1972
Centuries: 19th century - 20th century - 21st century
Decades: 1920s 1930s 1940s 1950s 1960s - 1970s - 1980s 1990s 2000s
Years: 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 - 1972 - 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977
Births
- February 11 - Dennis Iliohan, Dutch football player.
Deaths
- February 11 - Jan Wils, architect
- May 2 - J. Edgar Hoover, FBI director
- October 24 - Jackie Robinson (Baseball Hall of Famer)
- December 31 - Roberto Clemente (baseball Hall of Famer)
- M. C. Escher - Dutch graphic artist
Events
- Swedish prime minister Olof Palme compares the American bombings of North Vietnam to Nazi massacres. The US breaks diplomatic contacts with Sweden.
- January 14 - Queen Margaret II of Denmarks accession to the throne.
- February 21 - February 27 - President Richard M. Nixon makes an unprecedented eight-day visit to Communist China and meets with Mao Zedong.
- March 2 - Launch of Pioneer 10 spacecraft.
- March 24 - In a bid for peace, Britain takes over direct rule of Northern Ireland.
- April 18 - Roland Corporation founded in Osaka
- May 15 - Governor George C. Wallace of Alabama is shot by Arthur H. Bremer at a Laurel, Md., political rally.
- June 17 - Watergate break-in, Washington, D.C.
- Return of Okinawa from United States' control to Japan.
- June 29 - United States Supreme Court rules that the death penalty is unconstitutional
- September 5 - Eleven Israeli athletes at the Summer Olympic Games in Munich are killed after eight members of an Arab terrorist group invade Olympic Village; five guerrillas and one policeman are also killed.
- November - Richard M. Nixon defeats George McGovern in the U.S. presidential election
Sport
- January 16 - Super Bowl VI Dallas Cowboys (24) def. Miami Dolphins (3)