On this day

September 17, 1980

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

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Headlines from September 17, 1980

Sydenham Scene Of Office Seizure On Its Final Day; Hospital's Closing Begins as Demonstrators March Commotion but No Violence Director's Office Seized Sydenham Hospital Closing Started; Demonstrators Occupy Offices

By Ronald Sullivan

The Koch administration began closing Sydenham Hospital in Harlem yesterday as demonstrators opposed to its planned conversion into a community-sponsored drug and alcoholism center forcibly occupied its small emergency room and administrative offices.

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Music on My Birthday

Billboard 200

The Top 50 albums for the chart week of September 17, 1980, covering September 17, 1980.

  1. 1
    Album cover for The Game by Queen

    The Game

    Queen

    Last week
    4
    Peak
    1
    Weeks
    10
  2. 2
    Album cover for Hold Out by Jackson Browne

    Hold Out

    Jackson Browne

    Last week
    1
    Peak
    1
    Weeks
    10
  3. 3
    Album cover for Diana by Diana Ross

    Diana

    Diana Ross

    Last week
    5
    Peak
    3
    Weeks
    30
  4. 4
    Album cover for Emotional Rescue by The Rolling Stones

    Emotional Rescue

    The Rolling Stones

    Last week
    2
    Peak
    1
    Weeks
    10
  5. 5
    Album cover for Panorama by The Cars

    Panorama

    The Cars

    Last week
    12
    Peak
    5
    Weeks
    3

Notable Births

Dan Haren

1980Dan Haren, American baseball player[†]

Daniel John Haren is an American former professional baseball pitcher. Haren played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the St. Louis Cardinals, Oakland Athletics, Arizona Diamondbacks, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, Washington Nationals, Los Angeles Dodgers, Miami Marlins, and Chicago Cubs. He now serves as a pitching strategist with the Diamondbacks.

Shabana Mahmood

1980Shabana Mahmood, English lawyer and politician, Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury[†]

Shabana Mahmood is a British politician and barrister who has served as Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice since 2024. She has been Member of Parliament (MP) for Birmingham Ladywood since 2010, and is a member of the Labour Party.

Oliver Risser

1980Oliver Risser, Namibian footballer[†]

Oliver Hanjorge Risser is a former professional footballer who played as a midfielder. He represented Namibia internationally as well as having spells playing in Norway, Finland, England and Belgium.

Notable Deaths

Anastasio Somoza Debayle

1980Anastasio Somoza Debayle, Nicaraguan commander and politician, 73rd President of Nicaragua (born 1925)[†]

Anastasio "Tachito" Somoza Debayle was a Nicaraguan politician who served as the 53rd President of Nicaragua from 1967 to 1972 and again from 1974 to 1979. As head of the National Guard, he was de facto ruler of the country between 1967 and 1979, even during the period when he was not the de jure ruler.

Historical Events

GdaƄsk Shipyard

1980After weeks of strikes at the Lenin Shipyard in GdaƄsk, Poland, the nationwide independent trade union Solidarity is established.[†]

The GdaƄsk Shipyard is a large Polish shipyard, located in the city of GdaƄsk, northern Poland. The yard gained international fame when Polish trade union Solidarity was founded there in September 1980. It is situated on the western side of Martwa WisƂa and on Ostrów Island.

Anastasio Somoza Debayle

1980Former Nicaraguan President Anastasio Somoza Debayle is killed in Asunción, Paraguay.[†]

Anastasio "Tachito" Somoza Debayle was a Nicaraguan politician who served as the 53rd President of Nicaragua from 1967 to 1972 and again from 1974 to 1979. As head of the National Guard, he was de facto ruler of the country between 1967 and 1979, even during the period when he was not the de jure ruler.

Historical Context for September 17, 1980

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