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May 31, 1972

May 31, 1972, was a Wednesday. It was 52 years, 5 months, and 25 days ago. The zodiac star sign for this date is Gemini.

On This Day

Events

Notable events that occurred on May 31, 1972:

  • Football: Ajax win the European Cup after two goals from Cruyff helps them to defeat Internazionale 2-0.
Song charts

Popular songs

On May 31, 1972, the following songs were at the top of the music charts in the USA and the UK:

  • United States: "Oh Girl" by Chi-Lites
  • United Kingdom: "Metal Guru" by T. Rex

The music charts on May 31, 1972

The following songs were dominating the Billboard Hot 100 chart:

  • Oh Girl - The Chi-lites
  • I'll Take You There - The Staple Singers
  • The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face - Roberta Flack
  • Look What You Done For Me - Al Green
  • The Candy Man - Sammy Davis, Jr. with The Mike Curb Congregation
Play the top singles from 1972
A Spotify playlist of songs from 1972. Take a trip back to the days of Elton John, Lou Reed, Al Green and Don McLean.
The Godfather

Top movie

The top movie on this day was "The Godfather".

Facts

This date occurred 19,171 days ago. Approximately 639 months have passed. It was the 152nd day of 1972, in week 22. The decade was the seventies. People who were born on May 31, 1972, are now 52 years old and belong to the Generation X generation. 1972 was a leap year, which means that it had an extra day in February. 213 seasons of weather have come and gone since then.

Take me back to May 31, 1972

Let's go back to the seventies.

The date is May 31, 1972, and it's a Wednesday. Babies who are born today will have the star sign Gemini. It is "Hump Day", so many are beginning to think about the weekend ahead.

The summer of 1972 has finally arrived. The weather has warmed up, and the evenings are brighter than usual. The school year is nearly finished. In the United States, the Memorial Day weekend of 1972 has recently come and gone. To many, this means that the summer has officially started. In America, the song "Oh Girl" by Chi-Lites is at the top of the singles charts, while "Metal Guru" by T. Rex is the number-one song in the UK.

Richard Nixon is the President of the United States, and the movie The Godfather is at the top of the box office. Edward Heath is the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. On television, people are watching popular shows such as "What's My Line?", "McCloud", "Emergency!", and "The Rookies".

In fashion, the hippie look from the 1960s is still popular. Clothing items such as tie dye shirts, bell-bottoms, midi skirts, gauchos and Mexican blouses are being worn by women. Meanwhile, men are wearing dark satin shirts, ethnic-looking tunics, bell bottom jeans, tweed sports jackets and turtlenecks. It's 1972, so radio stations are playing songs from artists such as Don McLean, Harry Nilsson, Hot Butter, Neil Young, The Moody Blues, Roberta Flack, Bill Withers and Johnny Nash. If you were to travel back to this day, notable figures such as Jackie Robinson, Janet Munro, Harry S. Truman, and Lyndon B. Johnson would all still be alive.

Kids and teenagers are watching TV shows such as "Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!", "The Brady Bunch", "The Clangers", and "Help!... It's the Hair Bear Bunch!". Children are playing with toys such as Troll doll, the Easy-Bake Oven, Rock 'Em Sock 'Em Robots, and Big Jim (action figure).

Zodiac info

Zodiac

Zodiac, birthstone, and birth flower information.

Personality summary image

  • Zodiac Sign (Astrology): Anyone born on May 31, 1972, will have the star sign Gemini.
  • Zodiac Element: Air.
  • Chinese Zodiac Animal: In the Chinese Zodiac, 1972 was the year of the Rat (Yang Wood).
  • The Life Path Number for this date is 1.
  • Native American Zodiac: May 31, 1972 falls under the Deer.
  • Birthstone: A person during the month of May will have the birthstone Emerald.
  • Birth flower (May): The Lily of the Valley and the Hawthorn.
News

News, nostalgia, and fads

These are news stories, trending topics, and fads that were popular on May 31, 1972.

  • The Co-ed Killer is targeting students in California.

    The Co-ed Killer is targeting students in California

    Between May of 1972 and April of 1973, serial killer Edmund Kemper (aka the "Co-ed Killer") was targeting female college students in California.
  • Music cassette tapes are becoming popular.

    Music cassette tapes are becoming popular

    Audio cassettes started becoming widespread from about 1972 onward. Although they lacked the sound quality of vinyl records, they were far more convenient and portable.
  • Color TV surpasses black-and-white.

    Color TV surpasses black-and-white

    Sales of color TV sets were beginning to surpass sales of the older black-and-white models. By this stage, almost all of the popular daytime networks were broadcasting in color.
  • The US is winding down its involvement in the Vietnam War.

    The US is winding down its involvement in the Vietnam War

    During 1972, the war in Vietnam was still ongoing. However, the US had greatly reduced their presence in the country. Between 1971 and 1972, the number of US troops in Vietnam fell from 156,800 to 24,200. Instead of keeping soldiers on the ground, the US shifted its focus to providing air support while negotiators in Paris tried to hammer out a peace agreement.
  • Who were the best NBA players in 1972?

    Who were the best NBA players in 1972?

    The best NBA players in 1972 were Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, John Havlicek, Spencer Haywood, Jerry West and Walt Frazier.
  • Best soccer players.

    Best soccer players

    In 1972, the best soccer players were Franz Beckenbauer, Gerd Müller, Günter Netzer, Johan Cruyff, Piet Keizer, Kazimierz Deyna, Gordon Banks, Barry Hulshoff, Włodzimierz Lubański and Bobby Moore.
  • The Godfather.

    The Godfather

    "The Godfather" won the Academy Award for Best Picture in 1972.
  • Roberta Flack - "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face"

    Roberta Flack - "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face"

    "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" by Roberta Flack would go on to win a Grammy for 1972's Song of the Year.
  • 1972 in movies.

    1972 in movies

    Movies released in 1972 included The Godfather, The Poseidon Adventure, "What's Up, Doc?", Behind the Green Door, Deliverance, Super Fly, Cabaret, The Getaway, Fritz the Cat, The Legend of Boggy Creek, Jeremiah Johnson, Blacula and Silent Running.
  • Richard Nixon and Henry Kissinger.

    Richard Nixon and Henry Kissinger

    US President Richard Nixon and his National Security Advisor Henry Kissinger were both named Time Person of the Year in 1972. Nixon and Kissinger had made history by traveling to China to "open up a dialogue."
  • 1972 in music.

    1972 in music

    The Billboard Charts in 1972 were dominated by Don McLean, Roberta Flack, Gilbert O'Sullivan, America, Joe Tex, Looking Glass and Al Green.
  • Have a nice day!

    Have a nice day!

    The smiley face and phrases such as "Have a nice day!" and "Have a happy day!" were being plastered onto t-shirts, mugs, and badges.
  • Bell-bottoms.

    Bell-bottoms

    Bell-bottoms (flares) were in fashion.
  • Wallpaper.

    Wallpaper

    Wallpaper was extremely common in people's homes throughout the 1970s and 1980s. It wasn't until the mid-late 1980s that "modernism" started to creep in.
  • Office workers are using typewriters.

    Office workers are using typewriters

    Although personal computers began to emerge during the 1970s, typewriters were still the norm for most office workers.
  • The Volkswagen Beetle.

    The Volkswagen Beetle

    The Volkswagen Beetle was one of the most common cars on the road. Sales of the vehicle increased following the release of the 1968 film The Love Bug (and its subsequent spin-offs).
  • The Hippie movement.

    The Hippie movement

    The hippie counterculture reached its peak during the late 1960s and early 1970s. The movement, which sprung up in opposition to the Vietnam War, was centered around peace, psychedelic music, sexual liberation, bright colors, and drugs such as LSD and marijuana.
  • Lava lamps are all the rage.

    Lava lamps are all the rage

    Sales of lava lamps increased in the late 1960s. It wasn't until the second half of the 1970s that they started to go out of fashion.
  • The afro hairstyle is at its peak in popularity.

    The afro hairstyle is at its peak in popularity

    The afro hairstyle took off during the 1960s and early 1970s. Public figures such as Angela Davis, Pam Grier, Jimi Hendrix, and the Jackson 5 were among those who sported the style.
  • The push-button telephone.

    The push-button telephone

    Push-button telephones were beginning to replace the older rotary-style landlines.

Personality traits

Check out our personality summary for people who were born on May 31, 1972.

What are your strengths and weaknesses?

View Personality Summary

Events

What happened around this time?

News stories, pop culture trends, and other events that happened around May 31, 1972.

  • May 2, 1972:
    • 91 people are killed by a fire at the Sunshine Mine in Idaho.
    • FBI director J. Edgar Hoover dies from a heart attack at the age of 77.
  • May 4, 1972: Woody Allen's comedy movie "Play It Again, Sam" is released in movie theaters.
  • May 5, 1972: 115 people die when Alitalia Flight 112 crashes near Palermo in Italy.
  • May 6, 1972: FA Cup Final 1972: A goal from Allan Clarke helps Leeds United secure a 1-0 victory over Arsenal.
  • May 7, 1972:
    • Serial killer Ed Kemper murders hitchhikers Mary Ann Pesce and Anita Mary Luchessa near Alameda, California.
    • The Los Angeles Lakers win the 1972 NBA Finals after they defeat the New York Knicks 4-1.
  • May 13, 1972: 115 people are killed in Osaka, Japan, when a fire breaks out at a nightclub.
  • May 15, 1972: Democratic presidential candidate George Wallace is shot five times in an assassination attempt in Laurel, Maryland.
  • May 22, 1972: US president Richard Nixon visits Moscow.
  • May 26, 1972: The United States and the USSR sign the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty.
  • May 30, 1972: 26 people are killed in a terrorist attack at Lod Airport in Tel Aviv, Israel.
  • This date: May 31, 1972
  • June 9, 1972: The Black Hills flood: 238 people are killed by floods in South Dakota.
  • June 14, 1972: The film "Conquest of the Planet of the Apes" is released.
  • June 15, 1972: The co-founder of the Red Army Faction, Ulrike Meinhof, is arrested in Germany.
  • June 16, 1972: 108 people are killed in France when two passenger trains collide with the debris of a collapsed tunnel.
  • June 17, 1972: Watergate scandal: Five White House operatives are arrested for burglarizing the offices of the Democratic National Committee.
  • June 18, 1972:
    • West Germany win the UEFA Euro 1972 Final with a 3-0 victory over the Soviet Union.
    • 118 people are killed when British European Airways Flight 548 crashes in Surrey shortly after taking off.
  • June 21, 1972: Alfred Hitchcock's thriller film "Frenzy" is released.
  • June 23, 1972: The film "Ben" is released.

1970s fashion

Photographs of 1970s fashion and hairstyles.

1970s fashion

Television shows

Television shows in May 1972

In May 1972, TV audiences were watching the following series:

TV shows from May 1972.

The Rookies
The Rookies
Emergency!
Emergency!
Sanford and Son
Sanford and Son
Upstairs, Downstairs
Upstairs, Downstairs
Soul Train
Soul Train
McMillan & Wife
McMillan & Wife
The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour
The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour
The Two Ronnies
The Two Ronnies
All in the Family
All in the Family
Alias Smith and Jones
Alias Smith and Jones
The Partridge Family
The Partridge Family
The Odd Couple
The Odd Couple

Cars in 1972

1972 saw the introduction of cars such as the Honda Civic, the Chevrolet LUV, the Mercedes-Benz S-Class, the BMW 5 Series, the Ford Thunderbird (sixth generation), and the Renault 5.

Cars in 1972.

Children TV shows

Cartoons and children's TV shows in May 1972

If you were a kid on May 31, 1972, then you were probably watching the following cartoons and TV shows:

The Electric Company
The Electric Company
Help!... It's the Hair Bear Bunch!
Help!... It's the Hair Bear Bunch!
Archie's TV Funnies
Archie's TV Funnies

The Funky Phantom
The Funky Phantom
The Pebbles and Bamm-Bamm Show
The Pebbles and Bamm-Bamm Show
All in the Family
All in the Family
Sabrina the Teenage Witch
Sabrina the Teenage Witch
Groovie Goolies
Groovie Goolies
Josie and the Pussycats
Josie and the Pussycats
The Clangers
The Clangers
Sesame Street
Sesame Street
Toys

Toys in 1972

If you were a child on this date, then you may have had some of the following toys:

Big Jim (action figure)
Big Jim (action figure)
Uno (card game)
Uno (card game)
The Rock Flowers dolls
The Rock Flowers dolls
Weebles
Weebles
VertiBird (toy helicopter)
VertiBird (toy helicopter)
G.I. Joe Adventure Team
G.I. Joe Adventure Team
Nerf Balls
Nerf Balls
Frisbee
Frisbee
Crissy (doll)
Crissy (doll)
Clackers
Clackers
Battleship (game)
Battleship (game)
Lite-Brite
Lite-Brite

Were you born on May 31, 1972?

If you were born on this date, then it is unlikely that you will remember anything from the year 1972.

This is because humans find it difficult to retrieve memories of their early childhood.

If you are looking for some childhood nostalgia, then you should check out May 31, 1978, instead.

Celebrity birthdays

Celebrity birthdays

Celebrities, historical figures, and other notable people who were born on May 31.

Clint Eastwood

Clint Eastwood

Actor
Born on May 31, 1930
He turned 42 on this day in 1972.

Colin Farrell

Colin Farrell

Irish actor
Born on May 31, 1976
He was born exactly 4 years after this date.

Marco Reus

Marco Reus

German soccer player
Born on May 31, 1989
He was born exactly 17 years after this date.

MO3

MO3

Rapper Deceased
Born on May 31, 1992
He was born exactly 20 years after this date.

USA

US President

Richard Nixon was the President of the United States on May 31, 1972.

UK

UK Prime Minister

Edward Heath was the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.

Ireland

Irish Taoiseach

Jack Lynch was the Taoiseach of Ireland.

Conception

Conception dates

Conception estimates for this date.

  • A baby that was born on May 31, 1972 was most likely conceived around September 8, 1971.
  • The due date for a baby that was conceived on May 31, 1972 is close to February 21, 1973.

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Stats for May 31, 1972

Statistics

Here are some interesting statistics about May 31, 1972:

  • 19,171 days have passed since this date.
  • 2,738 weeks have passed.
  • 1,656,378,000 seconds have passed since May 31, 1972.
  • If you were born on this day, your heart has beat approximately 1,932,441,000 times.
  • Since then, the Earth has traveled approximately 854,691,048,000 miles through space.
  • If you were born on this day, your eyes have blinked approximately 276,063,000 times.
  • You have taken approximately 142,448,508 steps. That's roughly 63,310 miles.
  • 19,876,536 meteors have entered the Earth's atmosphere.
  • How many years ago was 1972?

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