Historical Events
- A. Marcus Hemphill's stage comedy "Inacent Black", starring Melba Moore and Reginald Vel Johnson, closes at Biltmore Theater, NYC, after 14 performances
- Islanders score 5 power play goals against Flyers in a playoff
Famous Birthdays
- Beñat Albizuri, Spanish cyclist
- Leon Osman, English footballer
- R. J. Helton, American Idol finalist
- Shiri Maimon, Israeli pop singer, and television personality, born in Haifa, Israel
Famous Deaths
- Hugo Friedhofer, American cellist and film and television composer, dies at 80
- Jeannette Ridlon Piccard, 1st US woman free balloon pilot, dies
Died in 1981 1981 Highlights
About May 17, 1981
Day of the Week: Sunday
How Long Ago? 42 years, 11 months and 12 days
Leap Year: No
Generation: Millennial
Chinese Zodiac: Rooster
Star Sign: Taurus
Music Charts
#1 Song: Bette Davis Eyes - Kim Carnes
#1 Song: Stand And Deliver - Adam & The Ants
