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1986 - The World’s Worst Nuclear Disaster of All-Time Happened at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in the Soviet Union

* Nearly 100 Deaths Directly Attributed to the Accident and Over 9,000 Cancer Related Fatalities​​

In Other News

(On April 26th)


1865 - Union Troops Shot and Killed John Wilkes Booth in Virginia
* Booth Assassinated President Abraham Lincoln


2018 - Bill Cosby Was Convicted of Sexual Assault


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<- April 25th            April 27th ->


Back To The 80s Home Page


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Headlines

(April 26th)


​1982 - Former Beatle Paul McCartney Released His 3rd Solo Album, Tug of War

Hit #1 on the US Billboard Charts

* Also Hit #1 in the UK, Canada, Italy, Norway, Sweden, Netherlands and Japan

Featuring the Hit Song “Ebony and Ivory”

​Other Notable Birthdays

Hack Wilson (Baseball)
April 26, 1900 - November 23, 1948
* Holds the Major League Record With 191 RBI’s in a Season (1930)
4x Home Run Leader
Elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1979

Jerry Blackwell (Wrestler)
April 26, 1949 - January 22, 1995
Passed Away at Age 45 in a Car Accident

A Main Event Star For the AWA


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Passed Away
(On This Day)

Jim Davis (Actor)

August 26, 1909 - April 26, 1981
Passed Away in His Northridge Home at Age 71
Played Jock Ewing on Dallas

Lucille Ball (Actress)

August 6, 1911 - April 26, 1989
Passed Away at Age 77 From a Ruptured Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm
Best Known For the Hit TV Show I Love Lucy


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80s Movies​
(Albums Released On This Day)​

1985 - Just One of the Guys
Director:  Lisa Gottlieb
Starring:  Joyce Hyser, Billy Jacoby, Sherilyn Fenn and William Zabka
Budget:  N/A

Box Office:  $11.5 Million

1985 - Stick
Director:  Burt Reynolds
Starring:  Burt Reynolds, George Segal, Candice Bergen and Charles Durning
Budget:  $22 Million

Box Office:  $8.4 Million


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80s Television
(On This Day)

1987 - Down and Out in Beverly Hills Premiered on Fox
Seasons:  1
Episodes:  13


1988 - Just the Ten Of Us Premiered on ABC
Seasons:  3
Episodes:  47

Spin-Off From Growing Pains

Fun Fact!
The Just the Ten of Us Theme Song “Doin it the Best I Can” Was Performed by Bill Medley

1989 - Final Episode of Nightingales
Seasons:  1

Episodes:  13


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80s Music
(Albums Released On This Day)

1980 - X
Los Angeles (Debut Album)
Ranked No. 24 on Rolling Stone's "100 Best Albums of the 80s”

1982 - Tug of War
Paul McCartney (3rd Solo Album)
Hit #1 on the US Billboard 200 Charts

* Also Hit #1 in the UK, Canada, Italy, Norway, Sweden, Netherlands and Japan

Featuring “Ebony and Ivory”


1982 - Are You Ready
Bucks Fizz (2nd Album)
* Reached #10 in the UK

1988 - Colors (Soundtrack)
Various Artists
Billboard Charts:  #70

1988 - Guitar (Live Album)
Frank Zappa

1989 - Repeat Offender
Richard Marx (2nd Album)
Hit #1 on the US Billboard 200 Charts and #1 in Australia
* Featuring “Right Here Waiting”
Over 4 Million Copies Sold in the US

1989 - Best Wishes
Cro-Mags (2nd Album)

In Other 80s Music News

1982 - Rod Stewart’s $50,000 Porsche Was Stolen After Getting Mugged in Los Angeles


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80s Sports
(On This Day)

1980 - Philadelphia Phillies Pitcher, Steve Carlton Pitched a 1-Hitter Against the St. Louis Cardinals
* The Phillies Beat the Cardinals 7 - 0 at Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia on a Saturday Evening
Attendance:  25,16

Carlton Pitched Six 1-Hitters During His Career

1982 - Gene Michael Became the New York Yankees Manager For the 2nd Time

1983 - Stanford Quarterback John Elway Was the #1 Overall Pick in the NFL Draft by the Baltimore Colts
* Traded to the Denver Broncos

Top 10 Picks


1.    John Elway  QB
Baltimore Colts (Traded to Broncos)
College:  Stanford

2.    Eric Dickerson  RB
Los Angeles Rams
College:  SMU

3.    Curt Warner  RB
Seattle Seahawks
College:  Penn State

4.    Chris Hinton  OG
Denver Broncos (Traded to Colts)
College:  Northwestern

5.    Billy Ray Smith  LB
San Diego Chargers
College:  Arkansas

6.    Jim Covert  OT
Chicago Bears
College:  Pittsburgh

7.    Todd Blackledge  QB
Kansas City Chiefs
College:  Penn State

8.    Michael Haddix  RB
Philadelphia Eagles
College:  Mississippi State 

9.    Bruce Matthews  OT
Houston Oilers
College:  USC

10.  Terry Kinard  S
New York Giants
College:  Clemson


1988 - NBA Approved a 3rd Referee For the Upcoming Seasons

1988 - New York Mets Manager, Davey Johnson Became the 2nd Manager to Record 400 Wins in His First 4 Years With a Team
* Al Lopez is the other

1989 - Mike Tyson Got a Speeding Ticket For Drag Racing in His Lamborghini in Albany, New York


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In Other 80s News

(On April 26th)

1981 - Dr. Michael R. Harrison Performed the First Human Open Fetal Surgery at the University of California, San Francisco Medical Center


1989 - The Deadliest Tornado Ever Recorded on Recorded Struck Central Bangladesh
* Over 1,300 Killed
12,000 Injured
80,000 Homeless

#1 Songs in America

(April 26th)


1980 - "Call Me"
Blondie
4/19 - 5/30

1981 - "Kiss on My List"
Hall & Oates

4/11 - 5/1

1982 - "I Love Rock 'n' Roll"

Joan Jett and the Blackhearts

3/20 - 5/7​

1983 - "Come on Eileen"

Dexys Midnight Riders

4/23 - 4/29

1984 - "Against All Odds"
Phil Collins
4/21 - 5/11

1985 - "We Are the World"

USA for Africa​

4/13 - 5/10

1986 - "Kiss"

Prince

4/19 - 5/2

1987 - "I Knew You Were Waiting"
Aretha Franklin and George Michael
4/18 - 5/1

1988 - "Where Do Broken Hearts Go"

Whitney Houston

​4/23 - 5/6

1989 - "Like a Prayer"

Madonna

​4/22 - 5/12


Click Here For More Music Fun Facts and Awards

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April 26th in 80s History

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1988 - Just the Ten Of Us Premiered on ABC
* Theme Song Sang by Bill Medley

A Spinoff From Growing Pains

John Elway Was the #1 Overall Pick in the NFL Draft

1983 - Stanford Quarterback John Elway Was the #1 Overall Pick by the Baltimore Colts Before Getting Traded to the Denver Broncos


Did You Know?

John Elway Led the Denver Broncos to 5 Super Bowls, Winning 2

* Elected to the Football Hall of Fame in 2004

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Happy 80s Birthdays

1933 - Carol Burnett (Actress) 
Annie
1940 - Giorgio Moroder (Singer) 
"Father of Disco"
1958 - Giancarlo Esposito (Actor) 
Do the Right Thing
1960 - Roger Taylor (Drummer) 
Duran Duran​
1962 - Michael Damian (Actor) 
Young and the Restless

Fun Fact!
Queen's Drummer and Duran's Duran Drummer Share the Same Name

Roger Taylor (Queen)

Roger Taylor (Duran Duran)