Other Notable Birthdays
Curt Gowdy (Sportscaster)
July 31, 1919 - February 20, 2006
Birthplace: Green River, Wyoming
Passed Away at Age 86 From Leukemia
* Covered Many National Televised Games on ABC and NBC During the 1960’s and 1970’s
Coined the Nickname "The Granddaddy of Them All" For the Rose Bowl Game
Hank Bauer (Baseball)
July 31, 1922 - February 9, 2007
Birthplace: East St. Louis, Illinois
Passed Away at Age 84 From Lung Cancer
MLB Seasons: 14
Position: Right Field
All-Star: 3 (1952, 1953, 1954)
World Series Champion: 7 (New York Yankees)
Managed the Baltimore Orioles to a World Series Championship in 1968
Kevin Greene (Football)
July 31, 1962 - December 21, 2020
Birthplace: Schenectady, New York
Passed Away at Age 50 From a Heart Attack
NFL Seasons: 13
Position: Defensive End
Pro Bowl: 5
First Team All Pro: 3
All Decade Team: 1990’s
College: Auburn
Elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2016
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Passed Away
(On This Day)
Andrew Johnson (Former U.S. President)
December 29, 1808 - July 31, 1875
Birthplace: Raleigh, North Carolina
Passed Away at Age 66 From a Stroke
* Became President After the Assasination of Abraham Lincoln
The 17th President of the United States
Term: 1865 - 1869
“Rowdy” Roddy Piper (Wrestler)
April 17, 1954 - July 31, 2015
Birthplace: Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
Passed Away at Age 61 From Cardiopulmonary Arrest
* Caused by Hypertension
Considered One of the Most Popular and Hated Wrestlers of All-Time
Harold Prince (Theatre Director)
January 30, 1928 - July 31, 2019
Birthplace: New York City
Passed Away at Age 91 After a Brief Illness
* The Most Prominent Figure in 20th Century Theatre
Won the Most Tony Awards in History With 21
Bill Russell (Basketball)
February 12, 1934 – July 31, 2022
Birthplace: Monroe, Louisiana
Passed Away in His Mercer Island, Washington Home at Age 88 From Unknown Causes
NBA Seasons: 13 (Boston Celtics)
Position: Center
All-Star: 12
First Team All NBA: 3
MVP: 5
Elected to the Pro Basketball Hall of Fame in 1975
Fun Fact!
Considered the Greatest Champion of All-Time Winning 11 NBA Championships in 13-Years With the Boston Celtics From 1956 to 1969
* Won the NBA Championship in 1968 and 1969 as Player Coach
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80s Movies
(Released On This Day)
1981 - Under the Rainbow
Director: Steve Rash
Starring: Chevy Chase and Carrie Fisher
Budget: $18 Million
Box Office: $18.8 Million
1987 - The Lost Boys
Director: Joel Schumacher
Starring: Jason Patrick, Corey Haim, Corey Feldman, Kiefer Sutherland, Jami Gertz, Dianne Wiest, Edward Herrmann, Jamison Newlander, Barnard Hughes and Alex Winter
Budget: $8.5 Million
Box Office: $32.2 Million
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80s Television
(On This Day)
No 80s TV Premieres or Finales On This Day
Fun Fact!
Michael J. Fox Won an Emmy Award 3 Years in a Row (1986, 1987, 1988) For His Role as Alex P. Keaton on Family Ties
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80s Music
(Albums Released On This Day)
1981 - Step by Step
Eddie Rabbitt (7th Album)
Billboard Charts: #23
* #1 on the Country Charts
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80s Sports
(On This Day)
1980 - Baltimore Orioles Pitcher, Steve Stone Had His 14-Game Winning Streak Snapped by the Texas Rangers
* The Rangers Beat the Orioles 7 - 4 at Arlington Stadium on a Thursday Night
Attendance: 14,969
1981 - The MLB Strike Came to an End
* The Strike Began on June 12
1987 - Baltimore Orioles Slugger, Eddie Murray Hit His 299th and 300th Home Run in an 8 - 4 Victory over the Texas Rangers at Arlington Stadium on a Friday Night
Attendance: 28,228
1988 - Willie Stargell Was Inducted to the Baseball Hall of Fame
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Other Notable Dates
(July 31st)
1790 - The Very First United States Patent Was Granted to Samuel Hopkins For His Potash Process
Headlines
(July 31st)
1981 - The Major League Baseball Strike Came to an End
First Day of Strike: June 12th
* The First Work Stoppage Since 1972
The Players and Fans Blamed the Strike On the Greedy Owners
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July 31st in 80s History
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Fun Fact!
Nintendo Was Founded by Fusajiro Yamauchi in 1889 as Japanese Playing Cards
Headquarters: Shimogyō-ku, Kyoto
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1989 - Nintendo's Game Boy Was Released in the United States
* Over 1 Million Units Sold in the First 2 Weeks
Last Production: March 23, 2003
The Game Boy Was a Cultural Icon in the 90s
1987 - The Lost Boys Premiered in Theaters
Director: Joel Schumacher
Starring: Jason Patrick, Corey Haim, Corey Feldman, Kiefer Sutherland, Jami Gertz, Dianne Wiest, Edward Herrmann, Jamison Newlander, Barnard Hughes and Alex Winter
Fun Fact!
The Lost Boys Was Corey Haim and Corey Feldman's First Film Together
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2012 - Michael Phelps (Swimmer) Broke the Olympic Record For Most Gold Medals With 10
* Currently Has 23
2006 - Fidel Castro Turned Over the Cuban Power to His Brother Raúl
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Happy 80s Birthdays
1956 - Michael Biehn (Actor) Terminator
Birthplace: Aniston, Alabama
1958 - Bill Berry (Drummer) R.E.M.
Birthplace: Duluth, Minnesota
1959 - Stanley Jordan (Guitarist)
Birthplace: Chicago, Illinois
1962 - Wesley Snipes (Actor) Major League
Birthplace: Orlando, Florida
1963 - Fatboy Slim (English Musician)
Birthplace: Bromley, Kent, England
1969 - Loren Dean (Actor) Say Anything…
Birthplace: Las Vegas, Nevada
Fun Fact!
Wesley Snipes Made His Movie Debut in the 1985 Film, Wildcats
#1 Songs in America
(July 31st)
1980 - "It's Still Rock and Roll to Me"
Billy Joel
7/19 - 8/1
1981 - "The One That You Love"
Air Supply
7/25 - 7/31
1982 - "Eye of the Tiger"
Survivor
7/24 - 9/3
1983 - "Every Breath You Take"
The Police
7/9 - 9/2
1984 - "When Doves Cry"
Prince
7/7 - 8/10
1985 - "Everytime You Go Away"
Paul Young
7/27 - 8/2
1986 - "Sledgehammer"
Peter Gabriel
7/26 - 8/1
1987 - "Alone"
Heart
7/11 - 7/31
1988 - "Roll With It"
Steve Winwood
7/30 - 8/26
1989 - "Toy Soldiers"
Maltika
7/22 - 8/4
Click Here For More Music Fun Facts and Awards
The Lost Boys Premiered in Theaters
1988 - Willie Stargell Was Inducted Into the Baseball Hall of Fame (First Ballot)
* The Only Player Elected in the Class of 1988
MLB Seasons: 21 (Pittsburgh Pirates)
Home Run Leader: 2 (1971, 1973)
Career Home Runs: 475
MVP: 1 (1979)
World Series Champion: 2 (1971, 1979)
Fun Fact!
Former MLB Players Tommy Harper and Curt Motton Played With Willie Stargell at Encinal High School in Alameda, California