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Headlines
(May 1st)
1981 - Tennis Star, Billie Jean King Became the First Woman in Sports to Come Out as Gay
* Announced She Was in a Relationship with Marilyn Barnett
Billie Jean King Won 12 Grand Slam Titles
Wimbledon: 6
U.S. Open: 4
French Open: 1
Australian Open: 1
Fun Fact!
In 1973 Billie Jean King Beat Bobby Riggs in the Tennis Match Known as "The Battle of the Sexes"
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May 1st in 80s History
1982 - Eddie Delahoussaye Won the 108th Kentucky Derby Aboard Gato Del Sol
Post Position: 11
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1989 - Disney-MGM Studios Opened at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida
1989 - The Police Were Called on a Suspicious Looking Man at a Jewelry Store in California
* Turned Out to be Michael Jackson Shopping in a Disguise
In Other News
(On May 1st)
1840 - The World’s First Postage Stamp, The Penny Black Was Issued in the United Kingdom
1844 - The Hong Kong Police, the Second Oldest Police Department in the World Was Established
* The Boston Police Department Was First Created in 1938
1930 - Pluto Was Officially Proposed as a Dwarf Planet by Vesto Slipher in the Lowell Observatory Observation Circular
1931 - The Empire State Building Opened in New York City
* Tallest Building in the World Until the Trade Center Was Built in 1970
1956 - The Polio Vaccine Was Made Available to the Public by Jonas Salk
1971 - The Amtrak Train System Began Operations
1999 - The Body of British Climber George Mallory Was Found on Mount Everest 75 Years After His Disappearance
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#1 Songs in America
(May 1st)
1980 - "Call Me"
Blondie
4/19 - 5/30
1981 - "Kiss on My List"
Hall & Oates
4/11 - 5/1
1982 - "I Love Rock 'n' Roll"
Joan Jett and the Blackhearts
3/20 - 5/7
1983 - "Beat It"
Michael Jackson
4/30 - 5/20
1984 - "Against All Odds"
Phil Collins
4/21 - 5/11
1985 - "We Are the World"
USA for Africa
4/13 - 5/10
1986 - "Kiss"
Prince
4/19 - 5/2
1987 - "I Knew You Were Waiting"
Aretha Franklin and George Michael
4/18 - 5/1
1988 - "Where Do Broken Hearts Go"
Whitney Houston
4/23 - 5/6
1989 - "Like a Prayer"
Madonna
4/22 - 5/12C
Click Here For More Music Fun Facts and Awards
1984 - Nebraska, Wide Receiver Irving Fryar Was the #1 Overall Pick in the NFL Draft by the New England Patriots
Seasons: 17
Pro Bowls: 5
Receiving Yards: 12,785
Did You Know?
The 1984 Draft Was a War Between the NFL and the USFL
Irving Fryar Was the #1 Overall Pick in the NFL Draft
1983 - Final Episode of CHiPS Aired
* Ran 6 Seasons with 139 Episodes
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Happy 80s Birthdays
1945 - Rita Coolidge (Singer)
1949 - Douglas Barr (Actor) The Fall Guy
1950 - Dann Florek (Actor) L.A. Law
1954 - Ray Parker, Jr. (Singer) “Ghostbusters”
1955 - Nick Feldman (Musician) Wang Chung
1956 - Byron Stewart (Actor) White Shadow
1967 - Tim McGraw (Singer)
Fun Fact!
Rita Coolidge Sang the Theme Song For James Bond Film, Octopussy, "All Time High"
Other Notable Birthdays
Benjamin Henry Latrobe (Architect)
May 1, 1764 - September 3, 1820
Passed Away at Age 56 (Unknown Cause)
Designed the United States Capitol
Anna Jarvis (Social Activist)
May 1, 1864 - November 24, 1948
Passed Away at Age 84 (Unknown Cause)
Founded Mother’s Day
John Meillon (Actor)
May 1, 1934 - August 11, 1989
Passed Away at Age 55 From Cirrhosis
Played Walter Reilly in Crocodile Dundee
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Passed Away
(On This Day)
Sally Kirkland (Editor)
July 1, 1912 - May 1, 1989
Passed Away at Age 77 From Emphysema
Fashion Editor For Vogue and Life Magazines
Miss Elizabeth (Wrestling Manager)
November 19, 1960 - May 1, 2003
Passed Away at Age of 42 From Acute Toxicity Brought on From a Mix of Painkillers and Vodka
Manager and Wife of Randy "Macho Man" Savage
Olympia Dukakis (Actress)
June 20, 1931 - May 1, 2021
Passed Away in Hospice Care at Age 89
Won an Academy Award For Best Supporting Actress For the 1987 Film, Moonstruck
* Also Played Grandma Rosie in Look Who’s Talking
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80s Movies
(Released On This Day)
1981 - King of the Mountain
Director: Noel Nosseck
Starring: Harry Hamlin, Joseph Bottoms, Deborah Van Valkenburgh, Richard Cox, Seymour Cassel and Dennis Hopper
Budget: N/A
Box Office: $2.1 Million
1987 - Creepshow 2
Director: Michael Gornick
Starring: Lois Chiles, George Kennedy, Dorothy Lamour and Tom Savini
Budget: $3.5 Million
Box Office: $14 Million
1987 - The Allnighter
Director: Tamar Simon Hoffs
Starring: Susanna Hoffs, Dedee Pfeiffer, Joan Cusack and Pam Grier
Budget: $1 Million
Box Office: $2.7 Million
1987 - American Ninja 2
Director: San Firstenberg
Starring: Michael Dudikoff, Steve James, Jeff Weston, Gary Conway, Michelle Botes and Larry Poindexter
Budget: N/A
Box Office: N/A
1987 - Malone
Director: Harley Cokeliss
Starring: Burt Reynolds, Cliff Robertson, Cynthia Gibb, Lauren Hutton, Scott Wilson and Kenneth McMillan
Budget: $10 Million
Box Office: $3 Million
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80s Television
(On This Day)
1981 - Season 4 Finale of Dallas Aired on CBS
* Titled "Ewing-Gate"
1983 - V Aired on NBC
* 2-Day Miniseries
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80s Music
(Albums Released On This Day)
1983 - Life’s a Riot with Spy vs Spy
Billy Bragg (Debut Album)
* Reached #30 in the UK
1987 - Raintown
Deacon Blue (Debut Album)
* Reached #14 in the UK
1989 - Sweet Sixteen
Reba McEntire (16th Album)
Billboard Charts: #8
* #1 in Country
Fun Fact!
Reba McEntire Graduated From Southeastern Oklahoma State University in 1976
Did You Know?
Reba’s Stepson, Brandon Blackstock is Married to Singer Kelly Clarkson
1989 - This Is the Day...This Is the Hour...This Is This!
Pop Will Eat Itself (2nd Album)
Billboard Charts: #169
Singles Released
1984 - “What’s Love Got To Do With It"
Tina Turner
#1 Song in America from September 1 - 21
* Also Hit #1 in Canada and Australia
Won a Grammy Award for “Song of the Year”
In Other 80s Music News
1984 - Mick Fleetwood of Fleetwood Mac Filed for Bankruptcy
1989 - The Police were Called on a Man Looking Suspicious at a Jewelry Store in California but Turned out to be Michael Jackson Shopping in a Disguise
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80s Sports
(On This Day)
1981 - Tennis star Billie Jean King Became the First “Famous Sports Woman” to Acknowledge She’s a Lesbian and in a Relationship with Marilyn Barnett
1982 - Eddie Delahoussaye Won the 108th Kentucky Derby Aboard Gato Del Sol
Post Position: 11
Jockey: Eddie Delahoussaye
Trainer: Edwin J. Gregson
Owner: Arthur B. Hancock III & Leone J. Peters
1984 - Irving Fryar WR (Nebraska) was the #1 Overall Pick in the NFL Draft by the New England Patriots
Top 10 Picks
1. Irving Fryar WR
New England Patriots
College: Nebraska
2. Dean Steinkuhler OT
Houston Oilers
College: Nebraska
3. Carl Banks LB
New York Giants
College: Michigan State
4. Kenny Jackson WR
Philadelphia Eagles
College: Penn State
5. Bill Maas DT
Kansas City Chiefs
College: Pittsburgh
6. Mossy Cade DB
San Diego Chargers
College: Texas
7. Ricky Hunley LB
Cincinnati Bengals
College: Arizona
8. Leonard Coleman DB
Indianapolis Colts
College: Vanderbilt
9. Rick Bryan DT
Atlanta Falcons
College: Oklahoma
10. Russell Carter CB
New York Jets
College: SMU
1989 - Texas Rangers Pitcher Nolan Ryan was on the Cover of Sports Illustrated titled “Texas Heat”
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In Other 80s News
(On This Day)
1983 - The Sydney Entertainment Centre Opened in Sydney, Australia