1981
January 19: Agreement to release 52 hostages in Iran after 14 months, 444 days of captivity, but they are not released until January 20 when Ronald Reagan is sworn in as President
March 30, Ronald Reagan is shot in the chest by John Hinckley, Jr. outside Washington, DC
April 12 Columbia Space Shuttle Program launched
Sugar Ray Leonard defeats Thomas Hearns
Oakland Raiders defeat the Philadelphia Eagles in the Super Bowl
Major League Baseball players go on strike forcing cancellation of 38% of season
Ordinary People, directed by Robert Redford, wins Oscar for Best Picture
Peter Sutcliffe found guilty of being the Yorkshire Ripper, murdering 13 and attempting murder on 7
President Reagan nominates Sandra Day O’Connor for Supreme Court, she becomes first woman Justice
President Reagan fires over 11,000 Air Traffic Controllers who refuse to return to work following a strike
Lady Diana Spencer marries Prince Charles of Wales on July 29
Walter Cronkite retires as CBS News Anchor
December 11: Mohammed Ali loses to Canadian Trevor Berbick, this will be Ali’s last fight
Egyptian President Anwar Saddat assassinated
Carl Sagan's novel, Cosmos, is published