1987

1987 was the 116th year after the founding of the city of Birmingham.

Events

• March 1: The Homewood Public Library moved into the former Homewood Church of Christ.
• April 3: A rare snowfall brought 5 inches to Birmingham.
• September 29: The Jefferson County Occupational Tax was created.
• Radio partners Mark & Brian moved their show to Los Angeles, California.

Business

• May: I Cover the War began publication.
• Blach's declared bankruptcy.
• The Clay-Chalkville Animal Clinic was founded.
• Cooking Light magazine began publication.
• Jim Dearth became CEO of Children's Hospital.
• Kiwanis Club of Birmingham opened its membership to women.
• Lou's Pub and Package Store opened.
• The Magic Platter opened.
• The Parisian Clearance Center moved to the Palisades.
• Several local Pizitz stores were converted to McRae's.
• Redmont School was founded.
• The Shepherd Centre was proposed.
• Southland Tube was founded.
• Space One Eleven opened with Jon Coffelt as the inaugural artist.
• TC opened.
• WBRC was sold by Taft Radio and Television to Great American Radio & TV Corporation.
• WTTO was sold by Arlington Broadcasting to HR Broadcasting.
• Simply Fashions was founded.
• Barton-Clay Fine Jewelers was founded.
• Walter Industries, Inc. went private.
• BellSouth ended its lease of warehouse space at the Phoenix Building.

Sports

• January 20: Baseball player Vida Blue signed with the Oakland Athletics.
• April 30: Bill Elliott set a record for the fastest recorded time in a stock car at 212.809 mph during qualifying at the Talladega Superspeedway.
• May 3: Bobby Allison crashed spectacularly at the Winston 500 at the Talladega Superspeedway, leading to a 4-hour red flag and a shortened race, won by his son, rookie Davey Allison.
• July 11: Bo Jackson signed a $7.4 million contract with the Los Angeles Raiders.
• August 30: Two Birmingham Barons records were set as Tom Forrester hit three home runs and another extra base hit in a game against Columbus.
• November 27: Auburn won the Iron Bowl, 10-0.
• The Birmingham Jefferson Convention Complex hosted the first two rounds of the NCAA college basketball tournament.
• The Birmingham Barons changed their home field from Rickwood to Hoover Metropolitan Stadium.
• The 1987 class of the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame included Buck Buchanan, Joe Childress, Hubert Green, Homer Norton, Don Sutton and Jim Whatley. The first "Distinguished Alabama Sportsman" honor went to Shoal Creek developer Hall Thompson.

Nonprofits and Churches

• 55th Place opened.
• The Alabama Wildlife Center moved to Oak Mountain State Park.
• Birmingham Civic Opera Association merged with the Southern Regional Opera to form the Birmingham Opera Theater.
• Birmingham Landmarks was founded to save the Alabama Theatre.
• EWTN expanded to broadcasting 24 hours a day.
• Guiding Light Church was founded.
• Hunter Street Baptist Church moved to Hoover.

Works

• Jesús Moroles completed the Granite Garden sculpture installation for the Birmingham Botanical Gardens.

Albums

• Angel Band by Emmylou Harris
• Trio by Emmylou Harris, Dolly Parton, and Linda Ronstadt

Books

• Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Café by Fannie Flagg
• The first Birmingham Off Beat calendar
• Reprint edition of Ethel Armes' 1910 The Story of Coal and Iron in Alabama by Beechwood Books

Buildings

• 2320 Highland Avenue
• BE&K headquarters
• Hewitt-Trussville Junior High classroom annex
• Hugo L. Black Federal Courthouse
• Mervyn H. Sterne Library addition
• Park Building
• Pickwick Place
• Red Mountain cut granted National Natural Landmark status
• Stafford Plaza

• July 12: The Chestnut Hill Historic District listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Individuals

• Alan Hunter left MTV.
• Ron Nored became pastor of Bethel AME Church Ensley.

Births

• January 7: Courtney Porter, Miss Alabama 2011
• January 25: Andre Smith, football player
• March 23: Earl Bennett, football player
• May 1: Glen Coffee, former football player
• June 11: Tyler Grisham, football player
• June 16: Diana DeGarmo, singer and actress (American Idol)
• December 16: Hector Santiago, pitcher for the 2011 Birmingham Barons
• Ryan Evans, murder victim and accused murderer
• Kayla Fanaei, UAB student and murder victim
• Wil Jones, videographer
• Anthony Mostella, football player
• Maurice Thomas, football player and murder victim
• Mara, giraffe

Awards

• Miss Alabama: Julie Hitt was awarded the crown, but resigned two days later, giving Kym Williams the title.

Graduations

• Tim Ritchie, Juris Doctorate from the Duke University School of Law

Deaths

• February 14: Wendy Holcombe, banjo player
• March 7: A. H. Woodward, Jr, industrialist
• May 14: Luke Sewell, baseball player and manager
• June 5: Eleanor Bridges, artist and activist
• July 1: Charles W. Ireland, chairman of Vulcan Materials
• July 13: Johnny High, basketball player
• July 14: Joseph Vath, first Bishop of Birmingham
• October: Douglas Arant, attorney

See also, List of homicides in 1987

Context

In 1987, top stories in the United States included Gary Hart's withdrawal from the U.S. presidential race after his affair with Donna Rice was exposed, Jim Bakker's affair with Jessica Hahn, and baby Jessica McClure being rescued from a well. In Russia, Mathias Rust landed his plane in Red Square and Gorbachev introduced perestroika. And advertisers created the California Raisins.

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