1988 Year in Review

 Highlights:

• Plenty of opportunities for travel in country to Petra, Wadi Rum, Aqaba and Jerash.  

• Given its location and proximity to Israel and Palestine, Jordan was a popular country for to visit not only by members of Congress but also high-level Department of State.  Embass  Amman personnel were normally responsible for supporting such visits, which often included a trip to Petra.  One particular visitor was the Under Secretary for Management Ivan Selin.  I was part of the team that supported his visit in Petra.  Mr. Selin was accompanied by his wife who was not up to taking a camel ride or hiking the ancient site.  We ended up having to comandeer a GOJ Ministry vehicle to drive Mrs. Selin around the site.  

• Road trips to Damascus, Syria for shopping in the souk.  Pouch trips to Jerusalem and Tel Aviv over the Allenby bridge gave us an opportunity to visit the holy land, Bethlehem and Nazareth.

• Trips to the Dead Sea, Bethany and the Jordan River, the site where Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist.  Also, visits to Mount Nebo, Madaba and Kerak.  

• Road trips to Damascus for shopping at the grand bazaar.

• July vacation in Dubrovnik, Croatia, former Yugoslavia.  Stayed at the Dubrova Resort Complex on the Adriatic Sea.   Walking the 16th century stone walls of the old city, St. Basil’s Church and the Renaissance and Rector's Palaces.  Bus trip to Kotor, Montenegro formerly Yugoslavia.  Driving to Slovenia, Mostar and  Belgrade.  

Other Highlights/Favorite Memories:

• See Amman 1987-90 Blog Site.     

U.S. Events:

·         Robert C. McFarlane, former National Security Adviser, pleads guilty in Iran-Contra case   (March 11).

·         US Navy ship shoots down Iranian airliner in Persian Gulf, mistaking it for jet fighter; 290   killed  (July 3).

·         Democratic convention nominates Gov. Michael Dukakis of Massachusetts for President and   Texas Senator Lloyd Bentsen for Vice President (July 17 et seq.).

·         Republican convention nominates George H.W. Bush for President and Indiana Senator Dan Quayle   for Vice President (Aug. 15 et seq.).

·         Republicans sweep 40 states in election, and Bush beats Dukakis (Nov. 8).

World Events:

·         US and Canada reach free trade agreement (Jan. 2). Background: NAFTA

·         Terrorists kill nine tourists on Aegean cruise (July 11).

·         Benazir Bhutto, first Islamic woman prime minister, chosen to lead Pakistan (Dec. 1).

·         Pan-Am 747 explodes from terrorist bomb and crashes in Lockerbie, Scotland, killing all 259   aboard and 11 on ground (Dec. 21).

Movies:

Best Picture was "The Last Emperor".  Best Actor went to Michael Douglas "Wall Street".  Best Actress was Cher "Moonstruck".  Best Supporting Actor was Sean Connery "The Untouchables" and Best Supporting Actress went to Olympia Dukakis :Moonstruck".  Best Director Bernardo Bertolucci, "The Last Emperor". 

Super Bowl

Super Bowl XXII:  The Redskins defeated the Broncos by the score of 42–10, winning their second Super Bowl. This Super Bowl came at the end of a season that was shortened by a players' strike. Each team only missed one regular season game due to the labor dispute, but three games were played mostly with replacement players until the dispute was settled. The Broncos were making their second consecutive (and third overall) Super Bowl appearance, after posting a 10–4–1 regular season record, largely through the strength of their quarterback, John Elway. The Redskins, who were making their fourth Super Bowl appearance, posted an 11–4 regular season record. Washington was led by quarterback Doug Williams, who entered the season as a backup, and was 0-2 as a starter during the regular season. He ended up leading Washington to their two playoff victories. In doing so, he became the first African American quarterback ever to start in an NFL league championship game, let alone a Super Bowl.  After trailing 10–0 at the end of the first quarter of Super Bowl XXII, the Redskins scored 42 unanswered points, including a record-breaking 35 points in the second quarter, and setting several other Super Bowl records. Williams, who was named the Super Bowl MVP, completed 18 of 29 passes for a Super Bowl record 340 yards and four touchdowns, with one interception. He also became the first player in Super Bowl history to pass for four touchdowns in a single quarter, and four in a half. 

World Series

1988 World Series:   The Los Angeles Dodgers upset the heavily favored Athletics to win the Series in five games. It is best known for the pinch-hit walk-off home run hit by Dodgers outfielder Kirk Gibson, who could barely walk due to injuries suffered during the NL Championship Series, against Athletics closer Dennis Eckersley in Game 1. The Dodgers were the only MLB team to win more than one World Series title in the 1980s; their other World Series title during the decade came in 1981 (they also broke a 10-year streak of 10 different World Series champions going back to 1978).   World Series MVP Orel Hershiser capped a dominant 1988 season in which he set the all-time scoreless inning streak at 59 innings, recorded five straight shutouts, led the league with 23 wins and 267 innings, and won the Cy Young and Gold Glove awards.