Historical Events
Sports History
Julius Erving becomes 3rd NBA (and ABA) player to score 30,000 points
- Richard Wilbur appointed as American poet laureate
- USSR performs nuclear test at the Semipalatinsk Test Site in northeast Kazakhstan
Famous Deaths
- Carlton "Carly" Barrett, Jamaican reggae drummer (The Upsetters; Bob Marley & Wailers), murdered at 36
- Cecil Harmsworth King, Irish-British owner of Mirror Group Newspapers, dies at 86
- Cornelius Van Til, Dutch philosopher and Christian apologist, dies at 91
- Dick Shawn [Richard Schulefand], American character actor and comedian (The Producers - "L.S.D."; Maid to Order), suffers a fatal heart attack on stage in San Diego on stage at 57
- Willie Donnell Smith, American fashion designer (WilliWear), dies of pneumonia at 39
Died in 1987 1987 Highlights
About April 17, 1987
Day of the Week: Friday
How Long Ago? 37 years and 8 days
Leap Year: No
Generation: Millennial
Chinese Zodiac: Rabbit
Star Sign: Aries
Holidays: Good Friday (Australia, Canada, New Zealand, United Kingdom)
Music Charts
#1 Song: I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me) - Aretha Franklin & George Michael
#1 Song: Let It Be - Ferry Aid
