JULY 12 — 1979 — Disco dies at Comiskey Park; INVENTION/PATENTS: 1934 R.I.P. Evinrude (outboard motor), Happy Birthday George Eastman (Eastman/Kodak); Reasoner wins 2nd Medal of Honor
JULY 12
Comiskey Park
…had seen more than its share of oddball promotions, what with White Sox owner Bill Veeck’s penchant for the colorful (a scoreboard that lit up and exploded with fireworks) and the offbeat (having his players wear shorts). But nothing compared to Disco Demolition Night, staged at Comiskey on this summer Thursday evening.
Anyone bringing a disco album to the game–a night double-header between the White Sox and Detroit Tigers–would be admitted for just 98 cents. Between games, radio personality Steve Dahl–then the morning man for rock music station WLUP-FM–would blow up those disco albums with fireworks.
Dahl, who had been fired from WDAI-FM when that station switched to an all-disco format, had garnered national recognition for his crusade against what he called “Disco Dystrophy.” Comiskey was filled to capacity; the official attendance was more than 59,000. An estimated 15,000 fans milled outside the park.After the first game, which the Sox lost 4-1, Dahl ceremoniously blew up a crate filled with disco records.
All was orderly up to that point. But as Dahl finished, thousands of fans stormed onto the field, tearing up clumps of sod, burning signs, knocking over a batting cage and flinging records like so many Frisbees. Police arrested 37 people; by the time order was restored, the grounds were little more than a grassy moonscape.
The second game was canceled and later awarded to the Tigers by forfeit. Later, some blamed Dahl; some blamed Veeck. Howard Cowell even blamed then-White Sox announcer Harry Caray, saying Caray contributed to a “carnival” atmosphere. In reality, a handful of rowdies had taken advantage of a situation for which stadium security was woefully unprepared.
1934 – Old Envied dies. He invented the outboard motor for boats in Madison, WI. It was made of steel and brass and had a crank on the flywheel to start the two-cycle engine.
1854 – Happy birthday George Eastman from Waterville New York. He established the Eastman Kodak company and made roll film popular. He also made major music and dentist contributions to the Rochester Institute of Technology. According to Wiki, his last two years he lived in agonizing spinal pain, and finally shot himself in the heart leaving a note that said, To my friends, my work is done. Why wait?
1965 -Second machine winds Medal of Honor. First Lieutenant Frank S. Reasoner, former enlisted Marine and graduate of the U.S. Military Academy, was the second Marine recipient of the Nation’s highest honor, the Medal of Honor for heroism in Vietnam in July 1965. Reasons, leading Company A, attempting to secure areas near the Da Nang airbase, was ambushed by Viet Cong. According to history.com, Reasoner and his five-man point team he was accompanying were cut of from the main body of the company.
He ordered his men to lay down a base of fire and then, repeatedly exposing himself to enemy fire, killed two Viet Cong, single handily wiped out an enemy machine gun emplacement, and raced through enemy fire to rescue his injured radio porter.
Trying to rally his men, Reasoner was hit by enemy fire and was killed instantly. The Medal was presented to his widow on 31 January 1967 by Navy Secretary Paul H. Nitze, in ceremonies held at the Pentagon in Washington, D.C. During the ceremony, Nitze spoke of Reasoner’s willingness to die for his men: “Lt. Reasoner’s complete disregard for his own welfare will long serve as an inspiring example to others”