By Drew Olson Special to OnMilwaukee.com Published Sep 30, 2008 at 5:09 AM

When the Brewers step onto the diamond for Game 1 of the National League Division Series against Philadelphia this afternoon at Citizens Bank Park, fans in Milwaukee can stop referring 1982 -- the year of Milwaukee's most recent playoff appearance -- as a baseball and cultural touchstone.

Before we turn the page, let's take one last look at some of the events that took place in 1982. Use the Talkback feature to add your own memories.

LIFE IN THE U.S.
President: Ronald W. Reagan

Vice President: George Bush

U.S. population: 231,664,458
Life expectancy: 74.5 years

Federal spending: $745.76 billion
Federal debt: $1137.3 billion

Median Household Income
(current dollars): $20,171

Consumer Price Index: 96.5

Unemployment: 9.7%

Cost of a first-class stamp: $0.20

EVENTS
A brief but severe recession begins in the United States.

Seattle is officially dubbed the Emerald City after a contest held to choose a new city slogan.

The car brand Toyota Camry introduced.

The Commodore 64 is released. Over 20 million Commodore 64s will be sold by 1994.

A global surplus of crude oil causes gasoline prices to collapse.

John De Lorean is arrested for selling cocaine to undercover FBI agents (he is later found not guilty due to entrapment).

Sony launches the first consumer compact disc player (model CDP-101).

The Double Stuff Oreo is first sold.

Princess Grace, 52, dies of injuries when car plunges off mountain road; daughter Stephanie, 17, suffers serious injuries (Sept. 14).

Leonid I. Brezhnev, Soviet leader, dies at 75 (Nov. 10). Yuri V. Andropov, 68, chosen as successor (Nov. 15). Background: Rulers of Russia since 1533

The Vietnam Veterans Memorial is dedicated in Washington, D.C., after a march to its site by thousands of Vietnam War veterans.

John W. Hinckley, Jr. found not guilty because of insanity in shooting of President Reagan (June 21).

Alexander M. Haig, Jr., resigns as Secretary of State (June 25).

SPORTS
Super Bowl -- San Francisco 26, Cincinnati 21

World Series - St. Louis 4, Milwaukee 3

NBA Finals - Los Angeles 4, Philadelphia 2

Stanley Cup - New York Islanders 4, Vancouver 0

Wimbledon - Jimmy Connors beat John McEnroe; Martina Navratilova beat Chris Evert Lloyd.

Kentucky Derby Champion -- Gato Del Sol

NCAA Basketball Championship -- North Carolina 63, Georgetown 62

NCAA Football Champion -- Penn St. (11-1-0)

World Cup -- Italy 3, West Germany 1

Baltimore shortstop Cal Ripken starts the first game of what will eventually become his record-breaking consecutive games played streak of 2,632.

POP CULTURE

Michael Jackson releases "Thriller"

John Belushi dies of a drug overdose at 33

"Cats" opens on Broadway

Book releases include "Schindler's List" and "The Color Purple"

Movie releases include "E.T. -the Extra-Terrestrial," "Tootsie," "Gandhi" and "The Verdict."

Grammy Awards -- Record of the Year: "Bette Davis Eyes," Kim Carnes; Album of the Year: Double Fantasy, John Lennon and Yoko Ono (Warner Bros/Geffen); Song of the Year: "Bette Davis Eyes," Donna Weiss and Jackie DeShannon, songwriter

Bryant Gumbel begins his 15 year stint as co-anchor on the Today Show.

John Chancellor signs off for the last time on the NBC Nightly News. He is replaced by the team of Roger Mudd and Tom Brokaw, which will last 17 months.

The Weather Channel launches in the US

Vanna White takes over for Susan Stafford on "Wheel of Fortune"

Tom Wopat and John Schneider leave "The Dukes of Hazzard"

"Late Night with David Letterman" debuts on NBC.

"The Lawrence Welk Show" goes off the air.

 

 

Drew Olson Special to OnMilwaukee.com

Host of “The Drew Olson Show,” which airs 1-3 p.m. weekdays on The Big 902. Sidekick on “The Mike Heller Show,” airing weekdays on The Big 920 and a statewide network including stations in Madison, Appleton and Wausau. Co-author of Bill Schroeder’s “If These Walls Could Talk: Milwaukee Brewers” on Triumph Books. Co-host of “Big 12 Sports Saturday,” which airs Saturdays during football season on WISN-12. Former senior editor at OnMilwaukee.com. Former reporter at the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.