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Brian Johnson
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April 1st in 80s History
1985 - Villanova Beat Georgetown 66 - 64 to Win the NCAA National Championship
Venue: Rupp Arena
City: Lexington, Kentucky
Head Coach: Rollie Massimino
Most Outstanding Player: Ed Pickney (Villanova)
Top Scorer: Chris Mullin 110 (St. Johns)
Fun Fact!
Ed Pickney Was the 10th Overall Pick in the 1985 Draft by the Phoenix Suns
On April 1, 1984 David Lee Roth left Van Halen to Pursue a Solo Career
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Other Notable Dates
(On April 1st)
1976 - Steve Jobs and and Steve Wozniak Founded Apple Computer
* The Apple I Sold for $666 (Equivalent to $3,000 Today)
On April 1, 1980 Brian Johnson Became the New Led Singer for AC/DC
Other Notable Birthdays
Debbie Reynolds (Actress)
April 1, 1932 - December 28, 2016
Birthplace: El Paso, Texas
Passed Away at Age 84 From a Severe Stroke
* Some Say it Was a Broken Heart After Her Daughter Carrie Fisher Died the Day Before
Best Known For Playing Kathy Selden in the 1952 Film Singin' in the Rain
Phil Neikro (Baseball)
April 1, 1939 - December 26, 2020
Birthplace: Blaine, Ohio
Passed Away in His Sleep at Age 81
* Had Been Diagnosed With Prostate Cancer
MLB Seasons: 24 (20 With the Atlanta Braves)
Position: Pitcher
All-Star: 5
Career Wins: 318
Career Losses: 274
ERA: 3.35
Strikeouts: 3,342
Elected to the Pro Baseball Hall of Fame in 1997 (5th Ballot)
Fun Fact!
Phil Neikro is Recognized as the Greatest Knuckleball Pitcher of All-Time
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Passed Away
(On This Day)
Marvin Gaye (Singer)
April 2, 1939 - April 1, 1984
Birthplace: Washington, D.C.
Shot and Killed by His Father at Age 44
* Happened During an Argument
Best Known For the 1966 Hit Song "I Heard it Through the Grapevine"
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80s Movies
(Released On This Day)
1980 - The Baltimore Bullet
Director: Robert Ellis Miller
Starring: James Coburn, Omar Sharif, Bruce Boxleitner and Ronee Blakley
Budget: N/A
Box Office: N/A
1983 - Heart Like a Wheel
Director: Jonathan Kaplan
Starring: Bonnie Bedelia and Beau Bridges
Budget: $7.5 Million
Box Office: $272,000
1983 - Screwballs
Director: Rafal Zielinski
Starring: Peter Keleghan, Lynda Speciale and Linda Shayne
Budget: $800,000
Box Office: $2 Million
1986 - Miracles
Director: Jim Kouf
Starring: Teri Garr, Paul Rodriguez, Christopher Lloyd and Tom Conti
Budget: N/A
Box Office: N/A
1988 - Bright Lights Big City
Director: James Bridges
Starring: Michael J. Fox, Kiefer Sutherland, Phoebe Cates, Dianne Wiest and Jason Robards
Budget: $25 Million
Box Office: $16.5 Million
1988 - The Seventh Sign
Director: Carl Schultz
Starring: Demi Moore, Michael Biehn, Peter Friedman and Jürgen Prochnow
Budget: N/A
Box Office: $18.8 Million
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80s Television
(On This Day)
1983 - Baby Makes Five Premiered on ABC
Seasons: 1
Episodes: 5
Starring Peter Scolari
1983 - Final Episode of Hit Man (Game Show)
Seasons: 1
Episodes: 65
1983 - Final Episode Just Men! (Game Show)
Seasons: 1
Episodes: 65
Host: Bette White
Bette White Won an Emmy Award as the Host
1984 - Al TV Premiered on MTV
Episodes: 10
Starring Weird Al Yankovich
1987 - Mariah Premiered on ABC
Seasons: 1
Episodes: 7
1987 - Roxie Premiered on CBS
Seasons: 1
Episodes: 6
Spinoff From Kate & Allie
1987 - Take Five Premiered on CBS
Seasons: 1
Episodes: 6
Starring George Segal
1988 - Final Episode of Blackout (Game Show)
Seasons: 1
Episodes: 65
1989 - Mel Gibson Hosted Saturday Night Live
Musical Guest: Living Colour
1989 - Final Episode of She’s the Sheriff
Seasons: 2
Episodes: 44
Starring Suzanne Somers
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80s Music
(On This Day)
1981 - Reckoning (Live Album)
The Grateful Dead
Billboard Charts: #43
1981 - Rock Steady with Flo & Eddy
Flo & Eddie (6th Album)
1982 - Rhythm of Youth
Men Without Hats (Debut Album)
1983 - Havana Moon
Carlos Santana (5th Album)
1984 - Self Control
Laura Branigan (3rd Album)
Billboard Charts: #23
1986 - Book of Love
Book of Love (Debut Album)
1986 - New Kids on the Block
New Kids on the Block (Debut Album)
Billboard Charts: #25
1987 - Solitude Standing
Suzanne Vega released (2nd Album)
Billboard Charts: #11
* Hit #1 in Sweden
1989 - Stuck in Wonderamaland
Dramarama (3rd Album)
1989 - City Streets
Carole King (15th Album)
Billboard Charts: #25
Singles Released
"Rosanna"
Toto
Reached #2 on the US Billboard Charts
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80s Sports
(On This Day)
1980 - Wayne Gretzky Broke the Single Seasons Assist Record (103)
* Broke Bobby Orr's Record
1983 - Mike Bossy Scored His 60th Goal of the Season
* First Player in the NHL with 3 Consecutive 60 Goal Seasons
1984 - USC Beat Tennessee 72 - 61 to Win the Women’s NCAA National Championship
Most Outstanding Player: Cheryl Miller
Coach: Stan Morrison
1984 - Fred Couples Won the PGA Tournament Players Championship
* Beat Lee Trevino by 1 Stroke
1985 - Villanova Beat Georgetown 66 - 64 to Win the Men’s NCAA National Championship
1985 - George Plimpton’s Hoax Article on Sidd Finch Was Published in Sports Illustrated
1989 - A. Bartlett Giamatti 7th Commissioner of Baseball
* Replaced Peter Ueberroth
1989 - The NCAA Final 4 Began at the Seattle Kingdome
#3 Seed Seton Hall Beat #2 Seed Duke 95-78
#3 Seed Michigan Beat #1 Seed Illinois 83-81
Michigan Beat Seton Hall 80 - 79 in the Championship Game
Head Coach: Steve Fisher
Most Outstanding Player: Glenn Rice
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Headlines
(April 1st)
1984 - Marvin Gaye Was Shot and Killed by His Father During an Argument
* Happened the Day Before Marvin's 45th Birthday
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The "New Kids on the Block" Released Their Debut Album
#1 Songs in America
(April 1st)
1980 - "Another Brick in the Wall, Part II
Pink Floyd
3/22 - 4/18
1981 - "Rapture"
Blondie
3/28 - 4/10
1982 - "I Love Rock 'n' Roll"
Joan Jett and the Blackhearts
3/20 - 5/7
1983 - "Billie Jean"
Michael Jackson
3/5 - 4/22
1984 - "Footloose
Kenny Loggins
3/31 - 4/20
1985 - "One More Night"
Phil Collins
3/30 - 4/12
1986 - "Rock Me Amadeus"
Falco
3/28 - 4/18
1987 - "Lean on Me"
Club Nouveau
3/21 - 4/3
1988 - "Man in the Mirror"
Michael Jackson
3/26 - 4/8
1989 - "Eternal Flame"
The Bangles
4/1 - 4/7
1986 - The New Kids on the Block Released Their Debut Album
Billboard Charts: 25
Fun Fact!
The New Kids on the Block Was Formed in Dorchester, Massachusetts in 1984
* Over 80 Million Albums Sold Worldwide
David Lee Roth
Happy 80s Birthdays
1952 - Annette O’Toole (Actress) 48 Hrs.
Birthplace: Houston, Texas
1961 - Mark White (English Keyboardist) Vice Versa
Birthplace: Sheffield, England
1965 - Mark Jackson (Basketball)
Birthplace: Queens, New York
Fun Fact!
Mark Jackson Was the 18th Overall Pick in the 1987 NBA Draft by the New York Knicks
* Won 1987 Big East Defensive Player of the Year at St. John's
1978 - Space Invaders Was Released in Japan
* Released in America in November
Air Jordan's Went On Sale
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1989 - "Eternal Flame" by The Bangles Became the #1 Song in America
* #1 Song in America from April 1 - 7
Also Hit #1 in the UK, Ireland, Belgium, Portugal, Norway, Netherlands and Australia
Fun Fact!
The Bangles Was Formed in Los Angeles in 1981
On April 1, 1986 The First Nike "Air Jordan's" Went on Sale to the Public
Price: $65