Timeline August 1983

Events in August 1983 9

• 1896 – 1983 Ira Gershwin (1896-1983) Died 17 August 1983, aged 86 Ira Gershwin was an American lyricist who, with his brother George Gershwin, wrote some of the most enduring songs of the American popular songbook, including "I Got Rhythm" and "Someone to Watch Over Me". He continued writing with other composers after George's death in 1937. His lyrics remain staples of jazz and musical theatre repertoire.
• 1983 Bob Seger's Old Time Rock and Roll in Risky Business Tom Cruise The famous scene makes the song a standard.
• 1983 First World Championship gold -- Helsinki 1983 At 19, Bubka wins gold at the inaugural IAAF World Championships in Helsinki -- the first world title of what will become an unprecedented six-title streak in the same event. He clears 5.70m to win. The performance announces the arrival of a new force in world athletics; within a year he will be setting world records. The Helsinki gold is the beginning of a 14-year period of complete dominance of the pole vault event at World Championship level.
• 1983 US Open 1983 Men: Jimmy Connors · Women: Martina Navratilova
• 1983 Billy Joel releases An Innocent Man Uptown Girl A tribute to 50s and 60s pop.
• 1983 The Police play Shea Stadium 70,000 fans A show Sting later called the moment the band peaked.
• 1983 – 2013 Reeva Steenkamp (1983-2013) Died 14 February 2013, aged 29 Reeva Steenkamp was a South African model and law graduate who was fatally shot by her boyfriend, Paralympic athlete Oscar Pistorius, at his home in Pretoria. The killing and subsequent trial drew intense international media attention.
• 1983 Assassination of Benigno Aquino Jr. Philippine opposition leader shot at Manila airport Filipino opposition senator Benigno Aquino Jr. was shot dead moments after stepping off a plane at Manila International Airport, returning from exile. His assassination galvanized opposition to President Ferdinand Marcos and led to the 1986 People Power Revolution. His widow, Corazon Aquino, later became president.
• 1983 Guion Bluford Becomes First African American in Space STS-8 mission aboard Space Shuttle Challenger Guion Bluford flew aboard Space Shuttle Challenger on mission STS-8, becoming the first African American astronaut in space. The mission also included the first night launch and landing of the Space Shuttle program. Bluford went on to fly three more shuttle missions.