Weird Chicago - Chicago, IL

Weird Chicago Tours

2 days ago

THE SPECK MURDERS

During the early morning hours of July 14, 1966, eight student nurses were killed in this townhouse on the Southeast Side of Chicago. A short time before the slaughter began, drifter and degenerate Richard Speck broke into the townhouse, armed only with a knife, and systematically strangled, raped and slaughtered the young women who lived there. They included Gloria Davy, Patricia Matusek, Nina Jo Schmale, Pamela Wilkening, Suzanne Farris, Mary Ann Jordan, Merlita Gargullo, and Valentina Pasion. Only one woman, Corazon Amurao, escaped because she managed to wiggle under a bed while Speck was out of the room with one of his victims. Speck -- probably too stupid to count -- lost track of the number of nurses and was unaware she had escaped.

Speck was later captured and sentenced to death. That sentence was changed to 400 to 1,200 years in prison, but he died of a heart attack in prison in December 1991. His body was cremated and his ashes scattered at an undisclosed location in Joliet, Illinois.

Good riddance. ... See MoreSee Less

I will never forget that day. It still makes me very sad, and also angry, how I wish they'd have FOUGHT HIM.

2 days ago   ·  2

Sally Anderson Russo Linda Huchro

2 days ago

400 to 1200 years for rape. Sounds good to me!

2 days ago

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Weird Chicago Tours

4 days ago

DISCO DEMOLITION!
40 YEARS AGO TONIGHT

For those of you (like me!) who grew up listening to radio jock Steve Dahl on various radio stations around Chicago, you know that July 12 is the anniversary of Disco Demolition!

It was what turned out to be an ill-fated baseball promotion that took place at Comiskey Park, home of the Chicago White Sox. At the climax of the event, a crate filled with disco records was blown up on the field between games of a doubleheader between the White Sox and the Detroit Tigers. Many of those in attendance had come to see the explosion rather than the games and rushed onto the field after the button was pressed. With the playing surface damaged both by the explosion and by the rowdy fans, the White Sox were required to forfeit the second game of the doubleheader to the Tigers.

By the late 1970s, disco had become the bane of rock-n-roll radio and the White Sox decided to take advantage of the backlash against the popular (but decidedly awful music genre) to fill seats at Comiskey during a lackluster season. So, they engaged popular DJ and anti-disco personality Steve Dahl for a promotion at the July 12, 1979 doubleheader. Dahl's sponsoring radio station was 97.9 WLUP-FM, so attendees would pay 98 cents and bring a disco record; between games, Dahl would destroy the collected vinyl in an explosion.

White Sox officials had hoped for a crowd of 20,000, about 5,000 more than usual. Instead, at least 50,000 people (and as many as 90,000)--including tens of thousands of Dahl's fans --packed the stadium, and thousands more continued to sneak in even after gates were closed. Many of the records were not collected by staff and were thrown like frisbees from the stands. After Dahl blew up the collected records, thousands of fans stormed the field and remained there until dispersed by riot police. The second game was initially postponed, but was forfeited to the Tigers the next day by order of American League president Lee MacPhail. Disco Demolition Night remains well known as one of the most extreme promotions in major league history.

Over the years, many (mostly those not even born when the event took place) have tried to rewrite its history, calling it racist and homophobic. That wasn't the intention. It really was just anti-disco, supported by fans of rock-n-roll, but it's taken on a different theme by those opposed to it now.

Steve has since retired from terrestrial radio but does a daily uncensored podcast (which I highly recommend) that's available at dahl.com and, in 2016, released a book about the most infamous night of his career called DISCO DEMOLITION: THE NIGHT DISCO DIED with long-time Chicago reporter Dave Hoekstra. It's a fun read! ... See MoreSee Less

Rick Ridenour

4 days ago   ·  1

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Weird Chicago Tours

5 days ago

THE RED LIGHT DISTRICT TOUR IS BACK!
THIS SATURDAY NIGHT -- JULY 13!
weirdchicago.com

Discover the wicked side of history as this adults-only tour takes a ride on the wild side of Chicago, revealing its lurid tales of the city’s vice districts, madams, brothels, and seedy scandals! Experience the sorted scene of early 1900s Chicago as we search for the remains of the past with bar stops, historic locations, and more! Don't miss this week's adventure -- book now at weirdchicago.com ... See MoreSee Less

Hannah Flood this would be cool

3 days ago   ·  1

Interesting

4 days ago

Rod Morrow I thought this might be up your alley. Lol

3 days ago

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