On this day

January 19, 1980

Revisit the music, news, notable people, and historical moments connected to this date.

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Headlines from January 19, 1980

Olympics Aides Consult Vance, Resist a Boycott; Officials to Poll Athletes if U.S. Decides on a Ban No Decision Yet by White House Olympic Aides Shift Views Olympic Aides Meet With Vance; Indicate Doubt on Moscow Boycott

By Steven R. Weisman Special To the New York Times

WASHINGTON, Jan. 18 -- Top officials of the United States Olympic Committee, after meeting more than two hours with Secretary of State Cyrus R. Vance and aides of President Carter, suggested today that they would not necessarily comply with a decision by the President to withdraw from the Olympic Games in Moscow this summer.

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U.S. ECONOMY GREW AT MODERATE 1.4% IN LAST '79 QUARTER; G.N.P.'S RATE FOR YEAR IS 2.3% Pessimistic Forecasts Not Borne Out, but Economists Still Say a Recession Lies Ahead A Satisfactory Performance Spending Mostly on 'Soft Goods' Quarter's G.N.P. Up 1.4% Notably Lower Than Estimate

By Steven Rattner Special To the New York Times

WASHINGTON, Jan. 18 Continuing to defy the pessimistic predictions of economists, the American economy grew at a moderate annual rate of 1.4 percent in the fourth quarter of last year, the Government reported today.

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Iranians at U.S. Embassy Depicted As Feeling Isolated and Suspicious; Iranian Militants Said to Be Feeling Sense of Isolation Power Struggle Emerging Hostages' Hands Still Bound Ghotbzadeh a Tough Infighter

By Christopher S. Wren Special To the New York Times

TEHERAN, Iran, Jan. 18 The militants occupying the United States Embassy here have begun suffering from a sense of isolation akin to what they have inflicted on their 50 American prisoners, according to foreign and Iranian sources who have followed the 11-week-old siege closely.

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U.S. STILL PLANS AID IN SPITE OF CRITICISM BY PAKISTANI RULER; VANCE TO SEEK SENATE ACTION State Department Depicts Offer as 'Substantial and Responsive' in Wake of Afghan Crisis Vance to Present Plan U.S. to Proceed With Pakistan Aid Bid U.S. Officials Pleased Waiver of Law Required

By Bernard Gwertzman Special To the New York Times

WASHINGTON, Jan. 18 The United States said today that it was going ahead next week with plans to seek a two-year, $400 million aid package for Pakistan even though that country's President yesterday described the sum as "peanuts."

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Music on My Birthday

Billboard 200

The Top 50 albums for the chart week of January 16, 1980, covering January 19, 1980.

  1. 1
    Album cover for The Wall by Pink Floyd

    The Wall

    Pink Floyd

    Last week
    3
    Peak
    1
    Weeks
    6
  2. 2
    Album cover for On The Radio: Greatest Hits: Volumes I & II by Donna Summer

    On The Radio: Greatest Hits: Volumes I & II

    Donna Summer

    Last week
    2
    Peak
    1
    Weeks
    12
  3. 3
    Album cover for The Long Run by Eagles

    The Long Run

    Eagles

    Last week
    4
    Peak
    1
    Weeks
    14
  4. 4
    Album cover for Greatest by Bee Gees

    Greatest

    Bee Gees

    Last week
    1
    Peak
    1
    Weeks
    10
  5. 5
    Album cover for Damn The Torpedoes by Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers

    Damn The Torpedoes

    Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers

    Last week
    6
    Peak
    5
    Weeks
    11

Notable Births

Jenson Button

1980Jenson Button, English racing driver[†]

Jenson Alexander Lyons Button is a British racing driver, who competes in the FIA World Endurance Championship for Jota. Button competed in Formula One from 2000 to 2017, and won the World Drivers' Championship in 2009 with Brawn; he won 15 Grands Prix across 18 seasons.

1980Pasha Kovalev, Russian-American dancer and choreographer[†]

Pavel "Pasha" Kovalev is a Russian professional Latin and ballroom dancer.

Luke Macfarlane

1980Luke Macfarlane, Canadian-American actor and singer[†]

Thomas Luke Macfarlane is a Canadian actor and former singer. He is known for playing Scotty Wandell on the ABC television drama Brothers & Sisters (2006–2011), RAC Agent D'avin Jaqobis on the Space television science fiction series Killjoys (2015–2019), the romantic lead in a number of Hallmark Channel movies, and Aaron in Bros.

1980Arvydas Macijauskas, Lithuanian basketball player[†]

Arvydas Macijauskas is a Lithuanian former professional basketball player. Standing at 1.93 m tall, he played at the shooting guard position. Widely considered one of the greatest Lithuanian players of the 2000s, he won numerous individual awards, as well as club and national team titles.

1980Michael Vandort, Sri Lankan cricketer[†]

Michael Graydon Vandort is a Sri Lankan former cricketer. He is a left-handed batsman and a right-arm medium-pace bowler. He made his Twenty20 debut on 17 August 2004, for Colombo Cricket Club in the 2004 SLC Twenty20 Tournament. He is of Dutch Burgher ancestry and was educated at St. Joseph's College.

Notable Deaths

William O. Douglas

1980William O. Douglas, American lawyer and jurist (born 1898)[†]

William Orville Douglas was an American jurist who served as an associate justice of the Supreme Court of the United States from 1939 to 1975. Douglas was known for his strong progressive and civil libertarian views and is often cited as the most liberal justice in the U.S. Supreme Court’s history. Nominated by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1939, Douglas was confirmed at the age of 40, becoming one of the youngest justices appointed to the court. He is the longest-serving justice in history, having served for 36 years and 209 days.

Historical Context for January 19, 1980

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