_______________________________

_______________________________

_______________________________

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


Fun Fact!

Nick Faldo is a 6x Major Champion
The Masters (1989, 1990, 1996)
The Open Championship (1987, 1990, 1992)

#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 - The 56th Annual Academy Awards Aired on ABC
Venue:  Dorothy Chandler Pavilion
City:  Los Angeles, California
Host:  Johnny Carson
Most Awards:  Terms of Endearment (5)
Most Nominations:  Terms of Endearment (11)

Ratings:  42.1 Million


Awards
Best Picture:  Terms of Endearment

Best Director:  James L. Brooks (Terms of Endearment)
Best Actor:  Robert Duvall (Tender Mercies)
Best Actress:  Shirley MacLaine (Terms of Endearment)


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

1965 - The Houston Astrodome Opened
* The Yankees Beat the Astros in an Exhibition Game in the First Indoor Baseball Game

Mickey Mantle Hit a Home Run​

_______________________________

Happy 80s Birthdays

1939 - Michael Learned (Actress)  The Waltons
Birthplace:  Washington, D.C.
1945 - Peter Gammons (Baseball Analyst)
Birthplace:  Boston, Massachusetts
1954 - Dennis Quaid (Actor)  Innerspace
Birthplace:  Houston, Texas
1979 - Keshia Knight Pulliam (Actress)  The Cosby Show (Rudy)
Birthplace:  Newark, New Jersey

Fun Fact!

Michael Learned Has Won 4 Primetime Emmy Awards
The Waltons (1973, 1974, 1976)
Nurse (1982)

Headlines

(April 9th)


1981 - Los Angeles Dodgers Rookie 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​

Other Notable Birthdays


Hugh Hefner (American Businessman)
April 9, 1926 - September 27, 2017
Birthplace:  Chicago, Illinois
Passed Away at Age 91 From Sepsis
* Brought on by E. Coli
The Founder of Playboy

Steve Ballesteros (Golf)
April 9, 1957 - May 7, 2011
Birthplace:  Pedreña, Cantabria, Spain
Passed Away at Age 54 From a Brain Tumor
* Diagnosed in 2008


Fun Fact!

Ballesteros Was a 5x Major Champion
The Masters (1980, 1983)
The Open Championship:  (1979, 1984, 1988)


_______________________________

Passed Away
(On This Day)


Willie Stargell (Baseball)
March 6, 1940 - April 9, 2001
Birthplace:  Earlsboro, Oklahoma
Passed Away at Age 61 From a Stroke
All-Star:  7
Home Run Leader:  2 (1971, 1973)
Career Home Runs:  475
MVP:  1 (1979)

Elected to the Pro 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 (Cincinnati Reds) Hit the First Home Run of the 80s
* Hit a 1st inning Home Run Off Atlanta 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


Fun Fact!

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

Fun Fact!

Houston is the Most Populated City in Texas With Over 2.3 Million People

* 4th in the United States


_______________________________


<- April 8th            April 10th ->


Back To The 80s Home Page


_______________________________

Roe vs. Wade