Yesterday, we said happy 45th Birthday to Damian. Today we’re having some fun.
As of today Damian has been 45 for one day or, if you prefer, 46 T– 365 days and yes that is correct because this is a leap year. Take that 46!
On 11 February 1971:
Damian’s mother and father would have been counting Pounds, Shilling and Pence…well maybe not specifically on this day as clearly they had more important matters, but you get what I mean. There were 240 pence in a pound, twenty shillings in a pound and 12 pence in a shilling. Interestingly the shilling was first minted during the reign of Henry Vii – you think I’m going to miss a chance to get sort of screen Dad in here too? Ha! Four days later on 15 February 1971 the UK went decimal.
Top of the UK charts – George Harrison, ex-Beatle of Abbey Road Studios, with My Sweet Lord.
Liverpool were 5th in the English First Division (now known as the English Premier League) after their game on 6th February 1971 – they wouldn’t play again until 13th February 1971. They beat Leeds United 1-0, with the scorer being the only Welshman in the squad, John Toshack.
The SEC indicated to the NYSE that ‘in light of substantial changes in trading patterns (naturally, Bobby Axelrod has just been born after all) and to gain further experience with competitive rates, it would not object if the NYSE provided for competitive rates on portions of orders above a higher level than the $100,000 figure but that the point at which competitive rates are to commence should not exceed $500,000.” Can be found in the SEC Annual report for 1971.
45 is a composite number that can be divided by 3, 5, 9, 15 and itself. Therefore:-
1974 – 3 years old
Top of UK charts – Mud with Tiger Feet
Top Toys – Lego was considered one of the top toys of the year.
Liverpool were 2nd in the English First Division after their game on 5th February 1974- they wouldn’t play in the league again until 23 February 1974. They beat Coventry City 2- 1.
Top TV (children’s) – Bagpuss
We were in the middle of a bear market which began in 1973 and ended in December 1974. It affected all major stock markets in the world. The crash was compounded by the oil crisis which had begun in October 1973. This is all starting to sound very familiar…
1976 – 5 years old
Top of the UK charts – Slik with ‘Forever and Ever’ having dislodged Abba’s Mama Mia from top spot!
Top Toys – Clackers were a very popular toy.
Liverpool would go on to win the English First Division in the 75/76 season. They were top of the table after their game on 7 February 1976 – they wouldn’t play in the league again until 18 February 1976. They beat Leeds United 2-0.
Top TV (children’s) – The Muppet Show
1980 – 9 years old
Top of UK charts – Kenny Rogers with ‘Coward of the County’.
Top Toys – The Rubik’s Cube – anyone else want to see Bobby Axelrod beat that?
Liverpool would go on to win the English First Division in the 79/80 season and were top of the table after their game on 9 February 1980 – they wouldn’t play in the league again until 19 February 1980. They beat Norwich 5-3.
Top TV (children’s) –The Adventure Game
1986 – 15 years old
Top of the UK Charts – Billy Ocean with ‘When the going gets tough, the tough get going’…Bobby Axelrod in training.
Top Toys – believe it or not, the top toy this year was…football stickers. Of course it was World Cup year so kids everywhere wanted to see Maradona. I wonder how 15 year old Damian Lewis took ‘the hand of God’.
Liverpool would go on to win the English First Division in the 85/86 season, but were in 3rd position after their game on 9 February 1986 – they wouldn’t play in the league again until 22 February 1986. They drew 1-1 with Manchester United.
Top TV (teen) – Grange Hill. Although Grange Hill began airing in 1978, Damian would likely have been too young to be watching it. It was aimed at a teenage audience. It remains a popular show. There was a revival of the show in 2008, but as with anything, you can’t beat the classics, can you Bobby?
2016 – 45
Top of the UK charts – hmm how do I check that out these days? Seriously, I’ve lost track of how the charts work.
Top Toys – we won’t know for a while, but if I were to guess I would go for some Star Wars gizmo.
Liverpool are 9th in the English Premier League after their game on 6 February 2016 – they don’t play again in the league until 14 February 2016. The game ended in a 2-2 draw with Sunderland. The more significant matter during this game is that on 77 minutes thousands of Liverpool fans walked out in protest at ticket prices. Liverpool recently announced plans to increase prices next season. It is becoming harder for fans in the UK to justify attending football matches as ticket prices increase ridiculously.
Top TV –unashamedly bias – Billions. Bobby’s line in ‘Short Squeeze’ of “You don’t try to be loyal. You just are or you’re not.” reminded me of Yoda “Do or do not. There is no try”. Now there is a T-Shirt you want in stock.
Happy 45th Damian.
NB: various sources at use here: Liverpoolhistory.net; Wikipedia; Daily Record archives; and BBC archives and UK chart records.
You cannot imagine how happy this post makes me! It’s this sweet feeling of being in the same generation with Damian.
First, I don’t know how Damian became a LFC fan exactly, but it’s so easy to see it, isn’t it? LFC is the league champion most of the years you list here and many more. They won almost everything. So, a generation of kids, including me and Damian, fell in love with LFC and so we’re doomed now. It brings back the sweet memory of Sunday afternoons with me sitting on my dad’s shoulders watching European football. Liverpool was a constant in conversations. I also remember a team called Nottingham Forrest. Are they still around? It was a good team back then, I guess. I LOLled at the mention of Toshack as the guy who scored the goal against Leeds United. Toshack then became a manager and he managed my team, Besiktas, for two years, at the end of 1990s.
Then comes Lego – the most popular toy in 1974, and I got my first Lego set in 1976. There was no lego in Turkey, it was a closed economy, but dad went to Europe for business and got me a Lego set. I was the only child in the neighborhood with Legos and that made me the most popular neighborhood child, too 🙂 I am so curious what Damian’s first lego set was. They did not have the variety they have now back then, I guess. I am sure he had legos, too.
Music of my childhood rocks the post! From Abba to George Harrison, my favorite Beatle, to Billie Ocean.
And finally, 1986. I don’t know about Damian, but I take “Hand of God” very seriously my dear partner 🙂 Maradona, to this day, is my hero, and hey, that was a GOAL 🙂
Such a pleasure to read this again and again and again. Thank you for writing!
Liverpool has a good following in Wales. I wonder if it is the Welsh side of the family influence on Damian. They pretty much did win it all…acquiring King Kenny from Celtic to help them. Nottingham Forrest are still around. They are currently in the English Championship. They are struggling to get to the Premier League. They are 10th at the moment and while it is not impossible, it is improbable that they will manage promotion this season.
Lego is timeless and wonderful. Funny how coloured bricks can bring so much joy and good memories. It is the simple things!. Some great music in there. I grew up with a Beatlemaniac. My mother assures me I enjoyed the 1986 World cup by kicking lumps out of her stomach. You are welcome…and thank you.
Hahaha so maybe you were also applauding the “Hand of God.” from inside 😀
This is so fun, as my husband is the same age(born in September of the same year), so its like a peek into his childhood, as well! Thanks for such creative content!
Fantastic! It is my pleasure.
Love this post! Yes, Legos. Then, and, now. All over my house as we speak. 🙂
On the day my daughter was born I had the husband grab a NYT to capture the day’s events. Wanted the hardcopy, b/c as you point out with the Top of the UK charts, you never know these days with everything gone digital. My sisters and I used to count down the Top 40 as kids too. My husband actually used to keep a little notebook and list the Top 40 every week.
And Rubik’s Cube! I conquered that when it first came out, recently got one for my daughter, and realized I’d only really remembered how to conquer two levels. The third one is the one that’s totally an algorithm. Right up Bobby’s alley. Would love to see one on his desk at Axe Capital!
You pointed out all the most precious things about childhood, and adulthood, for that matter: football, music, toys. Brava!
You cannot beat some lego…and of course now its lego star wars, lego batman and lego every children’s characters they can think of. Quite right to get the NYT hard copy. Counting down the Top 40s was always good. It was a shame that Top of the Pops was cancelled here in the UK, but it had pretty much been rendered obsolete with everything on youtube/ITunes etc.
Oh, I’d love to see a Rubik’s Cube on Axe’s desk.