Disco Demolition Night turns chaotic at Comiskey Park in 1979
Yahoo Sports • 1 min read • Latest: Jul 12, 2026, 9:00 AM
Last updated Jul 12, 2026
On July 12, 1979, Comiskey Park hosted Disco Demolition Night, which became infamous for its chaos. About 50,000 fans arrived for a promotion offering admission for 98 cents and a disco record. The event escalated when radio personality Steve Dahl detonated records on the field, leading to disorderly conduct among fans. The first game ended with the Chicago White Sox losing 4-1 to the Detroit Tigers, while the second game was forfeited due to crowd issues and field damage. White Sox owner Bill Veeck criticized the forfeit decision, marking it as a regrettable incident.
- •50,000 fans attended for 98 cents and a disco record.
- •Steve Dahl detonated records, igniting chaos on the field.
- •White Sox lost the first game 4-1 to the Tigers.
- •The second game's forfeit was controversial among team officials.
- •Veeck opposed the forfeiture, referencing historical headlines.
- 9:00 AMYahoo Sports — Today in Chicago History: Disco Demolition Night at Comiskey Park
"Here’s a look back at what happened in the Chicago area on July 12, according to the Tribune’s archives. Is an important event missing from this date? Email us. Sports flashback: July 11, 2016 2016: An all-Chicago Cubs infield of Anthony Rizzo, Ben Zobrist, Addison Russell and Kris Bryant took the field during the All-Star Game at Petco Park to start the game — the first time since the 1963 ...
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