Fun Facts From 1981

FUN FACTS FROM 1981--

• United States Population: 229,465,714
  
  
• World Population: 4.529 billion
  
  
• Life Expectancy: 74.1 years
  
  
• Ronald W. Reagan was President and George Bush was Vice President in 1981
  
  
• March 30: President Reagan was wounded by a gunman
  
  
• Cost of a first class postage stamp was 15 cents, then 18 cents, and by the end of 1981, it was 20 cents
  
  
• Unemployment: 7.6%
  
  
• August 1: MTV goes on the air with music videos, debuting with "Video Killed the Radio Star."
  
  
• AIDS is first identified
  
  
• July 27: Adam Walsh, 6, is kidnapped from a Sears store in Hollywood, Florida
  
  

• January 12: "Dynasty" premieres on ABC
  
  
• January 15: "Hill Street Blues" premieres on NBC
  
  
• October 28: "The Fall Guy" premieres on ABC
  
  
• October 29: "Gimme a Break" premieres on NBC
  
  
• November 8: ESPN televises it first live flag-to-flag NASCAR race
  
  
• December 4: "Falcon Crest" premieres on CBS
  
  

• 1981 World Series: LA Dodgers vs. NY Yankees (4-2)
  
  
• Superbowl: Oakland vs. Philadelphia (27-10)
  
  
• Stanley Cup: NY Islanders vs. Minnesota (4-1)
  
  
• NCAA Basketball Championship: Indiana vs. North Carolina (63-50)
  
  
• Wimbeldon: Women: Chris Evert Lloyd vs. H. Mandlikova (6-2 6-2) Men: John McEnroe vs. B. Borg (4-6 7-6 7-6 6-4)
  
  
• NBA: Boston vs. Houston (4-2)
  
  
• Kentucky Derby: Pleasant Colony
  
  

• Best Motion Picture: "Ordinary People"
  
  
• Best Actor: Robert De Niro in "Raging Bull"
  
  
• Best Actress: Sissy Spacek in "Coal Miner's Daughter"
  
  
• Actor in a Supporting Role: Timothy Hutton in "Ordinary People"
  
  
• Actress in a Supporting Role: Mary Steenburgen in "Melvin and Howard"

• Kim Carnes wins the Grammy for Record of the Year with “Bette Davis Eyes”
  
  
• Sheena Easton wins Grammy for "Best New Artist"
  
  
• January 24: Steven Tyler of Aerosmith is injured in a motorcycle crash that leaves him hospitalized for two months
  
  
• February 14 : Billy Idol leaves the band Generation X to begin a solo career
  
  
• April 25: Paul McCartney's band "Wings" breaks up
  
  
• September 19: Simon & Garfunkel perform a free reunion concert in New York City's Central Park attended by over 500,000 fans
  
  
• Phil Collins has the hit song "In the Air Tonight"
  
  
• John Lennon has the hit song "Woman"
  
  
• Soft Cell has the hit song "Tainted Love"
  
  
• Barbara Mandrell wins the CMA Award for "Entertainer of the Year"
  
  
• The Oak Ridge Boys win the CMA for "Single of the Year" with "Elvira"
  
  

• January 3: Eli Manning
  
  
• January 25: Alicia Keys
  
  
• February 17: Paris Hilton
  
  
• April 28: Jessica Alba
  
  
• June 9: Natalie Portman
  
  
• September 4: Beyonce Knowles
  
  
• September 12: Jennifer Hudson
  
  
• December 2: Britney Spears