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1986 - Head of the Class Premiered on ABC
* Ran 5 Seasons with 114 Episodes

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Did You Know?

The Soviet Union Won the Most Gold Medals With 55

#2 East Germany (37)

​#3 United States (36)

Did You Know?

​In 1991, Vanessa Williams' Song  “Save the Best For Last”​​​ Became the #1 Song in America

The 1988 Summer Olympics Opened in Seoul, Korea

1988 - The XXIV Summer Olympics Opened in Seoul, Korea

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​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Headlines

(September 17th)


1984 - Vanessa Williams Became the First African-American to be Crowned Miss America

* Had to Give Up Her Crown After Pictures of Her Posing in Penthouse Surfaced


Did You Know?
Vanessa Williams Had the #1 Song in America in 1991 “Save the Best For Last”​​

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​​​​​​​​September 17th in 80s History

1984 - Reggie Jackson Hit His 500th Career Home Run
Career Home Runs:  562


Fun Fact!

Reggie Jackson is Only Player in Major League History to Lead the League in Home Runs With 3 Different Teams

Oakland A's (1973, 1975)

New York Yankees (1980)

California Angels (1982)

#1 Songs in America

(September 17th)


1980 - "Upside Down"
Diana Ross
9/6 - 10/3

1981 - "Endless Love"
Diana Ross and Lionel Richie
8/15 - 10/16

1982 - "Hard To Say I'm Sorry"

Chicago

​9/11 - 9/24

1983 - "Maniac"

Michael Sembello

9/10 - 9/23

1984 - "What's Love Got To Do With It"
Tina Turner
9/1 - 9/21

1985 - "St. Elmos Fire"
John Parr
9/7 - 9/20

1986 - "Take my Breath Away"

Berlin

9/13 - 9/19

1987 - "La Bamba"
Los Lobos
8/29 - 9/18

1988 - “Sweet Child o’ Mine"
Guns N’ Roses
9/10 - 9/23

1989 - "Don't Want to Lose You"

Gloria Estefan

9/16 - 9/22


Click Here For More 80s Music Fun Facts and Awards

Happy 80s Birthdays


​1945 - Phil Jackson (Basketball)
1950 - Fee Waybill (Singer) 
The Tubes
1951 - Cassandra Peterson (Actress) 
Elvira, Mistress of the Dark
1953 - Rita Rudner (Comedian)
1955 - Scott Simpson (Golf)
1956 - Thad Bosley (Baseball)
1957 - Susan Ursitti (Actress) 
Teen Wolf
1960 - Kevin Clash (Voice Actor) 
Elmo
1960 - John Franco (Baseball)
1961 - Jim Cornette (Wrestling Manager)
1962 - Dustin Nguyen (Actor) 
21 Jump Street
1966 - Doug E. Fresh (Rapper)


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Other Notable Birthdays

Roddy McDowall

September 17, 1928 - October 3, 1998

Passed Away at Age 70 from Lung Cancer

Played Cornelius In the Original Planet of the Apes

Paul Benedict
September 17, 1938 - December 1, 2008

Passed Away at Age 70 from Natural Causes

Played Mr. Bentley on the TV Show, The Jeffersons

John Ritter
September 17, 1948 - September 11, 2003

Passed Away at Age 54 from an Aortic Dissection

Won an Emmy Award in 1984 for Most Outstanding Actor in a Comedy Series For His Role as Jack Tripper on the TV Show, Three’s Company


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Passed Away

(On This Day)


Bobby “The Brain” Heenan (Wrestling Manager)

Passed Away on September 17, 2017 at Age 72 from Organ Failure Due to Throat Cancer

​* 4x Wrestling Manager of the Year

Considered the Greatest Manager in Wrestling History

​Elected to WWE Hall of Fame in 2004


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80s Movies

(On This Day)


No 80s Movies Released On This Day


Fun Fact!

Red Dawn (1984) Was the First PG-13 Movie


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80s Television

(On This Day)


1982 - The Powers of Matthew Star Premiered on NBC
Seasons:  1
Episodes:  22


1983 - Alvin and the Chipmunks (Animation) Premiered on NBC
Seasons:  8
Episodes:  102 
(168 segments)

1983 - Mister T (Animation) Premiered on NBC
Seasons:  3
Episodes:  33


1983 - Benji, Zax & the Alien Prince Premiered on CBS
Seasons:  1
Episodes:  13


1983 - Biskitts (Animation) Premiered on CBS
Seasons:  1
Episodes:  13 
(26 segments)

1983 - The Charlie Brown and Snoopy Show (Animation) Premiered on CBS
Seasons:  2
Episodes:  18


1983 - Dungeons & Dragons (Animation) Premiered on CBS
Seasons:  3
Episodes:  27


1983 - Saturday Supercade (Animation) Premiered on CBS
Seasons:  2
Episodes:  26 
(98 segments)

1984 - The Transformers (Animation) Premiered in Syndication
Seasons:  4
Episodes:  98


1986 - Head of the Class Premiered on ABC
Seasons:  5
Episodes:  114


1987 - Out of This World Premiered in Syndication
Seasons:  4
Episodes:  96


1988 - Rin Tin Tin: K-9 Cop Premiered on The Family Channel
Seasons:  5
Episodes:  106

* The Show was Called Katts and Dog in the UK and Canada


1988 - Garfield and Friends (Animation) Premiered on CBS
Seasons:  7
Episodes:  121 
(363 Segments)

1988 - Hey Vern, It's Ernest! Premiered on CBS
Seasons:  1
Episodes:  13

Starring Jim Varney

1988 - Superman (Animation) Premiered on CBS
Seasons:  1
Episodes:  13


1988 - Fantastic Max (Animation) Premiered in Syndication
Seasons:  2
Episodes:  26


1989 - Major Dad Premiered on CBS
Seasons:  4
Episodes:  96
​​


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80s Music

(Albums Released On This Day)


1980 - Oingo Boingo (EP)
Oingo Boingo

* The EP Was the Band’s First Official Release
Oingo Boingo’s First Studio Album Was "Only the Lad" (1981)

1980 - One Step Closer
The Doobie Brothers (9th Album)

Billboard Charts:  #3

1982 - The Philip Lynott Album
Philip Lynott (2nd Album)

* Reached #18 in Sweden

1985 - Ready for the World
Ready for the World (Debut Album)

Billboard Charts:  #17

* #3 in R&B

Featuring “Oh Sheila”

1985 - Here's to Future Days
Thompson Twins (5th Album)

Billboard Charts:  #20

* #5 in the UK


1985 - Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam with Full Force
Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam (Debut Album)

Billboard Charts:  #52

1988 - Tougher Than Leather
Run-D.M.C. (4th Album)

Billboard Charts:  #9

* #2 in R&B

Featuring “Mary, Mary”

1989 - Soldier of Fortune
Loudness (8th Album)


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80s Sports


1981 - Ric Flair Beat Dusty Rhodes to WIn the NWA Heavyweight Championship

1983 - The Chicago White Sox Clinched the American League West For the First Time

* The White Sox Beat the Mariners 4 - 3 at Comiskey Park on a Saturday Night
Attendance:  45,646


1984 - Reggie Jackson Hit His 500th Career Home Run
Pitcher:  Bud Black
* The Royals Beat the Angels 10 - 1 at Anaheim Stadium on a Monday Night
Attendance:  28,862


1984 - Chicago White Sox Outfielder ,Harold Baines Hit 3 Home Runs Against the Minnesota Twins
* The White Sox Beat the Twins 7 - 3 at the Metrodome on a Monday Night
Attendance:  17,052


​1988 - The Summer Olympics Opened in Seoul, Korea


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Other Notable Dates

(On September 17th)


1776 - The San Francisco Presidio Was Founded by New Spain
* The Presidio Served 219 Years of Military Service

Became a National Park in 1994


1789 - The Constitution of the United States Was Created and Signed


1920 - The National Football League Was Founded as The American Football League


​Original Teams

Akron Pros

Canton Bulldogs

Cleveland Tigers

Columbus Panhandlers

Dayton Triangles

Chicago Tigers

Decatur Staleys

Racine Cardinals Chicago

Rock Island Independents

Hammond Pros

Muncie Flyers

Buffalo All-Americans

Rochester Jeffersons

Detroit Heralds


Fun Fact!

The Green Bay Packers Were Formed in 1919,B ut Didn't Join the League Until 1921


1972 - M*A*S*H Premiered on CBS
Seasons:  11
​Episodes:  256

Top 10 in Ratings 9 Out of 11 Seasons


Fun Fact!

On February 28, 1983 the Final Episode of M*A*S*H Aired, Becoming, the Most Watched Non Sporting Event TV Episode of All-Time With Over 105 Million Viewers


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