Today in Chicago History: Cubs catcher Michael Barrett punches A.J. Pierzynski during Crosstown Classic
Here's a look back at what happened in the Chicago area on May 20, according to the Tribune's archives.
Is an important event missing from this date? Email us.
Weather records (from the National Weather Service, Chicago)
High temperature: 95 degrees (1977)
Low temperature: 33 degrees (2002)
Precipitation: 2.54 inches (1975)
Snowfall: None
1943: During bad weather, a United States Army Air Corps B-24 Liberator crashed into a 500-foot-tall gas storage tank at Municipal Airport (now known as Chicago's Midway International Airport). All 12 people aboard the flight, which originated in Fort Worth, Texas, died.
'There was an instantaneous explosion of terrific violence and flames shot high from the top of the circular steel structure,' the Tribune reported. Heat generated by the explosion was felt more than a mile away.
1970: University of Chicago physicist Albert Crewe, former director of Argonne National Laboratory in Lemont, announced he captured images in a specially built microscope of single atoms as they exist in molecules. It marked the first time scientists could 'see' the incredibly small world of atoms.
1987: Doris Fischer, her two daughters and a son-in-law pleaded guilty to running a prostitution ring out of their Buffalo Grove home as part of a probe by the FBI and Internal Revenue Service called 'Operation Safebet.'
1988: Laurie Dann shot six children at Hubbard Woods Elementary School in Winnetka killing 8-year-old Nicholas Corwin, during a rampage that ended in her own death in the North Shore suburb.
1992: Chicago aldermen frustrated with the proliferation of graffiti in their neighborhoods banned the outright sale of spray paint cans in the city, branding them 'weapons of terror.' Ald. Richard Mell, 33rd, resurrected the long-dormant proposal, which won approval 38-1. Only Ald. Dorothy Tillman, 3rd, dissented saying that aldermen should be more concerned with problems of unemployment and housing than keeping spray paint cans out of the hands of vandals. The ban is still in effect.
1994: The Chicago Bulls played their last game at Chicago Stadium — a 93-79 victory over the New York Knicks in Game 6 of the 1994 Eastern Conference Finals. The Bulls lost the series on the road in Game 7.
2006: Chicago White Sox baserunner A.J. Pierzynski's shoulder block into Chicago Cubs catcher Michael Barrett spawned a second-inning, bench-clearing brouhaha at home plate. The fight boiled led to four ejections — including Pierzynski and Barrett.
Pierzynski said he was simply trying to score and Barrett was in his way. Barrett conceded Pierzynski had 'every right' to slam into him and that he made a 'great play.' But he said he was 'irritated' when the Sox catcher walked toward him after the play.
'I hit Michael (who was blocking home plate) and I got up and my helmet was right behind him,' Pierzynski said. 'I went to get my helmet and the next thing I know I'm in a bearhug and he said, 'I didn't have the ball, b—.' The next thing I know I got punched.'
The Sox wound up beating the Cubs 7-0. Barrett received a 10-game suspension and undisclosed fine, while Pierzynski received only a $2,000 fine.
2012: Though President Barack Obama relocated a planned G-8 Summit to Camp David, a NATO summit took place as scheduled in Chicago, drawing thousands of protesters to the city's streets.
2017: The Cubs postponed an afternoon game against the Milwaukee Brewers because of the threat of inclement weather. When it didn't rain, Brewers General Manager David Stearns suggested the Cubs had ulterior motives.
Subscribe to the free Vintage Chicago Tribune newsletter, join our Chicagoland history Facebook group, stay current with Today in Chicago History and follow us on Instagram for more from Chicago's past.
Have an idea for Vintage Chicago Tribune? Share it with Kori Rumore and Marianne Mather at krumore@chicagotribune.com and mmather@chicagotribune.com
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Defendant in ‘Reba' dog death wants trial moved from Las Vegas due to media buzz
LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — A man accused of leaving a dog to die inside a sealed plastic tub in the summer heat wants his trial to happen outside of Las Vegas because of the intense media coverage, documents said. On July 26, 2024, Las Vegas Metro police officers found the English bulldog, later named 'Reba,' in the 1100 block of East Twain Avenue next to a dumpster inside a tote that was taped shut. The temperature that night hovered around 110 degrees. The National Weather Service reported a high of 111 for the evening. Reba died the next day. Her death made national headlines as people called for 'Justice for Reba.' Last December, police arrested Issac Laushaul Jr., 32; and Markeisha Foster, 30, on animal abuse charges. A grand jury later voted to indict them on similar charges. Laushaul and Foster's trial was scheduled to begin later this month, however, an attorney for Laushaul filed paperwork asking a judge to move the case from Clark County. 'The media has followed this case/story extensively,' Laushaul's attorney wrote in court documents filed May 16, citing 8 News Now's reporting. 'Media coverage has included photographs, articles all about 'Reba,' interviews with individuals who know the defendant, coverage of in-court proceedings, pending motions, comments by prosecutors, police, and defense attorneys, and interviews and analyses of veterinarians as to 'how this could have all happened.'' News coverage of Reba's death began in the months after Laushaul and Foster allegedly left her in the heat, as police released video footage of their suspects. The May 16 filing indicates Laushaul and his attorney believe they will be unable to find an impartial jury. [T]he media attention on this case began even prior to the location and arrests of the co-defendants,' Laushaul's attorney said. 'Since that time, the publicity surrounding the case has been sensational, constant and prejudicial. Media coverage has included front page pictures, feature stories, in-depth analyses about how the legislature should increase the penalties for animal-related crimes.' Prosecutors oppose the venue change, writing, 'The mere existence of publicity does not require a trial to be moved.' While not asking for a venue change, Foster's attorney asked the judge to sever her case from Laushaul's. Clark County District Court Judge Ron Israel was scheduled to hear arguments on both issues Wednesday. Before a trial, lawyers for the defendant and prosecutors go through a process called 'voir dire,' where they pick a jury. Each side can reject a certain number of potential jurors until the panel is filled. Foster and Laushaul remained in custody Friday. A judge previously set Foster's bail at $50,000 and declined to set bail for Laushaul. Nevada Republican Assem. Melissa Hardy proposed 'Reba's Bill' to strengthen penalties against animal abusers in the wake of Reba's death. The bill had not passed the Legislature as of Monday, the final day of the session. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Yahoo
DeSantis, business groups in Sarasota tout new law for stricter anti-squatting enforcement
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis spoke from behind a lectern that read 'No Tolerance for Squatting' in Sarasota on Monday as he met with local business leaders and politicians to sign two new anti-squatting bills into law. On the sixth floor of the bayfront Westin hotel, DeSantis said the measures would allow for more consistent law enforcement against squatters and illegal tenants in residential businesses − such as motels. Some advocates have criticized a flurry of such legislation around the country as damaging to poor and homeless communities. 'This provides those property owners with a streamlined process to regain possession of the property that is rightfully theirs,' he said. The two bills – SB 322 and SB 606 – are designed to make it easier for local law enforcement to remove people who are staying on a property they don't own (against the owner's wishes) and for those who haven't been paying their rent or residential fee to be evicted. SB 322's bill analysis says it would create a procedure outside of the courts for the county sheriff to remove 'an unauthorized person from commercial real property.' Both laws will go into effect on July 1. The House sponsor of SB 322, Highland Beach Republican State Rep. Peggy Gossett-Seidman, told the Herald-Tribune that it wasn't designed to prosecute homeless people who are staying on an empty estate out of necessity. As long as they comply with law enforcement, they won't be charged, she said. Florida's homeless population has fluctuated since DeSantis took office, but since 2021 it has increased by nearly 49% – from 21,141 to 31,462 − according to Florida Health. This has come amid skyrocketing rent and mortgage rates across the state. Gossett-Seidman tentatively said its possible that the state's affordable housing crisis exacerbates squatting, but there wasn't enough hard data on the topic. 'There aren't a lot of numbers and it's hard to keep track of this issue,' Gossett-Seidman said. 'It's all possibly conjecture since this has been an under-the-radar issue.' She referenced a survey by the National Rental Home Council that said Orlando had the third-highest rate of squatters in the state. The National Housing Law Project, an advocacy group of poor communities, criticized anti-squatting laws by state legislatures in a 2024 report. 'Key dangers include the improper removal of rightful occupants from their homes, the potential for arrest or violent interaction between tenants and police, and a heightened ability of landlords to intimidate tenants by threats of non-judicial police eviction," the report said. The group also criticized the council survey for a lack of transparency and called its findings 'unclear beyond what appears in media reports.' The press conference was filled with DeSantis' usual law and order rhetoric, making comparisons between Florida and states like California and New York. One man several rows of chairs back held a t-shirt in his lap that read 'Don't California My Florida.' Attendees included area state lawmakers such as Sens. Jim Boyd, R-Bradenton, and Joe Gruters, R-Sarasota; State Reps. Fiona McFarland, R-Sarasota, and Danny, R-Englewood; former Sarasota City Commissioner Erik Arroyo, Sarasota Police Chief Rex Troche, and Sarasota County Sheriff Kurt Hoffman. 'I'm not surprised the Legislature and Governor have turned to the sheriffs to be able to enforce this,' Hoffman said to the audience. 'We're up to the task, and we're certainly going to do that.' The sheriff said his office has conducted nearly 700 evictions a year since he took office. Christian Casale covers local government for the Sarasota Herald-Tribune. Email him at ccasale@ or christiancasale@ This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: DeSantis signs anti-squatting bills into law in Sarasota
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Yahoo
Woman arrested for dog's death during extreme heat in Nevada
A Nevada woman was arrested after her dog was trapped outside in a crate and died due to the extreme heat, according to the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department. At approximately 2:02 p.m. on Saturday, police received a call for assistance from the Clark County Animal Protection Services in reference to "a dog who was deceased at a residence" in Las Vegas, police said in a statement on Sunday. MORE: 6 gray whales have died in San Francisco in the past week as authorities scramble for answers Once on the scene, animal cruelty detectives took over the investigation, determining that the dog had been locked in a crate and had been left outside in the extreme heat for hours by the owner, police said. According to the National Weather Service, temperatures in Las Vegas reached a high of 105 degrees Fahrenheit on Saturday, with officials urging owners to keep their pets inside and out of the excessive heat. MORE: Alaska sled dog race raises allegations of animal abuse The owner, who was identified as 30-year-old Olivia Underwood, was arrested for willful or malicious torture, maiming or killing of a dog and was booked into the Clark County Detention Center, police said. It is unclear whether Underwood remains in custody.
