2.96 exists, at least in the RedHat world.

    $ rpm -qi gcc
    Name        : gcc                          Relocations: (not relocateable)
    Version     : 2.96                              Vendor: Red Hat, Inc.
    Release     : 110                           Build Date: Fri 12 Apr 2002 10:30:47 PM UTC
    Install date: Thu 20 Jan 2011 03:34:36 AM UTC      Build Host: daffy.perf.redhat.com
    Group       : Development/Languages         Source RPM: gcc-2.96-110.src.rpm
    Size        : 8389509                          License: GPL
    Packager    : Red Hat, Inc. <http://bugzilla.redhat.com/bugzilla>
    URL         : http://gcc.gnu.org
    Summary     : The GNU cc and gcc C compilers.
    Description :
    The gcc package includes the cc and gcc GNU compilers for compiling C
    code.
    $ cat /etc/redhat-release
    Red Hat Linux release 7.3 (Valhalla)