1986
1st Official Martin Luther King Jr. Day
Dow closes at over 2,000 for first time in history
Chernobyl disaster in Soviet Union, 350,000 people displaced
United Kingdom and France begin Chunnel plans
First PC Virus, Brain, begins to spread
January 28—Space Shuttle Challenger disintegrated 73 seconds after launch killing Christina MacAuliffe, first teacher into space and 7 astronauts
Halley’s Comet
Out of Africa wins Best Picture at 1986 Academy Awards
Phantom of the Opera opens in London
Boston Celtics defeat the Houston Rockets for 1986 NBA Championship
Len Bias dies of a heart attack following cocaine overdose after being 2nd pick of NBA draft to Boston
Greg LeMond wins the Tour De France
New York Mets defeat the Boston Red Sox in the 1986 World Series
William Schroeder, 2nd artificial heart transplant recipient, dies after 620 days
Patrick Sherrill, U.S. Postal worker in Edmund, OK kills 14 co-workers, then commits suicide
November 3, Iran-Contra Affair, selling of arms to Iran to fund Contra rebels in Nicaragua
Mike Tyson defeats Trevor Berbick for World Boxing Title
The Soap, Search for Tomorrow, ends its 35 year run with its final episode
Actors Cary Grant, Desi Arnaz, James Cagney die
Jack Nicklaus wins the 1986 Master's at the age of 46, his 18th and final major championship
Michigan starts the season ranked #2, wins the Big Ten Championship; however, loses to Arizona State in the Rose Bowl, 15-22, after taking a 15-0 lead, finishes the 1986 NCAA Football season ranked #8