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Historical Context for July 17, 1980

In 1980, the world population was approximately 4,447,606,236 people[†]

In 1980, the average yearly tuition was $738 for public universities and $3,225 for private universities. Today, these costs have risen to $9,750 and $35,248 respectively[†]

Notable Births

1980Javier Camuñas, Spanish footballer[†]

Javier Camuñas Gallego is a Spanish retired professional footballer. A versatile midfielder, he could also appear as a second striker.

1980Brett Goldstein, British actor, comedian and writer[†]

Brett Goldstein is an English actor, comedian, writer, producer, and podcaster. Known for his role as Roy Kent in the Apple TV+ sports comedy series Ted Lasso, he received the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series for each of the first two seasons. He is also the co-creator of the comedy series Shrinking (2023).

1980Ryan Miller, American ice hockey player[†]

Ryan Dean Miller is an American former ice hockey goaltender who played 18 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) mostly for the Buffalo Sabres. Miller was drafted 138th overall by the Buffalo Sabres in the 1999 NHL Entry Draft. In 2010, he won the Vezina Trophy as the league's best goaltender. Miller was the winningest American-born goaltender in NHL history from February 2019 until March 2024, when he was passed by Jonathan Quick. In January 2023, Miller was inducted into the Buffalo Sabres Hall Of Fame, and his #30 was retired. In April 2025, Miller was also inducted into the Rochester Americans Hall of Fame.

Notable Deaths

1980Don "Red" Barry, American actor and screenwriter (born 1912)[†]

Don Barry, also known as Red Barry, was an American film and television actor. He was nicknamed "Red" after appearing as the first Red Ryder in the highly successful 1940 film Adventures of Red Ryder with Noah Beery Sr.; the character was played in later films by "Wild Bill" Elliott and Allan Lane. Barry went on to bigger budget films following Red Ryder, but none reached his previous level of success. He played Red Doyle in the 1964 Perry Mason episode "The Case of the Simple Simon".

1980Boris Delaunay, Russian mathematician and academic (born 1890)[†]

Boris Nikolayevich Delaunay or Delone was a Soviet and Russian mathematician, mountain climber, and the father of physicist, Nikolai Borisovich Delone. He is best known for the Delaunay triangulation.

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Headlines from July 17, 1980

Severe Drought Is Feared As Heat Withers 6 States; New Areas Are Invaded Extended Drought Is Feared as Killing Heat Racks the Southwest Official Fears Catastrophe Aquifers May Be Depleted Cattlemen Selling Herds

By William K. Stevens Special To the New York Times

HOUSTON, July 16--Every morning it is the same. The air is pleasantly balmy as the first, faint light of day appears over the oaks and pines. But as soon as the sun peeks above the treeline, the heat is felt. By late afternoon it is 100 degrees or more, and fluffy white clouds, rainless clouds that don't show up on radar weatherscopes, drift across the sky atop torrid ...

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Video Reshaping Film Industry; TV Technology Erodes Control Of Distribution Video Methods Reshaping Film Industry 'Pay TV Revolution' Some See Lesser Impact 'Have Only Served to Hurt Us'

By Robert Lindsey Special To the New York Times

LOS ANGELES, July 16--New television technologies are altering patterns of power and wealth that have prevailed in the entertainment industry for decades and appear to be leading to fundamental changes in the way film entertainment is delivered to American consumers.

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REAGAN WINS NOMINATION AND CHOOSES BUSH; DRAMATIC ABOUT FACE Till Last Minute Delegates Expected Ex-President to Take No. 2 Spot Announcement by Reagan Delayed Keynote Speech Reagan Is Given Republicans' Nomination Drama of Selection Speech by Laxalt Bush Tribute to Reagan

By Hedrick Smith Special To the New York Times

DETROIT, Thursday July 17--A jubilant Republican Party formally proclaimed Ronald Reagan as its nominee last night and then heard this morning, after one of the most dramatic aboutfaces of recent convention politics, that George Bush would be his Vice-Presidential running mate.

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Reagan Says Bush Backs Platform; Ford Was Offered Major Authority; Insoluble Differences Bush Vows Hard Work Reagan Says Bush Favors Platform; Ford Was Offered Major Authority Two Meetings With Ford Excerpt of Amendment

By Adam Clymer Special To the New York Times

DETROIT, Thursday, July 17--Ronald Reagan picked George Bush, his most persistent foe in the primaries, to run for Vice President early today after coming close to arranging to have former President Gerald R. Ford serve as his running mate in exchange for a sweeping promise of power in key fields of Presidential authority.

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From Film Star To Candidate; Ronald Wilson Reagan Man in the News Fervor of Supporters Ronald Wilson Reagan: From a Star in Films to a Candidate for the Presidency Significance of Acting Career A Cultural Conservative Turning Point in Life Aided by Wealthy Friends Doubled University Budget Values His Privacy Becomes a Millionaire Support From Wife

By Howell Raines Special To the New York Times

DETROIT, July 16--Like most good Ronald Reagan crowds, they brought their autograph pads and their Instamatics. Some had come in pickup trucks with "America: Repent or Per ish" signs and others in ...

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I was wondering if anything interesting on the news was going on when I was born, and decided to create this website for fun. The purpose is to show people what was going on when they were born. With this website I've found out that it was a pretty slow news day on my birthday, but I bet it would feel cool to know a historical event happened on your birthday.

The data used in this project is provided by the New York Times API. They have by far the best API I was able to find, with articles dating back to the 1950s. There weren't any other major newspapers that had an API with close to as much data. The closest was the Guardian API, but theirs only went back to the 1990s. I decided to only use articles from the New York Times because their API was by far the best. This tool works if you have a birthday after the 1950s or so.

Some important dates in history I'd recommend looking up on this website are:

  • 9/11/2001: The September 11 Attacks happened on this day, the news articles from this date provide great context to the tragedy our nation suffered and the immediate response from the American people. The headlines capture the shock, confusion, and unity that emerged in the aftermath of this devastating event.
  • 7/20/1969: The historic Apollo 11 moon landing, when humans first set foot on another celestial body. The articles from this date showcase humanity's greatest achievement in space exploration and the culmination of the space race.
  • 11/9/1989: The fall of the Berlin Wall, marking the beginning of the end of the Cold War. The coverage provides fascinating insights into this pivotal moment in world history and the emotions of people as decades of division came to an end.
  • 1/20/2009: Barack Obama's inauguration as the first African American President of the United States, a watershed moment in American history that represented a major milestone in the ongoing journey toward racial equality.
  • 8/15/1969: The Woodstock Music Festival began, marking a defining moment in American counterculture and music history. The coverage captures the spirit of the era and the unprecedented gathering of young people.

These historical events are just a few examples of the fascinating moments in history you can explore through this tool. Whether you're interested in your own birthday, significant historical dates, or just curious about what was making headlines on any given day, this website offers a unique window into the past through the lens of contemporary news coverage.

You can read more on our blog.