February 1981
Encyclopedia
January
- February - March
- April
- May
- June
- July
- August
- September
- October
- November
- December
The following events occurred in February
, 1981.
Born: Debjoty Biswas was born on this day.
January 1981
January - February - March - April - May - June - July - August - September - October - November - DecemberThe following events occurred in January 1981.-January 1, 1981 :...
- February - March
March 1981
January - February - March - April - May - June - July - August - September - October - November - DecemberThe following events occurred in March 1981.-March 1, 1981 :...
- April
April 1981
January - February - March - April - May - June - July - August - September - October - November - DecemberThe following events occurred in April 1981.-April 1, 1981 :...
- May
May 1981
January - February - March - April - May - June - July - August - September - October - November - DecemberThe following events occurred in May 1981.-May 1, 1981 :...
- June
June 1981
January - February - March - April - May - June - July - August - September - October - November - DecemberThe following events occurred in June, 1981.-June 1, 1981 :...
- July
July 1981
January - February - March - April - May - June - July - August - September - October - November - DecemberThe following events occurred in July 1981.-July 1, 1981 :...
- August
August 1981
January - February - March - April - May - June - July - August - September - October - November - DecemberThe following events occurred in August 1981-August 1, 1981 :...
- September
September 1981
January - February - March - April - May - June - July - August - September - October - November - DecemberThe following events occurred in September 1981-September 1, 1981 :...
- October
October 1981
January - February - March - April - May - June - July - August - September - October - November - DecemberThe following events occurred in October 1981:-October 1, 1981 :...
- November
November 1981
January - February - March - April - May - June - July - August - September - October - November - DecemberThe following events occurred in November 1981:-November 1, 1981 :...
- December
December 1981
January - February - March - April - May - June - July - August - September - October - November - DecemberThe following events occurred in December 1981:-December 1, 1981 :...
The following events occurred in February
February
February is the second month of the year in the Julian and Gregorian calendars. It is the shortest month and the only month with fewer than 30 days. The month has 28 days in common years and 29 days in leap years...
, 1981.
February 1, 1981 (Sunday)
- Underarm bowling incident of 1981Underarm bowling incident of 1981The underarm bowling incident of 1981 took place on 1 February 1981, when Australia was playing New Zealand in a One Day International cricket match, the third of five such matches in the final of the Benson & Hedges World Series Cup, at the Melbourne Cricket Ground...
: At cricketCricketCricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
's World Series CupWorld Series CupThe World Series Cup was the name of the One Day International cricket tournament that took place in Australia every season between Australia and two touring teams from 1979-80 to 1995-96. The tournament was renamed the World Series from 1990-1. This was the very first of the One Day International ...
between Australia and New Zealand at MelbourneMelbourneMelbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
, Australian bowler Trevor ChappellTrevor ChappellTrevor Martin Chappell is a former Australian cricketer, a member of the South Australian Chappell family which excelled at cricket...
and his brother, team captain Greg ChappellGreg ChappellGregory Stephen Chappell MBE is a former cricketer who captained Australia between 1975 and 1977 and then joined the breakaway World Series Cricket organisation, before returning to the Australian captaincy in 1979, a position he held until his retirement 1983...
, became infamous for the way that the match was won. On instructions from Greg, Trevor forwent an overarm throw and rolled the ball along the ground to New Zealand's final batter, Brian McKechnie, to preserve Australia's 235-229 victory. The rules were changed afterward to ban the practice. - The National Football LeagueNational Football LeagueThe National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
season extended to FebruaryFebruaryFebruary is the second month of the year in the Julian and Gregorian calendars. It is the shortest month and the only month with fewer than 30 days. The month has 28 days in common years and 29 days in leap years...
for the first time as the NFC all-stars beat the AFC 21-7 in the Pro BowlPro BowlIn professional American football, the Pro Bowl is the all-star game of the National Football League . Since the merger with the rival American Football League in 1970, it has been officially called the AFC–NFC Pro Bowl, matching the top players in the American Football Conference against those...
at Honolulu. The Super BowlSuper BowlThe Super Bowl is the championship game of the National Football League , the highest level of professional American football in the United States, culminating a season that begins in the late summer of the previous calendar year. The Super Bowl uses Roman numerals to identify each game, rather...
has been played in February every year since 2002. - Died: Donald W. Douglas, 88, American aviation pioneer, founder of Douglas Aircraft, later McDonnell DouglasMcDonnell DouglasMcDonnell Douglas was a major American aerospace manufacturer and defense contractor, producing a number of famous commercial and military aircraft. It formed from a merger of McDonnell Aircraft and Douglas Aircraft in 1967. McDonnell Douglas was based at Lambert-St. Louis International Airport...
February 2, 1981 (Monday)
- For the first time in PGA TourPGA TourThe PGA Tour is the organizer of the main men's professional golf tours in the United States and North America...
history, there was a five way tie at the end of the scheduled rounds of golf, with Hale IrwinHale IrwinHale S. Irwin is an American professional golfer. He is one of the few players in history to have won three U.S. Opens and was one of the world's leading golfers for much of the 1970s and 1980s. He has also developed a career as a golf course architect.Irwin was born in Joplin, Missouri, but was...
, Ben CrenshawBen CrenshawBen Daniel Crenshaw is an American professional golfer.Crenshaw was born in Austin, Texas. He attended and played golf at Austin High School and the University of Texas, where he won three NCAA Championships from 1971 to 1973...
, Bobby ClampettBobby ClampettRobert Daniel Clampett, Jr. is a television golf analyst, golf course architect, writer, and professional golfer, who played on the PGA Tour from 1980 to 1995. Clampett began playing on the Champions Tour in April 2010....
, John CookJohn Cook (golfer)John Neuman Cook is an American professional golfer, who has played on the PGA Tour and currently plays on the Champions Tour....
, and Barney Thompson all taking 209 strokes on 54 holes at the Bing Crosby National Pro-Am. Cook beat Irwin on the third extra hole and won the $40,500 prize, more than his entire earnings the year before.
February 3, 1981 (Tuesday)
Sakthivel was born on February 03,1981. Working in Search engine optimization at Ameex Technologies. Interested in Joomla Geeks provides the best Joomla website design, Joomla website maintenance, Joomla development, Joomla customization and support with expert team of Joomla developers. Visit Info http://www.joomlageeks.com/ p2- Died: Margaret McNamaraMargaret McNamaraMargaret Craig McNamara was the founder of the nonprofit children's literacy organization Reading is Fundamental....
, 65, American founder of the Reading is FundamentalReading Is FundamentalReading Is Fundamental, Inc. is the oldest and largest nonprofit literacy organization in the United States. Founded in 1966, it is based in Washington, D. C.. RIF's community volunteers in every state and U.S. territory provide 4.5 million children with 16 million new, free books and literacy...
(RIF) program
February 4, 1981 (Wednesday)
- U.S. Congressman Jon HinsonJon HinsonJon Clifton Hinson was a politician from the state of Mississippi.-Early life:Hinson was born in Tylertown, Mississippi and graduated from the University of Mississippi in Oxford. Hinson was an aide to Representatives Charles H...
(R-Mississippi) was arrested, along with a 28-year-old male employee of the Library of CongressLibrary of CongressThe Library of Congress is the research library of the United States Congress, de facto national library of the United States, and the oldest federal cultural institution in the United States. Located in three buildings in Washington, D.C., it is the largest library in the world by shelf space and...
, at a restroom in a Congressional office building, and charged with homosexual sodomy, a criminal offense under the laws in effect at that time. Hinson resigned his seat a month later. - The Kishtwar National ParkKishtwar National ParkKishtwar National Park is a national park located in the Kishtwar district of Jammu and Kashmir, India. it is bounded to the north by Rinnay river, south by Kibar Nala catchment, east by main divide of Great Himalaya and west by Marwa river....
was established in the Jammu and KashmirJammu and KashmirJammu and Kashmir is the northernmost state of India. It is situated mostly in the Himalayan mountains. Jammu and Kashmir shares a border with the states of Himachal Pradesh and Punjab to the south and internationally with the People's Republic of China to the north and east and the...
State in IndiaIndiaIndia , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. The park covers a total area of 42,500 hectares or about 164 square miles (424.8 km²).
February 5, 1981 (Thursday)
- A fire broke out at 5:33 a.m. at the State Office BuildingGovernment Plaza, BinghamtonGovernment Plaza is a building complex in Binghamton, New York containing the offices for the City of Binghamton, Broome County and New York State. The complex is located in Downtown Binghamton on the block bounded by State, Hawley, Isbell and Susquehanna streets...
in Binghamton, New YorkBinghamton, New YorkBinghamton is a city in the Southern Tier of New York in the United States. It is near the Pennsylvania border, in a bowl-shaped valley at the confluence of the Susquehanna and Chenango Rivers...
, and ended up contaminating the building with toxic polychlorinated biphenylPolychlorinated biphenylPolychlorinated biphenyls are a class of organic compounds with 2 to 10 chlorine atoms attached to biphenyl, which is a molecule composed of two benzene rings. The chemical formula for PCBs is C12H10-xClx...
(PCBs) and a cleanup job that took more than 13 years and cost $47,000,000. - Died: Ella T. GrassoElla T. GrassoElla Grasso , born Ella Giovanna Oliva Tambussi, was an American politician, and first woman elected governor of Connecticut.-Biography:...
, 61, Governor of Connecticut 1974-1980, and the first woman to be elected to become a U.S. governor without her husband preceding her.
February 6, 1981 (Friday)
- Ugandan Bush WarUgandan Bush WarThe Ugandan Bush War refers to the guerrilla war waged between 1981 and 1986 in Uganda by the National Resistance Army against the government of Milton Obote, and later that of Tito Okello.-Events leading to the war:Following the Uganda-Tanzania War that removed Idi Amin in 1979, a...
: The National Resistance ArmyNational Resistance ArmyThe National Resistance Army , the military wing of the National Resistance Movement , was a rebel army that waged a guerrilla war, commonly referred to as the Luwero War or "the war in the bush", against the government of Milton Obote, and later that of Tito Okello.NRA was supported by Muammar...
, led by Yoweri MuseveniYoweri MuseveniYoweri Kaguta Museveni is a Ugandan politician and statesman. He has been President of Uganda since 26 January 1986.Museveni was involved in the war that deposed Idi Amin Dada, ending his rule in 1979, and in the rebellion that subsequently led to the demise of the Milton Obote regime in 1985...
began a rebellion against the government of UgandaUgandaUganda , officially the Republic of Uganda, is a landlocked country in East Africa. Uganda is also known as the "Pearl of Africa". It is bordered on the east by Kenya, on the north by South Sudan, on the west by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, on the southwest by Rwanda, and on the south by...
with an attack on army barracks in the capital, KampalaKampalaKampala is the largest city and capital of Uganda. The city is divided into five boroughs that oversee local planning: Kampala Central Division, Kawempe Division, Makindye Division, Nakawa Division and Lubaga Division. The city is coterminous with Kampala District.-History: of Buganda, had chosen...
. The war continued for almost five years before Museveni's forces succeeded in toppling the government and Museveni became President of Uganda. - At a dinner for two at Buckingham PalaceBuckingham PalaceBuckingham Palace, in London, is the principal residence and office of the British monarch. Located in the City of Westminster, the palace is a setting for state occasions and royal hospitality...
, Charles of the United Kingdom, the Crown Prince, proposed marriage to kindergarten teacher Diana Spencer. - Died: Queen Frederika of Greece, 63
February 7, 1981 (Saturday)
- 1981 Bangalore circus fire1981 Bangalore circus fireThe 1981 Bangalore circus fire is the fire that occurred on 8 February 1981, in a circus in Bangalore, India. 66 persons, mostly children, died and many were injured in the fire.- External links :...
: A fire broke out during a matinee performance of the Venus Circus in BangaloreBangaloreBengaluru , formerly called Bengaluru is the capital of the Indian state of Karnataka. Bangalore is nicknamed the Garden City and was once called a pensioner's paradise. Located on the Deccan Plateau in the south-eastern part of Karnataka, Bangalore is India's third most populous city and...
, IndiaIndiaIndia , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, with the big top tent burning while 2,000 people attended. Seventy persons, mostly children, were killed during the panic. - A plane carrying 70 Soviet military officers from VladivostokVladivostokThe city is located in the southern extremity of Muravyov-Amursky Peninsula, which is about 30 km long and approximately 12 km wide.The highest point is Mount Kholodilnik, the height of which is 257 m...
to LeningradLeningradLeningrad is the former name of Saint Petersburg, Russia.Leningrad may also refer to:- Places :* Leningrad Oblast, a federal subject of Russia, around Saint Petersburg* Leningrad, Tajikistan, capital of Muminobod district in Khatlon Province...
, crashed during a landing attempt, killing all persons aboard, including 24 admirals and generals. The fatalities, which the Soviet government acknowledged four days later, included Admiral Emil Spiridonov, Commander of the Soviet Pacific Fleet, and Lt. Gen. Georgi Pavlov, Commander of the Pacific Air Wing.
February 8, 1981 (Sunday)
- Karaiskakis Stadium disaster: At a soccer football match at PiraeusPiraeusPiraeus is a city in the region of Attica, Greece. Piraeus is located within the Athens Urban Area, 12 km southwest from its city center , and lies along the east coast of the Saronic Gulf....
, GreeceGreeceGreece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
, 21 people were killed and 54 seriously injured. Olympiakos F.C. had defeated visiting AEK Athens F.C., 6-0, and fans rushing to a blocked stadium exit were trampled.
February 9, 1981 (Monday)
- Józef PińkowskiJózef PinkowskiJózef Pińkowski was a Polish Communist politician who served as Prime Minister from 1980 to 1981....
was fired from his job as the Prime Minister of Poland at a session of the United Workers' Party Central Committee, and replaced by the Minister of Defense, General Wojciech JaruzelskiWojciech JaruzelskiWojciech Witold Jaruzelski is a retired Polish military officer and Communist politician. He was the last Communist leader of Poland from 1981 to 1989, Prime Minister from 1981 to 1985 and the country's head of state from 1985 to 1990. He was also the last commander-in-chief of the Polish People's...
. - Died: Bill HaleyBill HaleyBill Haley was one of the first American rock and roll musicians. He is credited by many with first popularizing this form of music in the early 1950s with his group Bill Haley & His Comets and their hit song "Rock Around the Clock".-Early life and career:...
, 55, American rock and roll pioneer (Rock Around the Clock)
February 10, 1981 (Tuesday)
- Eight people died and 350 were injured at a fire that broke out at 8:00 pm on the 8th floor of the Las Vegas HiltonLas Vegas HiltonThe Las Vegas Hilton is a hotel, casino, and convention center in Las Vegas, Nevada. It is a joint venture between Colony Capital, which owns 60 percent, and New York City-based REIT Whitehall Street Real Estate Funds, which owns the remaining 40 percent...
hotel, and then spread upward to the 22 stories above. Philip Bruce Cline, a 23-year-old busboy who had at first been praised for alerting guests to the blaze, was later convicted of arsonArsonArson is the crime of intentionally or maliciously setting fire to structures or wildland areas. It may be distinguished from other causes such as spontaneous combustion and natural wildfires...
and murderMurderMurder is the unlawful killing, with malice aforethought, of another human being, and generally this state of mind distinguishes murder from other forms of unlawful homicide...
, and received eight life sentences to prison.
February 11, 1981 (Wednesday)
- A misunderstanding at the Sequoyah Nuclear Generating StationSequoyah Nuclear Generating StationThe Sequoyah Nuclear Plant is a nuclear power plant located on 525 acres located 7 miles east of Soddy-Daisy, Tennessee, and 20 miles north of Chattanooga, abutting Chickamauga Lake, on the Tennessee River. The facility is owned and operated by the Tennessee Valley Authority .The...
Unit #1 near Chattanooga, TennesseeTennesseeTennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
led to a nuclear accident in which 105,000 gallons of radioactive water flooded the containment building and contaminated thirteen Tennessee Valley AuthorityTennessee Valley AuthorityThe Tennessee Valley Authority is a federally owned corporation in the United States created by congressional charter in May 1933 to provide navigation, flood control, electricity generation, fertilizer manufacturing, and economic development in the Tennessee Valley, a region particularly affected...
employees. After being asked to verify that a containment spray valve was properly closed, an auxiliary operator opened the valve instead, diverting the water to a sprinkler system and giving the persons inside "a chilly but slightly radioactive shower". - Died: Charles F. Fogarty, 59, Chairman and CEO of Texasgulf, and 7 others in crash of a company aircraft. The plane crashed at 6:45 pm as it approached Westchester, Connecticut, on the way back from Toronto.
February 12, 1981 (Thursday)
- The discovery, of a previously unknown symphony by Wolfgang Amadeus MozartWolfgang Amadeus MozartWolfgang Amadeus Mozart , baptismal name Johannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart , was a prolific and influential composer of the Classical era. He composed over 600 works, many acknowledged as pinnacles of symphonic, concertante, chamber, piano, operatic, and choral music...
, was announced in MunichMunichMunich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
by Dr. Robert Münster, a spokesman for the Bavarian State LibraryBavarian State LibraryThe Bavarian State Library in Munich is the central "Landesbibliothek", i. e. the state library of the Free State of Bavaria and one of Europe's most important universal libraries. With its collections currently comprising around 9.39 million books, it ranks among the best research libraries...
. Written 216 years earlier, in 1765, when Mozart was nine years old, Symphony in F major, K. Anh. 223 (19a) was purchased by the library from an unidentified seller who had found it "among some private papers in Bavaria last fall".
February 13, 1981 (Friday)
- Australian press baron Rupert MurdochRupert MurdochKeith Rupert Murdoch, AC, KSG is an Australian-American business magnate. He is the founder and Chairman and CEO of , the world's second-largest media conglomerate....
purchased the venerable (founded 1785) LondonLondonLondon is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
newspaper, The TimesThe TimesThe Times is a British daily national newspaper, first published in London in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register . The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary since 1981 of News International...
, and its companion publication, The Sunday Times, after three weeks of negotiation with union leaders. The papers' owner, the Thomson OrganizationThomson OrganizationInternational Thomson Organization was a development of the commercial empire founded by Lord Thomson of Fleet . It was formed in 1978 as a holding company for interests in publishing, travel, and natural resources...
, had announced it would cease publication of both newspapers on Saturday, March 14, if a buyer could not be found.
February 14, 1981 (Saturday)
- Stardust fire: Forty-nine people were killed and 214 injured in a fire at the Stardust Cabaret discothèque in Dublin. More than were 700 people were present for a Valentine's Day party when flames were observed at 2:00 a.m. Although a 1982 investigation concluded that the fire was intentionally set, a reopened inquiry ruled out arson in 2009.
February 15, 1981 (Sunday)
- NASCAR driver Richard PettyRichard PettyRichard Lee Petty is a former NASCAR driver who raced in the Strictly Stock/Grand National Era and the NASCAR Winston Cup Series...
came from fifth place to win the Daytona 5001981 Daytona 500The 1981 event saw Richard Petty take an amazing gamble to win his 7th Daytona 500. With 24 laps to go, Petty came to the pits for his final scheduled pit stop, but instead of changing tires, only took on fuel. It worked well as Petty became the first driver to win the Daytona 500 in three...
, after the four drivers ahead of him lost their leads by getting their tires changed. With 26 laps left, Bobby AllisonBobby AllisonRobert Arthur Allison is a former NASCAR Winston Cup driver and was named one of NASCAR's 50 greatest drivers. His two sons, Clifford Allison and Davey Allison followed him into racing, and both died within a year of each other....
changed the right side tires, and in a process that Petty later described as "follow the leader", Buddy BakerBuddy BakerElzie Wylie Baker, Jr. , nicknamed "Leadfoot" or more famously Buddy, is a former American NASCAR racecar driver.-Early life:...
, Dale EarnhardtDale EarnhardtRalph Dale Earnhardt, Sr. was an American race car driver, best known for his involvement in stock car racing for NASCAR...
and Ricky RuddRicky RuddRicky Rudd is a former American NASCAR driver. He is the uncle of actor Skeet Ulrich and Nationwide Series driver Jason Rudd. Rudd is known as the "Iron Man" of NASCAR; holding the record for most consecutive starts in NASCAR racing. At the conclusion of the 2005 season, Rudd had made 788...
did the same. Petty and his crew elected to use his final pit stop for fuel only, and "The King" won Daytona for the 7th and last time. - Born: OliviaOlivia (singer)Olivia Theresa Longott , professionally known as Olivia, is an American R&B singer and rapper.-Early life:Raised in New York City, Longott is of Puerto Rican, and Indian descent....
Theresa Longott, American R&B singer, in BrooklynBrooklynBrooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
; and Jenna MorascaJenna MorascaJenna Morasca is an American actress, former swimsuit model and American reality TV contestant who was the million-dollar grand prize winner of Survivor: The Amazon and previously worked for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling....
, winner of Survivor, in Bridgeville, PA - Died: Michael BloomfieldMike BloomfieldMichael Bernard "Mike" Bloomfield was an American musician, guitarist, and composer, born in Chicago, Illinois, who became one of the first popular music superstars of the 1960s to earn his reputation almost entirely on his instrumental prowess, since he rarely sang before 1969–70...
, 37, electric blues guitarist
February 16, 1981 (Monday)
- Twenty minutes before Pope John Paul IIPope John Paul IIBlessed Pope John Paul II , born Karol Józef Wojtyła , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of Vatican City from 16 October 1978 until his death on 2 April 2005, at of age. His was the second-longest documented pontificate, which lasted ; only Pope Pius IX ...
arrived at to celebrate mass with 70,000 people at Pakistan's National StadiumNational Stadium, KarachiThe National Stadium is a cricket stadium in Karachi, Pakistan. It is currently used for cricket matches, and is home to Karachi's domestic cricket teams. The stadium is able to hold 34,228 spectators, making it the second largest cricket stadium in Pakistan after Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore...
in KarachiKarachiKarachi is the largest city, main seaport and the main financial centre of Pakistan, as well as the capital of the province of Sindh. The city has an estimated population of 13 to 15 million, while the total metropolitan area has a population of over 18 million...
, a hand grenade exploded in a stairway behind the VIP grandstand, killing tha man who had been carrying it. The Pope was on the first stop of a 12-day tour of Asia, after departing RomeRomeRome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
earlier that day. After delivering the mass, he flew on to ManilaManilaManila is the capital of the Philippines. It is one of the sixteen cities forming Metro Manila.Manila is located on the eastern shores of Manila Bay and is bordered by Navotas and Caloocan to the north, Quezon City to the northeast, San Juan and Mandaluyong to the east, Makati on the southeast,...
.
February 17, 1981 (Tuesday)
- U.S. President Reagan "dramatically altered the political landscape" by issuing Executive Order 12291Office of Information and Regulatory AffairsThe Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs is an office of the United States Government that Congress established in the 1980 Paperwork Reduction Act. OIRA is located within the Office of Management and Budget, which is an agency within the Executive Office of the President...
. Executive branch agencies could not issue new rules and regulations without first submitting proposals to the Office of Information and Regulatory AffairsOffice of Information and Regulatory AffairsThe Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs is an office of the United States Government that Congress established in the 1980 Paperwork Reduction Act. OIRA is located within the Office of Management and Budget, which is an agency within the Executive Office of the President...
(OIRA), along with a cost-benefit analysisCost-benefit analysisCost–benefit analysis , sometimes called benefit–cost analysis , is a systematic process for calculating and comparing benefits and costs of a project for two purposes: to determine if it is a sound investment , to see how it compares with alternate projects...
that could demonstrate that "the potential benefits to society for regulation outweigh the potential costs". - Born: Joseph Gordon-LevittJoseph Gordon-LevittJoseph Leonard Gordon-Levitt is an American actor whose career as both a child and adult has included television series and theatrical films....
, American actor, in Los AngelesLos ÁngelesLos Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
; and Paris HiltonParis HiltonParis Whitney Hilton is an American businesswoman, heiress, and socialite. She is a great-granddaughter of Conrad Hilton . Hilton is known for her controversial participation in a sex tape in 2003, and appearance on the television series The Simple Life alongside fellow socialite and childhood...
, American socialite, in New York CityNew York CityNew York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
;
February 18, 1981 (Wednesday)
- In a 35-minute speech to a joint session of Congress, President of the United States Ronald ReaganRonald ReaganRonald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....
outlined the details of a package of reforms that would reduce both inflation and unemployment by reducing federal government spending and cutting the federal income tax rate. The annual inflation rate, 13.58% at the beginning of 1981, had dropped to 6.16% by 1983 and 1.91% by 1987. The unemployment rate, 7.5% when Reagan took office, rose to a high of 10.8% at the end of 1982, falling to 5.3% at the end of Reagan's term. - Born: Andrei KirilenkoAndrei Kirilenko (basketball)Andrei Gennadyevich Kirilenko is a Russian-American professional basketball player who plays at the small forward position for the CSKA Moscow in the Russian Professional Basketball League. He also plays for the Russia national basketball team...
, Russian pro basketball player ("AK47"), in IzhevskIzhevskIzhevsk is the capital city of the Udmurt Republic, Russia, situated on the Izh River in the Western Urals. Population: From 1984 to 1987 Izhevsk carried the name Ustinov |Minister of Defense of the USSR]], Marshal of the Soviet Union, Dmitry Ustinov). The city is an important industrial center,...
; and Ivan SprouleIvan SprouleIvan Sproule is a Northern Irish professional association football player. Sproule, a winger who is known for his explosive pace, only turned professional after he signed for Scottish Premier League side Hibernian in January 2005, just a month before his 24th birthday...
, Northern Irish footballer, in CastledergCastledergCastlederg is a village in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland. It lies on the River Derg and is close to the border with County Donegal. The village has a ruined castle and two ancient tombs known as the Druid's Altar and Todd's Den... - Died: Jack Northrop, 85, founder of Lockheed CorporationLockheed CorporationThe Lockheed Corporation was an American aerospace company. Lockheed was founded in 1912 and later merged with Martin Marietta to form Lockheed Martin in 1995.-Origins:...
and Northrop CorporationNorthrop CorporationNorthrop Corporation was a leading United States aircraft manufacturer from its formation in 1939 until its merger with Grumman to form Northrop Grumman in 1994. The company is known for its development of the flying wing design, although only a few of these have entered service.-History:Jack...
February 19, 1981 (Thursday)
- Enterainer Frank SinatraFrank SinatraFrancis Albert "Frank" Sinatra was an American singer and actor.Beginning his musical career in the swing era with Harry James and Tommy Dorsey, Sinatra became an unprecedentedly successful solo artist in the early to mid-1940s, after being signed to Columbia Records in 1943. Being the idol of the...
was cleared of longstanding rumors that he had ties to organized crime, 18 years after the Nevada Gaming CommissionNevada Gaming CommissionThe Nevada Gaming Commission is a Nevada state governmental agency involved in the regulation of casinos throughout the state, along with the Nevada Gaming Control Board. It was founded in 1959 by the Nevada Legislature....
had revoked his license to operate a casino. In 1963, mobster Sam GiancanaSam GiancanaSalvatore Giancana , better known as Sam Giancana, was a Sicilian-American mobster and boss of the Chicago Outfit from 1957-1966...
had visited Sinatra's Cal-Neva Lodge in Lake TahoeLake TahoeLake Tahoe is a large freshwater lake in the Sierra Nevada of the United States. At a surface elevation of , it is located along the border between California and Nevada, west of Carson City. Lake Tahoe is the largest alpine lake in North America. Its depth is , making it the USA's second-deepest...
, and the license had been suspended. A factor in the Commission's 4-1 vote in favor of Sinatra was a statement of support from U.S. President Ronald ReaganRonald ReaganRonald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....
, with an attorney authorized to say that Reagan "considers him an honorable person — completely honest and loyal".
February 20, 1981 (Friday)
- A collision between Aerolíneas ArgentinasAerolíneas ArgentinasAerolíneas Argentinas , formally Aerolíneas Argentinas S.A., is Argentina's largest airline and serves as the country's flag carrier. Owned in its majority by the Argentine Government, the airline is headquartered in the Torre Bouchard, located in San Nicolás, Buenos Aires...
Flight 342 and the antenna on Tower One of the World Trade CenterWorld Trade CenterThe original World Trade Center was a complex with seven buildings featuring landmark twin towers in Lower Manhattan, New York City, United States. The complex opened on April 4, 1973, and was destroyed in 2001 during the September 11 attacks. The site is currently being rebuilt with five new...
was averted when an alert air traffic controller, Donald Zimmerman, ordered the pilot to turn right and to climb. With 58 persons on board, the Boeing 707 had descended to 1500 feet (457.2 m) in a heavy fog. At 10:05 pm, the plane had been 75 seconds away from impact when Zimmerman was able to contact the pilot. - Died: Nicolas de Gunzburg, 76, Franch fashion editor for Vogue and Harper's Bazaar
February 21, 1981 (Saturday)
- In a broadcast made from Radio VeritasRadio VeritasRadio Veritas Asia is the Catholic shortwave station broadcasting to Asia; based in Quezon City, Philippines.-History:On December 1958, the delegates of the Southeast Asian Bishops' Conference unanimously resolved to establish a radio station that will serve the countries of Southeast Asia...
in ManilaManilaManila is the capital of the Philippines. It is one of the sixteen cities forming Metro Manila.Manila is located on the eastern shores of Manila Bay and is bordered by Navotas and Caloocan to the north, Quezon City to the northeast, San Juan and Mandaluyong to the east, Makati on the southeast,...
, Pope John Paul IIPope John Paul IIBlessed Pope John Paul II , born Karol Józef Wojtyła , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of Vatican City from 16 October 1978 until his death on 2 April 2005, at of age. His was the second-longest documented pontificate, which lasted ; only Pope Pius IX ...
made what was described as "the most far-reaching call for interfaith dialogue ever made by a pontiff", proposing to meet with representatives of the world's major religions. "The church of Jesus Christ in this age experiences a profound need to enter into contact and dialogue with all these religions," said the Pope, and that Christians must commit to discussions "so that mutual understanding and collaboration may grow, so that moral values may be strengthened, so that God may be praised in all creation".
February 22, 1981 (Sunday)
- Amateur pilot Charles Newton and his wife Judy were flying in a small engine plane when he suffered a fatal heart attack. Mrs. Newton, who didn't know how to fly and wasn't sure of her location, was saved after a flight instructor in Statesville, North CarolinaStatesville, North CarolinaStatesville is a city located in Iredell County, North Carolina, United States and was named an All-America City in 1997 and 2009. The population was 24,633 at the 2010 census...
, Phillip Hazel, took the air in a plane of his own. After locating her, Mr. Hazel then gave Mrs. Newton step-by-step instructions on airplane flight and guided her to a safe landing at the Statesville airport. - Born: Jeanette BiedermannJeanette BiedermannJeanette Biedermann , also known by her stage name Jeanette, is a German recording artist, actress and television personality. Born and raised in Berlin, Biedermann began performing as a member of a troupe of acrobats in a children's circus at the age of six...
, German singer and actress, in West BerlinWest BerlinWest Berlin was a political exclave that existed between 1949 and 1990. It comprised the western regions of Berlin, which were bordered by East Berlin and parts of East Germany. West Berlin consisted of the American, British, and French occupation sectors, which had been established in 1945... - Died: Joe SmithSmith & DaleSmith and Dale were a famous American vaudeville comedy duo. The two performed together for more than 70 years.-Early life and work:Joe Smith and Charlie Dale grew up in the Jewish ghettos of New York City...
, 97, American comedian who teamed with Charlie Dale (1885–1971) as the comic duo Smith & DaleSmith & DaleSmith and Dale were a famous American vaudeville comedy duo. The two performed together for more than 70 years.-Early life and work:Joe Smith and Charlie Dale grew up in the Jewish ghettos of New York City...
.
Born: Debjoty Biswas was born on this day.
February 23, 1981 (Monday)
- 23-F23-F23-F was an attempted coup d'état in Spain that began on 23 February 1981 and ended on the following day. It is also known as El Tejerazo from the name of its most visible figure, Antonio Tejero, who led the failed coup's most notable event: the bursting into the Spanish Congress of Deputies by a...
: At 6:25 pm, the Congress of Deputies of SpainSpainSpain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
was taken over by 200 members of the Guardia Civil, led by Lt. Col. Antonio Tejero Molina, who seized control of the Cortes buildingCortes GeneralesThe Cortes Generales is the legislature of Spain. It is a bicameral parliament, composed of the Congress of Deputies and the Senate . The Cortes has power to enact any law and to amend the constitution...
and took 347 legislators hostage. The Deputies were voting on whether to approve Leopoldo Calvo SoteloLeopoldo Calvo SoteloLeopoldo Calvo-Sotelo y Bustelo, 1st Marquis of the Ría of Ribadeo and Grandee of Spain was a Spanish political figure and prime minister during the period of transition after the end of Francisco Franco's regime.-Biography:...
as the new Prime Minister. The attempted coup failed seven hours later after King Juan CarlosJuan Carlos I of SpainJuan Carlos I |Italy]]) is the reigning King of Spain.On 22 November 1975, two days after the death of General Francisco Franco, Juan Carlos was designated king according to the law of succession promulgated by Franco. Spain had no monarch for 38 years in 1969 when Franco named Juan Carlos as the...
refused to cooperate with the plotters, and then received the support of the rest of the military. The King appeared on television at 1:24 the next morning and announced the end of the crisis. Lt. Col. Tejero, Lt. Gen. Jaime Milans del Bosch, and the King's aide, General Alfonso Armada, were later arrested. - Died: Shep FieldsShep FieldsShep Fields was the band leader for the "Shep Fields and His Rippling Rhythm" orchestra during the Big Band era of the 1930s.-Biography:...
, 70, American band leader
February 24, 1981 (Tuesday)
- For the first time, the seat of a member of the United States Congress was declared vacant by reason of disability. Gladys Noon Spellman, U.S. Representative from Maryland, had been comatose since suffering a stroke shortly before her re-election in November. By voice vote, with no objection, the House of Representatives passed a resolution noting that "Mrs. Spellman has been unable to take the oath of office due to a decapacitating illness" and that her position should be declared vacant. Steny HoyerSteny HoyerSteny Hamilton Hoyer is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1981. The district includes a large swath of rural and suburban territory southeast of Washington, D.C.. He is a member of the Democratic Party....
was elected on May 19 to succeed Spellman, who never recovered and lived until 1988. - At Buckingham PalaceBuckingham PalaceBuckingham Palace, in London, is the principal residence and office of the British monarch. Located in the City of Westminster, the palace is a setting for state occasions and royal hospitality...
, Britain's Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer confirmed that they were engaged and that they would be married in late July. - An earthquakeEarthquakeAn earthquake is the result of a sudden release of energy in the Earth's crust that creates seismic waves. The seismicity, seismism or seismic activity of an area refers to the frequency, type and size of earthquakes experienced over a period of time...
in GreeceGreeceGreece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
, measuring 6.7 on the Richter scale, struck at 10:53 pm local time, killing 16 people and injured more than 400. - Born: Lleyton HewittLleyton HewittLleyton Glynn Hewitt born 24 February 1981) is an Australian professional tennis player and former world no. 1.In 2000, Hewitt had won ATP titles on all three major surfaces and reached one final on carpet. By 2001, he became the youngest male ever to be ranked no. 1 at the age of 20...
, Australian professional tennis player, ATP #1 in the world 2001-2003; in AdelaideAdelaideAdelaide is the capital city of South Australia and the fifth-largest city in Australia. Adelaide has an estimated population of more than 1.2 million...
February 25, 1981 (Wednesday)
- A bank robberyBank robberyBank robbery is the crime of stealing from a bank during opening hours. According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Uniform Crime Reporting Program, robbery is "the taking or attempting to take anything of value from the care, custody, or control of a person or persons by force or threat of...
was made of a branch of the New York Bank for Savings at Rockefeller CenterRockefeller CenterRockefeller Center is a complex of 19 commercial buildings covering between 48th and 51st streets in New York City, United States. Built by the Rockefeller family, it is located in the center of Midtown Manhattan, spanning the area between Fifth Avenue and Sixth Avenue. It was declared a National...
, by a 9-year-old boy who used a .22 caliber pistol and got away with $118, then surrendered to the FBI two days later. "Robert M." was tried in the state's juvenile court system and found guilty of bank robbery on June 8 and placed on supervised probation in the custody of his family. - Marking what a music commentator later suggested as the "official date of death" of discoDiscoDisco is a genre of dance music. Disco acts charted high during the mid-1970s, and the genre's popularity peaked during the late 1970s. It had its roots in clubs that catered to African American, gay, psychedelic, and other communities in New York City and Philadelphia during the late 1960s and...
music, the National Academy of Recording Arts and SciencesNational Academy of Recording Arts and SciencesThe National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences, Inc., known variously as The Recording Academy or NARAS, is a U.S. organization of musicians, producers, recording engineers and other recording professionals dedicated to improving the quality of life and cultural condition for music and its...
announced that after two years, there would no longer be a Grammy AwardGrammy AwardA Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
for the genre. - Born: Park Ji-SungPark Ji-SungPark Ji-Sung is a South Korean footballer who plays as a midfielder for English club Manchester United. He was also the captain of the South Korean national team until his retirement from international football...
, South Korean footballer, in SeoulSeoulSeoul , officially the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea. A megacity with a population of over 10 million, it is the largest city proper in the OECD developed world...
February 26, 1981 (Thursday)
- Joey CoyleJoey CoyleJoseph "Joey" Coyle was an unemployed longshoreman in Philadelphia who, in February 1981, found $1.2 million in the middle of the street after it had fallen out of the back of an armored car...
, and unemployed longshoreman in Philadelphia, was driving behind an armored car when its doors opened and two bags of money fell out. Coyle retrieved the bags and found that he was in possession of more than $1,200,000 in cash. Over the next six days, he spent or gave away an estimated $196,000 before being caught by the FBI. He was later acquitted of theft, and his story was the basis for the 1993 film Money for NothingMoney for Nothing (film)Money for Nothing is a 1993 comedy/crime film directed by Ramón Menéndez. It is based on the life of Joey Coyle, an unemployed longshoreman in Philadelphia who, in February 1981, found $1.2 million in the middle of the street after it had fallen out of the back of an armored car. The screenplay,...
. - A new record for penalty minutes in a National Hockey League game was set when the Boston BruinsBoston BruinsThe Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The team has been in existence since 1924, and is the league's third-oldest team and its oldest in the...
hosted the Minnesota North StarsMinnesota North StarsThe Minnesota North Stars were a professional ice hockey team in the National Hockey League for 26 seasons, from 1967 to 1993. The North Stars played their home games at the Met Center in Bloomington, and the team's colors for most of its history were green, yellow, gold and white...
. The first fight, between Boston's Steve KasperSteve KasperStephen Neil "The Friendly Ghost, The Shadow" Kasper is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey forward who played his entire 13 season playing career in the National Hockey League with the Boston Bruins, Los Angeles Kings, Philadelphia Flyers and Tampa Bay Lightning. Kasper won the Frank J...
and the Stars' Greg Smith, broke out seven seconds into the game. Eventually seven Minnesota and five Boston players were ejected, Stars' coach Glen SonmorGlen SonmorGlen Sonmor is a former professional hockey player, scout and coach.-Early life:In high school, Sonmor played for Moose Jaw and was a multi-sport star; playing point guard in basketball, quarterback in football and left wing in hockey, as well as pitching in semi-pro baseball...
fought with a fan, and 406 minutes were assessed. The Bruins won, 5-1. The record stood for 23 years until broken on March 5, 2004, in the Philadelphia FlyersPhiladelphia FlyersThe Philadelphia Flyers are a professional ice hockey team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
5-3 win over the Ottawa SenatorsOttawa SenatorsThe Ottawa Senators are a professional ice hockey team based in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
, with 419 minutes assessed.
February 27, 1981 (Friday)
- A daring prison escapePrison escapeA prison escape or prison break is the act of an inmate leaving prison through unofficial or illegal ways. Normally, when this occurs, an effort is made on the part of authorities to recapture them and return them to their original detainers...
was carried out in FranceFranceThe French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
when a pair of men forced helicopter pilot Claude Fourcade to fly to Fleury-Mérogis PrisonFleury-Mérogis PrisonFleury-Mérogis Prison is a prison in France, located in the town of Fleury-Mérogis, in the southern suburbs of Paris. With 3,800 prisoners, it is the largest prison in Europe ...
, where armed robbers Gerard Dupre and Daniel Beaumont were incarcerated. At gunpoint, Fourcade landed at a soccer field on prison grounds, took off again with Dupre and Beaumont onboard, eluded a chase by police helicopters, and landed at a ParisParisParis is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
athletic field where the gang escaped in a waiting car. Dupre was recaptured in Paris on March 6 while Beaumont was arrested in Spain on four months later on July 9. - Born: Josh GrobanJosh GrobanJoshua Winslow "Josh" Groban is an American singer-songwriter, musician, actor, and record producer. His four solo albums have been certified at least multi-platinum, and in 2007, he was charted as the number-one best selling artist in the United States with over 21 million records in that country...
, American singer, in Los AngelesLos ÁngelesLos Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
February 28, 1981 (Saturday)
- 1981 Irish hunger strike1981 Irish hunger strikeThe 1981 Irish hunger strike was the culmination of a five-year protest during The Troubles by Irish republican prisoners in Northern Ireland. The protest began as the blanket protest in 1976, when the British government withdrew Special Category Status for convicted paramilitary prisoners...
: At the Maze Prison in Northern IrelandNorthern IrelandNorthern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
, IRAProvisional Irish Republican ArmyThe Provisional Irish Republican Army is an Irish republican paramilitary organisation whose aim was to remove Northern Ireland from the United Kingdom and bring about a socialist republic within a united Ireland by force of arms and political persuasion...
member Bobby SandsBobby SandsRobert Gerard "Bobby" Sands was an Irish volunteer of the Provisional Irish Republican Army and member of the United Kingdom Parliament who died on hunger strike while imprisoned in HM Prison Maze....
ate an orange, and then refused to eat again until the inmates were allowed to wear civilian clothing. Other IRA prisoners joined the hunger strike along the way. Sands died on May 5, 1981, and nine other inmates starved themselves to death until the strike was halted in October.