What Happened on January 1, 1984

• AT&T's 22 owned Bell system companies divests into 8 companies
• Brunei becomes independent of UK
• NYC transit fare rises from 75 cents to 90 cents

• World's largest residence for a head of state the Istana Nurul Iman is completed as the home of Brunei royal family at over 200,000 square meters

• Alok Kapali, Bangladeshi cricket all-rounder (17 Tests; 69 ODIs), born in Sylhet, Bangladesh
• Paolo Guerrero, Peruvian soccer striker (102 caps; Hamburger SV, Internacional), born in Lima, Peru

• Alexis Korner, British blues revivalist, guitar player (Blues Incorporated - "Please Please Please Please"), and radio broadcaster, dies of lung cancer at 55
• Ken Sitzberger, American diver & broadcaster (Olympic gold 3m springboard 1964), dies of a brain hemorrhage at 38

Holidays: New Year's Day (Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, United Kingdom, United States)

• #1 Song: Say Say Say - Paul McCartney And Michael Jackson
• #1 Song: Only You - Flying Pickets