January 9
January 9
One of the “Hillside Stranglers” sentenced to life
Angelo Buono, one of the Hillside Stranglers, is sentenced to life in prison for his role in the rape, torture, and murder of 10 young women in Los Angeles. Buono’s…
A Year In History: 1984
This Year in History:
1984
Discover what happened in this year with HISTORY’s summaries of major events, anniversaries, famous births and notable deaths.
January 12
January 12
Restorers discover pyramid construction secrets
An international panel overseeing the restoration of the Great Pyramids in Egypt overcomes years of frustration when it abandons modern construction techniques in favor of the method employed by the…
January 17
January 17
U.S. Supreme Court decides Universal v. Sony, as VCR usage takes off
Eight years after it began, the court battle over the legality of the video cassette recorder (VCR) and its allegedly detrimental effect on the motion‑picture industry comes to an end…
January 22
January 22
Apple’s iconic “1984” commercial airs during Super Bowl XVIII
During a break in the action of Super Bowl XVIII on January 22nd, 1984, audiences first see a commercial that is now widely agreed to be one of the most…
January 23
January 23
Hulk Hogan beats Iron Sheik to win first WWF title
On January 23, 1984, Hulk Hogan becomes the first wrestler to escape the “camel clutch”—the signature move of reigning World Wrestling Federation (WWF) champion Iron Sheik—as he defeats Sheik to…
February 7
February 7
Navy captain becomes the first human to perform an untethered space walk
While in orbit 170 miles above Earth, Navy Captain Bruce McCandless II becomes the first human being to perform an untethered spacewalk, when he exits the U.S. space shuttle Challenger…
February 13
February 13
Chernenko becomes general secretary of Soviet Communist Party
Following the death of Yuri Andropov four days earlier, Konstantin Chernenko takes over as the general secretary of the Soviet Communist Party, the ruling position in the Soviet Union. Chernenko…
February 15
February 15
Broadway legend Ethel Merman dies
She was as big a star as the American stage ever produced, a legend both in her own time and beyond it. She had neither the looks nor the dancing…
February 16
February 16
Bill Johnson becomes first US man to win Olympic gold in downhill skiing
On February 16, 1984, Bill Johnson becomes the first American man to win an Olympic gold medal in downhill skiing, a sport long dominated by European athletes. Johnson quickly became…
February 19
February 19
Yarborough wins fourth Daytona 500
Driver Cale Yarborough wins his fourth Daytona 500 on this day in 1984. In the history of the 200‑lap, 500‑mile race, which was first run at Florida’s Daytona International Speedway…
February 25
February 25
Explosion kills hundreds in Brazil
On this day in 1984, a huge explosion destroys a shantytown in Brazil, killing at least 500 people, mostly young children. An investigation into the disaster later revealed that the…
February 26
February 26
Last U.S. Marines leave Beirut
The last U.S. Marines sent to Lebanon as part of a multinational peacekeeping force leave Beirut, the war‑torn Lebanese capital where some 250 of the original 800 Marines lost their…
March 22
March 22
Teachers are indicted at the McMartin Preschool
Seven teachers at the McMartin Preschool in Manhattan Beach, California are indicted by the Los Angeles County grand jury after hearing testimony from 18 children. Included among the charged are…
March 28
March 28
Baltimore Colts move to Indianapolis
On March 28, 1984, Bob Irsay (1923‑1997), owner of the once‑mighty Baltimore Colts, moves the team to Indianapolis. Without any sort of public announcement, Irsay hired movers to pack up…
April 1
April 1
Marvin Gaye is shot and killed by his own father
On April 1, 1984, one day short of his 45th birthday, Marvin Gaye is shot and killed by his own father, bringing a tragic end to the life of a…
April 5
April 5
Kareem Abdul‑Jabbar breaks NBA all‑time scoring record
On April 5, 1984, Kareem Abdul‑Jabbar scores the 31,420th point of his career, breaking the NBA’s all‑time scoring record, which had been held by Wilt Chamberlain. Abdul‑Jabbar’s record remained unbroken for 38…
April 9
April 9
Man attempts to kill wife for money using car bomb
Margaret Backhouse turns the ignition of her husband’s car, setting off a pipe bomb filled with nitroglycerine and shotgun pellets in the small farming community of Horton, England. Hundreds of…
April 13
April 13
Serial killer Christopher Wilder dies by suicide
Christopher Wilder dies after a month‑long crime spree involving at least 11 young women who have disappeared or been killed. Police in New Hampshire attempted to apprehend Wilder, who was…
April 26
April 26
President Reagan visits China
On April 26, 1984, President Ronald Reagan arrives in China for a diplomatic meeting with Chinese President Li Xiannian. The trip marked the third time a U.S. president had traveled…
May 4
May 4
Bruce Springsteen releases “Pink Cadillac”
On this day in 1984, New Jersey rocker Bruce Springsteen releases “Pink Cadillac” as a B‑side to “Dancing in the Dark,” which will become the first and biggest hit single…
