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1989 - The Abyss Premiered in Theaters
* Starring Ed Harris and Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio
Fun Fact!
Ed Harris Said The Abyss Was the Hardest Film He's Ever Done, Almost Drowning a Couple Times During Filming
Bob Backlund and Pedro Morales
Pee-Wee's Big Adventure Premiered in Theaters
August 9th in 80s History
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1988 - The Chicago Cubs Beat the New York Mets 6 - 4 in the “Official” First Night Game Played at Wrigley Field in Chicago
* The Original First Game Game Was Rained Out in the 4th Inning the Night Before
On August 9, 1980 Bob Backlund and Pedro Morales Beat The Wild Samoans to Win the WWF Tag Team Championship at the Showdown at Shea Stadium
Headlines
(August 9th)
1985 - Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure Premiered in Theaters
* Starring Paul Reubens as Pee-Wee
#1 Songs in America
(August 9th)
1980 - "Magic"
Olivia Newton-John
8/2 - 8/29
1981 - "Jessie's Girl"
Rick Springfield
8/1 - 8/14
1982 - "Eye of the Tiger"
Survivor
7/24 - 9/3
1983 - "Every Breath You Take"
The Police
7/9 - 9/2
1984 - "When Doves Cry"
Prince
7/7 - 8/10
1985 - "Shout"
Tears for Fears
8/3 - 8/23
1986 - "Glory of Love"
Peter Cetera
8/2 - 8/15
1987 - "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For"
U2
8/8 - 8/21
1988 - "Roll With It"
Steve Winwood
7/30 - 8/26
1989 - "Batdance"
Prince
8/5 - 8/11
Click Here For More Music Fun Facts and Awards
1988 - Wayne Gretzky Was Traded From the Edmonton Oilers to the Los Angeles Kings
* Traded Along With Marty McSorley and Mike Krushelnyski in Exchange For Jimmy Carson, Martin Gelinas, 3 First Round Picks and $15 Million Dollars
Happy 80s Birthdays
1942 - David Steinberg (Comedian)
1944 - Sam Elliott (Actor) Road House
1949 - Ted Simmons (Baseball)
1954 - Pete Thomas (Drummer) Elvis Costello
1955 - Doug Williams (Football)
1957 - Melanie Griffith (Actress) Working Girl
1958 - Amanda Bearse (Actress) Married with Children
1959 - Kurtis Blow (Rapper)
1959 - Michael Kors (Fashion Designer)
1961 - Brad Gilbert (Tennis)
1962 - Louis Lipps (Football)
1964 - Brett Hull (Hockey)
1967 - Deion Sanders (Football)
Fun Fact!
In 1988 Doug Williams Became the First Black Quarterback to Win the Super Bowl
* Also Won the Super Bowl MVP
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Other Notable Birthdays
John “Hot Rod” Williams (Basketball)
August 9, 1962 - December 11, 2015
Passed Away at Age 53 From Colon Cancer
The 45th Overall Pick in the 1985 NBA Draft by the Cleveland Cavaliers
Whitney Houston (Singer)
August 9, 1963 - February 11, 2012
Passed Away at Age 48 From Drowning (Cocaine Found in Her Blood)
One of the Best Selling Artists of All-Time With Over 200 Million Albums Sold
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Passed Away
(On this Day)
Hugo Boss (German Businessman)
July 8, 1885 - August 9, 1948
Passed Away at Age 63 From a Tooth Abscess
A Member of the Nazi Party
Jerry Garcia (Singer and Guitarist)
August 1, 1942 - August 9, 1995
Passed Away at Age 53 From a Heart Attack
Lead Singer For The Grateful Dead
Gregory Hines (Actor and Dancer)
February 14, 1946 - August 9, 2003
Passed Away at Age 57 From Liver Cancer
* Won an Emmy Award, a Drama Desk Award and a Tony Award
Regarded as One of the Greatest Tap Dancers
Frank Gifford (Football)
August 16, 1930 - August 9, 2015
Passed Away at Age 84 From Natural Causes
8x Pro Bowl
1956 Most Valuable Player
Elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1977
* The Play-by-Play Announcer For Monday Night Football on ABC For 27 Years
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80s Movies
(Released On This Day)
1985 - Pee-wee’s Big Adventure
Director: Tim Burton
Starring: Paul Reubens, E. G. Daily, Mark Holton, Diane Salinger and Judd Omen
Budget: $7 Million
Box Office: $40.9 Million
1985 - My Science Project
Director: Jonathan R. Betuel
Starring: John Stockwell, Fisher Stevens, Danielle von Zerneck, Ann Wedgeworth and Dennis Hopper
Budget: N/A
Box Office: $4.1 Million
1985 - Summer Rental
Director: Carl Reiner
Starring: John Candy, Karen Austin, Richard Crenna, John Larroquette, Kerri Green and Joey Lawrence
Budget: N/A
Box Office: $24.6 Million
1985 - Pray for Death
Director: Gordon Hessler
Starring: Sho Kosugi, James Booth, Norman Burton, Michael Constantine, Kane Kosugi and Shane Kosugi
Budget: $4 Million
Box Office: N/A
1989 - The Abyss
Director: James Cameron
Starring: Ed Harris, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, Michael Biehn, J.C. Quinn, Leo Burmester, Kimberly Scott, Todd Graff, John Bedford Lloyd and Chris Elliott
Budget: $43 Million
Box Office: $90 Million ($54 Million Domestic)
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80s Television
(On This Day)
1980 - That’s My Line (Reality Show) Premiered on CBS
Seasons: 2
Host: Bob Barker
1982 - Filthy Rich Premiered on CBS
Seasons: 2
Episodes: 15
1986 - Final Episode of The Paper Chase
Seasons: 4
Episodes: 59
Network: CBS (Season 1)
Showtime (Season 2-4)
Click Here For More TV Fun Facts and Awards
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80s Music
(Albums Released On This Day)
1980 - Give Me the Night
George Benson (18th Album)
Billboard Charts: #3
* #1 in R&B
1982 - I Can't Stand Still
Don Henley (Debut Solo Album)
Billboard Charts: #24
1983 - Ark
The Animals (15th Album)
Billboard Charts: #66
1986 - Dancing Undercover
Ratt (3rd Album)
Billboard Charts: #26
1986 - Orgasmatron
Motörhead (11th Album)
Billboard Charts: #157
In Other 80s Music News
1984 - Iron Maiden Kicked Off Their “World Slavery” Tour in Warsaw, Poland, Making it the First Time a Western Band Performed Behind the Iron Curtain, the Boundary That Divided Europe into the Soviet Union and the West
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80s Sports
(On This Day)
1980 - The WWF Event, “The Showdown at Shea”
* Bob Backlund and Pedro Morales Beat The Wild Samoans to Win the WWF Tag Team Championship
André the Giant Beat Hulk Hogan
1981 - The National League Beat the American League 5 - 4 in the All-Star Game
MVP: Gary Carter (Expos)
Location: Cleveland Stadium
Attendance: 72,086
First Pitch: George H. W. Bush
Network: NBC
1981 - Larry Nelson (-7) Won the PGA Championship
Prize: $60,000
Runner Up: Fuzzy Zoeller (-3)
Runner Up Prize: $40,000
Location: Duluth, Georgia
Course: Atlanta Athletic Club
1987 - Larry Nelson (-1) Won the PGA Championship in a Playoff Against Lanny Wadkins
Prize: $150,000
Runner Up: Lanny Wadkins (-1)
Runner Up Prize: $90,000
Location: Palm Beach Gardens, Florida
Course: PGA National Golf Club
1988 - The Chicago Cubs Beat the New York Mets 6 - 4 in the “Official” First Night Game Played at Wrigley Field in Chicago
Attendance: 36,399
* The Night Before the Game Was Called in the 4th Inning Because of Rain
Fun Fact!
Lenny Dykstra (Mets) Hit the “Official” First Night Game Home Run at Wrigley Field
1988 - Wayne Gretzky Was Traded From the Edmonton Oilers to the Los Angeles Kings
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Other Notable Dates
(August 9th)
1936 - Jesse Owens Won His 4th Olympic Gold at the Summer Olympics in Berlin
1944 - The United States Fire Forest Service Released the First Posters of Smokey the Bear
1950 - Boston Braves Pitcher, Vern Bickford Pitched a No-Hitter Against the Brooklyn Dodgers
* The Braves Beat the Dodgers 7 - 0
The Only No-Hitter of the 1950 Season
1969 - Actress, Sharon Tate and 4 Others Were Murdered by Charles Manson’s Followers
1974 - Gerald Ford Officially Became President of the United States After Richard Nixon Resigned
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