What Happened in November 1981

Historical Events

  • Nov 1 1st Class US Mail raised from 18 cents to 20 cents
  • Nov 1 Antigua & Barbuda gains independence from Britain (National Day)

Sports History

Nov 1 Darrell Waltrip wins his 4th straight NASCAR Cup race, the American 500 at North Carolina Motor Speedway; ties Richard Petty record 1967; 12th win of season; goes on to win Winston Cup crown

  • Nov 3 Milwaukee Brewers future Baseball Hall of Fame reliever Rollie Fingers (6-3 record, 28 saves and 1.04 ERA) wins American League Cy Young Award, with 22 of 28 possible 1st-place votes
  • Nov 4 Beth Henley's "Crimes of the Heart" premieres in NYC
  • Nov 4 Columbia shuttle launch scrubbed with 31 secs remaining
  • Nov 4 Dr George Nichopoulas is acquitted of overprescribing addictive drugs for Elvis Presley
  • Nov 5 Former Dolphin, Mercury Morris, is sentenced to 20 years for drug trafficking, conspiracy and possession of cocaine

Holmes vs. Snipes

Nov 6 Larry Holmes TKOs Renaldo Snipes in 11 for heavyweight boxing title

  • Nov 7 France performs nuclear test
  • Nov 8 Christian Democrats looses Belgium parliamentary election
  • Nov 10 Donald Driver and Michael Valenti's musical comedy "Oh, Brother!" opens at ANTA Theater, NYC; runs for 3 performances
  • Nov 10 Ernest Thompson's "West Side Waltz" premieres in NYC
  • Nov 11 Donald Driver and Michael Valenti's musical comedy "Oh, Brother!" closes at ANTA Theater, NYC, after 3 performances

First Rookie Wins Cy Young

Nov 11 LA Dodgers starter Fernando Valenzuela becomes first MLB rookie to win a Cy Young Award; Milwaukee Brewers' Rollie Fingers takes AL Award

  • Nov 12 1st balloon crossing of Pacific is completed (Double Eagle V)
  • Nov 12 2nd shuttle mission-1st time spacecraft launched twice (Columbia 2)
  • Nov 12 Bill C Davis' "Mass Appeal" premieres in NYC

Billy Martin

Nov 12 Billy Martin named AL Manager of Year (Oakland A's)

  • Nov 12 Great Britain performs nuclear test
  • Nov 12 Pilin Leon of Venezuela, crowned 31st Miss World

Wrack My Brain

Nov 13 Ringo Starr releases single "Wrack My Brain", written and produced by George Harrison, in the UK

  • Nov 14 "Raise!" 11th studio album by Earth, Wind & Fire is released (Billboard Album of the Year 1982)
  • Nov 14 2nd NASA Space Shuttle Mission: Columbia 2 returns to Earth

Benitez vs. Santos

Nov 14 In the first world championship fight between 2 Puerto Ricans in boxing history, WBC Super Welterweight champion Wilfred Benitez beats Carlos Santos in a 15-round unanimous decision at Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas

  • Nov 14 Old Dutch Windmill in Golden Gate Park repaired and working again
  • Nov 14 Pakistan all out 62 v Australia at WACA, Lillee 5-18
  • Nov 14 Paul 'Bear' Bryant ties Amos Alonzo Stagg with 314 football wins
  • Nov 15 Revival of "Camelot" opens at Winter Garden Theater, NYC; runs for 48 performances
  • Nov 16 Dennis Lillee kicks Javed Miandad after he had waved his bat at Dennis

Reagan's Covert Plan

Nov 16 President Reagan decides on a covert plan to block the Cuban aid to Nicaragua and El Salvador

Merrily We Roll Along

Nov 16 Stephen Sondheim and George Furth's musical "Merrily We Roll Along", based on George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart's play, opens at Alvin Theater, NYC; runs for 16 performances

  • Nov 17 "1st" opens at Martin Beck Theater NYC for 37 performances
  • Nov 17 NBA NY Knick Bill Cartwright, ties record of 19 of 19 free throws

Schmidt NL MVP

Nov 18 Phillies 3rd baseman Mike Schmidt wins his 2nd consecutive NL MVP

  • Nov 19 U.S. Steel agrees to pay $6.3 billion for Marathon Oil
  • Nov 20 Burundi adopts its constitution

A Soldier's Play

Nov 20 Charles Fuller's stage drama "A Soldier's Play", featuring Denzel Washington and Samuel L. Jackson, opens at Theater Four, NYC; runs for 468 performances, wins Pulitzer Prize

  • Nov 20 El Salvador guerrilla group FMLN opens "limited offensive"
  • Nov 20 Ringo Starr releases album "Stop and Smell the Roses" in the UK

Karpov Retains Championship

Nov 20 Russian Anatoly Karpov retains world chess championship

  • Nov 21 400,000 demonstrate in Amsterdam against cruise missiles

Physical

Nov 21 Olivia Newton-John's "Physical" single goes #1 & stays for 10 weeks

Waltrip Wins NASCAR

Nov 22 31st NASCAR Sprint Cup: Darrell Waltrip wins

  • Nov 22 Browns' QB Brian Sipe sets club record by being intercepted 6 times
  • Nov 22 CFL Grey Cup, Olympic Stadium, Montreal: Edmonton Eskimos 4th consecutive Championship; beat Ottawa Rough Riders, 26-23; final Grey Cup game for Rough Riders, fold in 1996
  • Nov 22 Jimmy Horowitz and Leo Rost's rock musical "Marlowe", a fictionalized account of Elizabethan playwright Christopher Marlowe, closes at Rialto Theater, NYC, after 48 performances
  • Nov 22 SD Charger Dan Fouts passes for 6 touchdowns vs Oakland (55-21)
  • Nov 22 USSR performs nuclear test at the Semipalatinsk Test Site in northeast Kazakhstan
  • Nov 23 President Reagan vetoes House Joint Resolution 357 which called for further appropriations for fiscal year 1982
  • Nov 24 1st air-launched cruise missile tested
  • Nov 25 Failed coup by South African mercenaries in Seychelles

Event of Interest

Nov 25 Pope John Paul II names Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger (later Benedict XVI) "Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith"

  • Nov 25 Rollie Fingers is 1st relief pitcher to win AL MVP
  • Nov 28 46th Iron Bowl: Alabama beats Auburn 28-17 in Birmingham
  • Nov 28 Bear Bryant wins his 315th game to out distance Almos Alonzo Stagg, becomes college football's winningest coach

Muldoon Re-elected

Nov 28 New Zealand general election won by ruling National party and Prime Minister Robert Muldoon

  • Nov 28 Stephen Sondheim and George Furth's musical "Merrily We Roll Along", based on George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart's play, closes at Alvin Theater, NYC, after 16 performances

Greg Chappell

Nov 29 Australian cricketer Greg Chappell scores 201 v Pakistan at The Gabba (Brisbane)

  • Nov 29 Major Iranian offensive mounted on central front
  • Nov 29 Revival of Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe's musical "My Fair Lady" closes at Uris Theater, NYC, after 119 performances
  • Nov 30 Cold War: In Geneva, representatives from the United States and the Soviet Union begin to negotiate intermediate-range nuclear weapon reductions in Europe (the meetings ended inconclusively on December 17)

Righetti AL Rookie

Nov 30 NY Yankee Dave Righetti wins AL Rookie of Year Award

  • Nov 30 Porn star John Holmes arrested on fugitive charges
  • Nov 30 South Africa anti-apartheid advocate Bulelani Ngcuka arrested
1981 History

Famous Birthdays

  • Nov 1 LaTavia Roberson, American pop and R&B singer (Destiny's Child, 1990-99 - "Say My Name"), born in Houston, Texas
  • Nov 2 Esha Deol, Indian actress (Koi Mere Dil Se Poochhe), born in Bombay, India
  • Nov 2 Mitchell Johnson, Australian cricket fast bowler (73 Tests, 313 wickets @ 28.40; 153 ODIs), born in Townsville, Queensland
  • Nov 2 Rafael Márquez Lugo, Mexican soccer forward (16 caps; Morelia, Guadalajara), born in Mexico City
  • Nov 2 Roddy White, American NFL wide receiver (Pro Bowl 2008-11; Atlanta Falcons), born in Charleston, South Carolina
  • Nov 3 Rodrigo Millar, Chilean soccer midfielder (37 caps; Huachipato, Colo-Colo), born in Arauco, Chile
  • Nov 3 Sten Pentus, Estonian auto racer (Formula Baltic 2000), born in Tallinn, Estonia
  • Nov 3 Vicente Matías Vuoso, Mexican soccer striker (15 caps; Santos Laguna), born in Mar Del Plata, Argentina
  • Nov 4 Vince Wilfork, American football player (New England Patriots), born in Boynton Beach, Florida
  • Nov 5 Marquese Scott, American street popping animation dancer, and youtuber, born in Inglewood, California
  • Nov 6 Cassie Bernall, American murder victim, born in Wheat Ridge, Colorado (d. 1999)
  • Nov 6 Lee Dong Wook, South Korean actor, born in Seoul, South Korea
  • Nov 7 Anthony Moffat, Scottish musician, writer and filmmaker, born in Dumfries, Scotland
  • Nov 7 Anushka Shetty, Indian film actress (Arundhati), born in Puttur, Mangaluru, Karnataka, India
  • Nov 7 Muhammad Hassan, American professional wrestler, born in Syracuse, New York
  • Nov 8 Joe Cole, English soccer midfielder (56 caps; West Ham United, Chelsea, Liverpool) and broadcaster (TNT Sports), born in London, England
  • Nov 9 (Susan) "Scottie" Thompson, American actress (NCIS), born in Richmond, Virginia
  • Nov 10 Jason L. Dunham, American Corporal in the United States Marine Corps and Medal of Honor recipient, born in Scio, New York (d. 2004)
  • Nov 10 Tony Blanco, American baseball player (Washington Nationals), born in San Juan de la Maguana, Dominican Republic
  • Nov 11 Guillaume, Hereditary Grand Duke of Luxembourg, born in Luxembourg City
  • Nov 11 Natalie Glebova, Russian Canadian TV host and Miss Universe 2005, born in Tuapse, Russia
  • Nov 13 Mark Cardona, Filipino basketball player, born in Mandaluyong, Philippines
  • Nov 13 Rivkah, American comic book writer and artist (Steady Beat), born in Austin, Texas
  • Nov 14 Tom Ferrier, British racing driver
  • Nov 15 Drew Hodgdon, American NFL football player, 2005-07 (Houston Texans), born in Palo Alto, California

Lorena Ochoa (42 years old)

Nov 15 Mexican golfer (British Open 2007, ANA Inspiration 2008), born in Guadalajara, Mexico

  • Nov 16 Allison Crowe, Canadian singer-songwriter, born in Nanaimo, British Columbia
  • Nov 16 Caitlin Glass, American voice actress, born in Washington, D.C., United States
  • Nov 16 Osi Umenyiora, English-born NFL football player, born in London
  • Nov 17 Coyote [Nathaniel] Peterson, American YouTube personality (Brave Wilderness), born in Newbury, Ohio
  • Nov 17 Sarah Harding, British pop singer (Girls Aloud - “Sound of the Underground,” “Love Machine), born in Ascot, England (d. 2021)
  • Nov 18 Christina Vidal, American actress
  • Nov 18 Giancarlo "Gian" Magdangal, Filipino pop singer and stage actor, born in Manila, Philippines
  • Nov 20 Andrea Riseborough, English actress (To Leslie) and producer, born in Wallsend, England
  • Nov 20 Carlos Boozer, American basketball forward (2-time NBA All Star), born in Aschaffenburg, Germany
  • Nov 20 Kimberley Walsh, English pop singer (Girls Aloud - "The Promise"), born in Bradford, West Yorkshire, England
  • Nov 20 Scott Hutchinson, Scottish musician (Frightened Rabbit), born in Selkirk, Scotland (d. 2018)
  • Nov 21 Jonny Magallón, Mexican footballer
  • Nov 21 Piet Rinke, Zimbabwean cricketer
  • Nov 22 Ben Adams, British pop singer-songwriter (A1), stage actor, and producer, born in Ascot, England
  • Nov 22 Pape Sow, Senegalese basketball player
  • Nov 22 Seweryn Gancarczyk, Polish footballer
  • Nov 22 Shangela [D.J. Pierce], American drag queen, comedian, actor, dancer, and TV personality (RuPaul's Drag Race), born in Paris, Texas
  • Nov 22 Song Hye-kyo, South Korean actress (Autumn in My Heart; Descendants of the Sun), born in Daegu, South Korea
  • Nov 24 Morgan James [Grunerud] American Broadway actress, singer and songwriter (Hunter; The White Album), born in Boise, Idaho

Barbara Pierce Bush (42 years old)

Nov 25 American activist (Global Health Corps) and twin daughter of US President George W. Bush, born in Dallas, Texas

  • Nov 25 Jared Jeffries, American basketball player
  • Nov 25 Jenna Bush Hager, American author, news personality (Today with Hoda & Jenna) and twin daughter of US President George W. Bush, born in Dallas, Texas
  • Nov 25 Mauricio Rua, Brazilian Mixed Martial Artist
  • Nov 25 Xabi Alonso, Spanish soccer midfielder (114 caps; Real Sociedad, Liverpool, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich), born in Tolosa, Spain
  • Nov 26 Anıl Eraslan, Turkish jazz and classical cellist, and composer (Sert Sessizler), born in Burdur, Turkey
  • Nov 26 Gina Kingsbury, Canadian hockey player, born in Uranium City, Saskatchewan
  • Nov 26 Jamie Fiske, liver transplant recipient
  • Nov 26 Natalie Gauci, Australian Idol 2007 winner, born in Melbourne, Australia
  • Nov 26 Natasha Bedingfield, British singer (Unwritten), born in Haywards Heath, West Sussex, England
  • Nov 26 Stephan Andersen, Danish international footballer, born in Copenhagen, Denmark
  • Nov 27 Bruno Alves, Portuguese footballer (2000-22), born in Póvoa de Varzim, Portugal
  • Nov 27 Gary Lucy, British actor (The Bill), born in Chigwell, Essex, England
  • Nov 27 Nicholas Thorburn, Canadian indie rock sing-songwriter (The Unicorns; Islands; Human Highway), born in Campbell River, British Columbia
  • Nov 28 Sharon Needles [Aaron Coady], American drag queen, recording artist and TV performer (RuPaul's Drag Race season 4 winner), born in Newton, Iowa
  • Nov 29 Nicholas Teo, Malaysian singer and actor, born in Sarawak, Malaysia
  • Nov 30 Rich Harden, Canadian baseball player
  • Nov 30 Swann Arlaud, French actor (Anatomy of a Fall), born in Fontenay-aux-Roses, France
Born in 1981

Famous Weddings

  • Nov 16 Luke marries Laura on TV soap "General Hospital" , drawing an audience of 16 million viewers

Miles Davis

Nov 26 Legendary American jazz trumpeter Miles Davis (55) weds American "Sounder" actress Cicely Tyson (47) at the home of actor Bill Cosby; divorce in 1989


Famous Deaths

  • Nov 2 Kenneth Oakley, English Anthropologist, paleontologist and geologist whose method for the relative dating of fossils using fluorine content was instrumental in exposing the Piltdown Man hoax, dies at 70
  • Nov 3 Thérèse Casgrain, French Canadian politician and senator, dies at 85

Will Durant (1885-1981)

Nov 7 American author and historian (The Story of Philosophy, The Story of Civilization), dies at 96

  • Nov 10 Abel Gance, French movie director (J'accuse), dies at 92

William Holden (1918-1981)

Nov 12 American actor (The Blue Knight, Sunset Boulevard, Sabrina, The Bridge on the River Kwai), slips on a rug and bleeds to death at 63

  • Nov 14 Robert Bradford, Northern Irish footballer (b. 1941)
  • Nov 15 Enid Markey, American actress, 1st to play Tarzan's Jane, dies at 85
  • Nov 15 Walter Heitler, German physicist, quantum field theorist, philosopher, and writer (Man and Science), dies at 77
  • Nov 16 Morgan Conway, American actor (Dick Tracy, Brother Orchid), dies at 78
  • Nov 17 Bob Eberly [Eberle], American big band singer (Jimmy Dorsey Orchestra), dies of a heart attack at 65 [1]
  • Nov 19 Griffiths Mxenge, South African anti-apartheid activist, murdered at 46
  • Nov 20 Rolf Bongs, German writer, dies at 74
  • Nov 21 Harry Von Zell, American radio announcer and actor (The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show), dies of cancer at 75
  • Nov 22 Andreina Pagnani, actress (Il Commandante), dies at 74
  • Nov 22 Hans Krebs, German-British doctor and research biochemist specializing in metabolic reactions (Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, 1953), dies at 81 [1]
  • Nov 22 Jack Fingleton, Australian cricket batsman (18 Tests, 1,189 runs @ 42.46, 5 x 100s), dies at 73
  • Nov 25 Jack Albertson, American actor (Chico and the Man, Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory), dies from colon cancerr at 74
  • Nov 25 Morris Kirksey, American 4 X 100m (Olympic gold 1920), dies at 86
  • Nov 26 Max Euwe, Dutch World Chess Champion (1935-37), dies at 80
  • Nov 27 Lotte Lenya [Karoline Wilhelmine Charlotte Blamauer], Austrian-American singer, muse and wife of Kurt Weill, and actress (The Roman Spring of Mrs. Stone; From Russia with Love), dies of cancer at 83
  • Nov 29 Alphonse de Waelhens, Belgian philosopher (Psychosis), dies at 70
  • Nov 29 Fredric Wertham, German-born psychologist (b. 1895)

Natalie Wood (1938-1981)

Nov 29 American actress (Miracle on 34th Street; Gypsy; Rebel Without A Cause; West Side Story), dies due to "drowning and other undetermined factors" at 43

  • Nov 30 Robert H. Harris, American actor (Jake-The Goldbergs, Mirage), dies at 70