TAMPA, Fla. — On Sunday, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers will don their iconic Creamsicle jerseys for the first time this season as they face off against the Atlanta Falcons at Raymond James Stadium.
Historically, these throwback uniforms haven’t brought the Bucs much success, with the team holding a 1-3 record in the four games they’ve worn them.
This year, the Bucs are celebrating the “Spirit of 1979,” marking the first time the team achieved a winning season and made the playoffs.
As part of this celebration, let’s revisit 1979—a year that saw significant events on the world stage, including surging gas prices and economic stagnation in the U.S., a near-nuclear disaster at 3 Mile Island, and the infamous “Disco Demolition Night” during a Chicago White Sox game. It was also the year the first Sony Walkman hit store shelves.
At the movies, 1979 was the year of *Superman* and *The Amityville Horror*, with other hits like *Rocky II*, *Star Trek: The Motion Picture*, and *Alien* dominating the box office.
According to IMDb, the top-grossing films of 1979 were:
– *Superman*
– *The Amityville Horror*
– *Rocky II*
– *Star Trek: The Motion Picture*
– *Alien*
On the music charts, disco was still a major force, with Billboard’s top singles including:
– “My Sharona” by The Knack
– “Bad Girls” by Donna Summer
– “Le Freak” by Chic
– “Do Ya Think I’m Sexy?” by Rod Stewart
– “Reunited” by Peaches & Herb
Here’s a snapshot of the economy in 1979:
– Dow Jones Industrial Average: 838 at year-end
– Average price of a new home: $71,600
– Median household income: $16,530
– Average monthly rent: $280
– Average gas price: $1.07 per gallon
– Price of a pound of bread: $0.51
– Price of a pound of bacon: $1.45
– Price of a dozen eggs: $0.88
Now, in 2024, here’s how those numbers compare:
– Dow Jones Industrial Average: over 40,000
– Average price of a new home: $412,300
– Median household income: between $59,428 and $63,795
– Average monthly rent: $1,712
– Average gas price: $3.18 per gallon (as of October 21, 2024)
– Price of a pound of bread: $1.98
– Price of a pound of bacon: $6.96
– Price of a dozen eggs: $3.82
