Alternate History 🇺🇸 November 2, 1976: President Nelson Rockefeller wins election to full 4-year term and the aftermath

[Sergeant Foley]

BREAKING NEWS ALERT: OVER 57+ FOREIGN DIGNITARIES EXPECTED TO ATTEND PAPAL FUNERAL FOR POPE JOHN PAUL II
*Press Secretary of the Vatican confirms the late Pontiff's Papal Funeral will be held on September 7th.
*White House confirms President Reagan will be in attendance.
*Presidential Office in Mexico City announcing Mexican President General Oscar Robles will be attending as well.
*Canadian Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau, Brazilian President Joao Figueiredo, Chilean President Captain General Augusto Pinochet, King Juan Carlos I of Spain, Philippine Vice President and First Lady Imelda Marcos, Republic of Korea President Chun Doo-hwan among long list of foreign dignitaries likely attending.
*ABC News reporting members of the Polish government will likely be in attendance.

*Thursday, September 2, 1982: During the late evening hours of September 2nd, an Italian government aircraft arrived at the Leonardo da Vinci Fiumicino International Airport in Fiumicino, Lazio, Italy. Members of the Corps of Gendarmerie of Vatican City including several members of the Swiss Guards lifted the coffin containing the body of the late Pope John Paul II out of the plane via special motor truck, where they placed the coffin into a hearse and drove to Vatican City for private embalming, etc.,

 

[Red_Tornado]

@Ibanez @Buba @bintananth @Val the Moofia Boss @The Immortal Watch Dog
AUTHOR'S NOTE: If y'all need me to do any other Pop Culture Tips such as movies, let me know which movies for 1982 that you want to have posted in this timeline.

Give me a specific detailed list of movies from 1982 and I'll do the best I can to getting those mentioned in future installments.

 

[Sergeant Foley]

7 Years
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September 5, 1982: I would like to thank everyone, who's been enjoying The American Republic. Started this timeline with the shocking assassination of then-President Gerald Rudolph Ford on 5 September 1975 in Sacramento, California.

 

[Sergeant Foley]

Sports Headlines
Summer1982
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NBA: The Los Angeles Lakers won the 1982 NBA Championship for the second time in three years. During the 1981-82 Regular Season, Paul Westhead, who had won the 1980 NBA Championship as Head Coach, was controversially fired (likely due to the controversial devious tactics of Magic Johnson lobbying Lakers CEO and Owner Jerry Buss). Westhead was replaced by Pat Riley.

Despite some early season struggles, the Lakers finished with the third-best record in the NBA with overall record of (57-25). They swept both the Phoenix Suns (4-0) and the San Antonio Spurs (4-0), advancing to the 1982 NBA Finals.

Over in the Eastern Conference Playoffs, the 1981 NBA champion Boston Celtics had the best regular-season record with (63-19) which included an 18-game winning streak and led the Atlantic Division by just five games over Philadelphia 76ers (58-24). Many assumed the defending NBA champions would be favorites to winning back-to-back NBA championships.

However, the 76ers had other plans....................

During the pressure-packed Semifinal Playoff matchup, the Celtics blew out the 76ers by 40 points in Game 1; 76ers then retaliated by winning three consecutive games, leading the series 3-1. However, not wanting to count out the defending NBA champions, Boston bounced back and won Games 5 and 6 tying up the series 3-3 with a deciding Game 7 to decide who'll advance to the 1982 NBA Finals.

76ers dethroned the defending NBA champions in Game 7 (4-3) by a final score 120-106 in front of a packed crowd inside the Boston Garden in Boston, Massachusetts.

In the NBA Finals: Lakers won Game 1 by a final score of 124-117. 76ers tied up the series 1-1 with 110-94 victory in Game 2; When the series moved to Philadelphia, the Lakers won Game 3 (129-108) and Game 4 (111-101) respectively, increasing their edge in the series to 3-1 with one more win to clinch it all. 76ers rebounded in Game 5 with massive blowout victory before their home crowd, 135-102: sending the series back to Los Angeles, where the Lakers clinched the 1982 NBA Finals with 114-104 victory, winning the series (4-2).

Ironically, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, the famed center on both the 1971 Milwaukee Bucks and 1982 Los Angeles Lakers, became one of the most highly esteemed athletes to ever play the game. Lakers guard Earvin "Magic" Johnson was named NBA Finals Most Valuable Player; Johnson also won this same award back in 1980, when the Lakers won the NBA championship that year.

In addition to the excellent playing of both Abdul-Jabbar and Johnson, the Los Angeles Lakers received strong vital contributions from Jamal Wilkes, who scored 27 points in Game 6 of the 1982 NBA Finals; Norm Nixon; Karl Rambis and reserve performers, Bob McAdoo and Michael Cooper.

 

[Sergeant Foley]

Sports Headlines
Spring 1982
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NCAA MEN'S BASKETBALL: Led by the legendary Dean Smith, Head Coach of the University of North Carolina, the Tar Heels defeated Georgetown 63-62 in the 1982 NCAA Men's Basketball National Championship Game in what many said was "one of the most thrilling games in the NCAA Tournament".

James Worthy led North Carolina with 28 points and freshman (future six-time NBA champion of the Chicago Bulls) Michael Jordan hit the game-winning jump shot.

NATIONAL INVITATIONAL TOURNAMENT: Bradley University defeated Purdue 67-58 winning the NIT National Championship.

NCAA WOMEN'S BASKETBALL: Louisiana Tech won the NCAA Women's Basketball National Championship defeating Cheyney State by double digits 76-62.

ASSOCIATION FOR INTERCOLLEGIATE ATHLETICS FOR WOMEN: Rutgers won the AIAW National Championship defeating the Texas Longhorns 83-77.

 

[Sergeant Foley]

Sports Headlines
Fall 1982
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MLB: Saint Louis Cardinals of the National League defeated the American League champions Milwaukee Brewers in seven games, winning their ninth World Series Championship in franchise history. Cardinals catcher Darrell Porter was named World Series Most Valuable Player.

The 1982 World Series was quite the intriguing fitting climax to an exciting MLB Season. One year following seven weeks of a strike had left baseball in some chaos, at least the game enjoyed the most competitive campaign since the four division alignment was instituted back in 1969.

A historic note of the 1982 MLB Season: Three out of the four MLB division titles were not decided until the final weekend of the Regular Season and the NL East wasn't even clinched by the eventual World Series champion Cardinals until six days before the playoffs.

 

[Sergeant Foley]

Sports Headlines
Summer/Fall 1982
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CFL: While the National Football League underwent a dragged-out strike, many football fans in the United States were obviously hungry for watching professional football.

And they didn't need to look very far, instead, they looked across the Northern Border: Commonwealth of Canada, where the Canadian Football League finished the 1982 CFL Season without any hiccups.

The Edmonton Eskimos, led by quarterback Warren Moon (who played college football with the University of Washington), completed 21 out of 33 passing attempts for 319 passing yards, connected with Brian Kelly of WSU for touchdowns while running for 91 yards, defeated the Toronto Argonauts in the 1982 Grey Cup 32-16.

Edmonton finished the 1982 CFL Season with an overall record of (14-5) and winning their fifth consecutive Grey Cup Championship, which was a record at the time.

 

[Sergeant Foley]

Sports Headlines
Summer 1982
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NHL: The New York Islanders won their third consecutive NHL Stanley Cup Championship in a row (1980, 1981, 1982) .

Following 10 Seasons in existence, the Islanders established themselves as one of the NHL's most powerful teams in the 65-year history of the National Hockey League: Compiling one of their best records (54-16-10).

 

[Sergeant Foley]

Sports Headlines
Summer 1982
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TOURNAMENT WINNERS:
*(Australia Open)
Men's Singles: Johan Kriek
Women's Singles: Martina Navratilova
Men's Doubles: Mark Edmondson /Kim Warwick
Women's Doubles: Kathy Jordan /Anne Smith
Davis Cup Winner: United States

*(French Open)
Men's Singles: Mats Wilander
Women's Singles: Martina Navratilova
Men's Doubles: Sherwood Stewart / Ferdi Taygan
Women's Doubles: Martina Navratilova /Anne Smith

*(Wimbeldon)
Men's Singles: Jimmy Connors
Women's Singles: Martina Navratilova
Men's Doubles: Peter McNamara /Paul McNamee
Women's Doubles: Martina Navratilova /Pam Shriver

*(US Open)
Men's Singles: Jimmy Connors
Women's Singles: Chris Evert
Men's Doubles: Kevin Curren /Steve Denton
Women's Doubles: Rosie Casals /Wendy Turnbull

 

[Sergeant Foley]

Sports Headlines
Summer 1982
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*PROFESSIONAL:
Masters: Craig Stadler
US Open: Tom Watson
Canadian Open: Bruce Lietzke
British Open: Tom Watson
PGA: Ray Floyd
World Series of Golf: Craig Stadler
US Women's Golf: Janet Anderson Alex
Ladies PGA: Jan Stephenson
World Cup:

*AMATEUR:
US Amateur: Jay Sigel
US Women's Amateur: Juli Inkster
British Amateur: Martin Thompson
British Ladies Amateur: Kitrina Douglas
Canadian Amateur: Douglas Roxburgh
Canadian Ladies Amateur: Cindy Pleger
Curtis Cup:

 

[Sergeant Foley]

Sports Headlines
Fall 1982
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COLLEGE FOOTBALL: The University of Georgia Bulldogs was among two undefeated teams with record of (11-0), Georgia was ranked #1 while Penn State Nittany Lions (10-1) ranked #2 and Southwestern Conference champion Southern Methodist University (11-0) was ranked #3.

Georgia was led by junior running back Herschel Walker, who won the Heisman Trophy, becoming the best collegiate player; Stanford University quarterback (and future two-time Super Bowl champion with the Denver Broncos) John Elway and Southern Methodist University running back Eric Dickerson finished second and third respectively.

Nebraska's David Rimington won the Outland Trophy. Two-time All-American senior offensive center is the only college football player to win the Outland Trophy twice.

Legendary Grambling State University Tigers Football Head Coach Eddie Robinson achieved his 300th victory during the 1982 College Football Season; Nearly 200 of the players coached by Robinson throughout the years went onto playing professional football (NFL, CFL).

Meanwhile, six-time National Champion University of Alabama Crimson Tide Football Head Coach Paul William "Bear" Bryant retired following the 1982 College Football Season with 323 victories. Bryant would later pass away from a heart attack on 26 January 1983 at the age of 69.

In the Bowl Games: Penn State won the Sugar Bowl defeating Georgia 27-23, securing the Nittany Lions' first national championship in program history; Southern Methodist defeated Pittsburgh 7-3 in the Cotton Bowl Classic; Florida State knocked off West Virginia 31-12 in the Gator Bowl; Nebraska escaped with a victory over LSU 21-20 in the Orange Bowl; UCLA defeated Michigan 24-14 in the Rose Bowl.

 

[Sergeant Foley]

Sports Headlines
Fall 1982
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COMMONWEALTH GAMES: The 12th Commonwealth Games were held in Brisbane, Australia.

2,000 athletes from 45 countries participated in 10 sports: Swimming; Track and Field; Bowling; Cycling; Weight Lifting; Badminton; Shooting; Boxing; Archery; Wrestling.

Australia collected the most medals following the 12th Commonwealth Games with 39 Gold Medals; 39 Silver Medals and 29 Bronze Medals. England had 38 Gold Medals; 38 Silver Medals and 32 Bronze Medals. Canada won 26 Gold Medals; 23 Silver Medals and 33 Bronze Medals.

 

[Sergeant Foley]

Sports Headlines
Summer 1982
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1982 WORLD CUP HIGHLIGHTS: The Italian Republic won the 1982 World Cup Championship defeating West Germany 3-1. Italy's Paolo Rossi led all players in scoring, with six goals in the final three games of the World Cup.

The championship match was held at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium in Madrid, Spain before an estimated 90,000 spectators including over 1,000,000,000 billion watching this historic matchup.

Italy's surprising victory quickly touched off massive celebrations throughout the Italian Republic including Italian communities throughout the world. In the capital city of Rome, hundreds of fans splashed in the famed Trevi Fountain and in Milan, a large giant Italian flag was unfurled from the balcony in front of La Scala Opera House.

 

[Sergeant Foley]

Sports Headlines
Spring/Summer 1982
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*(ICE SKATING)
FIGURE SKATING WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS:
Men's: Scott Hamilton
Women's: Elaine Zayak
Pairs: Sabine Baess/Tassilo Thierbach
Dance: Jayne Torvill/Christopher Dean

UNITED STATES CHAMPIONSHIPS:
Men's: Scott Hamilton
Women's: Rosalynn Summers
Pairs: Peter Carruthers/Caitlin Carruthers
Dance: Judy Blumberg/Michael Seibert

SPEED SKATING WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS:
Men's: Hilbert van der Duim
Women's: Karin Busch

 

[Sergeant Foley]

Sports Headlines
Spring/Summer 1982
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*(SKIING)
WORLD CUP CHAMPIONSHIPS
Men's: Phil Mahre
Women's: Erika Hess

WORLD ALPINE CHAMPIONSHIPS:
(Men's)
Downhill: Harti Weirather
Slalom: Ingemar Stenmark
Giant Slalom: Steve Mahre
Combined: Michael Vion

(Women's)
Downhill: Gerry Sorensen
Slalom: Erika Hess
Giant Slalom: Erika Hess
Combined: Erika Hess

 

[Sergeant Foley]

Highlights of the 1982 Academy Awards
Spring 1982
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*(CATEGORIES AND WINNERS)
Motion Picture: "Chariots of Fire"
Best Actor: Henry Fonda of "On Golden Pond"
Best Actress: Katherine Hepburn of "On Golden Pond"
Supporting Actor: John Gielgud "Arthur"
Supporting Actress: Maureen Stapleton "Reds"
Director: Warren Beatty "Reds"
Cinematography: Vittorio Storaro "Reds"
Song: "Best That You Can Do" ("Arthur")
Foreign Language Film: "Mephisto" (Hungary )
Documentary Feature: "Genocide"
Documentary Short: "Closed Harmony"

 

[Sergeant Foley]

Music Highlights of 1982
Spring/Summer/Fall 1982
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Following in the footsteps of father/daughter teams like Frank and Nancy Sinatra; Pat and Debby Boone; Neil and Sara Sedaka, Frank Zappa, who was previously the leader of the Mothers of Invention, and his daughter, Moon recorded the album "Valley Girl".

While unusual and quite intriguing to say the least, "Valley Girl" immediately became a success due to the result of it's teenspeak monologue.

In referencing of Moon's "teenspeak" monologue in the album, she poked friendly fun at the lifestyles of teenage girls living in the San Fernando Valley (suburb of Los Angeles, California); Moon also spoofed their styles of talking by using Val-speak terms such as "tubular"; "grody"; "fer sure" and "It's really nauseating, like gag me with a spoon".

"Valley Girl" marked Frank Zappa's debut on the Singles Charts with a mainstream hit album following over 30+ albums recorded throughout his musical career.

As for the Jazz crooner Sinatra, he continued pulling in audiences throughout his five decades in the music industry. Bringing a sellout crowd over 6,000+ to the gala opening of the newly-renovated Universal Amphitheatre in Los Angeles, California. Sinatra also opened a new 5,000-seat theater in the Dominican Republic and played to sellout crowds and positive raving reviews during ten-day engagement at Carnegie Hall in New York City, New York State.

Bruce Springsteen produced his first solo album "Nebraska" without the E Street Band, preferring to use an acoustic guitar and harmonica including occassional help of synthesizer. The "Nebraska" album consisted of folk-oriented story-songs about people, who feel trapped by society.

Paul McCartney formerly of The Beattles, recorded "Tug of War" without the assistance of his group, Wings. Choosing to use the theme of black and white unity in "Ebony and Ivory", one of two songs in a duet with Stevie Wonder. "Ebony and Ivory" single and album headed straight toward the top of the charts immediately.

 

[Sergeant Foley]

Female Best Sellers in Music
Spring/Summer/Fall 1982
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The Go-Go's became the first all-female band reaching #1 on the charts with their debut album, "Beauty and the Beat", including their hit single "Our Lips Are Sealed." They also followed it up with "Vacation", another favorite of record-buying public. They not only made Top 10 status, the Go-Go's also became the first-ever all-female band reaching the top spot.

Olivia Newton-John followed up her hits "Physical" and "Make a Move On Me" with "Heart Attack". Melissa Manchester, who wrote songs for many popular entertainers could be heard all over the airwaves with "You Should Hear How She Talks About You." And Deniece Williams, who did a hit musical duet with Johnny Mathis, came into her own solo musical career with "It's Gonna Take a Miracle."

Female newcomers into the musical scene included: Laurie Anderson "Big Science"; Charlene "I've Never Been to Me" and Sheena Easton of Scotland "For Your Eyes Only".

 

[Sergeant Foley]

Highlights from the 1982 Emmy Awards
Spring/Summer/Fall 1982
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*(CATEGORIES AND WINNERS)
Comedy Series: "Barney Miller"
Actor in Comedy Series: Alan Alda "MASH"
Actress in Comedy Series: Carol Kane "Taxi"
Supporting Actor in Comedy Series: Christopher Lloyd "Taxi"
Supporting Actress in Comedy Series: Loretta Swit "MASH"
Drama Series: "Hill Street Blues"
Actor in Drama Series: Daniel J. Travanti "Hill Street Blues"
Actress in Drama Series: Michael Learned "Nurse"
Supporting Actor in Drama Series: Michael Conrad "Hill Street Blues"
Supporting Actress in Drama Series: Nancy Conrad "Hill Street Blues"
Special: Best Drama: "A Woman Called Golda"
Special: Variety, Music or Comedy: "Night of 100 Stars"

 

[Sergeant Foley]

Highlights from the 1982 Grammy Awards
Spring/Summer 1982
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*RECORD OF THE YEAR: "Bette Davis Eyes" Kim Carnes
ALBUM OF THE YEAR: "Double Fantasy" John Lennon, Yoko Ono
SONG OF THE YEAR: "Bette Davis Eyes" Donna Weiss, Jackie DeShannon, songwriters
NEW ARTIST OF THE YEAR: Sheena Easton
POP VOCAL PERFORMANCE (FEMALE): "Lena Horne: The Lady and Her Music Live on Broadway" Lena Horne
POP VOCAL PERFORMANCE (MALE): "Breakin' Away" Al Jarreau
POP VOCAL PERFORMANCE (GROUP): "Boy from New York City" The Manhattan Transfer
ROCK VOCAL PERFORMANCE (FEMALE): "Fire and Ice" Pat Benatar
ROCK VOCAL PERFORMANCE (MALE): "Jessie's Girl" Rick Springfield
ROCK VOCAL PERFORMANCE (GROUP): "Don't Stand So Close to Me" The Police
COUNTRY VOCAL PERFORMANCE (FEMALE): "9 to 5" Dolly Parton
COUNTRY VOCAL PERFORMANCE (MALE): "No Gettin' Over Me" Ronnie Milsap
COUNTRY VOCAL PERFORMANCE (GROUP): "Elvira" Oak Ridge Boys
RHYTHM AND BLUES VOCAL PERFORMANCE (FEMALE): "Hold On I'm Comin'' Aretha Franklin
RHYTHM AND BLUES VOCAL PERFORMANCE (MALE): "One Hundred Ways" James Ingram
RHYTHM AND BLUES VOCAL PERFORMANCE (GROUP): "The Dude" Quincy Jones
ORIGINAL SCORE FOR MOTION PICTURE: "Raiders of the Lost Ark" John Williams
SCORE FOR ORIGINAL CAST SHOW: "Lena Horne: The Lady and Her Music Live on Broadway" Various composers and lyricists
CLASSICAL ALBUM: "Mahler: Sympthony #2 in C Minor" Sir Georg Solti conducting and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Chorus
RECORDING FOR CHILDREN: "Seasme Country" Muppets, Glenn Campbell, Crystal Gayle, Loretta Lynn, Tanya Tucker, artists.