What happened on December 31, 1981?

Headlines from December 31, 1981

• ❤️ Heart Pump Success – Doctors at Pennsylvania State University report successful results of a compact heart pump saving patients post-surgery.
• 🏒 Gretzky's Record – Wayne Gretzky scored five goals against the Flyers, achieving 50 goals in just 39 games, breaking the record.
• 🏆 Ohio State Wins – Ohio State defeats Navy 31-28 in the Liberty Bowl, marking George Welsh's final game as Midshipmen's coach.
• 🎖️ Coe and Ovett Honored – British track stars Sebastian Coe and Steve Ovett are named members of the Order of the British Empire.
• 📉 New Home Sales Rise – New single-family home sales increased by 11.3% in November, reaching an annual rate of 403,000.
• 📈 Canada Cuts Rates – The Bank of Canada lowers its lending rate to 14.66%, prompting major banks to reduce their prime lending rates.
• 📊 Duke Power Stock Sale – Salomon Brothers sells over 3.7 million shares of Duke Power in the year's largest debt-for-stock swap.
• 🎨 Susan Weil Exhibit – Artist Susan Weil presents a retrospective of her prints and drawings at the Christian Gallery in New York.
• 🎉 New Year's Eve Celebrations – Various venues in New York offer special events to ring in the New Year with music and festivities.
• 📚 Books on Economy Thrive – Books advocating supply-side economic theory, like George Gilder's ''Wealth and Poverty,'' gain popularity.