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#1 Songs in America
(April 8th)
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 - "Man in the Mirror"
Michael Jackson
3/26 - 4/8
1989 - "The Look"
Roxette
4/8 - 4/14
Click Here For More Music Fun Facts and Awards
"The Look" Became the #1 Song in America
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In Other News
(On April 8th)
1974 - Hank Aaron Broke Babe Ruth’s All-Time Home Run Record with His 715th Career Home Run
Career Home Runs: 755
Happy 80s Birthdays
1947 - Steve Howe (English Guitarist) Yes
Birthplace: Holloway, London, England
1951 - Mel Schacher (Bassist) Grand Funk Railroad
Birthplace: Owosso, Michigan
1960 - John Schneider (Actor) The Dukes of Hazzard “Bo”
Birthplace: Mount Kisco, New York
1963 - Julian Lennon (Singer)
Birthplace: Liverpool, England
1963 - Terry Porter (Basketball)
Birthplace: Milwaukee, Wisconsin
1966 - Robin Wright (Actress) The Princess Bride, Forrest Gump
Birthplace: Dallas, Texas:
Fun Fact!
Julian Lennon is the Son of Former Beatles, John Lennon
* Julian's Most Successful Song is "Too Late For Goodbyes"
Fun Fact!
Frank Robinson and Shohei Ohtani Are the Only Players to With MVP in Both Leagues
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Will Clark
1987 - Los Angeles Dodgers Executive Al Campanis Was Forced to Resign 2 Days After He Said Blacks May Not be Equipped to be in Baseball Management
* The Team That Drafted Jackie Robinson Said "No Way" to This Behavior
1989 - "The Look" by Roxette Became the #1 Song in America
* #1 Song in America from April 8 - 14
Also Hit #1 in Germany, Italy, Spain, Norway, Denmark, Finland, Australia and New Zealand
Fun Fact!
The Duo Pop Group Roxette Was Formed in Halmstad, Sweden in 1986
Members: Per Gessle and Lena Phillipson
1975 - Frank Robinson (Cleveland Indians) Became the First African-American Manager in Major League Baseball
1989 - One-Handed Pitcher, Jim Abbott Made His Major League Debut With the California Angels
* Pitched a No-Hitter in 1993 With the New York Yankees
Fun Fact!
Jim Abbott Won The Golden Spikes Award in 1987 For The Best College Baseball Player in America While attending the University of Michigan
* The 8th Overall Pick in the 1988 MLB Draft
April 8th in 80s History
On April 8, 1986 Will Clark Hit a Home Run Off Nolan Ryan in His First Major League At-Bat
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Other Notable Birthdays
Gary Carter (Baseball)
April 8, 1954 - February 16, 2012
Birthplace: Culver City, California
Passed Away at Age 57 From Brain Cancer
MLB Seasons: 19
Position: Catcher
All-Star: 11
World Series Champion: 1986 (New York Mets)
Elected to the Pro Baseball Hall of Fame in 2003 (6th Ballot)
Ricky Bell (Football)
April 8, 1955 - November 28, 1984
Birthplace: Houston, Texas
Passed Away at Age 29 From Heart Failure Caused by Dermatomyositis
NFL Seasons: 6
Position: Running Back
Fun Fact!
Ricky Bell Was the #1 Overall Pick in the 1977 NFL Draft by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
College: USC
Biz Markie (Rapper)
April 8, 1964 - July 16, 2021
Birthplace: New York City
Passed Away on April 8 2021 at Age 57 of Severe Complications From Type 2 Diabetes
* Best Known For the 1999 Hit Song “Just a Friend”
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Passed Away
(On This Day)
Auguste Deter (German Patient)
May 16, 1850 - April 8, 1906
Birthplace: Kassel, Electorate of Hesse
Passed Away at Age 55 From Sepsis Caused by an Infected Bedsore
* She Was Suffering From Alzheimer's Disease
Auguste Deter Was the First Person Diagnosed With Alzheimer's Disease
Barbara Thatcher (British Stateswoman)
October 13, 1925 - April 8, 2013
Birthplace: Grantham, Lincolnshire, England
Passed Away at Age 87 From a Stroke
* Carcinoma of the Bladder Contributing
The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom From 1979 to 1990
Annette Funicello (Actress and Singer)
October 22, 1942 - April 8, 2013
Birthplace: Utica, New York
Passed Away at Age 70 From Multiple Sclerosis
* Diagnosed in 1987
Annette Funicello Was an Original Mouseketeer
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80s Movies
(Released On This Day)
1983 - Losin’ It
Director: Curtis Hanson
Starring: Tom Cruise, Shelley Long, Jackie Earle Haley, and John Stockwell
Budget: $7 Million
Box Office: $1.2 Million
1988 - Above the Law
Director: Andrew Davis
Starring: Steven Seagal, Pam Grier and Sharon Stone
Budget: $7.5 Million
Box Office: $18.8 Million
1988 - 18 Again!
Director: Paul Flaherty
Starring: George Burns and Charlie Schlatter with Pauly Shore
Budget: N/A
Box Office: N/A
1988 - Bad Dreams
Director: Andrew Fleming
Starring: Jennifer Rubin, Bruce Abbott, E. G. Daily, Harris Yulin and Richard Lynch
Budget: $4.5 Million
Box Office: $9.8 Million
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80s Television
(On This Day)
1986 - Final Episode of Foley Square
Seasons: 1
Episodes: 14
Starred Jon Lovitz
1986 - Final Episode of Mary
Seasons: 1
Episodes: 13
Starring Mary Tyler Moore
* Featuring James Farentino, John Astin and Katey Sagal
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80s Music
(Albums Released On This Day)
1982 - Toto IV
Toto (4th Album)
Billboard Charts:
Reached #4 on the US Billboard 200 Charts and #1 in Canada and Netherlands
* Featuring “Rosanna”
Over 3 Million Copies Sold in the US
1982 - D.E. 7th
Dave Edmunds (7th Album)
Billboard Charts:
Reached #46 on the US Billboard 200 Charts
1983 - Faster Than the Speed of Night
Bonnie Tyler (5th Album)
Billboard Charts:
Reached #4 on the US Billboard 200 Charts and Hit #1 in the UK, Norway and New Zealand
Featuring “Total Eclipse of the Heart”
1983 - The Luxury Gap
Heaven 17 (2nd Album)
*Reached #4 in the UK
1984 - 99 Luftballons (Compilation Album)
Nena
Billboard Charts:
Reached #27 on the US Billboard 200 Charts
* First Album Released in English
1988 - Odyssey
Yngwie Malmsteen (4th Album)
Reached #4 on the US Billboard 200 Charts
Singles Released
1988 - “Your Wildest Dreams
The Moody Blues
Reached #9 on the US Billboard Charts
* First Top 10 Song Since 1972
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80s Sports
(On This Day)
1981 - Future Hall of Famers Steve Carlton (Phillies) and Tom Seaver (Reds) Faced Each Other on Opening Day
* The Reds beat the Phillies 3-2 in Cincinnati
Attendance: 51,716
Tom Seaver (8 IP 1 ER 4 SO)
Steve Carlton (7 IP 1 ER 8 SO)
1981 - New York Islanders Scored 9 Goals in a Playoff Win Against the Toronto Maple Leafs
1986 - Will Clark Hit a Home Run off Nolan Ryan in His First Major League At-Bat
1987 - Los Angeles Dodgers Executive Al Campanis Was Forced to Resign
* Said Blacks May Not be Equipped to be in Baseball Management
1989 - California Angels One-Handed Pitcher Jim Abbott Made His Major League Debut Against the Seattle Mariners
Pitched 4.2 Innings 3 ER
* The Mariners beat the Angels 7 - 0 at Anaheim Stadium
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In Other 80s News
(On This Day)
1986 - Clint Eastwood Was Elected Mayor of Carmel, California
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Headlines
(April 8th)
1983 - David Copperfield Made the Statue of Liberty Disappear in Front of a Live Audience
Fun Fact!
David Copperfield Used to be the Highest Paid Entertainer in the World
* Still Worth Over a Billion Dollars Today
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