What Happened in April 1986

Historical Events

  • Apr 1 Ranji Trophy Men's Cricket, Feroz Shah Kotla, Delhi: Delhi beats Haryana by innings & 141; Manoj Prabhakar 113, Kirti Azad 107, Mohinder Amarnath 194, Ajay Sharma 110
  • Apr 1 US submarine Nathaniel Green runs aground in Irish Sea
  • Apr 1 World oil prices dip below $10 a barrel
  • Apr 2 4 US passengers killed by bomb at TWA counter Athens Airport Greece
  • Apr 2 George Corley Wallace (Gov-D-Ala) announces retirement plans
  • Apr 2 NCAA Basketball Rules Committee votes to adopt the 3-point shot beginning the 1986-87 season; sets college distance at 19 feet, 9 inches, compared to 21 feet in the NBA

Event of Interest

Apr 2 NYC Mayor Ed Koch signs & brings the Gay Rights Bill into effect

NHL Record

Apr 2 Paul Coffey of the Edmonton Oilers scores his 47th and 48th goals of the season in an 8-4 win over the Vancouver Canucks to break Bobby Orr's NHL record for most goals by a defenseman

  • Apr 3 Maureen O'Boyle (future host of "A Current Affair") is raped
  • Apr 3 US national debt hits $2,000,000,000,000

NHL Record

Apr 4 Wayne Gretzky sets NHL record with 213th point of season

  • Apr 5 140th Grand National: Richard Dunwoody aboard 9-year-old 15/2 second favourite West Tip wins by 2 lengths from Young Driver
  • Apr 5 Record for a throw-and-return boomerang toss is set (121m)
  • Apr 5 US soldier & Turkish woman killed in West Berlin disco bombing
  • Apr 6 CBS' fact based "Nobody's Child", story of Marie Balter

Golf Major

Apr 6 Nabisco Dinah Shore Women's Golf, Mission Hills CC: Pat Bradley wins the 4th of her 6 major titles, 2 strokes ahead of runner-up Val Skinner

  • Apr 6 Soccer ball juggled non-stop for 14:14 hrs

Election of Interest

Apr 8 Clint Eastwood elected mayor of Carmel, California. Makes his day.

Film & TV History

Apr 9 TV show "Dallas" announces it will revive killed Bobby Ewing character

  • Apr 10 "Big Deal" opens at Broadway Theater NYC for 70 performances

Event of Interest

Apr 10 Benazir Bhutto returns to Pakistan

  • Apr 10 US performs nuclear test at Nevada Test Site
  • Apr 11 A 1921 Canadian 50 cent coin is auctioned in New York for $22,000
  • Apr 11 Dodge Morgan sailed solo nonstop around world in 150 days
  • Apr 11 Halley's Comet makes closest approach to Earth this trip, 63 M km
  • Apr 11 KXA-AM in Seattle WA changes call letters to KRPM
  • Apr 12 20,000 mine workers protest closing of Hasselt Belgium mines

US Masters Golf

Apr 13 50th Masters Golf Tournament: Jack Nicklaus wins his record 18th major with a 1-stroke victory over Greg Norman and Tom Kite; shoots final round 65 (−7); at 46 the oldest Masters winner

  • Apr 13 Boston Celtics end season with a 40-1 home win record

Meeting of Interest

Apr 13 Pope John Paul II meets Rome's Chief Rabbi Elio Toaff at Rome synagogue

  • Apr 13 Spanish Grand Prix decided by 0.014 of a second

Election of Interest

Apr 14 Desmond Tutu elected Anglican Archbishop of Capetown, South Africa

  • Apr 14 Double-decker ferry sinks in stormy weather in Bangladesh killing 200
  • Apr 14 US aircraft attacks 5 terrorist locations in Libya
  • Apr 15 The United States launches Operation El Dorado Canyon against Libya.
  • Apr 15 US air raids Libya, responding to La Belle disco, Berlin bombing

Cricket History

Apr 15 Viv Richards century off 56 balls v England in Antigua Test Cricket

TV Show Appearance

Apr 16 To dispel rumors he's dead, Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi appears on TV

  • Apr 16 West Indies complete 5-0 demolition of England
  • Apr 17 Netherlands & Scilly Islands sign peace treaty (war of 1651)
  • Apr 17 Pulitzer prize awarded to Larry McMurtry for "Lonesome Dove"
  • Apr 18 IBM produces 1st megabit-chip
  • Apr 18 Robert M Gates becomes deputy director of CIA
  • Apr 18 Titan rocket explodes seconds after liftoff from Vandenberg AFB

Boxing Title Fight

Apr 19 Michael Spinks beats Larry Holmes in 15 for heavyweight boxing title

  • Apr 20 "Jerry's Girls" closes at St James Theater NYC after 139 performances

NBA Record

Apr 20 Michael Jordan sets NBA playoff record with 63 points in a game

  • Apr 20 US performs nuclear test at Nevada Test Site
  • Apr 20 Vladimir Horowitz performs in Moscow, Russia, his first appearance in his Russian homeland since 1925

Boston Marathon

Apr 21 90th Boston Marathon: Rob de Castella first Australian winner in 2:07:51; Ingrid Kristiansen of Norway claims women's title in 2:24:55

  • Apr 21 Bob Hering sets Formula One power boat record (165.338 mph, Ariz)

Film & TV History

Apr 21 Geraldo Rivera opens Al Capone's vault on live TV and finds nothing, except great ratings for his spectacle

  • Apr 22 Consumer Price Index drops .04% for 2nd month in a row
  • Apr 22 US performs nuclear test at Nevada Test Site
  • Apr 23 Disney World breaks ground for Victorian themed Grand Floridian Beach Resort (now known as Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa)
  • Apr 23 Madrid-Nelli Cooman runs world record 60m indoor (7 sec)
  • Apr 24 Film "Crocodile Dundee" starring Paul Hogan and Linda Kozlowski premieres in Australia (highest grossing film of the year in the US)
  • Apr 25 ETA bomb attacks Madrid killing 5
  • Apr 25 Mswati III is crowned King of Swaziland, succeeding his father Sobhuza II
  • Apr 26 Firestone World Bowling Tournament of Champions won by Marshall Holman
  • Apr 26 France performs nuclear test
  • Apr 26 Game between Angels & Twins delayed for 9 minutes by strong winds

Chernobyl Nuclear Reactor Explodes

Apr 26 World's worst nuclear disaster: 4th reactor at Chernobyl nuclear power station in USSR explodes, 31 die, radioactive contamination reaches much of Western Europe

  • Apr 27 Captain Midnight (John R MacDougall) hacks into and interrupts HBO
  • Apr 27 Revival of Neil Simon, Cy Coleman, and Dorothy Fields' musical "Sweet Charity" starring Debbie Allen and Bebe Neuwirth, opens at the Minskoff Theatre, NYC; runs for 368 performances, and 4 Tony Awards
  • Apr 27 Soviet authorities order the evacuation of the city of Pripyat (pop. 50,000) 1 day after the Chernobyl nuclear accident
  • Apr 28 Soviet TV news program Vremya announces a nuclear accident at Chernobyl nuclear power station, 2 days after the event
  • Apr 29 800,000 books destroyed by fire in Los Angeles Central Library

Baseball Record

Apr 29 Boston Red Sox Roger Clemens strikes out 20 Seattle Mariners

Sports History

Apr 29 NFL Draft: Auburn running back Bo Jackson first pick by Tampa Bay Buccaneers

  • Apr 30 Ashrita Furman performs 8,341 somersaults over 12 miles

Sports History

Apr 30 Bill Elliott sets all-time NASCAR qualifying record, winning pole for the Winston 500 at Talladega Superspeedway; 212.809 mph (342.483 km/h; 44.998 seconds)

  • Apr 30 Mariners strike out 16 times, set record of 36 in 2 consecutive games
1986 History

Famous Birthdays

  • Apr 1 Hillary Scott, American singer and songwriter (Lady A), born in Nashville, Tennessee
  • Apr 1 Ireen Wüst, Dutch speed skater (Olympic gold 3,000m 2006, 14; 1500m 2010, 14; team 2014; World All-round C'ship gold x 7), born in Goirle, Netherlands
  • Apr 2 Andris Biedriņš, Latvian basketball center (Golden State Warriors 2004-13; 510 games), born in Riga, Latvia
  • Apr 2 Ibrahim Afellay, Dutch soccer midfielder (53 caps; PSV Eindhoven), born in Utrecht, Netherlands
  • Apr 3 Amanda Bynes, American actress (The Amanda Show), born in Thousand Oaks, California
  • Apr 3 Coleen Rooney, English media personality (married to Wayne Rooney), born in Liverpool, England
  • Apr 4 Aiden McGeady, Republic of Ireland national team footballer, born in Rutherglen, Scotland
  • Apr 4 Cameron Barker, Canadian professional ice hockey player, born in Winnipeg, Manitoba
  • Apr 7 Brooke Brodack, American internet celebrity
  • Apr 8 Erika Sawajiri, Japanese actress, model and singer, born in Nerima, Tokyo, Japan
  • Apr 8 Félix Hernández, Venezuelan MLB baseball player (Seattle Mariners), born in Valencia
  • Apr 8 Igor Akinfeev, Russian footballer (CSKA Moscow.), born in Vidnoye, Russian SFSR
  • Apr 9 Brian Larsen, American musician and record producer, born in Laurel, Maryland
  • Apr 9 Leighton Meester, American actress (Gossip Girl-Blair Waldorf), born in Fort Worth, Texas
  • Apr 10 Ayesha Takia, Indian actress (Taarzan: The Wonder Car), born in Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
  • Apr 10 Olivia Borlée, Belgian 200m sprinter, born in Woluwe-Saint-Lambert, Belgium
  • Apr 10 Vincent Kompany, Belgian footballer (Manchester City, Belgium National Team), born in Uccle, Brussels, Belgium
  • Apr 12 Blerim Džemaili, Swiss footballer (Switzerland national team), born in Tetovo, Macedonia
  • Apr 14 Anne Watanabe, Japanese model, born in Tokyo, Japan
  • Apr 14 Matt Derbyshire, English footballer, born in Great Harwood, United Kingdom
  • Apr 15 Quincy Owusu-Abeyie, Dutch footballer
  • Apr 16 Paul di Resta, British auto racer (BP Ultimate Masters 2006; Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters 2010), born in Uphall, England
  • Apr 18 Billy Butler, American baseball first baseman (MLB All-Star & Silver Slugger Award 2012; Kansas City Royals), born in Orange Park, Florida
  • Apr 18 Maurice Edu, American soccer player, born in Fontana, California
  • Apr 19 Candace Parker, American basketball player (Los Angeles Sparks), born in St. Louis, Missouri
  • Apr 21 Alexander Edler, Swedish NHL hockey defenseman (Vancouver Canucks), born in Östersund, Sweden

Amber Heard (37 years old)

Apr 22 American actress (Aquaman), born in Austin, Texas

  • Apr 22 Dusan Sakota, Serbian-Greek basketball player

Marshawn Lynch (37 years old)

Apr 22 American football player (Seattle Seahawks), born in Oakland, California

  • Apr 23 Jessica Stam, Canadian supermodel, born in Kincardine, Ontario
  • Apr 23 Sven Kramer, Dutch speed skater, born in Heerenveen, Netherlands
  • Apr 27 Elena Risteska, Macedonian pop singer and songwriter (Ninanalna; Million Dollar Player), born in Skopje, Macedonia, Yugoslavia (now North Macedonia)
  • Apr 27 Jenna Coleman, British actress (Doctor Who), born in Blackpool, Lancashire, England
  • Apr 28 George [Nozuka], Canadian-Japanese R&B singer-songwriter ("Talk To Me"), born in New York City
  • Apr 28 Ryan Saunders, American basketball head coach (Minnesota Timberwolves 2019), born in Medina, Minnesota
  • Apr 29 Renee Alway, American Model and felon, born in Micigan
  • Apr 30 Dianna Agron, American Actress (Quinn Fabray-Glee), born in Savannah, Georgia
Born in 1986

Famous Weddings

Arianna Huffington

Apr 12 Greek-American writer Arianna Stasinopoúlou (Arianna Huffington) (35) weds American politician Michael Huffington (38); divorce in 1997

Arnold Schwarzenegger

Apr 26 Actor and body builder Arnold Schwarzenegger (39) weds American journalist and newscaster Maria Shriver (30); divorce in 2011

Jorge Luis Borges

Apr 26 Writer Jorge Luis Borges (86) weds author Maria Kodama (49) in Paraguay


Famous Deaths

  • Apr 1 Erik Bruhn, Danish dancer (National Ballet of Canada), dies at 57
  • Apr 3 Peter Pears, English tenor (Death in Venice), dies at 75
  • Apr 4 Frank Mortelmans, Belgian painter, dies at 87
  • Apr 5 Colin McCool, Australian cricket all-rounder (14 Tests, 1 x 100, HS 104no, 36 wickets, BB 5/41; NSW, Queensland, Somerset CCC), dies at 69
  • Apr 5 Manly Wade Wellman, sci-fi author (Devil's Planet), dies at 82
  • Apr 6 Raimundo Orsi, Argentine-born Italian soccer winger (13 caps Argentina, 35 Italy; Independiente, Juventus), dies at 84
  • Apr 7 Jean Mogin, Belgian poet (Pastures of Silence), and playwright, dies at 64
  • Apr 7 Leonid Kantorovich, Russian Soviet economist (Father of linear programming, Nobel Prize for Economics 1975), dies at 74
  • Apr 8 Yukiko Okada, Japanese idol singer, dies at 18
  • Apr 10 Joseph P Addabbo, US defense specialist/(Sen-D), dies at 61
  • Apr 10 Linda Creed, American singer and songwriter ("The Greatest Love Of All"), dies of breast cancer at 37 [1]
  • Apr 12 Valentin Kataev, Russian writer (b. 1897)
  • Apr 13 Dorothy Ashby (née Thompson), American jazz harpist, singer, and composer, dies of cancer at 53
  • Apr 13 Johnny Dollar, American country and rockabilly singer, commits suicide at 53
  • Apr 13 Stephen Stucker, American actor (Trading Places, Airplane), dies at 38
  • Apr 14 Horst Bastian, German writer and screenwriter, dies at 46

Simone de Beauvoir (1908-1986)

Apr 14 French author and feminist (The Mandarins, The Second Sex, She Came to Stay), dies of pneumonia at 78

Jean Genet (1910-1986)

Apr 15 French novelist (The Thief's Journal, Our Lady of the Flowers) and playwright (The Balcony, The Maids), dies of throat cancer at 75

  • Apr 15 Sergei Anokhin, Soviet test pilot who set world records for gliding flights, dies at 76
  • Apr 15 Tim McIntire, American actor (Brubaker; Stand By Your Man), singer-songwriter, and musician (Funzone), dies of congestive heart failure at 41
  • Apr 17 Bessie Head, Botswana writer (When Rain Clouds Gather, Maru, A Question of Power), dies at 49
  • Apr 17 Paul Costello, American rower (Olympic gold double sculls 1920, 24, 28), dies at 86
  • Apr 17 Teddy Kotick, American jazz double bassist (Phil Woods; Charlie Parker; Bill Evans), dies of a brain tumor at 57
  • Apr 18 Marcel Dassault [Bloch], French airplane engineer and manufacturer, dies at 94
  • Apr 19 Alvin Childress, actor (Amos-Amos 'n' Andy), dies at 78
  • Apr 19 Dag Wirén, Swedish composer, dies at 80
  • Apr 20 Sibte Hassan, Pakistani activist, journalist and writer, dies at 73
  • Apr 21 Salah Jaheen, Egyptian poet and cartoonist, dies at 55
  • Apr 22 Mircea Eliade, Romanian religious historian (Le Yoga) and author, dies at 79

Harold Arlen (1905-1986)

Apr 23 American popular song composer ("Over the Rainbow"; "It's Only A Paper Moon"; "Stormy Weather"), dies of cancer at 81

  • Apr 23 Jim Laker, English cricket spin bowler (46 Tests; 193 wickets; world best 19-90 4th Test v Australia 1956), dies from complications of gall bladder surgery at 64
  • Apr 23 Otto Preminger, Austro-Hungarian-American theatre and film director, producer (Laura; Advise & Consent; Anatomy of A Murder), and actor (Stalag 17), dies of lung cancer at 80
  • Apr 24 Bill Edrich, English cricket all-rounder (39 Tests, 6 x 100, HS 219no, 41 wickets; MCC, Middlesex CCC), dies following a fall at 70

Wallis Simpson (1896-1986)

Apr 24 American divorcee whom British King Edward VIII abdicated his throne to marry, dies at 89

  • Apr 26 Bessie Love, American actress (Broadway Melody, Isadora), dies at 87

Broderick Crawford (1911-1986)

Apr 26 American actor (All the King's Men, Highway Patrol), dies after a series of strokes at 74

  • Apr 26 Dechko Uzunov, Bulgarian painter, dies at 87
  • Apr 29 Seamus McElwaine, Irish IRA-terrorist, killed at 25