Happy 80s Birthdays
1941 - Ben Jones (Actor) Dukes of Hazzard (Cooter)
Birthplace: Tarboro, North Carolina
1948 - Lewis Black (Comedian)
Birthplace: Washington, D.C.
1953 - Robert Parrish (Basketball)
Birthplace: Shreveport, Louisiana
1962 - Ricky Sanders (Football)
Birthplace: Temple, Texas
Fun Fact!
Robert Parrish Was the #8 Overall Pick in the 1976 Draft by the Golden State Warriors
* Traded to the Boston Celtics in 1980
College: Centenary
NBA Seasons: 21
Position: Center
All-Star: 9
NBA Champion: 4
Elected to the Pro Basketball Hall of Fame in 2003
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Other Notable Birthdays
Ted Williams (Baseball)
August 30, 1918 - July 5, 2002
Birthplace: San Diego, California
Passed Away at Age 83 From Cardiac Arrest
MLB Seasons: 19 (Boston Red Sox)
Position: Outfield
Career Average: .344
Home Runs: 521
All-Star: 19
AL MVP: 2 (1946, 1949)
Triple Crown: 2 (1942, 1947)
Elected to the Pro Baseball Hall of Fame in 1966 (1st Ballot)
Daryl Gates (Police Officer)
August 30, 1926 - April 16, 2010
Birthplace: Glendale, California
Passed Away at Age 83 From Bladder Cancer
* The Chief of the LAPD From 1978 to 1992
The Founder of D.A.R.E. (Drug Abuse Resistance Education)
John Phillips (Singer)
August 30, 1935 - March 18, 2001
Birthplace: Paris Island, South Carolina
Passed Away at Age 65 From Heart Failure
* Had a Liver Transplant in 1992 Because of Drug and Alcohol Abuse
The Lead Singer For the Mamas and the Papas
Tug McGraw (Baseball)
August 30, 1944 - January 5, 2004
Birthplace: Martinez, CA
Passed Away at Age 59 From a Brain Tumor
MLB Seasons: 20
Position: Pitcher
All-Star: 2 (1972, 1975)
Recorded the Final Out in 1980 World Series Against the Kansas City Royals to Give the Philadelphia Phillies Their First World Series Championship
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Passed Away
(On this Day)
Charles Bronson (Actor)
November 3, 1921 - August 30, 2003
Birthplace: Ehrenfield, Pennsylvania
Passed Away at Age 81 From Respiratory Failure
* Was Suffering From Alzheimer's Disease
Best Known For Playing Paul Kersey in the Death Wish Films
Wes Craven (Director and Screenwriter)
August 2, 1939 - August 30, 2015
Birthplace: Cleveland, Ohio
Passed Away at Age of 76 From a Brain Tumor
* Died in His Los Angeles Home
Produced and Directed the 1984 Film A Nightmare on Elm Street and Many Other Horror Films
Valerie Harper (Actress)
August 22, 1939 - August 30, 2019
Birthplace: Suffern, New York
Passed Away at Age 80 From Lung Cancer
* Diagnosed on March 6, 2013
A 3x Emmy Award Winner (1971, 1972, 1973) For Her Role as Rhoda Morgenstern on The Mary Tyler Moore Show and in 1975 For Rhoda
Mikhail Gorbachev (Soviet Politician)
March 2, 1931 - August 30, 2022
Birthplace: Privolnoye, North Caucasus Krai, Russian SFSR, USSR
Passed Away at Age 91 After Battling a Long Illness
* Suffered From Major Diabetes
The Leader of the Soviet Union From 1985 to 1991
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80s Movies
(On This Day)
1985 - American Ninja
Director: Sam Firstenberg
Starring: Michael Dudikoff, Guich Koock and Judie Aronson
Budget: $1 Million
Box Office: $10.4 Million
1985 - Compromising Positions
Director: Frank Perry
Starring: Susan Sarandon, Raúl Juliá, Judith Ivey, Edward Herrmann, Mary Beth Hurt, Joe Mantegna, Deborah Rush, Anne De Salvo and Josh Mostel
Budget: $9 Million
Box Office: $12.5 Million
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80s Television
(On This Day)
1987 - Crossbow Premiered on The Family Channel
Seasons: 3
Episodes: 72
Click Here For More TV Fun Facts and Awards
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80s Music
(Albums Released On This Day)
1982 - Hughes/Thrall
Hughes/Thrall (Debut Album)
1983 - Mummer
XTC (6th Album)
Billboard Charts: #145
1988 - Chameleon Days
Yanni (4th Album)
* Reached #2 on the New Age Charts
1988 - Danzig
Danzig (Debut Album)
Billboard Charts: #125
1988 - Other Roads
Boz Scaggs (10th Album)
Billboard Charts: #47
1988 - Slow Turning
John Hiatt (9th Album)
Billboard Charts: #98
1989 - Kix Brooks
Kix Brooks (Debut Album)
Singles Released
1989 - “When I See You Smile"
Bad English
#1 Song in America from November 11 - 24
* Also Hit #1 in Canada
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80s Sports
(On This Day)
1981 - Willie Shoemaker Won the First $1 Million Dollar Purse in Thoroughbred History
Race: Arlington Million
Horse: John Henry
Trainer: Ron McAnally
Owner: Dotsam Stable
1987 - Kirby Puckett (Minnesota Twins) Went 6 - 6 With 2 Home Runs Against the Milwaukee Brewers
* The Twins Beat the Brewers 10 - 6 at County Stadium on a Sunday Afternoon
Attendance: 22,417
1988 - Kent Tekulve Became the 2nd Pitcher to Appear in 1,000 Games
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Other Notable Dates
(August 30th)
1967 - Thurgood Marshall Officially Became the First African-American Supreme Court Judge
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#1 Songs in America
(August 30th)
1980 - "Sailing"
Christopher Cross
8/30 - 9/5
1981 - "Endless Love"
Diana Ross and Lionel Richie
8/15 - 10/16
1982 - "Eye of the Tiger"
Survivor
7/24 - 9/3
1983 - "Every Breath You Take"
The Police
7/9 - 9/2
1984 "Ghostbusters"
Ray Parker, Jr.
8/11 - 8/31
1985 - "The Power of Love"
Huey Lewis and the News
8/24 - 7/6
1986 - "Higher Love"
Steve Winwood
8/30 - 9/5
1987 - "La Bamba"
Los Lobos
8/29 - 9/18
1988 - "Monkey"
George Michael
8/27 - 9/9
1989 - "Right Here Waiting"
Richard Marx
8/12 - 9/1
Click Here For More Music Fun Facts and Awards
Headlines
(August 30th)
1980 - “Sailing” by Christopher Cross Hit #1 on the US Billboard Charts
* #1 Song in America from August 30 - September 5
Canada: #1
Won a Grammy Award For “Song of the Year"
Fun Fact!
At the 1981 Grammy Awards Christopher Cross Became the First and Only Singer to Win a Grammy For "Album of the Year", "Song of the Year", "Record of the Year" and "Breakthrough Artist of the Year" on the Same Night
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August 30th in 80s History
1981 - Willie Shoemaker Won the First Million Dollar Horse Race Aboard John Henry in the Arlington Million at Arlington Park, Illinois
Race: The Arlington Million
Track: Arlington Park, Illinois
Trainer: Ron McNally
Owner: Dotsam Stables
1984 - The Space Shuttle Discovery Made Its Maiden Voyage
* On February 1, 2003 Columbia Disintegrated Upon Re Entry, Killing the 7-Member Crew
'Sailing" Became the #1 Song in America
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1986 - “Higher Love” by Steve Winwood Became the #1 Song in America
* #1 Song in America from August 30 - September 5
Also Hit #1 in Canada
Fun Fact!
Steve Winwood Achieved Fame in 1964 as a Member of The Spencer Davis Group in 1964
* Formed in Birmingham England in 1963
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