 has been made available courtesy of NobelPrize.com.
- Chemistry: Rudolph A. Marcus
- Economics: Gary Becker
- Literature: Derek Walcott
- Peace: Rigoberta Menchú
- Physics: Georges Charpak
- Physiology or medicine: Edwin G. Krebs and Edmond H. Fischer
7. Best-Selling Books
This book data has been made available courtesy of PopCultureMadness.com.
- All Around the Town by Mary Higgins Clark
- Dolores Claiborne by Stephen King
- Dr. Atkins’s New Diet Revolution by Robert Atkins
- Gerald’s Game by Stephen King
- Hideaway by Dean Koontz
- Jewels by Danielle Steel
- Men Are from Mars, Women Are from Venus by John Gray
- Mexico by James A. Michener
- Mixed Blessings by Danielle Steel
- Oh, the Places You’ll Go by Dr. Suess
8. Most Popular Television Shows From 1992-93
These TV facts have been made available courtesy of Nielsen Media Research.
- 60 Minutes (CBS)
- Roseanne (ABC)
- Home Improvement (ABC)
- Murphy Brown (CBS)
- Murder, She Wrote (CBS)
- Coach (ABC)
- Monday Night Football (ABC)
- CBS Sunday Night Movie (CBS)
- Cheers (NBC)
- Full House (ABC)
9. Highest-Grossing Films
This film trivia has been made available courtesy of BoxOfficeMojo.com.
- Aladdin
- Home Alone 2: Lost In New York
- Batman Returns
- Lethal Weapon 3
- A Few Good Men
- Sister Act
- The Bodyguard
- Wayne’s World
- Basic Instinct
- A League Of Their Own