On this day
Revisit the music, news, notable people, and historical moments connected to this date.
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LEAD: The Zayre Corporation, which sold its 392 discount stores to Ames Department Stores Inc. in October, announced a complex restructuring yesterday in which it will both spin off its subsidiaries and repurchase shares in them. It also said it would declare a special cash dividend.
LEAD: With multimillion-dollar jury awards for punitive damages becoming increasingly common, the Supreme Court agreed today to decide whether the Constitution places any limits on the amount of such damages that a jury may assess.
LEAD: Because of the visit this week of Mikhail S. Gorbachev, the Soviet leader, some streets in New York City will be closed intermittently as Mr. Gorbachev and his motorcade pass. Following are the areas and times that traffic is likely to be most affected. Today 3 P.M.-5 P.M.: Grand Central Parkway and Van Wyck Expressway in Queens; 57th to 125th Streets, from Fifth Avenue to East River in Manhattan.
LEAD: Shuttle to Land Today Officials said the shuttle Atlantics would end its secret military mission today with a landing in the California desert. Science Teims, page C5. Becker Defeats Lendl In a final that ran 4 hours 42 minutes, Borris Becker ended Ivan Lendl's 3-year reign as Masters tennis cham-pion, 5-7, 7-6, 3-6, 6-2, 7-6.
LEAD: Czechoslovakia imposed stiff curbs and penalties on Christmas shoppers from Poland, East Germany, Hungary and the Soviet Union. Page D1.
Music on My Birthday
The Top 50 albums for the chart week of November 30, 1988, covering December 6, 1988.
U2
Anita Baker
Guns N' Roses
Soundtrack
Bon Jovi
1988Adam Eaton, American baseball player[†]
Adam Cory Eaton is an American former professional baseball outfielder. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Arizona Diamondbacks, Chicago White Sox, Washington Nationals, and Los Angeles Angels.
1988Ravindra Jadeja, Indian cricketer[†]
Ravindrasinh Anirudhsinh Jadeja is an Indian cricketer who represents the national team currently in ODI and Test formats. He is an all-rounder, who bats left-handed and bowls left-arm orthodox spin. Widely hailed as one of the greatest all-rounders and among the finest fielders in cricket history, he earned the reputation of a complete all-rounder, cemented further in 2025 when he became the longest consecutively reigning World No. 1 Test all-rounder in the ICC Rankings. Jadeja was the leading wicket-taker in the 2013 Champions Trophy and received the man of the match award as a member of the final-winning team. He was a part of the team which won the 2024 T20 World Cup, after which he announced his retirement from T20Is. He represents Saurashtra in first-class cricket and has captained the Chennai Super Kings in the Indian Premier League. Jadeja is the 7th highest ODI wicket taker for India with 220 wickets.
1988Sandra Nurmsalu, Estonian singer and violinist[†]
Sandra Nurmsalu is an Estonian singer, songwriter, and violinist. Recognized within Estonia for her genre-bending style, Nurmsalu has garnered success as both the lead singer of Urban Symphony and as a solo artist.
1988Nils Petersen, German footballer[†]
Nils Petersen is a German former professional footballer who played as a forward. He appeared in the 2016 Summer Olympics and remains the first and only German footballer who has scored five goals in a single game with the national team.
1988Nobunaga Shimazaki, Japanese voice actor[†]
Nobunaga Shimazaki is a Japanese voice actor affiliated with Aoni Production. He won the Best Rookie Actor Award at the 7th Seiyu Awards and the Best Actors in Supporting Roles at the 15th Seiyu Awards.
1988Roy Orbison, American singer-songwriter and guitarist (born 1936)[†]
Roy Kelton Orbison was an American singer, songwriter, and guitarist known for his distinctive and powerful voice, complex song structures, and dark, emotional ballads. Orbison's most successful periods were in the early 1960s and the late 1980s. He was nicknamed "The Caruso of Rock" and "The Big O." Many of Orbison's songs conveyed vulnerability at a time when most male rock-and-roll performers projected strength. He performed with minimal motion and in black clothes, matching his dyed black hair and dark sunglasses.
In 1988, the world population was approximately 5,141,992,542 people[†]