25 years ago today, the old Comiskey Park saw its biggest crowd in a long time when Disco Demolition took place in between games at a Sox-Tigers doubleheader.
Anti-disco music sentiment had been building for a while, and Chicago DJ Steve Dahl built an army of anti-Disco followers (The Insane Coho Lips) who enjoyed listening to him “blow up” disco records on his morning show. As teenagers, some of us were looking for a cause, and this was the closest thing we could find.
The whole event wasn’t supposed to be a big deal: we’d watch the Sox most likely lose the first game, then we’d have the mid-game show where Dahl came out to blow up the disco records people brought into the park as part of their admission. I was there, along with my friend Craig and his girlfriend Tracy, wearing our Loop shirts.
Rather than retell the story, click on the link above or here for the story.
I have to say that it was one of the most surreal things I’ve ever experienced: a bonfire in center field, burnout kids playing “running bases” between second and third, and a couple making out on home plate with the crowd cheering them on. And on the scoreboard above everything were the words “Please return to your seats.”
Something to tell the grandkids at some point, maybe.