▁ 1 1 ▁– ▁ 1 9 8 1 ▁B ri xt on ▁ri ot : ▁Ri ot ers ▁in ▁south ▁London ▁throw ▁pet rol ▁bomb s , ▁attack ▁police ▁and ▁lo ot ▁sh ops . ▁ ▁April ▁ 1 2 ▁– ▁The ▁Space ▁Sh utt le ▁program : ▁Space ▁Sh utt le ▁Columbia ▁with ▁NASA ▁astr onaut s ▁John ▁Young ▁and ▁Robert ▁C ri ppen ▁launch es ▁on ▁the ▁ST S - 1 ▁mission , ▁returning ▁to ▁Earth ▁on ▁April ▁ 1 4 . ▁It ▁is ▁the ▁first ▁time ▁a ▁man ned ▁re usable ▁space craft ▁has ▁returned ▁from ▁orbit . ▁▁▁ ▁April ▁ 1 5 ▁– ▁The ▁first ▁C oca - Col a ▁bott ling ▁plant ▁in ▁China ▁is ▁opened . ▁ ▁April ▁ 1 8 ▁– ▁A ▁Minor ▁League ▁Baseball ▁game ▁between ▁the ▁Ro chester ▁Red ▁W ings ▁and ▁the ▁P awt uck et ▁Red ▁So x ▁at ▁Mc Co y ▁Stadium ▁in ▁P awt uck et , ▁Rh ode ▁Island , ▁becomes ▁the ▁longest ▁professional ▁baseball ▁game ▁in ▁history : ▁ 8 ▁hours ▁and ▁ 2 5 ▁minutes / 3 3 ▁inn ings ▁( the ▁ 3 3 rd ▁in ning ▁is ▁not ▁played ▁until ▁June ▁ 2 3 ). ▁ ▁April ▁ 2 6 ▁– ▁French ▁president ial ▁election : ▁A ▁first - round ▁run off ▁results ▁between ▁Val é ry ▁G is card ▁d ' E sta ing ▁and ▁François ▁Mit ter rand . ▁ ▁May ▁▁ ▁May ▁– ▁Daniel ▁K . ▁Ludwig ▁ab and ons ▁the