Headlines

• Sally Ride becomes the first American woman to travel in space when the space shuttle Challenger is launched from Cape Canaveral, FL.
  
  
• 241 U.S. Marines and sailors are killed when a TNT-laden suicide terrorist blows up Marine headquarters at Beirut International Airport.
  
  
• U.S. Marines and Rangers invade the island of Grenada and evacuate hundreds of U.S. citizens.
  The Soviets shoot down Korean Airlines flight 007.
  
  
• 125 million TV viewers watched the last episode of M*A*S*H.
  
  
• Compact Discs were released in Europe and the US.
  
  
• The first space walk in nine years occurred during the maiden voyage of the space shuttle Challenger.
  
  
• The U.S. Supreme Court declared that many local abortion restrictions were unconstitutional.
  
  
• A Soviet jet fighter shot down a South Korean Boeing 747 that strayed into Soviet airspace. All 269 aboard were killed.
  
  
• The U.S. admitted shielding Klaus Barbie, the NAZI "butcher of lyon." He was wanted in France for war crimes.
  
  
• Motorola began testing cellular phone service and AT&T gained the first commercial license.
  
  
• "Crack," a purer form of Cocaine was developed in the Bahamas.
  
  
• The El Niño ("little boy" or "Christ child") phenomenon disrupted global weather patterns and caused widespread devastation. Global damage was around $25 billion.
  
  
• "May: Apple enters Fortune 500 at #411, the fastest growing company in history"
  
  
• Introduction of Lisa Personal Office System by Apple. The MacIntosh predecessor, priced at $9998, was the first user friendly office computer and the first introduction of the mouse.
  
  
• Benigno S. Aquino, Jr., 50, political rival of Philippines president Marcos, slain in Manila
  

Sports Champions of 1983

• MLB - Baltimore Orioles
  
• NFL - Washington Redskins
  
• NBA - Philadelphia 76ers
  
• NHL - New York Islanders
  
  

Grammy Award Winners in 1983

• Record of the Year - "Beat it" by Michael Jackson
  
• Album of the Year - "Thriller" by Michael Jackson
  
• Song of the Year - "Every Breath You Take" by Sting
  

Movie Award Winners in 1983

• Best Picture - Terms of Endearment
  
• Best Director - James L. Brooks for “Terms of Endearment”
  
• Best Actress - Shirley MacLaine in “Terms of Endearment”
• Best Actor - Robert Duvall in “Tender Mercies”
  
  

Top Grossing Movies in 1983

• Return of the Jedi
  
• Tootsie
  
• Trading Places
  
• WarGames
  
• Superman III
  
• Flashdance
  
• Staying Alive
  
• Octopussy
  
• Mr. Mom
  
• 48HRS.
  
  

#1 Hits of 1983 (USA Pop Charts)

• Baby Come to Me - James Ingram w/Patti Austin
  
• Let's Dance - David Bowie
  
• Down Under - Men at Work
  
• Come on Eileen - Dexy's Midnight Runners
  
• Sweet Dreams (are made of this) - Eurythmics
  
• Islands in the Stream - Dolly Parton w/Kenny Rogers
  
• Tell Her About It - Billy Joel
  
• Billy Jean - Michael Jackson
  
• Beat It - Michael Jackson
  
• Say, Say, Say - Paul McCartney w/Michael Jackson
  
• All Night Long (all night) - Lionel Richie
  
• Maniac - Michael Sembello
  
• Every Breath You Take - The Police
  
• Africa - Toto
  
• Total Eclipse of the Heart - Bonnie Tyler
  
• Flashdance...What a Feeling - Irena Cara
  
  
  

1983 Memoriam

• George Cukor
  
• Gloria Swanson
  
• Norma Shearer
  
• Raymond Massey
  
• Luis Bunuel
  
• David Niven
  
• Lynn Fontanne
  
• Carolyn Jones
  
• Ira Gershwin
  
• William Demarest