• A plane heading for Buchanan Field Airport loses control and crashes into the roof of Macys, killing the pilot and two passengers, and seriously injuring 84 Christmas shoppers at the Sun Valley Mall in Concord
 • Año Nuevo State Park is established at Año Nuevo Island (pictured, left) and points in San Mateo County
 • Emeryville Crescent State Marine Reserve (pictured, right) is established
 • NeXT is founded in Redwood City by Apple Computer co-founder Steve Jobs, after being forced out of Apple
 • The San Francisco 49ers win the Super Bowl for the second time