- Jan 1 26th Fiesta Bowl: #7 Penn State beats #20 Texas, 38-15
- Jan 1 83rd Rose Bowl: #4 Ohio State beats #2 Arizona State, 20-17
- Jan 1 The Republic of Zaïre officially joins the World Trade Organization, as Zaïre.
- Jan 2 63rd Sugar Bowl: #3 Florida beats #1 Florida State, 52-20
- Jan 2 Howard Stern Radio Show premieres in Columbus OH on WBZX 99.7 FM
- Jan 3 Bryant Gumbel co-hosted his final "Today" show on NBC-TV
- Jan 3 Texas-El Paso head basketball coach Don Haskins becomes 10th coach in NCAA Division I history to record 700 career wins when the Miners edge SMU, 66-64
- Jan 3 The People's Republic of China announces it will spend $US27.7 billion to fight erosion and pollution in the Yangtze and Yellow river valleys
- Jan 3 Zimbabwe cricket fast bowler Eddo Brandes takes ODI hat-trick as home team scores another upset against England, winning by 131 runs and sweeping series, 3-0 in Harare
- Jan 4 Hopman Cup Tennis, Perth: Justin Gimelstob & Chanda Rubin clinch first title for the US; beat South African pair Wayne Ferreira & Amanda Coetzer 3-6, 6-2, 7-5 for a 2-1 victory
- Jan 5 "Juan Darien-Carnival Mass" closes at Vivian Beaumont NYC
- Jan 5 "Love Thy Neighbor" closes at Booth Theater NYC
- Jan 5 "Show Boat" closes at Gershwin Theater NYC
- Jan 5 Elliot Goldenthal's musical "Juan Darién - A Carnival Mass" closes at the Vivian Beaumont Theater, NYC, after 49 performances
- Jan 6 "It's a Slippery Slope" closes at Vivian Beaumont Theater NYC
Gingrich Re-elected Speaker
Jan 7 Newt Gingrich narrowly re-elected speaker of the US House of Representatives
- Jan 9 After 5 days missing, Tony Bullimore rescued alive after his boat capsized in Southern Ocean
Sinatra Heart Attack
Jan 9 Heart attacks sends singer Frank Sinatra back to hospital
"Seven Gates of Jerusalem"
Jan 9 Krzysztof Penderecki's choral symphony "Seven Gates of Jerusalem" premieres in Jerusalem, Israel
- Jan 10 "Rehearsal" closes at Criterion Theater NYC
- Jan 10 1st Comet of 1997 Discovered: Comet 1997 A1
- Jan 10 4,000th episode of "Entertainment Tonight"
Arnoldo Aleman Sworn In
Jan 10 Arnoldo Aleman sworn in as president of Nicaragua
- Jan 10 Dow Corning provides $295 billion to settle breast implant suits
- Jan 10 Italy's new 1,000 lire coin shows divided Germany on map
- Jan 11 Telstar 401 Satellite Fails
23rd People's Choice Awards
Jan 12 23rd People's Choice Awards: Mel Gibson & Sandra Bullock win (Dramatic Motion Picture) and Tim Allen & Oprah Winfrey win (TV)
- Jan 12 AFC Championship, Foxborough Stadium: New England Patriots beat Jacksonville Jaguars, 20-6
- Jan 12 Ladies' figure skating star Oksana Baiul injured slightly while driving intoxicated in Bloomfield, Connecticut
- Jan 12 NFC Championship, Lambeau Field, Green Bay: Green Bay Packers beat Carolina Panthers, 30-13
- Jan 12 Space Shuttle STS 81 (Atlantis 18), launches into space
- Jan 13 Radical guerrillas hold 72 hostages and shoot at police outside the Japanese Embassy in Lima, Peru
Rodman Kicks Cameraman
Jan 15 Controversial Chicago Bulls' forward Dennis Rodman kicks cameraman Eugene Amos in the groin during a game against Minnesota Timberwolves; ultimately pays Amos $200,000 settlement, and is suspended for 11 games without pay
Princess Diana Calls for Landmine Ban
Jan 15 Diana, Princess of Wales, calls for an international ban on landmines, angering ministers in the UK
- Jan 15 San Francisco head coach George Seifert announces his resignation after 8 highly-successful NFL seasons with the 49ers: winningest coach in team history at 108-35; 2 Super Bowl titles
- Jan 15 Seattle's Sam Perkins ties Jeff Hornacek's NBA single-game record by connecting on 8 straight 3-point field goals during Sonics' 122-78 win over visiting Toronto; Seattle also sets an NBA steals record with 27
- Jan 15 Space Shuttle Atlantis docks with Mir Space Station
- Jan 16 Anthony Stuart takes ODI hat-trick, Aus v Pakistan, MCG
- Jan 17 NBA suspends Dennis Rodman indefinitely for kicking cameraman
- Jan 18 47th NHL All-Star Game, San Jose Arena, San Jose, CA: East beats West, 11-7; Mark Recchi, Montreal, RW
- Jan 18 Boerge Ousland of Norway becomes the first person to cross Antarctica alone and unaided
- Jan 18 In northwest Rwanda, Hutu militia members kill 3 Spanish aid workers, 3 soldiers and seriously wound one other.
54th Golden Globes
Jan 19 54th Golden Globes: The English Patient, Geoffrey Rush, & Brenda Blethyn win
Arafat's Hebron Return
Jan 19 Yasser Arafat returns to Hebron after more than 30 years and joins celebrations over the handover of the last Israeli-controlled West Bank city.
- Jan 20 2nd Critics' Choice Movie Awards: Fargo wins Best Film
- Jan 20 Comet Hale-Bopp crosses Mars' orbit
- Jan 20 French electronic dance duo Daft Punk release their album "Homework"
- Jan 20 Howard Stern Radio Show premieres in New Orleans LA on KKND 106.7 FM
- Jan 20 Pakistan defeat West Indies 2-0 to win Aust one-day Series
- Jan 21 An inquiry in North Wales names more than 80 child abusers
- Jan 22 Space shuttle Atlantis successfully returns to Earth
- Jan 24 The Swiss government and several banks and businesses agree to create a memorial fund for victims of the Holocaust
- Jan 25 In a high profile NHL trade, San Jose obtain future Hockey Hall of Fame goaltender Ed Belfour from Chicago in exchange for goaltender Chris Terreri, Ulf Dahlen, Michal Sykora and a conditional pick in 1998 Entry Draft
- Jan 26 "Ideal Husband" closes at Barrymore Theater NYC after 308 performances
- Jan 26 13th Sundance Film Festival: "Sunday" wins Grand Jury Prize Dramatic
Sampras Defeats Moyá
Jan 26 Australian Open Men's Tennis: Pete Sampras wins his 2nd and last Australian title; beats Carlos Moyá of Spain 6-2, 6-3, 6-3
Hingis Defeats Pierce
Jan 26 Australian Open Women's Tennis: Martina Hingis becomes first Swiss player – male or female – to win a Grand Slam singles title; beats Mary Pierce of France 6-2, 6-2
- Jan 26 Brunswick World Bowling Tournament of Champions won by John Gant
Lemieux Ties Record
Jan 26 Mario Lemieux ties NHL record with 4 goals in the 3rd period as Pittsburgh wins, 5-2 at Montreal; 39th career hat trick and 13th 4-goal game, tying NHL record shared by Wayne Gretzky & Mike Bossy
- Jan 26 Super Bowl XXXI, Louisiana Superdome, New Orleans, LA: Green Bay Packers beat New England Patriots, 35-21; MVP: Desmond Howard, Green Bay KR
- Jan 27 "Men Are From Mars, Women Are From Venus" opens at Gershwin NYC
24th American Music Awards
Jan 27 24th American Music Awards: Toni Braxton & Alanis Morissette win
- Jan 30 Minuteman III launches
- Jan 31 "Final Fantasy VII" is released by Square and Sony Computer Entertainment to PlayStation
- Jan 31 San Antonio forward Dominique Wilkins scores 27 points in the Spurs' 97-95 loss to Minnesota; gives him 26,009 career points; only the 6th NBA player to reach the 26k milestone
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