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Happy 80s Birthdays
1944 - Albert Hammond (English Singer and Songwriter)
Birthplace: London, England
1946 - Reggie Jackson (Baseball)
Birthplace: Abington Township, Pennsylvania
1949 - Rick Wakeman (English Keyboardist) Yes
Birthplace: Perivale, Middlesex, England
1950 - Mark Mothersbaugh (Singer) Devo
Birthplace: Akron, Ohio
1951 - Jim Sundberg (Baseball)
Birthplace: Galesburg, Illinois
1952 - George Strait (Singer)
Birthplace: Poteet, Texas
1958 - Toyah Wilcox (English Singer)
Birthplace: Kings Health, Birmingham, England
1967 - Rob Base (Rapper)
Birthplace: The Bronx, New York
1969 - Martika (Singer) Kids Incorporated
Birthplace: Whittier, California
Fun Fact!
Reggie Jackson is the Only Player to Lead the League in Home Runs With 3 Different Teams
Oakland A’s
New York Yankees
California Angels
Nicknamed "Mr. October" Because of All the Home Runs He Hit During the Playoffs and
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Other Notable Birthdays
Pope John Paul II (Catholic Church Leader)
May 18, 1920 - April 2, 2005
Birthplace: Wadowice, Poland
Passed Away at Age 74 From Heart Failure
* Caused by Septic Shock
Pope John Paul II Was the Head of the Catholic Church of the Vatican City State From 1978 to 2005
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Passed Away
(On This Day)
Ken Osmond (Actor)
June 7, 1943 - May 18, 2020
Birthplace: Glendale, California
Passed Away at Age 76 From Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
* Died in His Los Angeles Home
Played Eddie Haskell on Leave it to Beaver
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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80s Movies
(Released On This Day)
1983 - Moon in the Gutter
Director: Jean-Jacques Beineix
Starring: Gerard Depardieu and Nastassja Kinski
Budget: N/A
Box Office: $4.7 Million
1984 - Making the Grade
Director: Dorian Walker
Starring: Judd Nelson, Jonna Lee, Gordon Jump, Walter Olkewicz, Ronald Lacey and Dana Olsen
Budget: N/A
Box Office: $4.5 Million
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80s Television
(On This Day)
1984 - Season 7 Finale of Dallas Aired on CBS
Episode: “End Game”
* Bobby Ewing Found Himself in the Crossfire as a Rival Tried to Shoot His Brother J.R.
Dallas Was the #1 Show in America in 1981, 1982 and 1984
1987 - Final Episode of Fame (TV Series)
Seasons: 6
Episodes: 136
Network: NBC
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80s Music
(Albums Released On This Day)
1981 - Knights of the Sound Table
Cameo (7th Album)
Billboard Charts: #44
1983 - In Your Eyes
George Benson (19th Album)
Billboard Charts: #27
1987 - Exit 0
Steve Earle (2nd Album)
Billboard Charts: #15
1989 - Nearly Human
Todd Rundgren (12th Album)
Billboard Charts: #102
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80s Sports
(On This Day)
1981 -Fernando Valenzuela (Los Angeles Dodgers) Was on the Cover of Sports Illustrated
Title: “UNREAL”
1982 - Detroit Tigers Outfielder Larry Herndon Hit 4 Consecutive Home Runs
* Herndon Hit a Home Run In His Last At-Bat in the Previous Game Against the Twins, Then Hit 3 in a Row Against the A’s
1985 - Pat Day Won the Preakness Stakes Aboard Tank’s Prospect
Trainer: D. Wayne Lukas
Owner: Eugene V. Klein
* Tank’s Prospect Finished 7th in the Kentucky Derby (11th at Belmont)
The Winner's Purse For the Preakness Went From $400,000 to $700,000
1987 - Detroit Pistons Guard, Isiah Thomas Was on the Cover of Sports Illustrated
Title: “Mr Clutch”
1988 - Oakland A's Pitcher, Dave Stewart Set a Major League Baseball Record With 12th Balks in a Season
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In Other 80s News
(On This Day)
1980 - South Korean Students Began Protesting in Gwangju, Calling For Democratic Reforms
#1 Songs in America
(May 18th)
1980 - "Call Me"
Blondie
4/19 - 5/30
1981 - "Bette Davis Eyes"
Kim Carnes
5/16 - 6/19
1982 - "Ebony and Ivory"
Paul McCartney and Stevie Wonder
5/15 - 7/2
1983 - "Beat It"
Michael Jackson
4/30 - 5/20
1984 - "Hello"
Lionel Richie
5/12 - 5/25
1985 - "Don't You (Forget About Me)"
Simple Minds
5/18 - 5/24
1986 - "Greatest Love of All"
Whitney Houston
5/17 - 6/6
1987 - "With or Without You"
U2
5/16 - 6/5
1988 - "Anything For You"
Gloria Estefan and Miami Sound Machine
5/14 - 5/27
1989 - "Like a Prayer"
Madonna
5/13 - 5/19
Click Here For More Music Fun Facts and Awards
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1987 - The Final Episode of Fame (TV Series) Aired
* Ran 6 Seasons with 136 Episodes
Fun Fact!
Madonna Auditioned as a Dancer For Fame, But Unfortunately Didn’t Make It
Mount St. Helens Erupted
Headlines
(May 18th)
1980 - Mount St. Helens Erupted in the State of Washington
* 53 People Died
Did You Know?
The Largest Volcanic Eruption in History Was Mount Tambora (Indonesia) in 1815 With Over 100,000 Deaths
1980 - Joy Division’s Lead Singer Ian Curtis Committed Suicide at Age 23 by Hanging Himself in His Macclesfield Home
* Happened One Day Before Joy Division Was Scheduled to Begin Their First U.S. Tour
Curtis Suffered From Depression and Epileptic Seizures
May 18th in 80s History
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In Other News
(On May 18th)
1860 - Abraham Lincoln Won the Republican Party Presidential Nomination Over William H. Seward
* Seward Became the United States Secretary of State
1912 - The Shree Pundalik by Dadasaheb Torne Was Released in Mumbai
* The First Indian Film
1953 - Jackie Cochran Became the First Woman to Break the Sound Barrier
* The Most Prominent Racing Pilots of Her Generation
Won 11 Military Awards
Fun Fact!
Jackie Cocharan Was Elected to 5 Different Hall of Fames
National Aviation Hall of Fame
Florida Women's Hall of Fame
Motorsports Hall of Fame of America
National Women's Hall of Fame
Georgia Aviation Hall of Fame
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1985 - "Don't You (Forget About Me)" by Simple Minds Became the #1 Song in America
#1 Song in America from May 18 - 24
Also Hit #1 in Canada and Netherlands
Fun Fact!
Simple Minds Formed in Glasgow, Scotland in 1977
* The Most Successful Scottish Band From the 1980's
Did You Know?
"Don't You Forget About Me" Was the Theme Song For The Breakfast Club