Information for the Year 1983

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  • Pope John Paul II signs new Roman Catholic code incorporating changes brought about by Second Vatican Council (Jan. 25).
  • Benigno S. Aquino, Jr., 50, political rival of Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos, is assassinated in Manila (Aug. 21).
  • South Korean Boeing 747 jetliner bound for Seoul apparently strays into Soviet airspace and is shot down by a Soviet SU-15 fighter after it had tracked the airliner for two hours; all 269 aboard are killed. (Aug. 30).
  • Terrorist explosion kills 237 US Marines in Beirut (Oct. 23).
  • US invades Grenada (Oct. 25).
  • Population:   4.690 billion
  • Nobel Peace Prize:  Lech Walesa (Poland)
  • Second space shuttle, Challenger, makes successful maiden voyage, which includes the first US space walk in nine years (April 4).
  • Sally K. Ride, 32, first US woman astronaut in space as a crew member aboard space shuttle Challenger (June 18).
  • President:  Ronald W. Reagan
  • Vice President:  George Bush
  • Population:  233,791,994
  • Life expectancy:  74.6 years
  • US GDP (1998 dollars):   $3,514.50 billion
  • Federal spending:   $808.38 billion
  • Federal debt:   $1371.7 billion
  • Median Household Income(current dollars): $20,885
  • Consumer Price Index:   99.6
  • Unemployment:  9.6%
  • Cost of a first-class stamp:  $0.20
  • Super Bowl  Washington Redskins defeated Miami Dolphins (SCORE 27-17)
  • World Series of Baseball  Baltimore Orioles defeated Philadelphia Phillies
  • National Basketball Association Championship  Philadelphia 76ers defeated Los Angeles Lakers
  • National Hockey League Stanley Cup  New York Islanders defeated Edmonton Oilers
  • Women Wimbledon Tennis  Martina Navratilova defeated A. Jaeger (6-0 6-3)
  • Men Wimbledon Tennis   John McEnroe defeated C. Lewis (6-2 6-2 6-2)
  • Kentucky Derby Horse Race Champion   Sunny's Halo
  • National College Athletic Association Basketball Championship  N.C. State d. Houston (SCORE 54-52)
  • National College Athletic Association Football Champions  Miami-FL (RECORD 11-1-0)
  • With the introduction of noise-free compact discs, the vinyl record begins a steep decline.
  • Singer Karen Carpenter dies of complications from anorexia nervosa at age 32.
  • More than 125 million viewers tune in to the last episode of M*A*S*H.
  • Academy Award, Best Picture:  Gandhi
  • Grammy Award - Record of the Year  Rosanna by Toto
  • Emmy Award - Best Television Comedy  Cheers - NBC
  • Miss America:   Debra Maffett (California)
  • The FCC authorizes Motorola to begin testing cellular phone service in Chicago.
  • The El Niņo phenomenon disrupts global weather patterns.

 

All of the Information on this site is from Fact Monster