1998

1998 was the 127th year after the founding of the City of Birmingham.

Events

• January 29: Eric Robert Rudolph detonated a bomb at the New Woman All Women Clinic in Birmingham, killing officer Robert Sanderson and critically injuring nurse Emily Lyons.
• February 5: WBMG 42 relaunched as WIAT with a new news format.
• March 18: All four lanes of I-20/59 North were closed for five days after a 23-ton steel coil bounced down the interstate after falling off a truck.
• April 15: President Clinton viewed tornado damage in Pratt City.
• August 4: The MAPS proposal was defeated by voters.
• September 9: A 22-ton coil punched 17 holes along a section of I-65 South after falling off a truck.
• October: Sloss Fright Furnace debuted.
• The Birmingham Weekly was boycotted in Gardendale.
• The "Crawfish Crawl" 5K run was added to the Crawfish Boil schedule.
• The Birmingham Zoo experienced a record low annual visitorship of 296,102.
• Jesse's Place shelter opened downtown.
• 40,000 attended Do Dah Day
• Pyro Productions began producing Thunder on the Mountain
• Samford University's chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi was chartered.
• WTTO 21 joined the WB network and introduced the Dubba Dubba Twins.
• Rock band Brother Cane split up.
• "The Fine Line" with Russ and Dee Fine premiered on WERC-AM
• A bill earmarking a percentage of lodging taxes for the American Village passed the Alabama legislature.
• The first "Perspectives" series exhibit, curated by David Moos, featured Willie Cole.
• Frances Carter founded the American Rosie the Riveter Association.

Business

• Saks, Inc. was formed by merger of Proffitt's Inc. and Saks Fifth Avenue.
• The Bank was formed as a public company.
• RugbyRugby.com was launched.
• John Cassimus launched Big Air Records
• Cohen Carnaggio Reynolds was formed.
• CAC's Gourmet Deli opened.
• David and Jimmy Gorji bought The Store on Highland.
• Tony and Tim Vaziri bought Triple T's.
• Compass Bank made major acquisitions in Florida, Texas and Arizona.
• BancorpSouth Bank and the Peoples Bank and Trust Company entered the Birmingham market.
• The Sheraton Birmingham Hotel became part of the Starwood system.
• Agnes relocated to the Hugh Martin Cottage.
• Fox's Pizza Den opened in Trussville

Media

• WRRS-FM debuted at FM 101.1.
• WRAX-FM moved from FM 105.9 to FM 107.7. Beaner and Ken debuted, and Luka was dropped.
• The first WZZK-AM debuted on AM 610 as a simulcast of WZZK-FM.
• The Rick & Bubba Show debuted in Birmingham.
• Bama Environmental News first published by Pat Byington

Sports

• August 16: Birmingham Barons Demond Smith hit a record two triples vs the Mobile BayBears.
• October: Alabama State University defeated Alabama A&M 34-28 in the Magic City Classic at Legion Field.
• Terrell Owens caught a 25-yard touchdown to give the 49ers the win over the Packers in a wild card playoff matchup.
• The Alabama Gunners hockey team held their sole season.
• The Alabama Saints soccer team held their second season.
• Hubert Green won the Bruno's Memorial Classic
• Vestavia Hills High School won the state 6A football championship.
• The UAB Blazers men's basketball team received an NIT bid.
• Josh Hancock was selected by the Boston Red Sox in the 5th round of the MLB draft.
• 31,897 attended a game between the UAB Blazers and Virginia Tech.

Works

• Birmingham-in-a-Box, novelty board game.
• Floating Away, film directed by John Badham
• Main Street, film shot in Birmingham

Books

• Consilience: The Unity of Knowledge, by E. O. Wilson
• Gone for Good, novel by Mark Childress
• Behind the Stained Glass: a History of Sixteenth Street Baptist Church, by Christopher Hamlin
• Birmingham and Jefferson County, Alabama, by the Jefferson County Historical Commission
• BE&K, Inc., Newcomen Society Address by Ted C. Kennedy and Mike Goodrich
• Shelby Iron - A Celebration of Our History...And a Look to the Future. by the Historic Shelby Association
• Silk, novel by Caitlín R. Kiernan
• Principles of Clinical Electromyography: Case Studies, by Shin Oh
• Welcome to the World, Baby Girl, by Fannie Flagg
• Ransom My Heart, Whisper My Love, Remember My Touch, Honor's Bride, and Never Let Her Go, romance novels by Gayle Wilson
• Beating the Odds, Raising Academically Successful African American Males, by Freeman Hrabowski
• What Became of Wystan: Change and Continuity in Auden’s Poetry. by Alan Jacobs
• Like the Singing Coming Off of Drums: Love Poems, by Sonia Sanchez
• Important Things, by Melissa Springer
• Rejoice, by Mary Ann Sampson
• No Safe Place, novel by Richard North Patterson

Buildings

• Grandview II office building
• Trussville Wastewater Treatment Plant
• McWane Center
• New Hope Baptist Church
• Kobe Japanese Steakhouse
• Visionland
• The Crescent
• Cahaba Pump Station renovation and additions
• Alabama Theatre interior restoration
• Bama 6 and Hoover Square 6 closed
• Trussville Public Library expansion and renovation
• Hewitt-Trussville Junior High was damaged by a sinkhole
• Hewitt-Trussville High School's "Husky Stadium" was renamed for Jack Wood
• Riverchase Galleria renovations

Music

• Gangstabilly, album by the Drive-By Truckers
• Ezra Sims, album by Ezra Sims
• The Heritage of a Black Man, and Lovers Do, albums by Sam Dees
• Wishpool Virgin, album by Brother Cane
• Villa Elaine, album by Remy Zero
• Small Talk, album by Eric Essix
• Serve You, Ma'am, album by Robert Moore and the Wildcats
• Live in the X Lounge debut CD produced by WRAX-FM.
• Phil Collins, the Doobie Brothers, the Gap Band, Ohio Players, Dixie Chicks, Violent Femmes and the Neville Brothers headlined the 1998 City Stages

People

• Don Siegelman won the gubernatorial election.
• Andrew Westmoreland became president of Ouachita Baptist University in Arkadelphia, Arkansas.
• Lonnie Holley was relocated to Harpersville.
• Paul Finebaum was named sports director for WIAT 42.
• Patricia Todd was named Director of Alumni Affairs at UAB.
• Mother Angelica reported a miraculous cure of debilitating problems with her legs.
• Relatives were unable to locate the gravesite of Addie Mae Collins at Greenwood Cemetery.
• Mike Coppage succeeded Johnnie Johnson as chief of the Birmingham Police Department.
• Terrence West began his teaching career for Birmingham City Schools.
• Anthony Barnes became Chairman of the Birmingham Water Works board.
• John Draper became principal of Homewood High School.
• Bill Cleveland became assistant principal of Minor High School.
• Jackie Dye became assistant principal of Shades Valley High School.
• Buddy Gray was elected president of the Alabama Baptist Convention.
• Pat Sullivan resigned as head football coach at Texas Christian University.

Awards

• Birmingham Business Hall of Fame: Wallace R. Bunn, John M. Harbert III, Emil C. Hess, C. Caldwell Marks, Thomas E. Rast, and Joseph E. Volker
• Alabama Healthcare Hall of Fame: * Alston Callahan, Tinsley R. Harrison, Sr, Joseph Lister Hill, Jean A. Kelley, John H. Mosteller, Richard Scrushy, et al
• Red Farmer and Neil Bonnett were named to the list of the 50 Greatest Drivers in NASCAR History.
• Davey Allison was inducted into the International Motorsports Hall of Fame

Graduations

• Sandra Gregory from Birmingham School of Law
• Henry Parsley, doctoral degrees from Sewanee and the General Theological Seminary
• Jeremy Brown, from Hueytown High School
• Jared Weinstein, from Mountain Brook High School

Deaths

• January 29: Robert Sanderson killed in abortion clinic bombing
• April 15: Clettus Atkinson, columnist for the Birmingham Post-Herald
• November 30: Margaret Walker, writer, poet
• Samantha (Birmingham Zoo lioness)
• Apach, (Birmingham Police Mounted Patrol horse)

See also List of Birmingham homicides in 1998

See also

• 1998 Birmingham Barons
• 1998 UAB Blazers
• 1998 Iron Bowl
• 1998 general election

1990s

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