2004 Live via-satellite from the Abu-Ghraib prison in Afghanistan, New Years revelers all over the United States watch as Army personnel lead prisoners one-by-one on all fours, leash around thier neck, onto a stage where cast-iron balls are repeatedly dropped onto their groins.
1990 After reaching speeds of over 250mph, an Empire State Building elevator accidentally crashed during Downtown Julie Brown's televised stunt of descending the landmark's 102 stories to count down the final minute and a half of 1989, killing herself and an MTV cameraman.
1986 Filling in for an ailing Dick Clark, Rockin' New Years Eve host Max Headroom stutters his way through the final countdown of 1986, causing the official start of 1987 to be delayed for 53 minutes.
1980 Dallas star Larry Hagman is shot 10 times to count down the final seconds of 1979.
1974 After suffering through the Vietnam War and Watergate scandal, America was able to laugh again when a New Years Eve prank saw funnyman Buddy Hackett precariously re-position the Times Square ball directly over the head of an oblivious Gerald Ford, striking the president over the head.
1907 The Times Square New Years Eve ball is created by electrician Walter F. Palmer, putting an end to the previous long-standing New Years Eve tradition of John D. Rockefeller pushing ten Irish immigrants off the top of the New York Times building to ring out the final seconds of the year.
