The California State Railroad Museum opens. The Equal Rights Amendment is defeated after falling three states short of the 38 needed for ratification. He is narrowly defeated by George Deukmejian. The lunch is catered by the Nut Tree restaurant in Vacaville. Martin Luther King day is established as a federal holiday.
Voters establish the California lottery.
Intel Corp. begins construction of its Folsom facility. The Summer Olympic Games are held in Los Angeles. A wayward humpback whale, dubbed Humphrey, swims up the Sacramento River and hangs out for nearly a month, despite efforts to get him back to safer salt water. He eventually heads back to San Francisco Bay and out into the Pacific. The Sacramento Kings play their first home basketball game at Arco Arena.