1980

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Template:Yearbox Template:C20YearInTopic 1980 (MCMLXXX) was a leap year starting on Tuesday. It is equivalent to 2733 a.U.c., and to 1400 AH.

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Events

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January

January 1–April 1 - National steel strike in the United Kingdom.
January 1 - Changes to the Swedish Act of Succession creates Victoria of Sweden, Crown Princess over her younger brother.
January 4 - American president Jimmy Carter proclaims a grain embargo against the USSR with the support of the European Commission.
January 7 - President Jimmy Carter authorizes legislation giving $1.5 billion in loans to bail out Chrysler Corporation.
January 9 - In Saudi Arabia, sixty three Muslim fanatics are beheaded for their part in the siege of the Great Mosque in Mecca in November, 1979.
January 11 - Nigel Short, fourteen years old, is the youngest chess player to be awarded the degree of International Master.
January 22 - Andrei Sakharov, a Russian scientist and human right activist, is arrested in Moscow.
January 26 - Israel and Egypt establish diplomatic relations.
January 31 - Takedown of the embassy of Spain in Guatemala, then the embassy was set on fire killing 36 people in this tragic incident.

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February

February 2 - Abscam: Reports surface that FBI personnel were targeting members of the U.S. Congress in a sting operation.
February 4 - Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini names Abolhassan Banisadr as president of Iran.
February 13 - The XIII Winter Olympics opening ceremonys are held in Lake Placid, New York.
February 15 - In Vanuatu, followers of John Frum's cargo cult on the island of Tanna declare secession as the nation of Tafea.
February 23 - Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini states that Iran's parliament would decide the fate of the American embassy hostages.
February 25 - Coup in Surinam ousts government of Henck Arron. Leaders Desi Bouterse and Rou Horb replace it with National Military Council.
February 27 - M-19 guerrillas begin the Dominican embassy siege in Colombia, holding sixty people hostage, including fourteen ambassadors.

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March

March 1 - Voyager 1 probe confirms the existence of Janus, a moon of Saturn.
March 3 - Pierre Trudeau returns to office as Prime Minister of Canada.
March 4 - Robert Mugabe is elected Prime Minister of Zimbabwe.
March 14 - In Poland, a plane crashes during an emergency landing near Warsaw, killing a 14-man American boxing team and 73 others.
March 18 - Fifty people are killed at the Plesetsk Cosmodrome in Russia when a Vostok-2M rocket explodes on its launch pad during a fueling operation.
March 20 - The pirate radio station Radio Caroline sinks.
March 21 - President Jimmy Carter announces that the United States will boycott the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow.
March 21 - Mafioso Angelo Bruno assassinated in Atlantic City.
March 24 - Australia Olympic Committee announces it will send an Olympic delegation to Moscow, despite objections by Prime Minister Malcolm Fraser.
March 24 - Archbishop Óscar Romero is killed by gunmen while celebrating Mass in San Salvador.
March 26 - A mine lift cage at the Vaal Reef gold mine in South Africa falls 1.2 miles, killing twenty-three.
March 27 - The Norwegian oil platform Alexander Kielland collapses in the North Sea, killing 123 of its crew of 212.
March 27 - Silver Thursday market crash

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April

April 1 - The Mariel boatlift begins.
April 1 - New York City's Transport Worker Union 100 goes on strike, which continues for 11 days.
April 7 - The United States severs diplomatic relations with Iran and imposes economic sanctions following the taking of American hostages on Sunday, November 4, 1979.
April 10 - Spain and United Kingdom agree to reopen the border between Gibraltar and Spain, closed since 1969.
April 12 - Samuel Doe takes control of Liberia in a coup d'etat, ending over 130 years of democratic presidential succession in that country.
April 18 - Zimbabwe's formal independence from the United Kingdom. Robert Mugabe takes his post as a Prime Minister.
April 21 - Rosie Ruiz wins the Boston Marathon, but is later exposed as a fraud and stripped of her award.
April 24 - Pennsylvania Lottery Scheme, the PA state lottery is rigged by six men including the host of the live TV drawing, Nick Perry.
April 24–April 25 - Operation Eagle Claw, a commando mission in Iran to rescue American embassy hostages, is aborted after mechanical problems ground the rescue helicopters. Eight United States troops are killed in a mid-air collision during the failed operation.
April 27 - The Dominican embassy siege ends with all hostages released and the guerrillas flying to Cuba.
April 30 - Iranian Embassy Siege - Six Iranian-born terrorists take over Iranian embassy in London, UK. SAS retakes the Embassy on May 5 — one terrorist survives.
April 30 - Luis Muñoz Marín, first democratically elected Governor of Puerto Rico, dies at the age of 82.
April 30 - Queen Juliana of the Netherlands abdicates, and her daughter Beatrix ascends to the throne.

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May

May 4 - Yugoslav president Tito dies. The funeral ceremony in later days became the world biggist diplomatic meeting and media event since ever. More than 140 state delegations came in Belgrade from all over the world. (only the funeral of the Pope John Paul II in 2005 had more news coverage and higher number of delegatons).
May 7 - Paul Geidel, convicted of second-degree murder in 1911, is released from prison in Beacon, New York, after 68 years and 245 days - the longest-ever time served by an inmate
May 9 - In Florida, a Liberian freighter named the Summit Venture hits the Sunshine Skyway Bridge over Tampa Bay sending 35 people (most of whom were in a bus) to a watery death as a 1,400-foot section of the bridge collapsed
May 10 - Namco releases iconic Pac-Man arcade game
May 17 - Florida court acquits 4 police officers of killing Arthur McDuffie. Three days of race riots follow
May 18 - Mount St. Helens erupts in Washington killing 57 and causing US$3 billion in damage
May 18 - Gwangju Massacre: Students in Gwangju, South Korea begin demonstrations, calling for democratic reforms.
May 20 - Referendum in Quebec where the population rejects by a vote of 60% the proposal from its government to move towards independence from Canada.
May 24 - The International Court of Justice calls for the release of U.S. embassy hostages in Tehran.
May 25 - Indianapolis 500-Mile Race: Johnny Rutherford wins for a third time in car owner Jim Hall's revolutionary ground effect Chaparral car; the victory is Hall's second as an owner.
May 26 - John Frum supporters in Vanuatu storm government offices in the island of Tanna. Vanuatu government troops land the next day and drive them away
May 26 - In South Korea, military government forces and pro-democracy protesters clash - 2000 protesters die

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June

June 1 - Comedian Richard Pryor is badly burned trying to freebase cocaine.
June 3 - A series of deadly tornadoes strikes Grand Island, Nebraska, causing over $300m in damage, killing five people and injuring over 250.
June 10 - Apartheid: The African National Congress in South Africa publishes a statement by their imprisoned leader Nelson Mandela which says in part 'UNITE! MOBILISE! FIGHT ON! BETWEEN THE ANVIL OF UNITED MASS ACTION AND THE HAMMER OF THE ARMED STRUGGLE WE SHALL CRUSH APARTHEID!'[1]
June 10 - Unabomber bomb injures Percy Wood, president of the United Airlines in Lake Forest, Illinois
June 19 - Iraqi security forces shoot dead three gunmen who attacked the British embassy in Baghdad. The unknown attackers were killed in the embassy gardens by Iraqi security men, sent at the urgent request of the British ambassador, Alex Stirling.
June 22 - West Germany beat Belgium 2-1 to win Euro 80
June 23 - Sanjay Gandhi, son of Indira Gandhi, dies in an air crash
June 23–September 6 - Heat Wave of 1980
June 25 - Muslim Brotherhood assassination attempt against Syrian president Hafez al-Assad fails. Assad retaliates by sending the army against them
June 26 - A DC-9 belonging to the Italian Airline Itavia crashes into the sea near Naples after an explosion occurs in the air - 81 people dead - a bomb or a missile is suspected to be the cause of the accident but no culprits will ever be found
June 29 - Vigdis Finnbogadottir becomes the president of Iceland

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July

July 9 - Pope John Paul II visits Brazil. Seven people crush to death in a crowd meeting him
July 15 - A severe and destructive thunderstorm strikes four counties in western Wisconsin, including the city of Eau Claire. It caused over $250m in damage, and one person was killed.
July 19 - Former Turkish Prime Minister Nihat Erim is killed by two gunmen in Istanbul, Turkey.
July 19–August 3 - Summer Olympic Games in Moscow, USSR.
July 30 - Vanuatu gains independence

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August

August 2 - A terrorist bombing at the railway station in Bologna, Italy kills 85 people and wounds more than 200.
August 2 - Hurricane Allen hits landfall on Haiti and Jamaica in a Category 5, it reached Category 3 on Southern Texas on August 9 causing $2.6 billion on damage.
August 14 - Lech Wałęsa leads the first of many strikes at the Gdańsk shipyard
August 17 - In Australia, baby Azaria Chamberlain disappears from a campsite at Ayers Rock (Uluru), reportedly taken by a dingo

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September

September 5 - The St. Gothard Tunnel opens in Switzerland as the world's longest highway tunnel at 10.14 miles (16.32 km) stretching from Goschenen to Airolo.
September 12 - Military coup in Turkey lead by Kenan Evren. It stopped political violence among gangs, but was the beginning of stronger state violence which lead to the execution of many young activists.
September 17 - After weeks of strikes at the Lenin Shipyard in Gdańsk, Poland nationwide independent trade union Solidarity is established.
September 17 - Former Nicaraguan President Anastasio Somoza Debayle is killed in Asuncion, Paraguay
September 22 - The command council of Iraq ordered its army to "deliver its fatal blow on Iranian military targets," initiating the Iran-Iraq War.
September 26 - The Mariel Boatlift officially ends.
September 29 - Washington Post publishes Janet Cooke's story of Jimmy, an 8-year-old heroin addict (later proven to be fabricated)
September 30 - Digital Equipment Corporation, Intel and Xerox introduce the DIX standard for Ethernet, which was the first implementation outside of Xerox, and the first to support 10 Mbit/s speeds.

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October

October 14 - The Staggers Rail Act is enacted, deregulating American railroads.
October 18 - Fraser Government re-elected for a third consecutive term in Australia
October 25 - Proceedings on the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction conclude at The Hague
October 27 - Six IRA prisoners in Maze prison refuse food and demand status as political prisoners - hunger strike lasts until December
October 30 - El Salvador and Honduras sign a peace treaty to put the border dispute fought over in 1969's Football War before the International Court of Justice.
October 31 - Polish government recognizes Solidarity.
October 31 - Mohammad Reza Shah, eldest son of the late shah of Iran, proclaimed himself the rightful successor to the Peacock Throne.

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November

November 4 - U.S. presidential election, 1980: Republican challenger former Governor Ronald Reagan of California defeats incumbent Democrat President Jimmy Carter by a wide margin exactly one year after the beginning of the Iran hostage crisis.
November 12 - Voyager program: The NASA space probe Voyager I makes its closest approach to Saturn when it flies within 77,000 miles of the planet's cloud-tops and sends the first high resolution images of the world back to scientists on Earth
November 20 - The trial of the Gang of Four begins in China.
November 21 - A fire at the MGM Grand Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada kills 87 people.
November 21 - Millions of viewers tune into the TV soap opera Dallas to learn who shot lead character J.R. Ewing. The event is an international obsession.
November 23 - A series of earthquakes in southern Italy kills approximately 4,800 people.

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December

December 8 - John Lennon is shot outside his New York apartment, by Mark Chapman.
December 15 - The Academia de la Llingua Asturiana (Academy of the Asturian Language) is created.
December 16 - During a summit on the island of Bali, the OPEC decides to raise the price of petroleum by 10%.
December 26 - Richard Chase, the "Vampire of Sacramento", kills himself by overdose on San Quentin prison death row

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Unknown dates

Lawrence Klein is awarded the Bank of Sweden Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel.
Hassan Fathy and Plenty International / Stephen Gaskin are awarded the Right Livelihood Award.
Victoria, Australia, decriminalises homosexual acts between consenting adults.

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Births

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January

January 1 - Elin Nordegren, Swedish model
January 2 - Rebekah Teasdale, British model and journalist
January 6 - Hiromi Oshima, Japanese model
January 7 - Gabriela Bazan, Peruvian activist
January 8 - Rachel Nichols, American actress
January 9 - Sergio García, Spanish golfer
January 11 - Mike Williams, American football player
January 14 - Cory Gibbs, American soccer player
January 16 - Albert Pujols, Dominican Major League Baseball player
January 16 - Michelle Wild, Hungarian actress
January 22 - Christopher Masterson, American actor
January 25 - Christian Olsson, Swedish athlete
January 25 - Alicia Keys, American musician
January 25 - Michelle McCool-Alexander, American professional wrestler
January 27 - Marat Safin, Russian tennis player
January 28 - Nick Carter, American singer, member of Backstreet Boys
January 30 - Wilmer Valderrama, Venezuelan/Colombian-American comedian

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February

February 5 - Robin Vik, Czech tennis player
February 10 - César Izturis, Venezuelan Major League Baseball player
February 11
- Natasha Bobo, American actress
- Matthew Lawrence, American actor
February 12
- Juan Carlos Ferrero, Spanish tennis player
- Christina Ricci, American actress
February 15 - Conor Oberst, American singer/songwriter
February 16 - Ashley Lelie, American football player
February 20 - Imanol Harinordoquy, French rugby player

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March

March 7 - Laura Prepon, American actress
March 13 - Molly Stanton, American actress
March 16 - Todd Heap, American football player
March 18 - Alexei Yagudin, Russian figure skater
March 21 - Ronaldinho, Brazilian football player
March 21 - Marit Bjørgen, Norwegian cross-country skier
March 31 - Chien-Ming Wang, Taiwanese Major League Baseball player

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April

April 1 - Randy Orton, American professional wrestler
April 1 - Yūko Takeuchi, Japanese actress
April 13 - Jana Cova, Czech pornographic actress
April 14 - Ben Wells, American Actor
April 17 - Brenda Villa, American water polo player
April 20 - Jasmin Wagner, German singer
April 20 - Channing Tatum, American actor and model
April 21 - Vincent Lecavalier, Canadian hockey player
April 26 - Jordana Brewster, American actress

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May

May 7 - Johan Kenkhuis, Dutch swimmer
May 9 - Grant Hackett, Australian swimmer
May 18 - Matt Long, American actor
May 24 - Cecilia Cheung, Hong Kong actress
May 30- Steven Gerrard, English footballer

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June

June 1 - Oliver James, British actor
June 13 - Sarah Connor, German singer
June 16 - Joey Yung, Hong Kong singer
June 17 - Kimeru, Japanese singer
June 17 - Venus Williams, American tennis player
June 19 - Jason White, American football player
June 22 - Jade Marcela, American actress
June 23 - Ramnaresh Sarwan, West Indian cricketer
June 26 - Jason Schwartzman, American actor
June 26 - Michael Vick, American football player
June 29 - Katherine Jenkins, Welsh soprano
June 29 - Martin Truex Jr, American race car driver

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July

July 3 - Roland Mark Schoeman, South African swimmer
July 5 - Eva Green, French actress and composer
July 6 - Pau Gasol, Catalan basketball player
July 7 - Michelle Kwan, American figure skater
July 8 - Robbie Keane, Irish footballer
July 10 - Adam Petty, American race car driver (d. 2000)
July 10 - Jessica Simpson, American singer
July 18 - Kristen Bell, American actress
July 20 - Gisele Bundchen, Brazilian supermodel
July 22 - Kate Ryan, Belgian singer
July 24 - Gauge, American actress

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August

August 3 - Jonathan D. Gordon, American Illustrator
August 11 - Lee Suggs, American football player
August 16 - Vanessa Carlton, American singer
August 26 - Macaulay Culkin, American actor
August 27 - Derrick Strait, American football player
August 28 - Debra Lafave, American teacher
August 29 - Nicholas Tse, Hong Kong singer

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September

September 3 - Jennie Finch, American softball player
September 7 - Mark Prior, baseball player
September 10 - Mikey Way, American bassist (My Chemical Romance)
September 12 - Sean Burroughs, baseball player
September 12 - Yao Ming, Chinese basketball player
September 19 - Tegan Quin, Canadian singer/songwriter
September 19 - Sara Quin, Canadian singer/songwriter
September 21 - Kareena Kapoor, Indian actress
September 30 - Martina Hingis, Swiss tennis player

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October

October 4 - Me'Lisa Barber, American athlete
October 13 - Ashanti, American musician
October 14 - Terrence McGee, American football player
October 16 - Sue Bird, American basketball player
October 16 - Timana Tahu, Australian Rugby League Player
October 17 - Ekaterina Gamova, Russian volleyball player
October 27 - Henriett Seth-F., Hungarian autistic savant
October 28 - Alan Smith, English footballer
October 28 - Christy Hemme, American Professional Wrestler

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November

November 11 - Willie Parker, American football player
November 12 - Ryan Gosling, Canadian actor
November 15 - Ace Young, American singer and reality show finalist
November 16 - Kayte Christensen, American basketball player
November 17 - Isaac Hanson, American musician
November 21 - Hank Blalock, baseball player

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December

December 6 - Steve Lovell, English footballer
December 7 - John Terry, English footballer
December 10 - Sarah Chang, American violinist
December 10 - Alexa Rae, American pornographic actress
December 18 - Christina Aguilera, American singer
December 19 - Jake Gyllenhaal, American actor
December 19 - Marla Sokoloff, American actress
December 20 - Ashley Cole, English football player
December 30 - Eliza Dushku, American actress

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Deaths

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January

January 3 - Joy Adamson, Austrian-born conservationist and author (murdered) (b. 1910)
January 8 - John Mauchly, American physicist and inventor (b. 1907)
January 10 - George Meany, American labor leader (b. 1894)
January 18 - Sir Cecil Beaton, English photographer (b. 1904)
January 29 - Jimmy Durante, American actor, singer, and comedian (b. 1893)
January 30 - Professor Longhair, American musician (b. 1918)