In Other News
(On May 20th)
1862 - President Lincoln Signed the Homestead Act Into Law
* Opened 84 Million Acres of Public Land to Settlers
1873 - Levi Strauss and Jacob Davis Received a Patent For Blue Jeans (Originally Designed For Miners)
* Popularized as Casual Wear by Marlon Brando and James Dean in the 50s Films (The Wild One and Rebel Without a Cause)
Jeans Became a Symbol of Rebellion Among Teenagers Especially Greasers, Portrayed in Grease and The Outsiders
1891 - Thomas Edison's Displayed His Prototype of the Kinetoscope, the First Motion Picture Device
* Designed For Films to be Viewed by One Person at a Time Through a Peephole Viewer
1902 - Cuba Gained Independence From the United States
* Tomás Estrada Palma Became Cuba's First President
1932 - Amelia Earhart Took Off From Newfoundland to Begin the World's First Solo Nonstop Flight Across the Atlantic Ocean by a Female Pilot
* Landed in Ireland the Next Day
1969 - The Battle of Hamburger Hill Ended in Vietnam
* Considered a Wasted Battle
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May 20th in 80s History
Happy 80s Birthdays
1936 - Anthony Zerbe (Actor) License to Kill
1946 - Cher (Singer and Actress)
1949 - Dave Thomas (Actor) Strange Brew
1955 - Steve George (Keyboardist) Mr. Mister
1958 - Jane Wiedlin (Singer) Go-Go’s
1963 - David Wells (Baseball)
Fun Fact!
David Wells (New York Yankees) Pitched a Perfect Game on May 17, 1998 Against the Minnesota Twins
Headlines
(May 20th)
1982 - The Final Episode of Barney Miller Aired
Ran 8 Seasons with 170 Episodes
Won an Emmy For Most Outstanding Drama in 1982
* Nominated 7 Times
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'Forever Your Girl" Became the #1 Song in America
1989 - Saturday Night Live Star Gilda Radner Passed Away at Age 42 From Ovarian Cancer
1989 - "Forever" Your Girl" by Paula Abdul Hit #1 On the US BillBoard Charts
* #1 Song in America from May 20 - June 2
Also Hit #1 in Canada
1983 - The First AIDS Publications Were Published in the Journal Science by Luc Montagnier
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#1 Songs in America
(May 21st)
1980 - "Call Me"
Blondie
4/19 - 5/30
1981 - "Bette Davis Eyes"
Kim Carnes
5/16 - 6/19
1982 - "Ebony and Ivory"
Paul McCartney and Stevie Wonder
5/15 - 7/2
1983 - "Beat It"
Michael Jackson
4/30 - 5/20
1984 - "Hello"
Lionel Richie
5/12 - 5/25
1985 - "Don't You (Forget About Me)"
Simple Minds
5/18 - 5/24
1986 - "Greatest Love of All"
Whitney Houston
5/17 - 6/6
1987 - "With or Without You"
U2
5/16 - 6/5
1988 - "Anything For You"
Gloria Estefan and Miami Sound Machine
5/14 - 5/27
1989 - "Forever Your Girl"
Paula Abdul
5/20 - 6/2
Click Here For More Music Fun Facts and Awards
Other Notable Birthdays
Bud Grant (Football Coach)
May 20, 1927 - March 11, 2023
Passed Away in His Home at Age 95 (Unknown Cause)
Head Coach of the Minnesota Vikings From 1967 to 1983 and Again in 1985
* Led the Vikings to 4 Super Bowls, Losing All 4
Elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1994
Joe Cocker (Singer)
May 20, 1944 - December 22, 2014
Passed Away at Age 70 From Lung Cancer
Sang the Them Song For The Wonder Years
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Passed Away
(On This Day)
Gilda Radner (Actress and Comedian)
June 28, 1946 - May 20, 1989
Passed Away at Age 42 From Ovarian Cancer
An Original Saturday Night Live Cast Member
Randy “Macho Man” Savage (Wrestler)
November 15, 1952 - May 20, 2011
Passed Away at Age 58 From a Car Accident After Suffering a Heart Attack While Driving
Elected to the WWE Hall of Fame in 2015
* 2x WWE Heavyweight Champion
4x WCW Heavyweight Champion
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80s Movies
(Released On This Day)
1983 - Spacehunter: Adventures in the Forbidden Zone
Director: Lamont Johnson
Starring: Peter Strauss, Molly Ringwald, Ernie Hudson and Michael Ironside
Budget: $14.4 Million
Box Office: $16.5 Million
1983 - Tough Enough
Director: Richard Fleischer
Starring: Dennis Quaid, Pam Grier, Warren Oates and Stan Shaw
Budget: N/A
Box Office: $2.4 Million
1987 - Beverly Hills Cop II
Director: Tony Scott
Starring: Eddie Murphy, Judge Reinhold, John Astin and Ronny Cox
Budget: $20 Million
Box Office: $300 Million
1988 - Call Me
Director: Sollace Mitchell
Starring: Patricia Charbonneau, Stephen McHattie, Boyd Gaines, Sam Freed and Steve Buscemi
Budget: N/A
Box Office: $251,000
1988 - Willow
Director: Ron Howard
Starring: Val Kilmer and Warwick Davis
Budget: $35 Million
Box Office: $57.3 Million
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80s Television
(On This Day)
1982 - Final Episode of Barney Miller
Seasons: 8
Episodes: 170
1989 - Final Episode of Small Wonder
Seasons: 4
Episodes: 96
1989 - Steve Martin Hosted the Season 14 Finale of Saturday Night Live
Musical Guest: Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers
“New Coneheads” debut
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80s Music
(Albums Released On This Day)
1980 - Unmasked
Kiss (8th Album)
Billboard Charts: #35
* Hit #1 in Norway
1981 - The Fox
Elton John (15th Album)
Billboard Charts: #21
1985 - Shaken ‘n’ Stirred
Robert Plant (3rd Solon Album)
Billboard Charts: #20
1985 - Seven Wishes
Night Ranger (3rd Album)
Billboard Charts: #10
1985 - Power of the Night
Savatage (2nd Album)
1987 - Beverly Hills Cop II (Soundtrack)
Various Artists
Billboard Charts: #8
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80s Sports
(On This Day)
1983 - Larry Holmes Beat Tim Witherspoon in a Split Decision to Retain the WBC Heavyweight Championship
Record: 43 - 0
1983 - Michael Dokes Beat Mike Weaver to Retain the WBA Heavyweight Championship
Rounds: 15
Record: 26- 0- 2
Dokes Lost the Belt in His Next Fight to Gerrie Coetzee
1984 - Boston Red Sox Pitcher, Roger Clemens Recorded His First Major League Victory
* The Red Sox Beat the Twins 5 - 4 at the Metrodome in Minnesota on a Sunday Afternoon
Attendance: 26,731
Clemens 7 IP 4 ER 7 SO
1985 - Larry Holmes Beat Carl Williams in a Unanimous Decision to Retain the IBF Heavyweight Championship and Linear Championships
Record: 48 - 0
Holmes Lost the Belt in His Next Fight to Michael Spinks
1986 - The Boston Red Sox Scored 17 Runs (20 Hits) Without Hitting a Home Run Against the Minnesota Twins
* The Red Sox Beat the Twins 17 - 7 at Fenway Park in Boston on a Tuesday Night
Attendance: 20,880
1986 - Fernando Valenzuela (Los Angeles Dodgers) Pitched a Complete Game Shutout Against the Montreal Expos
* The Dodgers Beat the Expos 4 - 0 in Los Angeles on a Tuesday Night
Attendance: 38,845
1986 - Mike Tyson Beat Mitch Green in a 10 Round Unanimous Decision
Record: 21 - 0
1989 - Pat Valenzuela Won the Preakness Stakes Aboard Sunday Silence
Trainer: Charles Whittingham
Owner: E. Gaillard/A. Hancock/C. Whittingham
Sunday Silence Won the Kentucky Derby
* Finished 2nd at Belmont
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In Other 80s News
(On This Day)
1989 - The Chinese Authorities Declared Martial Law Setting the Scene For the Tiananmen Square Massacre