On March 8, 1980 The Tbilisi Rock Festival Began in the Soviet Union
* First State-Sanctioned Rock Music Festival in the Soviet Union
Headlines
(March 8th)
1980 - The 100th Episode of Saturday Night Live Aired on NBC
Host: Rodney Dangerfield
1983 - President Reagan Labeled the Soviet Union as the "Evil Empire" While Giving a Speech to the National Association of Evangelicals in Orlando, Florida
* This Was the Height of The Cold War
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#1 Songs in America
(March 8th)
1980 - "Crazy Little Thing Called Love"
Queen
2/23 - 3/21
1981 - "I Love a Rainy Night"
Eddie Rabbit
2/28 - 3/13
1982 - "Centerfold"
J. Geils Band
2/6 - 3/19
1983 - "Billie Jean"
Michael Jackson
3/5 - 4/22
1984 - "Jump"
Van Halen
2/25 - 3/30
1985 - "Careless Whisper"
Wham!
2/16 - 3/8
1986 - "Kyrie"
Mister Mister
3/1 - 3/14
1987 - "Livin' on a Prayer"
Bon Jovi
2/14 - 3/13
1988 - "Father Figure"
George Michael
2/27 - 3/11
1989 - "Lost in Your Eyes"
Debbie Gibson
3/4 - 3/24
Click Here For More Music Fun Facts and Awards
1987 - The Final Episode of the A-Team Aired
* Ran 5 Seasons with 98 Episodes
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March 8th in 80s History
The Tibilisi Music Festival
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The A-Team Premiered on NBC
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1985 - Mask Premiered in Theaters
* Starring Cher and Eric Stoltz
Did You Know?
In the Movie Mask, Rocky Dennis' Character (Eric Stoltz) Helps a Blind Girl See the World When in Fact Rocky Dennis Was Blind in Real Life
Other Notable Dates
(On March 8th)
1817 - The New York Stock Exchange Was Founded
Happy 80s Birthdays
1931 - Gerald Potterton (Director)
1943 - Susan Clark (Actress) Webster
1945 - Micky Dolenz (Drummer) The Monkees
1953 - Jim Rice (Baseball)
1956 - John Kapelos (Actor) The Breakfast Club (Janitor)
1959 - Aidan Quinn (Actor) Stakeout
1962 - Leon Robinson (Actor) Colors
1965 - Kenny “The Jet” Smith (Basketball)
Fun Fact!
Jim Rice Played His Entire 16-Year Career with the Boston Red Sox
* 8x All-Star
3x Home Run Leader
Elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2009
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Fun Fact!
The A-Team Drove a 1983 GMC Vandura Van With a Red Stripe, Black and Red Turbine Mag Wheels, and a Rooftop Spoiler
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Other Notable Birthdays
Randy Meisner (Bassist)
March 8, 1946 – July 25, 2023
Passed Away at Age 77 From Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)
Founding Member of the Eagles
Clive Burr (Drummer)
March 8, 1957 - March 13, 2013
Passed Away at Age 56 From MS
Drummer For Iron Maiden
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Passed Away
(On This Day)
Ray Nitsche (Football)
December 29, 1936 - March 8, 1998
Passed Away at Age 61 From a Heart Attack
Played All 15-Seasons With the Green Bay Packers (Linebacker)
* 5x NFL Champion
NFL 50th Anniversary All-Time Team
Elected to the Football Hall of Fame in 1978 (First Ballot)
Joe DiMaggio (Baseball) “The Yankee Clipper”
November 25, 1914 - March 8, 1999
Passed Away at Age 84 From Lung Cancer
* 13x All-Star
3x AL MVP
9x World Series Champion
MLB Record 56-Game Hitting Streak
Elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1955 (Fourth Ballot)
Jon Vukovich (Baseball)
July 31, 1947 - March 8, 2007
Passed Away at Age 59 From a Brain Tumor
Won the World Series With the Philadelphia Phillies in 1980 (Infielder)
Marshall Brodien (Magician)
July 10, 1934 - March 8, 2019
Passed Away at Age 84 From Alzheimer's Disease
Played Wizzo the Wizard on The Bozo the Clown Show
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80s Movies
(Released On This Day)
1985 - Mask
Director: Peter Bogdanovich
Starring: Cher, Eric Stoltz, Sam Elliott, and Laura Dern
Budget: $7.5 Million
Box Office: $48.2 Million
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80s Television
(On This Day)
1980 - The 100th Episode of Saturday Night Live Aired
Host: Rodney Dangerfield
Musical Guest: J. Geils Band
1980 - The 7th People’s Choice Awards Aired on CBS
Hosts: Army Archerd and Lee Remick
Favorite All-Around Female Entertainer: Carol Burnett
Favorite All-Around Female Entertainer: Alan Alda
1983 - Fandango, I 40 Paradise and Nashville Now Premiered on TNN
1987 - Final Episode of the A-Team
Seasons: 5
Episodes: 98
Network: NBC
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80s Music
(On This Day)
1982 - Hex Enduction Hour
The Fall (4th Album)
* Reached #71 in the UK and #2 in UK Indie
1985 - The Night I Fell in Love
Luther Vandross (4th Album)
Billboard Charts: #19
* #1 in R&B
1988 - Racing After Midnight
Honeymoon Suite (3rd Album)
Billboard Charts: #86
* #6 in Canada
In Other 80s Music News
1980 - The Tbilisi Rock Festival Began
* The First state-Sanctioned Rock Music Festival in the Soviet Union
1986 - The Young Ones and Cliff Richard Released a New Version of "Living Doll" For a Comic Relief Charity
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80s Sports
(On This Day)
1983 - The Wild Samoans Beat Jules and Chief Jay Strongbow For the WWF Tag Team Championship
* Lost the Title to Soul Patrol (Tony Atlas and Rocky Johnson) on November 15, 1983
The Wild Somoans Won the WWF Tag Team Championship 3 Times
1986 - Martina Navratilova Became the First Woman to Win $10 Million Dollars in Prize Money