Other Notable Birthdays
Hugh Hefner (American Pubklisher)
April 9, 1926 - September 27, 2017
Passed Away at Age 91 From Sepsis Caused from E. Coli
Founder of Playboy
Steve Ballesteros (Golf)
April 9, 1957 - May 7, 2011
Passed Away at Age 54 From a Brain Tumor
Won the Masters in 1980 & 1983
_______________________________
Passed Away
(On This Day)
Willie Stargell (Baseball)
March 6, 1940 - April 9, 2001
Passed Away at Age 61 From a Stroke
* 7x All-Star
National League MVP in 1979
Elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1988 (First Ballot)
_______________________________
80s Movies
(Released On This Day)
1986 - Dr. Otto and the Riddle of the Gloom
Director: John R. Cherry III
Starring: Jim Varney
Budget: N/A
Box Office: N/A
First Film to Feature the Ernest Character
_______________________________
80s Television
(On This Day)
1981 - Checking In Premiered on CBS
Seasons: 1
Episodes: 4
* Spin-Off from the Jefferson’s
Starring Marla Gibbs
1984 - The 56th Academy Awards Aired on ABC
Location: Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in Los Angeles, California
Best Picture: Terms of Endearment
Best Actor: Robert Duvall - Tender Mercies
Best Actress: Shirley MacLaine (Terms of Endearment)
1985 - Final Episode of Three’s a Crowd
Seasons: 1
Episodes: 2
* Three’s Company Spin-Off
1988 - Final Episode of High Mountain Rangers
Seasons: 1
Episodes: 12
* About a Search and Rescue Team in Lake Tahoe
_______________________________
80s Music
(On This Day)
1982 - Broadsword and the Beast
Jethro Tull (14th Album)
Billboard Charts: #19
1982 - Jump Up!
Elton John (16th Album)
Billboard Charts: #17
* Hit #1 in New Zealand
1984 - Reckoning
R.E.M. (2nd Album)
Billboard Charts: #27
1986 - The Other Side of Life
The Moody Blues (12th Album)
Billboard Charts: #9
Singles Released
1983 - “Overkill”
Men at Work
Reached #3 on the US Billboard Charts
_______________________________
80s Sports
(On This Day)
1980 - George Foster (Reds) Hit the First Home Run of the 80s
* Foster hit a 1st inning home run off Braves pitcher Phil Niekro
The Reds won 9-0 at Riverfront Stadium in Cincinnati in front of 51,774 on Opening Day
1980 - Gordie Howe Scored His Final NHL Goal
* Scored 801 goals in his career ranking 2nd to Wayne Gretzky with 894
1981 - Los Angeles Dodgers Pitcher Fernando Valenzuela's Pitched a Shutout On Opening Day In His First Major League Start
* The Dodgers beat the Astros 2-0 at Dodger Stadium
Attendance: 50,511
Did You Know?
Valenzuela Got the Start Because Jerry Ruess Pulled a Hamstring
* Fernando Mania Began
1981 - Brian Downing (California Angels) Became the First Major League Player to Hit a Grand Slam in the First Inning of Opening Day
* The Angels Beat the Mariners 6 - 2 at the Seattle Kingdome
Attendance: 33, 317
1982 - Los Angeles Lakers Blocked 21 Denver Nugget Shots to Set an NBA (Regulation) Record
* The Lakers Beat the Nuggets 153 - 128 in Los Angeles
Attendance: 16,433
1985 - Tom Seaver (White Sox) Was the Starting Pitcher in a Record 15th Opening Day Game
Started with 3 Different Teams the Mets, Reds and White Sox
* The White Sox beat the Brewers 4 - 2 at County Stadium in Milwaukee
Attendance: 53,027
1987 - Wayne Gretzky Became the All-Time Playoff Scoring Leader
* Passed Jean Beliveau
1989 - Nick Faldo Won the Masters
1989 - Mike Tyson Hit a Parking Attendant When Asked to Move His Car
1989 - Rickey Henderson (Yankees) Stole His 800th Career Base
* The Yankees Beat the Indians 4 - 3 at Yankee Stadium on a Sunday Afternoon
Attendance: 25,328
_______________________________
In Other 80s News
(On This Day)
1983 - The 6th Space Shuttle Mission-Challenger 1 Returned to Earth
_______________________________
"Get Out of Dreams, Get Into My Car Became the #1 Song in America
_____________________________
On April 9, 1989 There was a March in Washington, D.C. Supporting the 1973 Roe vs Wade Decision to Allow Abortions
1989 - 53 Year Old Rolling Stones Guitarist Bill Wyman Got Engaged to His 19-Year Old Girlfriend Mandy Smith
* Dating Since She Was 13
_______________________________
Other Notable Dates
(On April 9th)
1865 - The Civil War Came to an End
* Robert E. Lee Surrendered the Northern Virginia Army (26,765 troops) to Ulysses S. Grant at the Appomattox Court House
April 9th in 80s History
_______________________________
_______________________________
Roe vs. Wade
_____________________________
_____________________________
_____________________________
1988 - "Get Out of My Dreams, Get Into My Car" by Billy Ocean Became the #1 Song in America
* #1 Song in America from April 8 - 22
Also Hit #1 in Canada, Ireland, Netherlands, Norway, Belgium, Australia and South Africa
1989 - Nick Faldo Beat Scott Hoch on the 2nd Hole of the Playoffs to Win The Masters
Winning Prize: $200,000
Runner Up: $120,000
Location: Augusta, Georgia
Nick Faldo Won The Masters 3 Times
Fun Fact!
Horton Smith (USA) Won the First Masters Tournament in 1934
First Place: $1,500
#1 Songs in America
(April 9th)
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 - "Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now"
Starship
4/4 - 4/17
1988 - "Get Out of Dreams, Get Into My Car"
Billy Ocean
4/9 - 4/22
1989 - "The Look"
Roxette
4/8 - 4/14
Click Here For More Music Fun Facts and Awards
_____________________________
1984 - Terms of Endearment Won “Best Picture” at the 56th Academy Awards
Location: Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in Los Angeles, California
Network: ABC
Host: Johnny Carson
Best Actor: Robert Duvall (Tender Mercies)
Best Actress: Shirley MacLaine (Terms of Endearment)
Most Wins: Terms of Endearment (5)
Most Nominations: Terms of Endearment (11)
1965 - The Houston Astrodome Opened
* The Yankees Beat the Astros in an Exhibition Game (First Indoor Baseball Game)
Mickey Mantle Hit a Home Run
Happy 80s Birthdays
1939 - Michael Learned (Actress) Nurse
1945 - Steve Gadd (Drummer)
1945 - Peter Gammons (Baseball Analyst)
1953 - Hal Ketchum (Country Singer)
1954 - Dennis Quaid (Actor) Innerspace
1965 - Paulina Porizkova (Model)
1966 - Cynthia Nixon (Actress) Amadeus
1979 - Keshia Knight Pulliam (Actress) The Cosby Show
Fun Fact!
Michael Learned is Best Known for Playing Olivia Walton in The Waltons
* Also Won an Emmy Award For Most Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series For Her Role as Mary Benjamin in the TV Series Nurse
Headlines
(April 9th)
1981 - Los Angeles Dodgers Pitcher Fernando Valenzuela's Pitched a Shutout on Opening Day in His First Major League Start
* Original Starting Pitcher, Jerry Reuss Pulled His Hamstring Before the Game
“Fernando Mania” Began
Fun Fact!
At the 56th Academy Awards, Linda Evans Won Best Supporting Actress to Become the First Person to Win an Oscar Playing a Character of the Opposite Sex
* Played Billy Kwan in the Film The Year of Living Dangerously
_______________________________