April 30th in 80s History
Headlines
(April 30th)
1982 - A Flock of Seagulls Released Their Debut Album Featuring the Hit Song "I Ran"
* Reached #10 on the US Billboard Charts
Fun Fact!
A Flock of Seagulls Formed in 1979 in Liverpool, England
1984 - The Final Episode of That’s Incredible! Aired
* Ran 5 Seasons
Considered the First Reality TV Show
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1985 - Virginia Tech Defensive End, Bruce Smith Was the #1 Overall Pick in the 50th NFL Draft by the Buffalo Bills
Seasons: 19
Pro Bowls: 11
8x First Team All-Pro
2x Defensive Player of the Year (1990, 1995)
Elected to the Football Hall of Fame in 2009
Fun Fact!
The Houston Oilers Threatened to Shut Down the 1985 Draft Because of a Trade Dispute With the Minnesota Vikings
1983 - "Beat It" by Michael Jackson Became the #1 Song in America
* #1 Song in America from April 30 - May 20
Also Hit #1 in Canada, Belgium, Netherlands and New Zealand
80s Music
(Albums Released On This Day)
1982 - A Flock of Seagulls
A Flock Of Seagulls (Debut Album)
Billboard Charts: #10
1984 - Junk Culture
Orchestral Manoeuvre in the Dark (5th Album)
Billboard Charts: #182
1984 - The Pros and Cons of Hitch Hiking
Roger Waters (Debut Solo Album)
Billboard Charts: #31
* Roger Waters is the Bassist For Pink Floyd
1984 - The Top
The Cure (5th Album)
Billboard Charts: #180
1986 - The Final Frontier
Keel (3rd Album)
* 2nd Album Produced by KISS
Singles Released
1981 - “The One That You Love”
Air Supply
#1 Song in America from July 25 - 31
* Hit #2 in Canada
In Other 80s Music News
1982 - Rock Journalist, Lester Bangs Died of an Overdose From Prescription Drugs
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80s Sports
(On This Day)
1984 - Los Angeles Dodgers Pitcher, Fernando Valenzuela Pitched a Complete Game Shutout to Beat the San Francisco Giants 1 - 0 at Candlestick Park on a Monday Night
Attendance: 28,062
1985 - Bruce Smith DE Virginia Tech Was the #1 Overall Pick in the NFL Draft by the Buffalo Bills
Top 10 Picks
1. Bruce Smith DE
Buffalo Bills
College: Virginia Tech
2. Bill Fralic OG
Atlanta Falcons
College: Pittsburgh
3. Ray Childress DE
Houston Oilers
College: Texas A&M
4. Chris Doleman DE
Minnesota Vikings
College: Pittsburgh
5. Duane Bickett LB
Baltimore Colts
College: USC
6. Lomas Brown OT
Detroit Lions
College: Florida
7. Ken Ruettgers OT
Green Bay Packers
College: USC
8. Ron Holmes DE
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
College: Washington
9. Kevin Allen OT
Philadelphia Eagles
College: Indiana
10. Al Toon WR
New York Jets
College: Wisconsin
#16 Jerry Rice WR
San Francisco 49ers
College: Mississippi Valley State
Fun Fact!
For the Second Consecutive Year, Their Wasn't a Quarterback Selected in the First Round
* Randall Cunningham Was the First QB Taken at #37 in the 2nd Round by the Philadelphia Eagles
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In Other 80s News
(On This Day)
1980 - Six Iranian Men Stormed the Iranian Embassy in London
"Beat It" Became the #1 Song in America
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#1 Songs in America
(April 30th)
1980 - "Call Me"
Blondie
4/19 - 5/30
1981 - "Kiss on My List"
Hall & Oates
4/11 - 5/1
1982 - "I Love Rock 'n' Roll"
Joan Jett and the Blackhearts
3/20 - 5/7
1983 - "Beat It"
Michael Jackson
4/30 - 5/20
1984 - "Against All Odds"
Phil Collins
4/21 - 5/11
1985 - "We Are the World"
USA for Africa
4/13 - 5/10
1986 - "Kiss"
Prince
4/19 - 5/2
1987 - "I Knew You Were Waiting"
Aretha Franklin and George Michael
4/18 - 5/1
1988 - "Where Do Broken Hearts Go"
Whitney Houston
4/23 - 5/6
1989 - "Like a Prayer"
Madonna
4/22 - 5/12
1939 - Franklin D. Roosevelt Became the First President of the United States to Appear on Television
* NBC Filmed Him at the First New York’s World Fair
1947 - In Nevada, Boulder Dam Was Renamed Hoover Dam
2009 - Chrysler Filed For Chapter 11 Bankruptcy
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In Other News
(On April 30th)
1789 - George Washington Took the Oath to Become the First President of the United States
* Held on the Balcony of the Federal Hall in New York City
1803 - The United States Purchased the Louisiana Territory From France For $15 Million Dollars
* Doubled the Size of The United States Overnight
1938 - Bugs Bunny Made His First Appearance as the “Happy Rabbit” in the Animated Short Porky's Hare
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Happy 80s Birthdays
1946 - Bill Plympton (Cartoonist)
1949 - Phil Garner (Baseball)
1953 - Merrill Osmond (Singer)
1957 - Winder Mike (Rapper) Sugarhill Gang
1961 - Isiah Thomas (Basketball)
1963 - Michael Waltrip (Race Car Driver)
1975 - Johnny Galecki (Actor) Christmas Vacation
Fun Fact!
Johnny Galecki Was the Highest Paid TV Star from 2017 - 19 (The Big Bang Theory)
Other Notable Birthdays
Cloris Leachman (Actress)
April 30, 1926 - January 27, 2021
Passed Away in Her California Home at Age 94 Frfom a Stroke (Caused by Covid-19)
Played Beverly Ann on The Facts of Life
Burt Young (Actor)
April 30, 1940 - October 8, 2023
Passed Away at Age 83 From Cardiac Arrest
Nominated For an Academy Award For Best Supporting Actor For HIs Role as Paulie in Rocky (1976)
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Passed Away
(On This Day)
Ben E. King (Singer)
September 28, 1938 - April 30, 2015
Passed Away at Age 76 From Coronary Problems
Best Known For the Song, “Stand by Me”
* The Song Hit #1 in 1961 and 1986
Peter Mahew (Actor)
May 19, 1944 - April 30, 2019
Passed Away at Age 74 From a Heart Attack
Played Chewbacca in Star Wars
* Mahew Was 7 ft. 3
Naomi Judge (Country Singer)
January 11, 1946 - April 30, 2022
at Age 76 From a Self-Inflicted Gunshot Wound After a Long Struggle With Depression
5x Grammy Award Winner
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80s Movies
(Released On This Day)
1982 - Partners
Director: James Burrows
Starring: Ryan O’Neal and John Hurt
Budget: $6 Million
Box Office: $6.1 Million
1982 - Soup for One
Director: Jonathan Kaufer
Starring: Saul Rubinek, Marcia Strassman, Gerrit Graham and Teddy Pendergrass
Budget: N/A
Box Office: N/A
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80s Television
(On This Day)
1984 - Final Episode of That’s Incredible!
Seasons: 5
Did You Know?
Tiger Woods Was on an Episode of That's Incredible in 1981 at Age 5
1988 - Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson Got Married
* Still Married Today
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