50 Fun Facts About 1982

Into which river did Air Florida Flight 90 fall after hitting a Washington bridge?

The jet then fell into the icy Potomac, killing 78 people.

Which rocker bit the head off a live bat on stage in Des Moines in January 1982?

He thought it was rubber and had to be treated for rabies.

Who won Super Bowl XVI in January 1982?

It was the first of Joe Montana's four Super Bowl wins.

The first computer virus, Elk Cloner, infected which machines?

Fifteen-year-old Rich Skrenta wrote it to spread via floppy disk.

Which two countries formed the Senegambia Confederation in February 1982?

The loose union was dissolved in 1989.

Which British airline collapsed in February 1982, stranding 6,000 passengers?

Freddie Laker's cut-price Skytrain had pioneered cheap transatlantic flights.

Which oil platform sank off Newfoundland in February 1982, killing all 84 aboard?

It remains the worst offshore disaster in Canadian history.

Which Boeing airliner flew for the first time on February 19, 1982?

Its wide-body sibling, the 767, had first flown five months earlier.

Who was found guilty in March 1982 of trying to murder his wife Sunny?

The verdict was overturned on appeal and he was acquitted at a 1985 retrial.

Which film won Best Picture at the Oscars held in March 1982?

Johnny Carson hosted the ceremony at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion.

Which freshman hit the winning jumper for North Carolina in the 1982 NCAA final?

His shot with 17 seconds left beat Georgetown 63–62 in New Orleans.

Where did Space Shuttle Columbia make its only landing at an unusual site in March 1982?

Flooding at Edwards Air Force Base forced the STS-3 diversion.

Which country invaded the Falkland Islands on April 2, 1982?

Governor Rex Hunt surrendered the islands the same day.

What did Canada gain on April 17, 1982, by proclamation on Parliament Hill?

The package included the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, the country's first entrenched bill of rights.

Which 17-year-old German singer won the 1982 Eurovision Song Contest?

Her English version, "A Little Peace", became the 500th UK number one.

From which territory did Israel complete its withdrawal in April 1982?

The pullout fulfilled the 1979 peace treaty with Egypt.

Which US city hosted the 1982 World's Fair?

President Reagan opened it and more than 11 million people attended over six months.

Which Argentine cruiser was sunk by HMS Conqueror on May 2, 1982?

The nuclear submarine's attack killed 323 sailors.

Which 24-hour cable network launched on May 2, 1982?

It was the first all-weather network in the United States.

Which British destroyer was hit by an Exocet missile on May 4, 1982?

Twenty sailors died and the ship sank six days later.

Which Formula One driver was killed in qualifying for the 1982 Belgian Grand Prix?

His son Jacques would win the world championship fifteen years later.

Which English club won the 1982 European Cup, beating Bayern Munich 1–0?

Peter Withe scored the winner in Rotterdam in the 69th minute.

Which country became NATO's 16th member on May 30, 1982?

It was the first new member in 27 years.

Who won the 1982 Indianapolis 500 by 0.16 seconds over Rick Mears?

It was the closest finish in the race's history to that date.

Which Israeli defense minister led the June 1982 invasion of Lebanon?

Operation Peace for the Galilee eventually reached Beirut.

Who won the 1982 NBA Finals?

They beat the 76ers in six games.

Which Spielberg film of June 1982 was the biggest box-office hit for the next 11 years?

Jurassic Park finally overtook it in 1993.

How many people attended the June 1982 nuclear disarmament rally in Central Park?

Jackson Browne, James Taylor, Bruce Springsteen and Linda Ronstadt performed.

Which city hosted the first US Festival over Labor Day weekend 1982?

The Police, Fleetwood Mac, the Grateful Dead and Talking Heads all played.

Who won the 1982 World Cup final 3–1?

Paolo Rossi was the tournament's top scorer after returning from a match-fixing ban.

Who became King of Saudi Arabia in June 1982 on the death of his brother Khalid?

He reigned until 2005.

Which Argentine leader resigned on June 18, 1982, after the Falklands defeat?

Argentine forces in Stanley had surrendered four days earlier.

British Airways Flight 9 lost all four engines in June 1982 after flying through what?

The undetected plume came from Indonesia's Mount Galunggung; the crew restarted the engines.

Which actor died in a helicopter accident while filming Twilight Zone: The Movie?

The July 1982 tragedy led to reforms in filmmaking safety and child-labor rules.

In which country were the first compact discs produced, on August 17, 1982?

Mass production began in Langenhagen near Hanover; CDs reached Japanese stores in October.

Which country announced in August 1982 that it could not pay its foreign debt?

The default triggered a debt crisis across Latin America.

Which princess died in September 1982 after a car crash?

The former Hollywood star Grace Kelly had married Prince Rainier in 1956.

Who posted the first emoticons, on September 19, 1982?

The Carnegie Mellon scientist proposed :-) and :-( on a bulletin board.

Which Tudor warship was raised from the Solent in October 1982?

Henry VIII's flagship had sunk in 1545.

What was the July 1 holiday called before it was renamed in October 1982?

The change came on October 27, months after the constitution was patriated.

Which Socialist leader became prime minister in Madrid after the October 1982 election?

He would govern for nearly fourteen years.

Who succeeded Leonid Brezhnev as Soviet leader in November 1982?

The former KGB chief died himself just fifteen months later.

Which Polish leader was released from 11 months of internment in November 1982?

He won the Nobel Peace Prize the following year.

"The Play", a five-lateral kickoff return through a marching band, won which 1982 game?

Kevin Moen ran through Stanford band members for the winning touchdown.

Which album, released November 30, 1982, became the best-selling of all time?

Michael Jackson's sixth studio album has sold around 70 million copies worldwide.

Who received the first permanent artificial heart in December 1982?

The retired dentist lived 112 days with the Jarvik-7 at the University of Utah.

Which state carried out the first US execution by lethal injection, in December 1982?

Oklahoma had been the first state to adopt the method into law, in 1977.

What was notable about Time magazine's 1982 Man of the Year?

The honor went to the computer; the cover showed a plaster figure staring at a desktop PC.

Which Italian bread was invented by a baker in Verona in 1982?

It was created as a response to the popularity of French baguettes.

Which 1982 sci-fi film was the first feature to use computer animation extensively?

Disney released it in July; the THX sound system was also developed that year.