The Last Time There Was A Triple Crown Winner, Hungry Hungry Hippos Was The Latest Craze

7 Things That Prove It's Been A Loooooong Wait For A Triple Crown Winner

No one under the age of 36 has ever seen a horse win the Triple Crown. California Chrome will attempt to end the drought on June 7th with a win at the Belmont Stakes in New York. Coming off impressive victories in the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness Stakes, the famous three-year-old colt is primed to make history.

It was 1978 when Affirmed sealed the last Triple Crown with a triumph at the Belmont. Yes, that is 36 years ago. To put the long wait in perspective, here are seven things that were new and exciting in 1978.

WARNING: This may make you feel really old.

'Grease' Arrived In Theaters
The romantic tale of Sandy and Danny further established John Travolta as a major film star.
Washington Bullets Won The NBA Finals
Led by Wes Unseld and Elvin Hayes, the Bullets made a surprise run to the NBA Finals and edged the Seattle Sonics in seven games. The Bullets have only escaped the opening round of the playoffs four times since. The Sonics no longer exist.
Sony Introduced The 'Walkman'
AP
Long before the Discman or the iPod, the cool kids grabbed major swag points with portable cassette players.
The 'Garfield' Comic Strip Was First Published
Mondays have never been the same.
Toga Parties Were All The Rage
'Animal House' was released in 1978 and reintroduced the toga party to coeds across the country. Unlike the Walkman, toga parties remained cool.
Hungry Hungry Hippos Was The Newest Craze
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Milton Bradley's competitive eating game became the must-have Christmas gift in 1978.
Laverne & Shirley Was The Most Popular Show
The television show about two pals who worked at "Shotz Brewery" in Milwaukee debuted during the 1975–76 television season and was atop the ratings in the year that Affirmed won the Triple Crown.

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