Page 53 - 2000

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The low-budget horror documentary, 'The
Blair Witch Project," came out of nowhere,
earning more than $15 0 million and
com
impeting with major studio releases, such as
"The Sixth Sense," in the summer box office
race. Having been made for less than
$ 3 5 ,0 0 0 , the movie beat the odds to become
the most profitable motion picture of all time.

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1. American Pie
I f f 2. The Sixth Sense
■ American Airlines Flight 1420
3. The Matrix
What was your favorite
carrying 145 passengers skidded off a
Burhan Ozbilici/AP
movie o f the year? 4. The Green Mie runway, broke apart and burst into flames
5. 10 Thfigs 1 Hate About You during an emergency landing at a Little
Rock, Ark., airport. Eleven people were
killed and at least 83 others were injured in
the crash, which occurred during a gusty
A deadly earthquake measuring 7.6 on the Richter scale rocked hail storm. W inds of 90 mph caused the
western Turkey in August. By far the year's most catastrophic,
aircraft to slam into a steel light pole, split
the earthquake killed more than 17,000 people. Several serious
into pieces and catch fire, coming to a rest
aftershocks followed the main earthquake, destroying thousands
at the edge of the Arkansas River.
of buildings and leaving hundreds of thousands of people
homeless and living in tent cities.
■ The W N B A announced its
selection of Indiana, Miami, Portland, Ore.,
and Seattle as expansion franchises to begin
play in the 20 00 season. The additions
brought the two-year-old women's
basketball league to 16 teams. Eight teams
were part of the W N B A when play began
in 1997 with franchises in Charlotte,
The U.S. women's soccer team battled for 120
minutes to a scoreless tie before defeating Cleveland, Houston, New York, Los Angeles,
China, 5-4, on penalty kicks in the World Cup Phoenix, Sacramento and Utah. Teams were
Final. The exciting win captured the hearts of added in Detroit and Washington before the
America, resulting in hero status for the team's 1998 season, and in 1999, Minnesota and
20 members and a shot in the arm for women's Orlando joined the league.
sports overall. Additionally, the World Cup
championship was credited for boosting soccer's
losa Parks, 86, the black
marginal stature in the United States.
woman whose refusal to give up her bus
seat to a white man made her a symbol for
Mark Terrill/AP civil rights, received the Congressional Gold
Medal, the highest honor bestowed by the
U .S. Congress, during a ceremony in the
Capitol Rotunda. She was lauded by
suppressed uprisings in Denmark and defeated President Clinton and House and Senate
leaders. As a recipient of the award, Parks
Norway. He died in 1035 as king of all three
was in elite company with people like
countries and a highly respected power in European
Nelson Mandela and Mother Teresa having
politics. been honored before her.
W illiam , duke of Normandy, a.k.a William fhe
C o n q u e ro r, led a triumphant charge over Harold, Sportscaster Marv Albert
was rehired by NBC as one of the
earl of Wessex, in the Battle of Hastings in 1066. At
announcers on the network's N BA crew. The
issue was the throne of England, which had been * 1
move came two years after he was fired in
promised to W illiam , but given to Harold. His army no
a lurid sex scandal, which resulted in a
match for the Normans, Harold was finally slain and guilty plea for sexual assault of a woman in
William won the English crown. a Virginia hotel room. In December, it was
Pope Urban II launched a crusade in 1095 to announced that Albert would return next fall
to his former position as NBC's lead
reclaim the Holy Land from the Turks. After several
basketball announcer.
waves of battle, Christian soldiers eventually took
Jerusalem in 1099. The triumph was short-lived and
the Crusades continued for another 200 years.