Historical Events
- Browns set team records for most fumbles (9) & most turnovers (10)
- Harry Krieger and Tom Eyen's musical "Dreamgirls" opens at Imperial Theater, NYC; runs for 1522 performances, wins 6 Tony, 5 Drama Desk, and 2 Grammy Awards
- Winnipeg left wing Doug Smail sets NHL record by scoring just 4 seconds into Jets' 5-4 win over the St Louis Blues; fastest goal from opening face-off to back of net in history; later tied by Bryan Trottier and Alex Mogilny
Famous Birthdays
- Chris Edwards, British rock bassist (Kasabian), born in England
- James Shields, American baseball player, born in Santa Clarita, California
- Roy Williams, American football player (Detroit Lions, Dallas Cowboys), born in Odessa, Texas
Famous Deaths
- Dimitris Rontiris, Greek actor and director (b. 1899)
About December 20, 1981
Day of the Week: Sunday
How Long Ago? 41 years, 3 months and 4 days
Leap Year: No
Generation: Millennial
Chinese Zodiac: Rooster
Star Sign: Sagittarius
Music Charts
#1 Song: Physical - Olivia Newton-John
#1 Song: Don't You Want Me - Human League