Historical Events
- "Red Right 88", trailing 14–12 Clevelands Browns attempt an end zone pass play (Red Right 88) and a game-winning field goal in the final minute, but pass intercepted by Raiders safety Mike Davis and Oakland wins
- Australian Open Men's Tennis: American Brian Teacher wins his first and only Grand Slam event; beats home favourite Kim Warwick 7-5, 7-6, 6-3
Yorkshire Ripper Arrested
British police arrest Peter Sutcliffe, the "Yorkshire Ripper"
- Revival of Leigh, Charlap, Styne, Comden and Green's musical "Peter Pan", starring Sandy Duncan, closes at Lunt-Fontanne Theater, NYC, after 578 performances
Film & TV History
Victor Gialanella's stage adaptation of Mary Shelley's novel "Frankenstein", starring John Carradine and Dianne Wiest, opens and closes at the Palace Theatre, NYC, after 1 performance [1]
Famous Birthdays
- Alicia Garza, American writer and civil rights activist (co-founded #BlackLivesMatter), born in Oakland, California
Famous Deaths
- Ruth Lowe, Canadian pianist and composer ("I'll Never Smile Again"), dies at 66
Died in 1981 1981 Highlights
About January 4, 1981
Day of the Week: Sunday
How Long Ago? 43 years, 3 months and 23 days
Leap Year: No
Generation: Millennial
Chinese Zodiac: Monkey
Star Sign: Capricorn
Music Charts
#1 Song: (Just Like) Starting Over - John Lennon
#1 Song: Imagine - John Lennon
