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- ⚾ Disco Sucks - Whites Sox vs Tigers
⚾ Disco Sucks - Whites Sox vs Tigers
A promotion goes bad in the windy City
July 12, 1979, the Chicago White Sox stage “Disco Demolition Night” at Comiskey Park. After the Sox lose the first game to the Detroit Tigers, 4-1.
Disco Demolition Night. Fans were invited to bring disco records to Comiskey Park on July 12 for admission—just 98¢, a cheeky nod to Dahl’s station WLUP 97.9. The promise? A pyrotechnic blast of vinyl between the two games of a doubleheader
At first, the crowd—a rowdy mix of rock‑obsessed teens and college students—threw records en masse onto the field during the first game. Then, in center field, Dahl, clad in fatigues, and Garry Meier ignited the pile. The explosion cracked asphalt, tore a hole in the turf, and lit the crowd’s fuse .
What began as a stunt became anarchy. Thousands stormed onto the field, setting fires, tearing out bases, smashing seats, and vandalizing a batting cage. Security and police were overwhelmed as fans jeered the second game—the White Sox versus the Detroit Tigers—from heat and rage. With the field beyond repair, the American League forfeited the nightcap to Detroit, marking one of only five such forfeits since MLB expanded in 1961
Listen to game one:
Todays featured Podcast: Disco Demolition
Did you know?
July 12, 1955 At Milwaukee's County Stadium, Stan Musial comes to bat in the bottom of 12th inning of a 5 - 5 All-Star deadlock. American League catcher Yogi Berra complains about his feet hurting and Musial tells him "Don't worry, I'll have you home in a minute"... then "the Man" hits a game-winning home run on the next pitch. The American League had taken a five-run lead on a three-run homer by Mickey Mantle off Robin Roberts, only to see the NL tie it. Braves P Gene Conley strikes out the side in the 12th to get credit for the win.
With 2 outs in the top of the 7th, and a runner on 1st, Ted Williams hits a pitch from Don Newcombe to deep right-center field. Willie Mays makes a great leaping catch for the final out and saves the 2 runs from scoring.
“The All-Star Game was made for Willie Mays”-Ted Williams
TRIVIA:
On the Milwaukee Brewers, who is the only player to exceed two hundred hits in a year three times?
Hint: #1 He and a teammate both hit grand slams in the same inning once.
Hint: #2 He twice led the majors in runs batted in and both years finished fifth in most valuable player voting.
July 12, 1901, future Hall of Famer Cy Young of the Boston Beaneaters records the 300th win of his career. Young defeats the Philadelphia Aís, 5-3. Young will win 211 more games, for a total of 511, the most in major league history.
July 12, 1921, Babe Ruth of the New York Yankees hits his 137th career home run, moving past fellow Hall of Famer Roger Connor on the all-time list. Connor hit 136 home runs during his career-all during the 19th century.
July 12, 1934 Detroit Tiger Schoolboy Rowe fans 11 Yankees in a 4 – 2 win that puts the Tigers back in first place.
July 12, 1946 Johnny Sain just misses a perfect no-hitter when Grady Hatton’s pop fly drops among three Braves behind third base. No one else gets on as the Braves win, 1 – 0, in Cincinnati.
July 12, 1949, Larry Doby of the Cleveland Indians and Jackie Robinson, Roy Campanella, and Don Newcombe of the Brooklyn Dodgers become the first African Americans to play in an All-Star Game. The four black stars appear in the historic game at Ebbets Field, where the American League defeats the National League, 11-7.
July 12, 1951, At Cleveland Municipal Stadium, Allie Reynolds of the New York Yankees blanks Cleveland, 1 – 0, for the first of his two no-hitters this season. Gene Woodling’s 7th-inning homer off loser Bob Feller is the difference in the 1 – 0 game. Reynolds, facing only 29 batters, and retired the last seventeen batters to face him, striking out Bobby Avila to end the game.
The Chief’s no-hitter is the first by a Yankee since Monte Pearson in 1928. New York takes the nitecap behind Vic Raschi as Joe DiMaggio cinches it with a three-run homer off Chuck Stobbs.
July 12, 1966 St. Louis hosts a hot midsummer All-Star classic. Maury Wills' 10th-inning single scores Tim McCarver, as the National League wins, 2 - 1.
Giants hurler Gaylord Perry got the victory by tossing a scoreless ninth and tenth inning. The 105-degree weather, 113 degrees on the playing surface, results in nearly 150 people needing treatment for heat exhaustion.
Brooks Robinson's stellar game (3 hits, eight chances) earns him the game MVP award. Asked about the new ballpark, Casey Stengel remarks, "it holds the heat well." On-field temperature is 113 degrees.
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July 12 1970 San Francisco’s Gaylord Perry is met by two umpires and forced to towel down before the second inning of a game at the Dome. Minus the medicine, Perry gives up five runs as the Astros build an early lead. The Giants roar back to claim a 7-5 advantage before Houston tallies three in the ninth for an 8-7 triumph. Doug Rader singles home Jim Wynn with the game-winner.
More games: 1970 Senators vs Yankees, 1986 Orioles vs White Sox, 1998 Yankees vs Rays and 2009 St Louis vs Cubs
On July 12, 1988 After being maligned by the press as an unworthy All-Star starter, A's catcher Terry Steinbach hits a solo home run and a sacrifice fly to lead the American League to a 2 - 1 victory at Riverfront Stadium and is named the 1988 All-Star Game's MVP. The A's catcher becomes the first major leaguer to have homered in his first major league at-bat (on September 12, 1986) and also in the mid-summer classic.
July 12, 1994 -- At the Pirates' Three Rivers Stadium, the National League ends its record six-game Mid Summer Classic slump when Tony Gwynn scores on Moises Alou's double in the tenth inning, giving the Senior Circuit an 8-7 victory. Fred McGriff is named MVP, earning the honor with his dramatic two-run home run off Lee Smith that tied the game in the bottom of the ninth. Houston P John Hudek becomes the first pitcher in history to appear in an All-Star Game before recording a major league victory.
The NL is now a perfect 9 – 0 in extra-inning contests.
July 12, 1996, longtime Minnesota Twins star and future Hall of Famer Kirby Puckett announces his retirement due to glaucoma in his right eye. Over a 12-year career, the popular Puckett batted .318 with 207 home runs and 1,085 RBIs. He also helped the Twins to World Championships in 1987 and 1991.
July 12, 1997 Pitching for the first time in Fenway Park not wearing a Red Sox uniform, Roger Clemens strikes out 16 as the Blue Jays defeat Boston, 3 - 1. During the game, it appears the "Rocket" is continually glaring up at Dan Duquette in the general manager's suite.
Quote of the day:
Steve Dahl told the crowd:, “This is now officially the world's largest anti-disco rally! Now listen—we took all the disco records you brought tonight, we got 'em in a giant box, and we're gonna blow 'em up reeeeeeal goooood.”
Milestones
Birthdays:Notable: Ron Fairly | Debuts:Notable: Dave Parker |
Final Games:Highlights: Cecil Cooper | Passings:Notable: Bobby Murcer |
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