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A look at what life was like in Tucson in the late 1980s
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A look at what life was like in Tucson in the late 1980s

  • Oct 30, 2020
  • Oct 30, 2020 Updated Oct 30, 2020

Here's a look at Tucson in the late 1980s.

University of Arizona Homecoming

University of Arizona Homecoming

A mud tug-o-war marked the first day of UA Homecoming week festivities on Oct. 23, 1989. Some homecoming royalty, including Diane Kocour, center, tried their hand at avoiding the muck. It was sponsored by the Bobcats senior honorary.

Ron Medvescek / Arizona Daily Star

University of Arizona Homecoming

University of Arizona Homecoming

Wilbur the Wildcat beckons all fans to the UA Homecoming bonfire on the UA Mall on Oct. 28, 1988.

David Sanders / Arizona Daily Star

Pima County Fair

Pima County Fair

Rollercoaster riders descend along the tracks at the Pima County Fair on a ride called the Hi Miler on April 14, 1989

A. E. Araiza / Arizona Daily Star

Speedway Empress

Speedway Empress

The Empress Theatre adult theatre on Speedway near Alvernon. At the time, it was Tucson's longest-operating adult store.

Bruce McClelland / Arizona Daily Star

MudBuggs

MudBuggs

Joe "King" Carrasco entertains fans at Mudbuggs club in Tucson. 

A. E. Araiza / Arizona Daily Star

Arizona vs ASU

Arizona vs ASU

Arizona running back David Eldridge of UA flashes his confident signal to the cameras after the 1989 Arizona vs. Arizona State football game on Nov. 25, 1989. 

Rick Wiley / Tucson Citizen

Rainer Ptacek

Rainer Ptacek

Rainer Ptacek plays with the Das Combo at the Firehouse Cafe in this March 10, 1989 photo. 

Ron Medvescek

Dr. Walter Birkby

Dr. Walter Birkby

Dr. Walter Birkby, forensic anthropologist at the University of Arizona, in August, 1989, with the bones of the victim of a cannibal attack by Alfred Packer

Xavier Gallegos / Tucson Citizen

UA baseball

UA baseball

University of Arizona shortstop Trevor Hoffman, center, flips the ball to infielder J.J. Northam at 2B to force out Nevada-Reno’s Jesse Davis at Sancet Field in Tucson on Feb. 4, 1989. 

Jim Davis / Arizona Daily Star

The Trumpeteer

The Trumpeteer

Catalina High School journalism teacher John Carlton goes over an edition of the school newspaper, The Trumpeteer, with some students on May 18, 1989. 

Gary Gaynor / Tucson Citizen

Olson reacts

Olson reacts

Arizona head coach Lute Olson reacts to an official's call at McKale in January, 1989.

Rick Wiley / Tucson Citizen

Peyote Way Church of God

Peyote Way Church of God

Peyote grows in a window sill planter in 1988 at the Peyote Way Church of God near Klondyke, AZ.

Arizona Daily Star file

'Major League' filming

'Major League' filming

Fans during the filming for the movie "Major League" in the stands at Hi Corbett Field in July, 1988. 

Arizona Daily Star file

Mary Higgins Clark visit

Mary Higgins Clark visit

Fans wait for the signature of author of Mary Higgins Clark during a book and author event at the Tucson Convention Center on Nov. 10, 1989. 

David Sanders / Arizona Daily Star

Arizona Inn review

Arizona Inn review

Members of the Arizona Historic Sites Review Committee tour the grounds of the Arizona Inn, Jan. 21, 1988. 

Benjie Sanders / Arizona Daily Star

Eazy-E

Eazy-E

Eazy-E in concert as part of N.W.A. at the TCC. August 23, 1989.

Benjie Sanders / Arizona Daily Star

'Young Riders' filming at Old Tucson

'Young Riders' filming at Old Tucson

Actors Josh Brolin, left, Stephen Baldwin, center with hat, Gregg Rainwater and Ty Miller in between takes on the set of the television show "The Young Riders" at Old Tucson Studios in August, 1989. 

Rick Wiley / Tucson Citizen

'Young Riders' filming at Old Tucson

'Young Riders' filming at Old Tucson

Tourists watch the filming of the television show "The Young Riders" at Old Tucson Studios in August, 1989. 

Rick Wiley / Tucson Citizen

Sunshine Church vandalism

Sunshine Church vandalism

The Sunshine Church at 2145 S. Sahuara in Tucson was vandalized for nearly two years when this photo was taken in November, 1989. Church secretary Regina Brown is at left and member Carl Simmons is right. 

Jackie Bell / Arizona Daily Star

2 Live Crew appearance

2 Live Crew appearance

Kid Ice of 2 Live Crew at a music shop in the Tucson Mall in Oct. 1989.

Bruce McClelland / Arizona Daily Star

William 'Bill' Roemer

William 'Bill' Roemer

A 1989 photo of William "Bill" Roemer, a former FBI agent who wrote about his experiences with organized crime in Chicago, Las Vegas and Tucson. 

Bruce McClelland / Arizona Daily Star

Senator Barry Goldwater

Senator Barry Goldwater

Senator Barry Goldwater speaking at the UA graduation ceremonies at McKale Center on May 13, 1989. 

David Sanders / Arizona Daily Star

Immaculate Conception

Immaculate Conception

1989 photo of Immaculate conception on the San Xavier Mission altar before restoration. 

Mari A. Schaefer / Arizona Daily Star

Last four Learjets

Last four Learjets

The last four Learjets on the assembly line at the Gates-Learjet facility in Tucson on Sept. 20, 1988.

Elizabeth Mangelsdorf / Arizona Daily Star

First day of school around Tucson

First day of school around Tucson

Crosswalk guard Alfred Ross stops traffic for kids during the first day of school at Sewell Elementary in Tucson on Sept. 8, 1988.

Benjie Sanders / Arizona Daily Star

Raul Grijalva

Raul Grijalva

Raul Grijalva after winning a seat on the Pima County Board of Supervisors in November, 1988. 

Rick Wiley / Tucson Citizen

Helicopter crash

Helicopter crash

Scene of the crash of a U.S. Air Force CH-3E helicopter in Avra Valley, north of Tucson, on March 12, 1989. Fifteen people died in the crash. 

Arizona Daily Star file

Helicopter crash

Helicopter crash

Scene of the crash of a U.S. Air Force CH-3E helicopter in Avra Valley, north of Tucson on March 12-13, 1989. Fifteen people died in the crash. 

Arizona Daily Star file

Rillito Park

Rillito Park

Horses and jockeys round the final turn at Rillito Park in November, 1988.

Arizona Daily Star file

Illegal immigration

Illegal immigration

U.S. Border Patrol and Pima County Sheriff's Dept. detain 35 Mixtec Indians from Mexico on June 4, 1988, in the desert northwest of Tucson. The group was stranded in the summer heat for four days. 

Mari A. Schaefer / Arizona Daily Star

Las Posadas

Las Posadas

Jessica Basurto, left, and Martin Lopez, dressed as Mary and Joseph, lead a procession for Las Posadas at Pima Community College East in December, 1989. It was sponsored by the campus M.E.Ch.A and Spanish clubs.

Jackie Bell / Arizona Daily Star

Sean Elliott

Sean Elliott

Sean Elliott (32) of Arizona during a game at McKale Center in 1988. Tucson Citizen

Tucson Citizen file

Paulos Restaurant

Paulos Restaurant

A 1988 Tucson Citizen file photo of Paulos Restaurant.

Tucson Citizen file

Bishop Moreno

Bishop Moreno

Bishop Moreno meets parishioners at Sacred Heart Church in 1988. This is a September 1988 photo of Bishop Manuel Moreno.

Tucson Citizen file photo

Billy Joe Varney

Billy Joe Varney

Billy Joe Varney in 1988. He was an interim athletic director and director of the student union at the University of Arizona.

Edward McCain / Tucson Citizen

Indians spring training

Indians spring training

Doc Edwards, manager of the Cleveland Indians, walks around checking his players as they stretch out in the first day of spring training. 

Arizona Daily Star file

Tucson Auto Mall

Tucson Auto Mall

Ford Motor Co. Chairman Donald Petersen, left, with Holmes Tuttle, center, and Bob Tuttle, right before the ribbon cutting of the new Holmes Tuttle Ford dealership at the new Tucson Auto Mall near Oracle Road and Wetmore Road on Jan. 25, 1988.

Jackie Bell / Arizona Daily Star

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