Headlines
(April 9th)
1981 - Los Angeles Dodgers Pitcher Fernando Valenzuela's Pitched a Shutout on Opening Day in His First Major League Start
* Original Starting Pitcher, Jerry Reuss Pulled His Hamstring Before the Game
“Fernando Mania” Began
Other Notable Birthdays
Hugh Hefner (American Pubklisher)
April 9, 1926 - September 27, 2017
Passed Away at Age 91 From Sepsis Caused from E. Coli
Founder of Playboy
Steve Ballesteros (Golf)
April 9, 1957 - May 7, 2011
Passed Away at Age 54 From a Brain Tumor
Won the Masters in 1980 & 1983
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Passed Away
(On This Day)
Willie Stargell (Baseball)
March 6, 1940 - April 9, 2001
Passed Away at Age 61 From a Stroke
* 7x All-Star
National League MVP in 1979
Elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1988 (First Ballot)
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80s Movies
(Released On This Day)
1986 - Dr. Otto and the Riddle of the Gloom
Director: John R. Cherry III
Starring: Jim Varney
Budget: N/A
Box Office: N/A
First Film to Feature the Ernest Character
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80s Television
(On This Day)
1981 - Checking In Premiered on CBS
Seasons: 1
Episodes: 4
* Spin-Off from the Jefferson’s
Starring Marla Gibbs
1984 - The 56th Academy Awards Aired on ABC
Location: Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in Los Angeles, California
Best Picture: Terms of Endearment
Best Actor: Robert Duvall - Tender Mercies
Best Actress: Shirley MacLaine (Terms of Endearment)
1985 - Final Episode of Three’s a Crowd
Seasons: 1
Episodes: 2
* Three’s Company Spin-Off
1988 - Final Episode of High Mountain Rangers
Seasons: 1
Episodes: 12
* About a Search and Rescue Team in Lake Tahoe
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80s Music
(On This Day)
1982 - Broadsword and the Beast
Jethro Tull (14th Album)
Billboard Charts: #19
1982 - Jump Up!
Elton John (16th Album)
Billboard Charts: #17
* Hit #1 in New Zealand
1984 - Reckoning
R.E.M. (2nd Album)
Billboard Charts: #27
1986 - The Other Side of Life
The Moody Blues (12th Album)
Billboard Charts: #9
Singles Released
1983 - “Overkill”
Men at Work
Reached #3 on the US Billboard Charts
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80s Sports
(On This Day)
1980 - George Foster (Reds) Hit the First Home Run of the 80s
* Foster hit a 1st inning home run off Braves pitcher Phil Niekro
The Reds won 9-0 at Riverfront Stadium in Cincinnati in front of 51,774 on Opening Day
1980 - Gordie Howe Scored His Final NHL Goal
* Scored 801 goals in his career ranking 2nd to Wayne Gretzky with 894
1981 - Los Angeles Dodgers Pitcher Fernando Valenzuela's Pitched a Shutout On Opening Day In His First Major League Start
* The Dodgers beat the Astros 2-0 at Dodger Stadium
Attendance: 50,511
Did You Know?
Valenzuela Got the Start Because Jerry Ruess Pulled a Hamstring
* Fernando Mania Began
1981 - Brian Downing (California Angels) Became the First Major League Player to Hit a Grand Slam in the First Inning of Opening Day
* The Angels Beat the Mariners 6 - 2 at the Seattle Kingdome
Attendance: 33, 317
1982 - Los Angeles Lakers Blocked 21 Denver Nugget Shots to Set an NBA (Regulation) Record
* The Lakers Beat the Nuggets 153 - 128 in Los Angeles
Attendance: 16,433
1985 - Tom Seaver (White Sox) Was the Starting Pitcher in a Record 15th Opening Day Game
Started with 3 Different Teams the Mets, Reds and White Sox
* The White Sox beat the Brewers 4 - 2 at County Stadium in Milwaukee
Attendance: 53,027
1987 - Wayne Gretzky Became the All-Time Playoff Scoring Leader
* Passed Jean Beliveau
1989 - Nick Faldo Won the Masters
1989 - Mike Tyson Hit a Parking Attendant When Asked to Move His Car
1989 - Rickey Henderson (Yankees) Stole His 800th Career Base
* The Yankees Beat the Indians 4 - 3 at Yankee Stadium on a Sunday Afternoon
Attendance: 25,328
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In Other 80s News
(On This Day)
1983 - The 6th Space Shuttle Mission-Challenger 1 Returned to Earth
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1989 - 53 Year Old Rolling Stones Guitarist Bill Wyman Got Engaged to His 19-Year Old Girlfriend Mandy Smith
* Dating Since She Was 13
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Other Notable Dates
(On April 9th)
1865 - The Civil War Came to an End
* Robert E. Lee Surrendered the Northern Virginia Army (26,765 troops) to Ulysses S. Grant at the Appomattox Court House
April 9th in 80s History
Roe vs. Wade
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Fun Fact!
Horton Smith (USA) Won the First Masters Tournament in 1934
First Place: $1,500
#1 Songs in America
(April 9th)
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 - "Get Out of Dreams, Get Into My Car"
Billy Ocean
4/9 - 4/22
1989 - "The Look"
Roxette
4/8 - 4/14
Click Here For More Music Fun Facts and Awards
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1965 - The Houston Astrodome Opened
* The Yankees Beat the Astros in an Exhibition Game (First Indoor Baseball Game)
Mickey Mantle Hit a Home Run
Happy 80s Birthdays
1939 - Michael Learned (Actress) Nurse
1945 - Steve Gadd (Drummer)
1945 - Peter Gammons (Baseball Analyst)
1953 - Hal Ketchum (Country Singer)
1954 - Dennis Quaid (Actor) Innerspace
1965 - Paulina Porizkova (Model)
1966 - Cynthia Nixon (Actress) Amadeus
1979 - Keshia Knight Pulliam (Actress) The Cosby Show
Fun Fact!
Michael Learned is Best Known for Playing Olivia Walton in The Waltons
* Also Won an Emmy Award For Most Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series For Her Role as Mary Benjamin in the TV Series Nurse
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"Get Out of Dreams, Get Into My Car Became the #1 Song in America
Fun Fact!
At the 56th Academy Awards, Linda Evans Won Best Supporting Actress to Become the First Person to Win an Oscar Playing a Character of the Opposite Sex
* Played Billy Kwan in the Film The Year of Living Dangerously
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On April 9, 1989 There was a March in Washington, D.C. Supporting the 1973 Roe vs Wade Decision to Allow Abortions
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1988 - "Get Out of My Dreams, Get Into My Car" by Billy Ocean Became the #1 Song in America
* #1 Song in America from April 8 - 22
Also Hit #1 in Canada, Ireland, Netherlands, Norway, Belgium, Australia and South Africa
1989 - Nick Faldo Beat Scott Hoch on the 2nd Hole of the Playoffs to Win The Masters
Winning Prize: $200,000
Runner Up: $120,000
Location: Augusta, Georgia
Nick Faldo Won The Masters 3 Times
1984 - Terms of Endearment Won “Best Picture” at the 56th Academy Awards
Location: Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in Los Angeles, California
Network: ABC
Host: Johnny Carson
Best Actor: Robert Duvall (Tender Mercies)
Best Actress: Shirley MacLaine (Terms of Endearment)
Most Wins: Terms of Endearment (5)
Most Nominations: Terms of Endearment (11)