Other Notable Birthdays
René Laennec (French Physician)
February 17, 1781 - August 13, 1826
Birthplace: Quimper, France
Passed Away at Age 45
* Unknown Cause of Death
Invented the First Stethoscope in 1816
Aaron Montgomery Ward
February 17, 1843 - December 7, 1913
Birthplace: Chatham, New Jersey
Passed Away at Age 70
* Unknown Cause of Death
Founded Montgomery Ward’s Department Store as a Mail Order Company in 1872
Wally Pipp (Baseball)
February 17, 1893 - January 11, 1965
Birthplace: Chicago, Illinois
Passed Away at Age 71 From a Heart Attack
MLB Seasons: 15
Position: First Base
AL Home Run Leader: 2 (1916, 1917)
World Series Champion: 1923 (New York Yankees)
Best Known For Being Replaced by Lou Gehrig at First Base On June 2, 1925 Because of a Headache
* Lou Gehrig Went On to Play in 2,130 Consecutive Games
Roger Craig (Baseball)
February 17, 1930 - June 4, 2023
Birthplace: Durham, North Carolina
Passed Away at Age 93
* Unknown Cause of Death
The Manager of the San Francisco Giants From 1985 to 1992
Fun Fact!
Roger Craig Was a 3x World Series Champion as a Player With the Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers (1955, 1959) and the St. Louis Cardinals (1964)
Buddy Ryan (Football Coach)
February 17, 1931 - June 28, 2016
Birthplace: Frederick, Oklahoma
Passed Away at Age 85 After a Lengthy Illness
* Was Fighting Cancer and a Stroke
Considered the Greatest Defensive Minded Coach in NFL History
Jim Brown (Football)
February 17, 1936 - May 18, 2023
Birthplace: St. Simons, Georgia
Passed Away at Age 87 From Natural Causes
NFL Seasons: 9
Position: Running Back
Considered One of the Greatest Football Players of All Time
Pro Bowl: 9
All-Pro: 8
Rushing Leader: 8
MVP: 3 (1957, 1958, 1965)
Elected to the Football Hall of Fame in 1971
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Passed Away
(On This Day)
Lefty Gomez (Baseball)
November 26, 1908 - February 17, 1989
Birthplace: Rodeo, California
Passed Away at Age 80 From Congestive Heart Failure
MLB Seasons: 14
Position: Pitcher
Career Wins: 189
Losses: 102
ERA: .334
All-Star: 7
World Series Champion: 5 (New York Yankees)
Inducted to the Pro Baseball Hall of Fame in 1972 (Veterans Committee)
Tony Phillips (Baseball)
April 25, 1959 - February 17, 2016
Birthplace: Atlanta, Georgia
Passed Away at Age 56 From a Heart Attack
Passed Away at Age 56 From a Heart Attack
MLB Seasons: 18
Position: Outfielder/Infielder
Teams: 7
Career Hits: 2,023
Won the World Series in 1989 With the Oakland A's
Rush Limbaugh (Radio Personality)
January 12, 1951 - February 17, 2021
Birthplace: Cape Girardeau, Missouri
Passed Away at Age 70 From Lung Cancer
* Known to be a Heavy Cigar Smoker
The Host of The Rush Limbaugh Show From 1984 to 2021
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80s Movies
(Released On This Day)
1983 - Local Hero
Director: Bill Forsyth
Starring: Peter Riegert, Denis Lawson, Fulton Mackay and Burt Lancaster
Budget: $2.6 Million
Box Office: $5.9 Million
1984 - Footloose
Director: Herbert Ross
Starring: Kevin Bacon, Lori Singer, Dianne Wiest, John Lithgow, Chris Penn, John Laughlin and Sarah Jessica Parker
Budget: $8.2 Million
Box Office: $80 Million
1984 - The Right Stuff
Director: Phillip Kaufman
Starring: Ed Harris, Scott Glenn, Sam Shepard, Fred Ward, Dennis Quaid and Barbara Hershey
Budget: $27 Million
Box Office: $21.1 Million
1984 - Blame it On Rio
Director: Stanley Donen
Starring: Michael Caine, Joseph Bologna, Valerie Harper, Michelle Johnson and Demi Moore
Budget: N/A
Box Office: $18.6 Million
1984 - Lassiter
Director: Roger Young
Starring: Tom Selleck, Jane Seymour, Lauren Hutton and Ed Lauter
Budget: $20 Million
Box Office: $17.5 Million
1984 - Crackers
Director: Louis Malle
Starring: Donald Sutherland, Jack Warden and Sean Penn
Budget: N/A
Box Office: $129,000
1989 - Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure
Director: Stephen Herek
Starring: Keanu Reeves, Alex Winter, George Carlin, Bernie Casey and Diane Franklin
Budget: $6.5 Million
Box Office: $40.5 Million
1989 - The Burbs
Director: Joe Dante
Starring: Tom Hanks, Bruce Dern, Carrie Fisher, Rick Ducommun and Corey Feldman
Budget: $18 Million
Box Office: $49.1 Million
1989 - True Believer
Director: Joseph Ruben
Starring: James Woods, Robert Downey Jr., Yuji Okumoto, Margaret Colin, Kurtwood Smith and Luis Guzman
Budget: N/A
Box Office: $8.7 Million
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80s Television
(On This Day)
1986 - Rod Roddy Became the New Host of The Price is Right
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80s Music
(Albums Released On This Day)
1980 - Tommy Tutone
Tommy Tutone (Debut Album)
Billboard Charts: #68
1981 - Another Ticket
Eric Clapton (7th Album)
Billboard Charts: #7
1981 - Being With You
Smokey Robinson (11th Solo Album)
Billboard Charts: #2
* #1 on the R&B
1981 - To Love Again (Compilation Album)
Diana Ross
Billboard Charts: #32
1984 - Into the Gap
Thompson Twins (4th Album)
Billboard Charts: #10
1984 - Budapest (Live Album)
Manfred Mann’s Earth Band
1986 - Balance of Power
Electric Light Orchestra (11th Album)
Billboard Charts: #49
1986 - Fatal Portrait
King Diamond (Debut Album)
1987 - Fighting the World
Manowar (5th Album)
1987 - Lee Aaron
Lee Aaron (4th Album)
1988 - Making Trouble
Geto Boys (Debut Album)
In Other 80s Music News
1989 - David Coverdale (Whitesnake) Married Tawny Kitaen
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80s Sports
(On This Day)
1980 - Buddy Baker Won the Daytona 500
Number: 28
Starting Position: Pole
Team: Ranier-Lundy
Car Manufacturer: Oldsmobile
1985 - Bill Elliott Won the Daytona 500
Number: 9
Starting Position: Pole
Team: Melling Racing
Car Manufacturer: Ford
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In Other 80s News
(On This Day)
Krzysztof Wielicki and Leszek Cichy Became the First People to Climb Mt. Everest in the Winter Time
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Other Notable Dates
(On February 17th)
1867 - The First Ship Passed Through the Suez Canal
* Connects the Mediterranean Sea to the Red Sea and Divides Africa and Asia
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<- February 16th February 18th ->
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On February 17, 1980 Tommy Tutone Released His Debut Album
Tommy Tutone
Happy 80s Birthdays
1945 - Brenda Fricker (Actress) My Left Foot
Birthplace: Dublin, Ireland
1954 - Rene Russo (Actress) Major League
Birthplace: Burbank, California
1959 - Rowdy Gaines (Swimmer)
Birthplace: Winter Haven, Florida
1962 - Lou Diamond Phillips (Actor) La Bamba
Birthplace: U.S. Naval Base Subic Bay, Zambales, Philippines
1963 - Michael Jordan (Basketball)
Birthplace: Brooklyn, New York
1974 - Jerry O’Connell (Actor) Stand By Me
Birthplace: New York City
Fun Fact!
Lou Diamond Phillips Made His Film Debut as Richie Valens in the 1985 Film La Bamba
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1985 - Bill Elliott Won the Daytona 500
Team: Melling Racing
Car Manufacturer: Ford
The Burbs
1989 - Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure Premiered in Theaters
Director: Stephen Herek
Starring: Keanu Reeves, Alex Winter, George Carlin, Bernie Casey and Diane Franklin
Fun Fact!
Bill & Ted Say Dude 70 Times and Excellent 30
#1 Songs in America
(February 17th)
1980 - "Do It To Me One More Time"
Captain & Tennille
2/16 - 2/22
1981 - "Celebration"
Kool and the Gang
2/7 - 2/20
1982 - "Centerfold"
J. Geils Band
2/6 - 3/19
1983 - "Down Under"
Men at Work
2/12 - 2/18
1984 - "Karma Chameleon"
Boy George
2/4 - 2/24
1985 - "Careless Whisper"
Wham!
2/16 - 3/8
1986 - "How Will I Know"
Whitney Houston
2/15 - 2/28
1987 - "Livin' on a Prayer"
Bon Jovi
2/14 - 3/13
1988 - "Could've Been"
Tiffany
2/6 - 2/19
1989 - "Straight Up"
Paula Abdul
2/11 - 3/3
Click Here For More Music Fun Facts and Awards
Footloose Premiered in Theaters
February 17th in 80s History
1984 - Footloose Premiered in Theaters
Director: Herbert Ross
Starring: Kevin Bacon, Lori Singer, Dianne Wiest, John Lithgow, Chris Penn, John Laughlin and Sarah Jessica Parker
Fun Fact!
Rob Lowe Was Supposed to Play the Lead Role, But Injured Himself While Practicing His Dance Moves
Headlines
(February 17th)
1980 - Buddy Baker Won the Daytona 500
Team: Ranier-Lundy
Car Manufacturer: Oldsmobile
The Right Stuff
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Blame It on Rio
On February 17, 1989 The Burbs Starring Tom Hanks and Carrie Fisher Premiered in Theaters
On February 17, 1986 The Right Stuff Starring Ed Harris, Scott Glenn and Dennis Quaid Premiered in Theaters
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On February 17, 1986 Blame It on Rio Starring Michael Caine, Joseph Bologna, Michelle Johnson and Demi Moore Premiered in Theaters