For sports fans, 1981 will always be defined by the . While the actual game took place in 1980, the impact resonated throughout '81, culminating in the US Men's Hockey team winning the Gold Medal at the Winter Olympics in Lake Placid. It was a victory that transcended sports, serving as a symbolic win for the American spirit during the tense Cold War era.

Some notable news events from 1981 include:

On August 1, a new cable channel launched with footage of the Space Shuttle Columbia launch, followed by a man planting a flag on the moon. Then, the video for The Buggles’ hit Video Killed the Radio Star played.

In an age before social media and 24-hour news cycles, the world stopped for a true fairytale. On July 29, an estimated 750 million people worldwide tuned in to watch .