Historical Events
- Jan 1 11th Fiesta Bowl: #7 Penn State beats #8 Southern California, 26-10
- Jan 1 30 Something stars Ken Olin & Patricia Wettig meet, later they marry
- Jan 1 48th Orange Bowl: #1 Clemson beats #4 Nebraska, 22-15
- Jan 1 48th Sugar Bowl: #10 Pittsburgh beats #2 Georgia, 24-20
- Jan 1 68th Rose Bowl: #12 Washington beats #13 Iowa, 28-0
- Jan 1 MTA launches a 5 year capital program to upgrade the NYC subway system
Pérez de Cuéllar Secretary General
Jan 1 Peru's Javier Pérez de Cuéllar becomes the 5th Secretary-General of the United Nations
Prayers for Poland
Jan 1 Pope John Paul II prays for an end to martial law in Poland
- Jan 2 "Camelot" closes at Winter Garden Theater NYC after 48 performances
- Jan 2 "The Epic in Miami", in 85 degree heat (Fahrenheit), the San Diego Chargers defeat the Miami Dolphins 41-38 in overtime in the AFC Divisional Playoff Game, a game that set numerous playoff scoring records
Navratilova Wins
Jan 2 Australian Open Women's Tennis: Martina Navratilova wins her 1st of 3 Australian singles crowns; beats Chris Evert-Lloyd 6-7, 6-4, 7-5
- Jan 2 New York Islanders beat Philadelphia Flyers, 3-1 at Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum to start 23 NHL game undefeated home streak (21-0-2), 14 straight wins
- Jan 3 Australian Open Men's Tennis: South African Johan Kriek wins first career Grand Slam title; beats American Steve Denton 6-2, 7-6, 6-7, 6-4
- Jan 4 ABC Direction Network (57 affiliates) & ABC Rock Network (40 affiliates) become the 5th & 6th ABC radio network
- Jan 4 Bryant Gumbel becomes co-host of NBC's "Today Show"
- Jan 4 Chris Wallace becomes co-anchor of NBC's "Today Show"
- Jan 4 San Francisco Bay's Golden Gate Bridge closed for 3rd time by fierce storm
- Jan 5 Arkansas judge rules against obligatory teaching of creation
Sittler Leaves Maple Leafs
Jan 5 Star center Darryl Sittler leaves the Toronto Maple Leafs on medical advice because of mental depression; trade request was taking too long
Trottier's 10th Hat Trick
Jan 7 Islander's Bryan Trottier's 10th career hat trick
- Jan 7 TV series "Fame", based on the film of the same name, starring Debbie Allen and an ensemble cast premieres on NBC TV
- Jan 8 AT&T agrees to divest itself of 22 Bell System companies
- Jan 8 Johnny Cash Parkway opens in Hendersonville, Tennessee
- Jan 8 US Justice Department withdraws anti-trust suit against IBM, pending since 1969
- Jan 9 5.9 earthquake in New England & Canada; 1st since 1855
- Jan 9 Steve D'Innocenzo scores 3 hockey goals in 12 sec in Mass HS game
- Jan 10 -17°F (27.2°C) in Braemar Grampian (equals UK record)
- Jan 10 AFC Championship, Riverfront Stadium, Cincinnati: Cincinnati Bengals beat San Diego Chargers, 27-7 in the "Freezer Bowl"
- Jan 10 NBC's premiere of TV film "Will: G. Gordon Liddy", based on the Watergate conspirator, participant and convict
The Catch
Jan 10 NFC Championship, Candlestick Park, SF: San Francisco 49ers beat Dallas Cowboys, 28-27; "The Catch" - iconic moment in NFL history - Dwight Clark makes fingertip catch for a TD from Joe Montana with 58" remaining; SF goes on to win Super Bowl
Baseball Hall of Fame
Jan 13 Hank Aaron and Frank Robinson elected to Baseball Hall of Fame
- Jan 15 "Forbidden Broadway" by/with Gerard Alessandrini premieres in NYC
- Jan 15 Mark Thatcher, son of UK prime minister Margaret Thatcher, makes his way home after 6 days missing in the Sahara
Fuhr's Unbeaten Streak Ends
Jan 16 Edmonton's rookie goaltender Grant Fuhr has his 23-game unbeaten streak end with a 7-1 Oilers' defeat in Toronto
- Jan 17 "Cold Sunday" in the United States would see temperatures fall to their lowest levels in over 100 years in numerous cities
Lendl's 1st ATP
Jan 17 Czech tennis star Ivan Lendl scores a 6–7, 2–6, 7–6, 6–2, 6–4 win over American Vitas Gerulaitis to claim his first of 5 ATP Masters Grand Prix titles at Madison Square Garden, NYC
- Jan 19 Aust-WI one-day game that produced a Privy Council libel case
- Jan 19 Heater explodes at Star Elementary School, Oklahoma, kills 6 children & teacher
- Jan 20 7 miners killed in an explosion in Craynor Ky
- Jan 20 Future Hockey Hall of Fame center Darryl Sittler is traded by the Toronto Maple Leafs to the Philadelphia Flyers in exchange for Rich Costello, a 2nd round draft pick and future considerations
Osbourne Bites Head Off Bat
Jan 20 Heavy metal musician Ozzy Osbourne allegedly bites the head off a bat on stage in Des Moines, Iowa
- Jan 20 Honduras constitution goes into effect
- Jan 20 Piet Dankert elected chairman of European Parliament
- Jan 21 "Little Me" opens at Eugene O'Neill Theater NYC for 36 performances
- Jan 21 NY Islanders begin then NHL record 15 game winning streak with a 6-1 win over Pittsburgh Penguins at Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum
- Jan 22 75% of North America is covered by snow
- Jan 23 Urbe Blanca (cow) produces record 110 kg of milk, Cuba (approx date)
- Jan 23 World Airways DC-10 skids at Boston Logan Airport killing 2
- Jan 24 Super Bowl XVI, Pontiac Silverdome, Detroit, MI: San Francisco 49ers beat Cincinnati Bengals, 26-21; MVP: Joe Montana, SF, QB
9th American Music Awards
Jan 25 9th American Music Awards: Pat Benatar & Kenny Rogers win
- Jan 26 For the first time since the 1930s, the unemployed population in UK rises above three million
- Jan 26 In a 9-2 NHL win over Pittsburgh Penguins, the NY Islanders score 4 goals within 1:38, 5 within 2:37 in a 6 goal 1st period
- Jan 26 Mauno Koivisto elected president of Finland
"Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat"
Jan 27 Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice's biblical rock opera "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat" opens at Royale Theatre, NYC; runs for 747 performances
- Jan 27 Los Angeles Kings set an NHL record with their 6th consecutive tied game, a 4-4 deadlock against the visiting Philadelphia Flyers
- Jan 27 Mauno Koivisto installed as President of Finland
Phillies Trade Two for DeJesus
Jan 27 Philadelphia Phillies trade shortstop Larry Bowa & infielder Ryne Sandberg to Chicago Cubs for 2nd baseman Ivan DeJesus
- Jan 27 Roberto S. Cordova installed as President of Honduras
- Jan 27 West Indies beat Australia 3-1 to win cricket's World Series Cup
- Jan 28 Italian police rescue US Brigadier General James Dozier, held hostage for six weeks by the Red Brigade of Padua, Italy
- Jan 28 US performs nuclear test at Nevada Test Site
- Jan 29 Old Dominion ends Louisiana Tech's women's basketball record 54-game winning streak
- Jan 29 Wayne Garland, baseball 1st millionaire free agent, waived by Indians
39th Golden Globes
Jan 30 39th Golden Globes: On Golden Pond, Henry Fonda & Meryl Streep win
- Jan 30 Richard Skrenta writes the first PC virus code, which is 400 lines long and disguised as an Apple boot program called "Elk Cloner".
- Jan 30 US female Figure Skating championship won by Rosalynn Sumners
Benitez vs. Durán
Jan 30 WBC super welterweight champion Wilfred Benitez of Puerto Rico defeats boxing legend Roberto Durán of Panama in a 15-round unanimous decision at Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas
- Jan 31 10 Arabian oryx (extinct except in zoos) released in Oman
32nd NBA All-Star Game
Jan 31 32nd NBA All-Star Game, Brendan Byrne Arena, East Rutherford, NJ: East beats West, 120-118; MVP - Larry Bird, Boston Celtics
- Jan 31 Gustafson skates world record 10 km (14:26.59)
- Jan 31 NFL Pro Bowl, Aloha Stadium, Honolulu, HI: AFC beats NFC, 16-13; MVPs: Co-MVPs: Kellen Winslow, San Diego Chargers, TE; Lee Roy Selmon, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, DE
Hamilton US Champion
Jan 31 US male Figure Skating championship won by Scott Hamilton
Famous Birthdays
- Jan 1 David Nalbandian, Argentine tennis player (ATP Finals 2005; Wimbledon 2002 runner-up), born in Unquillo, Argentina
- Jan 1 Egidio Arévalo, Uruguayan soccer midfielder (90 caps; Bella Vista), born in Paysandú, Uruguay
- Jan 2 Athanasia Tsoumeleka, Greek race walker (Olympic gold 20k 2004), born in Preveza, Greece
- Jan 4 Kang Hye-jeong, South Korean actress, born in Incheon, South Korea
- Jan 4 Paulo Ferrari, Argentinian soccer defender (Rosario Central, River Plate) and manager (Rosario Central, San Martín SJ) , born in Rosario, Argentina
- Jan 4 Richard Logan, English footballer, born in Bury St Edmunds, United Kingdom
- Jan 5 Janica Kostelić, Croatian skier, born in Zagreb, Croatia
- Jan 6 Brian Bass, American baseball player, born in Pinehurst, North Carolina
Eddie Redmayne (42 years old)
Jan 6 English actor (The Other Boleyn Girl, The Theory of Everything), born in London
- Jan 6 Gilbert Arenas, American basketball player, born in Tampa, Florida
- Jan 6 Tiffany Pollard, American reality television personality, born in Utica, New York
- Jan 7 Francisco Rodriguez, Venezuelan baseball player, born in Caracas, Venezuela
- Jan 7 Hannah Stockbauer, German swimmer, born in Nuremberg, Germany
- Jan 7 Ianina Zanazzi, Argentine racing driver, born in Buenos Aires, Argentina
Lauren Cohan (42 years old)
Jan 7 British-American actress (Maggie Greene-The Walking Dead; The Boy), born in Cherry Hill, New Jersey
- Jan 7 Ruth Negga, Irish-Ethiopian actress (Loving), born in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
- Jan 8 Emanuele Calaiò, Italian footballer, born in Palermo, Italy
- Jan 8 Gaby Hoffman, American film actress (Field of Dreams, Uncle Buck, Now & Then), born in New York City
- Jan 8 John Utaka, Nigerian footballer, born in Enugu, Nigeria
- Jan 8 Khaled bin Mohamed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi (eldest son of Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE),
- Jan 8 Wil Francis, American horror-punk rock singer (Aiden), born in Seattle, Washington
Kate Middleton (42 years old)
Jan 9 Princess of Wales, English wife of Crown Prince William, born in Reading, Berkshire, England
- Jan 10 Josh Ryan Evans, American actor, born in Hayward, California (d. 2002)
- Jan 11 Ashley Taylor Dawson, British actor and singer, born in Manchester, United Kingdom
- Jan 11 Son Ye-jin, South Korean actress, born in Sang-dong, South Korea
- Jan 12 Chris Ray, American baseball player, born in Tampa, Florida
- Jan 12 Dimitrios Tsiamis, Greek triple jumper, born in Karditsa, Greece
- Jan 12 Dontrelle Willis, American baseball pitcher (MLB All-Star 2003, 05; World Series & NL Rookie of the Year 2003; NL wins leader 2005; Florida Marlins), born in Oakland, California
- Jan 12 Hans Van Alphen, Belgian decathlete, born in Turnhout, Belgium
- Jan 12 Paul-Henri Mathieu, French tennis player, born in Strasbourg, France
- Jan 12 Sherzod Abdurahmonov, Uzbekistanian boxer
- Jan 13 Guillermo Coria, Argentine tennis player (World #3 2004; French Open singles 2004 runner-up), born in Venado Tuerto, Argentina
- Jan 13 Ruth Wilson, English actress (The Affair), born in Ashford, England
- Jan 14 Caleb Followill, American alternative-rock vocalist and musician (Kings of Leon), born in Mount Juliet, Tennessee
- Jan 14 Léo Lima, Brazilian footballer, born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Jan 14 Víctor Valdés, Spanish goalkeeper, born in L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Spain
- Jan 15 Armando Galarraga, Venezuelan baseball player, born in Cumaná, Venezuela
- Jan 15 Prince Philip and Prince Alexander of Yugoslavia, born in Fairfax, Virginia
- Jan 16 (Samuel) Preston, British pop singer (The Ordinary Boys), born in Worthing, West Sussex, England
- Jan 16 Birgitte Hjort Sørensen, Danish actress (Borgen, Pitch Perfect 2), born in Copenhagen, Denmark
- Jan 16 Tuncay Şanlı, Turkish footballer, born in Sakarya Province
- Jan 17 Alex Varkatzas, American heavy metal singer (Atreyu), born in Orange County, California
- Jan 17 Amanda Wilkinson, Canadian country music singer, born in Belleville, Ontario
Dwyane Wade (42 years old)
Jan 17 American basketball player (Miami Heat, Chicago Bulls), born in Chicago, Illinois
Jodie Sweetin (42 years old)
Jan 19 American actress (Stephanie Tanner-Full House), born in Los Angeles, California
- Jan 19 Mike Komisarek, American ice hockey player, born in West Islip, New York
- Jan 19 Pete Buttigieg, American politician, Mayor of South Bend, 1st openly gay Democratic presidential candidate, born in South Bend, Indiana
- Jan 21 Dean Whitehead, English footballer
- Jan 22 Fabricio Coloccini, Argentine soccer centre-back (39 caps; Deportivo La Coruña, Newcastle United), born in Córdoba, Argentina
- Jan 22 Jason Peters, American football player, born in Queen City, Texas
- Jan 22 Kevin Sheridan, American actor (Soul Man), born in Los Angeles, California
- Jan 23 Wily Mo Peña, Dominican baseball player, born in Laguna Salada, Dominican Republic
- Jan 25 Shawna Waldron, American actress, born in Glendale, California
- Jan 25 Sho Sakurai, Japanese J-pop and hip-hop singer-songwriter, and actor, born in Tokyo, Japan
- Jan 29 Adam Lambert, American singer-songwriter (For Your Entertainment, Trespassing), born in Indianapolis, Indiana
- Jan 29 Heidi Mueller, American actress (Passions), born in Cincinnati, Ohio
- Jan 31 Andreas Görlitz, German football player, born in Weilheim in Oberbayern, Germany
- Jan 31 Brad Thompson, American baseball pitcher, born in Las Vegas, Nevada
- Jan 31 Bruno Nogueira, Portuguese actor and comedian, born in Lisbon, Portugal
- Jan 31 Elena Paparizou, Swedish-born Greek pop and rock singer-songwriter, born in Borås, Sweden
- Jan 31 Yuniesky Betancourt, Cuban baseball shortstop, born in Santa Clara, Cuba
Famous Weddings
Dorothy Hamill
Jan 8 American figure skater Dorothy Hamill (25) weds singer and actor Dean Paul Martin (30); divorce in 1983
Danny DeVito
Jan 28 Actor Danny Devito (37) weds actress Rhea Perlman (33)
Famous Deaths
- Jan 1 Margot Grahame [Margaret Clark], British actress (The Three Musketeers, Criminal Lawyer), dies from chronic bronchitis at 70
- Jan 1 Paul Belmondo, French sculptor (Bathing Woman, Orleans), dies at 83
- Jan 1 Victor Buono, American actor (Man from Atlantis: The, Untouchables; Batman - "King Tut"), dies at 43
- Jan 3 Derek Sealy, West Indian cricket batsman (11 Tests; youngest West Indian Test player 17:122), dies at 69
- Jan 5 Edmund Herring, Australian military commander, Lieutenant Governor of Victoria (b. 1892)
- Jan 5 Hans Conried, American actor (Peter Pan; Bullwinkle Show; Make Room for Daddy - "Uncle Tonoose"; The 5,000 Fingers of Dr. T), dies from a heart ailment at 64
- Jan 5 Harvey Lembeck, American stage and screen actor (The Phil Silvers Show; Stalag 17; Beach Party films), dies of a heat attack at 58
- Jan 7 Bert Oosterhuis, Dutch motor racer (Paris-Dakar), dies in a race crash at 41
- Jan 7 Eugene Wegmann, Swiss geologist (Le Jura plisse), dies at 85
- Jan 8 Grégoire Aslan, American actor (The Return of the Pink Panther, King of Kings), dies of a heart attack at 73
- Jan 8 Reta Shaw, American actress (Ghost & Mrs Muir, Mary Poppins, Picnic), dies of emphysema at 69
- Jan 10 Lazar Weiner, Russian-born American composer, dies at 84
- Jan 10 Paul Lynde, American comedian and actor (The Hollywood Squares, Uncle Arthur-Bewitched), dies after a heart attack at 55
- Jan 13 Marcel Camus, French film director (Orfeu Negro), dies at 69
- Jan 15 Red Smith, American sportscaster and columnist (Pulitzer 1976, Fight Talk), dies at 76
- Jan 16 Harald Søltoft Agersnap, Danish cellist, pianist, conductor, and composer (Royal Danish Theatre, 1931-66), dies at 82
- Jan 18 Burnet Corwin Tuthill, American composer (Laurentia), dies at 93
- Jan 18 Trent Lehman, American child actor (Butch-Nanny & the Professor), commits suicide at 20
- Jan 19 Elis Regina (Costa), Brazilian pop-samba-bossa nova singer ("Arrastão" - "Pull the Trawling Net"), dies from cardiac arrest after consuming alcohol, cocaine and tranquilizers at 36
- Jan 19 Leopold Trepper, Polish-Israeli spy (founded CP Palestina), dies at 77
- Jan 20 Marc Demeyer, Belgian road racing cyclist (Paris-Brussels 1974), dies at 31
- Jan 22 Eduardo Frei Montalva, president of Chile (1964-70), dies at 71
- Jan 22 Tommy Tucker [Robert Higginbotham], American R&B singer-songwriter, and piano player ("Hi-Heel Sneakers"), dies due to a poorly ventilated home improvement project at 48
- Jan 23 Hope Hampton, actress (Star Dust, Lawful Larcency), dies at 83
- Jan 24 Alfredo Ovando Candía, Bolivian president and dictator (b. 1918)
- Jan 25 Mikhail Suslov, Soviet party ideologist and statesman, dies at 79
- Jan 27 Iris Korn, American actress (Widder-Palmerstown USA), dies at 60
- Jan 30 Félix Labisse, French painter (libidoscaphes), dies at 76
- Jan 30 Riccardo Nielsen, Italian composer (99th Psalm; La via di Colombo), dies at 73
- Jan 30 Stanley Holloway, English comedian (My Fair Lady, Our Man Higgins), dies at 91
Lightnin Hopkins (1912-1982)
Jan 30 American blues musician (Ball of Twine), dies of esophageal cancer at 69
- Jan 31 Jiří Srnka, Czech classical and film score composer, dies at 74
