On this day

October 4, 1980

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

Historical Context for October 4, 1980

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

Notable Births

1980Sarah Fisher, American race car driver^[†]

Sarah Marie Fisher is an American retired professional race car driver who competed in the Indy Racing League and the Indianapolis 500 intermittently from 1999 to 2010. She also raced in the NASCAR West Series in 2004 and 2005. Fisher took part in 81 IndyCar Series events, achieving a career-best finish of second at the 2001 Infiniti Grand Prix of Miami—the highest placing for a woman in the IRL until Danica Patrick's victory in the 2008 Indy Japan 300. In 2002, Fisher was the first female driver to win a pole position in a major American open-wheel race and competed in the Indianapolis 500 nine times, more than any other woman.

1980James Jones, American basketball player^[†]

James Andrew Jones is an American professional basketball executive and former player. He is the senior advisor for the Phoenix Suns. He was previously the general manager and president of basketball operations for the Suns. Jones played 14 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA).

1980Tomáš Rosický, Czech footballer^[†]

Tomáš Rosický is a Czech former professional footballer who was the captain of the Czech Republic national team for a ten-year period. He played club football for Sparta Prague, Borussia Dortmund and Arsenal. Currently, he serves as the sports director of Sparta Prague.

Notable Deaths

1980Pyotr Masherov, First Secretary of the Communist Party of Byelorussia (born 1918)^[†]

Pyotr Mironovich Masherov was a Soviet partisan, statesman, and one of the leaders of the Belarusian resistance during World War II who governed the Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic as First Secretary of the Communist Party of Byelorussia from 1965 until his death in 1980. Under Masherov's rule, Belarus was transformed from an agrarian, undeveloped nation which had not yet recovered from the Second World War into an industrial powerhouse; Minsk, the capital and largest city of Belarus, became one of the fastest-growing cities on the planet. Masherov ruled until his sudden death in 1980, after his vehicle was hit by a potato truck.

Filter by:

Headlines from October 4, 1980

Iraq and Iran Battle for Key Cities; A War of Attrition Appears Likely; Iraq Consolidates Positions Iranians Are Tenacious Iraq Battles for Key Cities; War of Attrition Emerging Iranians Have Good Maps Stalemate Prevails

By Youssef M. Ibrahim Special To the New York Timesby Henry Tanner Special To the New York Times

SHALAMSHEH, Iran, Oct. 3--Iraqi forces, apparently resigned to a long and hard war of attrition with Iran, battled today for control of the major oil port of Khurramshahr.

None0 words

WORKERS OF POLAND DEFY REGIME'S PLEA, STRIKE NATIONWIDE; Hundreds of Thousands Walk Out for Hour to Back Up Demands That Warsaw Honor Pact Mild Criticism of Strikers WORKERS OF POLAND STRIKE NATIONWIDE

By John Darnton Special To the New York Times

WARSAW, Poland, Oct. 3--Defying the Government, the new independent trade unions mounted an impressive show of strength today by calling hundreds of thousands of workers out on a one-hour nationwide protest strike.

None0 words

Iraq's Dream: War Victim?; Faltering Attack Mars Aim of Dominating Gulf News Analysis Iraqi Dream: Bid to Become a Leading Gulf Power May Be a Victim of a Faltering War Hussein Critical of Iranians Iraq Claims Lands to East

By John Kifner Special To the New York Times

BAGHDAD, Iraq, Oct. 3--Diplomats here say that the border war between Iraq and Iran appears to have as much to do with President Saddam Hussein's ambitions to be the leader of the Arab world as it does with the few miles of disputed territory.

None0 words

PRODUCERS' PRICES SHOW SLIGHT DROP, FIRST IN 4 YEARS; SEPTEMBER JOBLESS RATE OFF White House Says Data for Recent Months Indicate That Carter's Policies Are Succeeding Restrained Statement Issued Interest Rates May Have Effect Producer Prices Down First Time in 4 Year Two-Year Review on Autos Meat and Fish Prices Drop Usually Affect Retail Costs

By Edward Cowan Special To the New York Times

WASHINGTON, Oct. 3--The Government reported today that its Producer Price Index for goods ready to sell to retailers slipped by two-tenths of 1 percent in September, the first decline for any month in four and a half years.

None0 words

New York City Seeks Way to Tap Funds of Tax-Exempt Properties; Koch Efforts Noted Straitened New York Tries to Cut Tax Exemptions A Difficult Task Ahead Fallout-Shelter Owners Exempt Concentration in Manhattan Why Exempt the Land?

By Clyde Haberman

From sprawling Van Cortlandt Park in the North Bronx to the Art Deco splendor of Rockefeller Center, New York City land has an assessed valuation of more than $65 billion. Yet it is a legacy of wealth that to a large degree cannot be tapped by the money-pressed city.

None0 words

Bomb Outside Paris Synagogue Kills 4 and Injures 12; Bomb Outside Jewish Temple in Paris Kills 4 and Injures 12 Others German Police Raid Hideout

By Richard Eder Special To the New York Times

PARIS, Oct. 3--A terrorist bomb exploded tonight in front of a Jewish temple here, killing 4 people and injuring 12 more.

None0 words

Volcker Critical of Fast Rate Rises; Money Supply, in Reversal, Drops; Volcker Refuses to Comment Volcker Critical of Rate Rises Credit Experts Back Banks Burns Cites Inflation Fears

By Steven Rattner Special To the New York Times

WASHINGTON, Oct. 3--Paul A. Volcker, the chairman of the Federal Reserve Board, said today that interest rates may have "jumped and anticipated too much" in response to the central bank's efforts to hold down the growth in the nation's money supply.

None0 words

U.S. Said to Act to Prevent Attack by Iraq From Oman; Zia Not Optimistic on End to War U.S. Accused of Collusion Saudis Feared Iranian Attack Tension in Washington Noted

By Bernard Gwertzman Special To the New York Times

WASHINGTON, Oct. 3--Alarmed by intelligence reports that Iraq was planning to launch air and helicopter strikes against Iran from nearby Oman last weekend, the United States and Britain exerted considerable diplomatic pressure to prevent the widening of the conflict, diplomatic sources said today.

None0 words

Portugal's Campaign Ends in General Bewilderment; Socialists' Zeppelin Crashed The Communist Establishment

By James M. Markham Special To the New York Times

SETUBAL, Portugal, Oct. 3--A boisterous, cacaphonous campaign for a new Parliament to be elected Sunday officially came to an end today, with honking motorcades littering the streets with leaflets and leaders of the three principal coalitions making their last pitches at rallies.

None0 words

Basques Kill Three in Police Car In an Ambush in Northern Spain

By Unknown Author

DURANGO, Spain, Oct. 3 (UPI)-- Gunmen who were thought to be Basque separatists ambushed a police car in this northern city today, killing two police inspectors and their driver.

None0 words

British Labor Party Ends Disharmonious Meeting

By Unknown Author

BLACKPOOL, England, Oct. 3 (Reuters)--The opposition Labor Party formally concluded its most divided and bitter annual conference in years today, still in confusion about how to elect its next leader.

None0 words

East Germans Devour News on West German Vote; Schmidt Visit Canceled

By Special to The New York Times

EAST BERLIN, Oct. 3--The East German urged his visitor into the sitting room, where a television set at full volume showed Helmut Schmidt at a rally. "I want to hear the Social Democrats' election spot first," the man said. "Then we can talk."

None0 words