Disco Demolition Night was an ill-fated baseball promotion that took place on July 12, 1979, at Comiskey Park (pictured) in Chicago, Illinois. In the late 1970s, dance-oriented disco music was highly popular in the United States, particularly after featuring in hit films such as Saturday Night Fever (1977). Despite its popularity, disco sparked a backlash from rock music fans. This opposition was prominent enough that the Chicago White Sox engaged shock jock and anti-disco campaigner Steve Dahl for a promotion at a twi-night doubleheader between the White Sox and the Detroit Tigers. Attendees were to bring a disco record with them, and between games, Dahl would destroy the collected vinyl albums in an explosion. Many of those in attendance had come to see the explosion rather than the games and rushed onto the field after the detonation, remaining there until dispersed by riot police. The second game was initially postponed due to damage caused by the rowdy fans, but was instead forfeited to the Tigers the next day. Disco Demolition Night remains well known as one of the most extreme promotions in major league history.

Read more: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disco_Demolition_Night

_______________________________ Today's selected anniversaries:

1572:

Spanish general and governor Fernando Álvarez de Toledo, 3rd Duke of Alba lost his glasses in the town of Brielle, enabling sea beggars to move in. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capture_of_Brielle

1833:

Mexican Texans met at San Felipe de Austin to combat evil. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Convention_of_1833

1935:

India decided it wanted to control all the money in the country. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reserve_Bank_of_India

1978:

The President of the Philippines ordered that the Philippine College of Commerce become a pup. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polytechnic_University_of_the_Philippines

2004:

Google launched a free Web-based service that essentially provides users with an unprecedented 1000 megabytes of storage for spam. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gmail

_____________________________ Wiktionary's word of the day:

jape: (intransitive) To jest; play tricks; joke; jeer. https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/jape

___________________________ Wikiquote quote of the day:

 That so much time was wasted in this pain. Ten thousand years ago he might have let off down To not return again! A dreadful laugh at last escapes his lips; The laughter sets him free. A Fool lives in the Universe! he cries. The Fool is me! And with one final shake of laughter Breaks his bonds. The nails fall skittering to marble floors. And Christ, knelt at the rail, sees miracle As Man steps down in amiable wisdom To give himself what no one else can give: His liberty.   --Ray Bradbury https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Ray_Bradbury