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Other Notable Birthdays
Benjamin Franklin (Diplomat)
January 17, 1706 - April 17, 1790
Birthplace: Boston, Massachusetts
Passed Away at Age 84 From a Pleuritic Attack
* Inflammation of the Membranes That Surround the Lungs and Line the Chest Cavity
One of the Founding Fathers of the United States
Fun Fact!
Benjamin Franklin Invented the Lightning Rod, Bifocals, Glass Harmonica and the Franklin Stove
Al Capone (Mob Boss)
January 17, 1899 - January 25, 1947
Birthplace: Brooklyn, New York
Passed Away at Age 48 of Complications From Syphilis
* The Boss of the Chicago Outfit From 1925 to 1931
Al Capone’s 21st Birthday Was the Same Day Prohibition Went Into Effect
Betty White (Actress)
January 17, 1922 - December 31, 2021
Birthplace: Oak Park, Illinois
Passed Away at Age 99 From a Stroke
* Best Known For Her Role as Rose on The Golden Girls
Betty White Won 5 Primetime Emmy Awards
The Mary Tyler Moore Show (1975, 1976)
The Golden Girls (1986)
The John Larroquette Show (1996)
Saturday Night Live (2010)
Also Won a Daytime Emmy Award as the Host of the Game Show Just Men!
Vidal Sassoon (Hairdresser)
January 17, 1928 - May 9, 2012
Birthplace: Hammersmith, London, England
Passed Away at Age 84 From Leukemia
* Died in His Bel-Air Home
Popularized the Five-Point Cut Worn by Famous Movie Stars Such as Mia Farrow, Goldie Hawn, Cameron Diaz, Nastassja Kinski and Helen Mirren
James Earl Jones (Actor)
January 17, 1931 - September 9, 2024
Birthplace: Arkabutla, Mississippi
Passed Away in His Pawling, New York Home at Age 93 From Declining Health Caused by Type 2 Diabetes
* Died in His Pawling, New York Home Surrounded by Family
Best Known For Playing the Voice of Darth Vader
Don Zimmer (Baseball)
January 17, 1931 - June 4, 2014
Birthplace: Cincinnati, Ohio
Passed Away at Age 83 From Heart and Kidney Failure
* 2x All- Star as a Player For the Chicago Cubs
Won Manager of the Year in 1989 (Chicago Cubs)
Muhammad Ali (Boxer)
January 17, 1942 - June 3, 2016
Birthplace: Louisville, Kentucky
Passed Away at Age 74 From Septic Shock
Wins: 56
Losses: 5
KO: 37
* Considered the Greatest Heavyweight Boxer of All-Time
Voted Sportsman of the Century by Sports Illustrated and the BBC in 1999
Andy Kaufman (Actor and Comedian)
January 17, 1949 - May 16, 1984
Birthplace: New York City
Passed Away at Age 35 From Lung Cancer
* Best Known For Playing Latka Gravas on the TV Show Taxi From 1978 to 1983
An Original Cast Member of Saturday Night Live
Darrell Porter (Baseball)
January 17, 1952 - August 5, 2002
Birthplace: Joplin, Missouri
Passed Away on August 5, 2002 at Age 50 From a Cocaine Overdose
MLB Seasons: 17
Position: Catcher
All-Star: 4
Won the World Series MVP in 1982 as a Member of the St. Louis Cardinals
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Passed Away
(On This Day)
Rutherford B. Hayes (Former U.S. President)
October 4, 1822 - January 17, 1893
Birthplace: Delaware, Ohio
Passed Away at Age 70 From a Heart Attack
Hayes Was Wounded 5 Times Fighting For the Union During the Civil War
The 19th President of the United States
Term: 1877 - 1891
Political Party: Republican
Bobby Fischer (Chess Champion)
March 9, 1943 - January 17, 2008
Birthplace: Chicago, Illinois
Passed Away on January 17, 2008 at Age 64 From Kidney Failure
* Won His First of a Record 8 Chess Championships in 1958 at Age 14
Fischer Won a Record 8 Chess Championships
In the 1958 Tournament Bobby Fisher Became the Only Player to Win a Chess Championship With a Perfect 11 - 0 Score
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80s Movies
(Released On This Day)
1986 - Iron Eagle
Director: Sidney J. Furie
Starring: Louis Gossett Jr., Jason Gedrick, David Suchet, Larry B. Scott, Caroline Lagerfelt and Tim Thomerson
Budget: $18 Million
Box Office: $24.1 Million
1986 - Troll
Director: John Carl Buechler
Starring: Noah Hathaway, Michael Moriarty, Shelley Hack, Jenny Beck, Sonny Bono and Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Budget: $1.1 Million
Box Office: $5.5 Million
1986 - The Clan of the Cave Bear
Director: Michael Chapman
Starring: Daryl Hannah, Pamela Reed, James Remar, Thomas G. Waites, John Doolittle and Curtis Armstrong
Budget: $18 Million
Box Office: $2 Million
1986 - Heathcliff: The Movie
Director: Bruno Bianch
Starring: Mel Blanc, Donna Christie, Jeannie Elias, Marilyn Lightstone, Ted Zeigler, Stan Jones, Danny Mann, Peter Cullen and Danny Wells
Budget: N/A
Box Office: $2.6 Million
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80s Television
(On This Day)
1981 - Karen Black Hosted Saturday Night Live
Musical Guests: Cheap Trick and Stanley Clarke Trio
1981 - Walking Tall Premiered on CBS
Seasons: 1
Episodes: 7
1987 - Ohara Premiered on ABC
Seasons: 2
Episodes: 30
Starring Pat Morita
* Pat Morita Played Mr. Miyagi in The Karate Kid
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Happy 80s Birthdays
1939 - Maury Povich (Talk Show Host)
Birthplace: Washington, D.C.
1955 - Steve Javie (NBA Referee)
Birthplace: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
1956 - Paul Young (English Singer)
Birthplace: Luton, Bedfordshire, England
1957 - Steve Harvey (Comedian)
Birthplace: Welch, West Virginia
1959 - Susanna Hoffs (Singer) The Bangles
Birthplace: Los Angeles, California
1960 - John Crawford (Singer) Berlin
Birthplace: Placenta, California
1960 - Chili Davis (Baseball)
Birthplace: Kingston, Jamaica
1962 - Jim Carrey (Actor) Once Bitten, In Living Color
Birthplace: Newmarket, Ontario, Canada
Fun Fact!
Jim Carrey Carrey’s First Lead Role Was on the TV Series The Duck Factory (1984)
1988 - The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh Premiered on The Disney Channel
Seasons: 4
Episodes: 50
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80s Music
(Albums Released On This Day)
No 80s Albums Released On This Day
Singles Released
1987 - At This Moment”
Billy Vera and the Beaters
#1 Song in America from January 24 - February 6
* Also Hit #1 in Canada
Fun Fact!
"At This Moment" Was Originally Released in 1981 and Re-Released in 1986 Because of the Popularity It Grew from Family Ties
* The Love Song Between Alex and Ellen (Married in Real Life)
"Shake You Down" Became the #1 Song in America
January 17th in 80s History
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1988 - The Washington Redskins Beat the Minnesota Vikings 17 - 10 in the NFC Championship Game to Advance to the Super Bowl
Location: RFK Memorial Stadium
Spread
Redskins -3
O/U 45.0
The Redskins Defense Recorded 8 Sacks
The Redskins Beat the Denver Broncos 42 - 10 in Super Bowl XXII
Fun Fact!
The First Super Bowl Was Played on January 15, 1967
* The Green Bay Packers Beat the Kansas City Chiefs 35 - 10
Location: Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
Spread: Packers -14
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1988 - The Denver Broncos Beat the Cleveland Browns 38 - 33 in the AFC Championship Game to Advance to the Super Bowl
Location: Mile High Stadium in Denver
Spread
Broncos -4
O/U 45.0
The Game is Known as "The Fumble"
* Browns Running Back Earnest Byner Fumbled the Ball on the Goal Line Late in the 4th Quarter to Tie the Game
The Broncos Lost to the Washington Redskins 42 - 10 in Super Bowl XXII
#1 Songs in America
(January 17th)
1980 - "Escape (The Pina Colada Song)"
Rupert Jones
1/12 - 1/18
1981 - "(Just Like) Starting Over"
John Lennon
12/27 - 1/30
1982 - "Physical"
Olivia Newton-John
11/21 - 1/29
1983 - "Down Under"
Men at Work
1/15 - 2/4
1984 - "Say Say Say"
Paul McCartney and Michael Jackson
12/10 - 1/20
1985 - "Like a Virgin"
Madonna
12/22 - 2/1
1986 - "Say You Say Me"
Lionel Richie
12/21 - 1/17
1987 - "Shake You Down"
Gregory Abbott
1/17 - 1/23
1988 - "Got My Mind Set On You"
George Harrison
1/16 - 1/22
1989 - "My Prerogative"
Bobby Brown
1/14 - 1/20
Click Here For More Music Fun Facts and Awards
Headlines
(January 17th)
1986 - Tim Witherspoon Beat Tony Tubbs in a 15-Round Decision to Win the WBA Heavyweight Championship
* Lost the Belt to James “Bonecrusher” Smith on December 12, 1986
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80s Sports
(On This Day)
1982 - Ivan Lendl Won the ATP Masters Grand Prix
1986 - Tim Witherspoon Beat Tony Tubbs in a 15-Round Decision to to Win the WBA Heavyweight Championship
1988 - The Denver Broncos Beat the Cleveland Browns 38 - 33 in the AFC Championship Game to Advance to the Super Bowl
Location: Mile High Stadium in Denver
Spread
Broncos -4
O/U 45.0
Mark Jackson 4 (Broncos) 4 Receptions 134 Yards 1 TD (80 Yards)
1988 - The Washington Redskins Beat the Minnesota Vikings 17 - 10 in the NFC Championship Game to Advance to the Super Bowl
Location: RFK Memorial Stadium
Spread
Redskins -3
O/U 45.0
Redskins Defense Recorded 8 Sacks
The Redskins Beat the Denver Broncos 42 - 10 in Super Bowl XXII
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Other Notable Dates
(On January 17th)
1920 - Alcohol Prohibition Began in the United States, Known as the Volstead Act
* Lasted Until 1933
1969 - Black Panthers Members Bunchy Carter and John Huggins Were Killed During a Meeting in Campbell Hall at UCLA
1977 - Gary Gillmore Was Executed by Firing Squad in Utah
* Capital Punishment in the United States Had Been on a 10 - Year Hiatus
The Execution Was Shown in the Documentary Faces of Death
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<- January 16th January 18th ->
1987 - “Shake You Down” by Gregory Abbott Became the #1 Song in America
* #1 Song in America from January 17 - 23
Also Hit #1 in Spain
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