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Home , Disco Demolition Night, Forfeit (baseball), Garry Meier, Ross Baumgarten, Steve Dahl

“When Fans Wanted to Rock, the Stopped” Sports, Promotions, and the Demolition of on ’s South Side Christopher J. Young HILE the winter chill still held Chicago in those were the people who could get in. Up to 20,000 its grip, longtime White Sox fan and season milled about outside the ballpark. 3 Wticket holder Dan Ferone informed Chicago On the other hand, the promotion was a failure. White Sox management that he had decided to cancel While the park was packed—every owner’s dream— his season tickets. Soon afterward, Mike Veeck, pro - the field itself was deemed unplayable in the aftermath motions director of the and son of of the promotion, which took place between games of club owner , wrote to Ferone trying to entice a twilight double-header between the White Sox and him to come back. He explained that management had the Tigers. As a result, the White Sox organiza - tried “to make more than a baseball tion in general had to accept a , while Bill Veeck stadium with an infield and an outfield. We have tried in particular had to endure a barrage of criticism from to make the Chicago White Sox more than a baseball the press. team with uniforms, bats, and balls.” It was their was not just a cultural goal, Veeck told Ferone, “to give Chicago baseball fans battle between disco and rock’n’roll; it was also a more than nine innings of a baseball game.” In fact, clash between the subcultures of athletic and music their “game plan” was to make a Sox game “fun, entertainment. When we take this perspective, the exciting, and memorable.” In short, they hoped “to experiences of owner Bill Veeck and fan Dan Ferone give our customers the best entertainment in town for are heard and become part of the story—as they their money.” 1 should, since they, the baseball fans, were the ones During the 1979 season Mike Veeck proved as good that lost out that evening. as his word. Comiskey Park became ground zero for Veeck-led promotions. One such promotion was Disco By the time disco was all the rage in the United States, Demolition Night, which took place on July 12, 1979. especially after the 1977 hit movie Saturday Night Ironically, the idea emerged in the wake of a “Disco Fever , it had already been part of the European dis - Night” promotion two years earlier. Following that cotheque scene for some time. While everyone was event, Jeff Schwartz, sales executive at WLUP, and getting in on the disco phenomenon—from the Rolling Mike Veeck concocted the idea to have an anti-disco Stones to Sesame Street —critics such as Dahl gathered night. The idea reemerged in 1979 when Schwartz followers dedicated to anti-disco. 4 called Veeck to tell him that there was a new DJ at Newspaper reporter Toni Ginnetti described Dahl WLUP who was going to blow up disco records at a as a “24-year-old self-avowed crusader against disco shopping mall while on the air. Immediately following music.” The militia that he led in his crusade to “anni - this demolition of disco records, Veeck phoned Steve hilate the forces of disco” was called the “Insane Coho Dahl and asked him if he would be interested in Lips.” Critics of disco have tended to focus on its me - blowing up records at Comiskey Park. 2 chanical nature. Many would have agreed with a writer The idea was to attract people to the ballpark by for Time , who characterized the disco sound as a “dia - giving them a discount at the gate. Because the radio bolical thump-and-shriek.” However, while the musical frequency of WLUP was 97.9, they decided that as part aspect of disco no doubt disturbed Dahl, when asked of the promotion they would admit for 98 cents any - he tended to focus on disco as a cultural force. “The one who brought a disco record to the park. The disco culture represents the surreal, insidious, weird Veeck–Schwartz idea-turned-promotion coincided with oppression because you have to look good, you know, another promotion that was scheduled for that night— tuck your shirt in, perfect this, perfect that.” “It is all teen night—which allowed teens in for half-price real intimidating. Besides the heavy sociological signif - regardless of whether or not they had a record. The icance,” he continued, “it is just fun to be a pain in the result was hugely successful in terms of numbers. ass to a bunch of creeps.” Although Disco Demolition Comiskey Park was filled beyond capacity. Some esti - Night was not the first time he led his army into cultural mates put attendance inside the park at 50,000. And battle, it would prove to be the most notorious. 5

11 The Baseball Research Journal 2009 X O

S the “Go-Go White Sox” won their first pennant in forty E T I

H years. Even earlier, in the 1930s and 1940s, Bill Veeck W O

G worked for the North Side Cubs. He was instrumental in A C I H

C beautifying Wrigley Field, including the now signature E H

T 8

F ivy that distinguishes that ballpark’s outfield. O Y S

E Even before the first game of the T R U

O began, this veteran of baseball, Bill Veeck, began to sus - C pect that things were going to be different. Unlike other days when people made their way to the South Side ballpark, this day a lot of people were carrying a “variety of obscene signs.” Veeck’s suspicions were con - firmed when he saw thousands of people who were unable to get in wandering around outside of the park. 9 Rowdy behavior that interrupted the first game of the twilight doubleheader foreshadowed what was to come. The first game had to be stopped several times because some of the attendees “began to throw records and firecrackers onto the field.” This created an atmosphere that was described as “ripe for trouble” by reporters of a suburban Chicago newspaper, the Daily Herald . The raucous activity got too close for comfort for the ’ Ed Putman. He eventu - ally had to leave the bullpen area because of the cherry bombs being thrown onto the field. Putman later told White Sox owner Bill Veeck, a longtime proponent of the idea that “you a reporter that a “cherry bomb landed so close to the can draw more people with a losing team plus bread and circuses 10 than with a losing team and a long, still silence,” endured criticism back of my head that I could feel the explosion.” A for the aftermath of his Disco Demolition Night promotion. writer for the reported that players from both teams “were forced . . . to play that first While the forces of anti-disco gathered, Mike Veeck game under a constant bombardment of records and looked toward the 1979 season. He assured Dan Fer - firecrackers.” 11 Another baseball player experienced one that management would strive “to make sure that the rowdiness of the “fans.” White Sox outfielder when you visit Comiskey Park you’ll see more than a Rusty Torres said that he was at the receiving end baseball game . . . [and] that when you leave at the throughout the first game. Some of the items thrown at end of nine innings of baseball, whether we won or him were lighters and empty liquor bottles. The native lost you will have had fun.” 6 When Veeck’s promo - Puerto Rican joked that there “was one good bottle of tional acumen met with Dahl’s anti-disco militancy, rum, Puerto Rican rum.” “The way things were the result was indeed “more than a baseball game.” going,” he continued, “I wish whoever threw it had Mike Veeck’s comments to Ferone demonstrate that left a little in the bottle.” 12 the son was following in the footsteps of his already leg - Following the first game, Dahl, the master of dem - endary father, Bill Veeck, who was labeled fairly olition, and Lorelei, who modeled for radio station recently as “the spiritual godfather of baseball promo - WLUP, were driven around the warning track before tions.” Since the 1940s Bill Veeck had made a reputation heading to center field. “We came out on the field, and by using promotions to improve the pennant prospects I did a lap around the warning track in the Jeep,” Dahl of both minor- and major-league teams. A driving point later recalled. “I was bombarded by beer and cherry in Veeck’s business philosophy was that “you can draw bombs. Lovingly. That’s how they show their love at more people with a losing team plus bread and circuses White Sox Park.” Following this display of affection, than with a losing team and a long, still silence.” 7 the disk jockey for “The Loop” and his radio show co - Long before the promotions at Comiskey Park during host, , pepped up the crowd in anticipation the 1970s, Bill Veeck was engaged in promoting Chicago of the climactic explosion of disco records. Lorelei ball clubs. In the late 1950s he owned the White Sox recalled that the view from centerfield was surreal—an and helped continue the excitement that was started adjective used by many eyewitnesses. She described earlier in the decade. Under Veeck’s ownership in 1959, feeling like she was “in the middle of a beehive. All I

12 YOUNG : When Fans Wanted to Rock, the Baseball Stopped C O

could hear was buzzing all around U R T E S me.” A fan who had seats along Y O F T the third-base line that evening H E C H

remembered that the crowd was I C A G so loud that “you couldn’t hear O W H I yourself think.” After leading his T E S O

followers in a chant of “disco X sucks,” Dahl, as promised, blew up the disco records, which was meant to be a “symbolic cooling down of disco fever.” 13 Whether it had that effect on disco remained to be seen. When the smoke lifted it became clear that Dahl’s follow - ers were anything but cooled down by the anti-disco rite. In the wake of the explosion 5,000–7,000 people stormed the field. Not since 1925 had Comiskey 14 Park experienced such a scene. Comiskey Park. In February 1979, Mike Veeck, White Sox promotions director, had written a Commander Dahl tried to rein in disillusioned fan to explain that the club was trying “to make Comiskey Park more than a his troops, but to no avail. White baseball stadium with an infield and an outfield.” And so it was on the evening of July 12, Sox owner Bill Veeck stood at as the overflow crowd rioted and shut down the ballgame. home plate and hopelessly pleaded with the crowd to return to their seats. tried phere as one of “panic and fear.” Another fan, Cynthia futilely to get the people off the field by singing “Take Lonergan, told reporters that she “was afraid of being Me Out to the Ball Game.” Normally, at a ballgame, crushed.” Records were being thrown from the bleach - Caray’s rendition would bring a crowd to its feet in a ers like Frisbees. While the teams were ushered to the happy sing-along of the classic song, but this was not a clubhouse for their safety, the fans were not so lucky. normal situation, and this was not his normal audience. One fan remembered that between “the games when The baseball legend and the legendary song fell on deaf the nonsense started, a record album hit a buddy, Ron ears as the haters of disco tore up the playing field, stole Battaglin, right between the eyes, vertically. Blood bases, and destroyed a batting cage. While this was everywhere. Beer everywhere, too. He toughed it out going on a bonfire continued to burn in center field. 15 with the help of the nectar of the gods.” When sixteen- Finally, the Chicago police arrived—dressed in riot year-old Brian Pegg settled into what he thought were gear. Their appearance was met with applause by great seats—roughly 20 seats from the field along the those who had remained in their seats. On seeing the third-base line, between the and the bullpen— police carrying nightsticks, the rowdy crowd on the he did not realize his memories of this evening would field quickly dispersed. Close to forty people were not be from the ballgame. Instead he remembered the charged with disorderly conduct. The number of re - firecrackers and records that were being thrown down ported injuries varied. Some newspapers claimed that from the upper deck. One M-80 blew up just above the no one was injured, while others reported that six peo - head of an elderly man, and a 45-rpm record lodged ple were wounded. The highest casualty estimate put itself in a woman’s shoulder blade. 17 the number at well over thirty. Chicago Police Lieu - Anti-disco fanatics jumped turnstiles, scaled two- tenant Robert Reilly, who was head of park detail, story fences, and climbed through the open windows remarked that that evening at Comiskey Park was “as of the old ballpark before the festivities began. Those bad as the night the Beatles were here.” 16 who eventually wanted to flee when they felt things While the buzz in the ballpark intensified and then were getting out of hand, or when they had heard the finally broke loose with the storming of the field, base - second game was canceled, found that it took some ball fans tried to flee a scene that looked to be quickly time before they could find an unlocked exit. Bob descending into a riot. Dan Ferone, who had decided to Young remembered that the main gate was the only keep his season tickets after all, described the atmos - remaining exit available to those who wanted to leave.

13 The Baseball Research Journal 2009 . Y .

N “master showman” was “lucky that the worst that , N

W happened is that his team forfeited a game as a result.” O T S R

E Taking a harder stand, the editors at the Chicago P O O

C Tribune held Bill Veeck personally responsible for the , Y R A

R “hucksterism that disgraced the sport of baseball.” B I L

E Veeck, according to the editorial, endangered fans and M A F

F players by creating an environment that included O L L

A drunken teenagers and flying records. Bill Gleason of H L L

A the Chicago Sun-Times simply stated that it was “the B E S A

B most disgraceful night in the long history of major L

A 20 N league baseball in Chicago.” O I T A

N Privately Veeck told his son that sometimes promo - tions “work too well.” And he told reporters that having only “one fiasco” after being in the business for four decades was “not that bad.” However, he ac - knowledged that he had heard of neither the radio station nor . For the papers the next day, he admitted that he could have done more research. “I didn’t investigate as carefully as I obviously should have,” Veeck said. Nonetheless, he continued, “I don’t think this has tarnished baseball, but it didn’t brighten my escutcheon as a promoter.” Rather than pass the promotional disaster onto his son, he accepted full re - sponsibility. Nonetheless, Mike Veeck was surprised with how he had misread the situation. “I’m into In an effort to calm the crowd on the field, White Sox radio announcer music and this was my kind of concept,” the younger Harry Caray broke out into a rendition of “Take Me Out to the Ball Veeck told Chicago Tribune reporter Richard Dozer. Game.” He later described the crowd as “not typical baseball fans.” “But the mistake I can’t get over,” he continued, “is that I didn’t read it right.” He said he could not believe So what was meant to keep thousands from entering how passionate people felt about the disco issue. ended up trapping those inside who wanted to escape. “When I was younger,” Mike Veeck explained, “I The Chicago Tribune reported that the gates were marched against the war but I never thought anyone closed once 50,000 people were in the park. Mike would demonstrate for a cause like this.” 21 Veeck acknowledged that the gates had to be closed. The responses of both Veecks illustrated the gulf be - When calculating attendance, Veeck says that the tween those who were at Comiskey Park on July 12 for “simple rule of thumb” is to “take the advance and baseball and those who were there for Disco Demolition multiply by two-thirds to see how many will show up. Night. While some were there for both, accounts reveal Where we thought 25,000 to 30,000 we had 50,000 in that there was a sharp difference between the two the park and at least 15,000 outside who couldn’t get groups. In the reporting from the time and in more re - in because we had to close the gates.” 18 cent reminiscences many people commented on the Not surprisingly, the second game was not able to drug use that was going on. One fan quipped, “It wasn’t begin at its scheduled time. In fact, over an hour after Winstons they were smoking.” And the umpire crew the second game was scheduled to start, the field was chief that night, Dave Phillips, later described the scene deemed unplayable. While initially it was stated that as looking like “a small drug fest.” More - the game would be postponed, in the end, the promo - over, others have commented on how even before they tion cost the White Sox and their fans a game by entered the park they knew this game would be differ - forfeit. 19 ent. They said that the types of people going in made it In the next day’s press, Bill Veeck was roundly feel like one was entering the park for a rock concert criticized. One reporter stated that last night was “a rather than a ballgame. 22 night when Veeck’s circus atmosphere came crashing While some baseball fans like Bob Young and Dan down around him.” An editorial in the Daily Herald Ferone opted to leave the park, others let out their frus - commented that the “king of the promoters” and the trations on the anti-disco fanatics. Phil Allen, a Steve

14 YOUNG : When Fans Wanted to Rock, the Baseball Stopped C O

Dahl fan, but who was present that evening as a Sox U R T E S fan, said that in the section where he and his brothers Y O F C

were sitting, the fans were singing “Na Na Na Na, Na H R I S T

Na Na Na, hey a**holes, sit down.” Another person O P H E said that in “the upper deck we were throwing beer R J .

23 Y on the jerks, to no avail.” O U N A number of people commented on the differences G between those who were there to demolish disco and those who were there for a ballgame. The Chicago Tribune said that Disco Demolition Night—and all that came with it—had “little to do with why baseball fans come to Comiskey or any other park and even less to do with the game of baseball.” Even though he was the target of the Chicago Tribune editorial, Veeck would have concurred with the editors. Like them, he believed that those involved in the mayhem were not “real baseball fans.” 24 So many people showed up at the ballpark that A golf ball retrieved by umpire Parks and presumably thrown evening for their 98-cent admission that eventually on the field during the chaos that followed the first game of the ticket holders were not even admitted into the park. scheduled doubleheader on July 12, 1979. Those who arrived early enough to get admitted were not pleased with what they experienced. Terry McArdle memory of the evening, the fact remains that some told reporters that he had gone to Comiskey Park to see ticket holders were never allowed into the park, and a game. “It was really sad,” he said, “that most of the those that were in the park lost out on a second game. people out there had no consideration for the sports Disco Demolition Night demonstrated the limits fans.” Announcer Harry Caray believed he understood of promotions for sporting events. David Israel of the the reason. He reportedly said that “the people that Chicago Tribune said the following day that he was not caused the trouble were not typical baseball fans.” 25 surprised by what occurred. “It would have happened On the morning following Disco Demolition Night, any place 50,000 teenagers got together on a sultry it was apropos that Sports and Business shared a sec - summer night with beer and reefer.” Nonetheless, tion in the Chicago Tribune . Fitting as well were the Israel continued, “it was a nuisance. And it really had two headlines on the front page of the section: one an - no place at a ballpark.” 26 nounced, “When fans wanted to rock, the baseball Israel’s sentiment was echoed by many in the stopped” and the other declared, “Sox promotion ends days that followed Disco Demolition Night. Even so, in a mob scene.” Inadvertently, the arrangement of promotions have remained a regular feature of minor- this section of the Chicago newspaper suggests what and major-league baseball. Perhaps, White Sox went wrong the night before. and Texan Rich Wortham’s assertion after Disco No one would deny that is Demolition Night can be taken by promoters as a business. And the White Sox of the 1970s were owned suggestion forged by experience: “This wouldn’t have by one of the shrewdest businessmen in baseball. happened if they had country and western night.” 27 I However, when two subcultures are brought together into one venue the end result is ultimately going to be Notes An earlier version of this article appeared as “Disco Demolition Night: unsatisfying for one side. The Veecks had hoped to Doubleheader Turns Disaster in Comiskey Park,” Heritage 7, no. 3 bring people to the ballpark, whether it was a season (May/June 2004), 6-9. ticket holder or the person who likes to take in an oc - 1. Mike Veeck to Daniel Ferone, 21 February 1979, private collection, Chicago. casional game. If one judges success by the number of 2. Jim Kirk, “25 Years Later, Disco Debacle Recalled Fondly,” www.chicagotribune.com (7 July 2004); Mike Veeck, interviewed by people in the ballpark, then Disco Demolition Night, as Mark Liptak, www.whitesoxinteractive.com (19 October 2004). a promotion, was extremely successful—it filled the 3. In 1969 the capacity of Comiskey Park was 44,492. In 1989 the capacity ballpark beyond capacity. Conversely, the promotion was 43,931. While 50,000 was a lot, it was not the largest crowd. The was also a failure. The promotion brought together at largest crowd was on May 20, 1973, when 55,555 showed up for Bat Day and a doubleheader between the White Sox and the Twins; see Comiskey Park people who arrived for different rea - Philip J. Lowry, Green Cathedrals: The Ultimate Celebration of All 271 sons. While rock fans and baseball fans appreciate the Major League and Negro League Ballparks Past and Present (Reading,

15 The Baseball Research Journal 2009

Mass.: Addison-Wesley, 1992), 131; Richard Dozer, “Sox Promotion 18. Bob Young, conversation with author, Palatine, Ill., 2003; “Discophobia Out Ends in a Mob Scene,” Chicago Tribune , 13 ; Bob Gallas and of Control”; Gallas, “Sox Pay for Disco Disaster with Forfeit,” Daily Herald , Tom Jachimec, “5,000 Disrupt Sox Ball Game,” Arlington Heights (Ill.) 14 July 1979; see also Bob Gallas, “Sparky Won’t Play ‘Disco’ Makeup.” Daily Herald , 13 July 1979; Teamworks Media, “Disco Demolition 25th 19. Since World War II there have only been three other Anniversary: The Real Story,” WTTW Chicago, 12 July 2004 (one hour); forfeits: the last game the Senators played in Washington on 30 September Greg Couch, “For the Record,” www.suntimes.com (9 July 2004); 1971; in Cleveland on Beer Night on 4 June 1974; and when Baltimore Dave Hoekstra, “The Night Anti-disco Fans Went Batty at Sox Park,” forfeited a game because took his team out of the game www.suntimes.com (9 July 2004). against Toronto on 15 September 1977; see www.retrosheet.org/ 4. Rickey Vincent, Funk: The Music, the People, and the Rhythm of the forfeits.htm; see also Bob Pille, “Sox Swallow Forfeit,” Chicago One (New York: St. Martin’s Griffin, 1996), 207, 209. Sun-Times , 14 July 1979. “Anti-Disco Rally Halts White Sox”; Dozer, 5. Toni Ginnetti, “Outburst spotlights DJ’s Cause,” Daily Herald , 14 July “Sox Promotion Ends in a Mob Scene.” 1979; Frank Trippett, Time, 23 July 1979. Earlier Dahl had taken his fight 20. Gallas, “Sparky Won’t Play ‘Disco’ Makeup”; “A Promotional Gimmick to Hanover Park and Lynwood. While the near-riot brought attention to That Got Out of Hand,” Daily Herald , 14 July 1979; “Veeck Asked for It,” the radio station, Dahl began to experience cancellations of previously Chicago Tribune , 14 July 1979. For a mocking commentary, see Mike scheduled appearances; see Edie Cohen, “Dahl May Find Forums Lack - Imrem, “Promotion Ideas Now a Dime a Demolition,” Sunday Herald , ing,” Daily Herald , 14 July 1979. Before the promotion, Mike Veeck opined 15 July 1979; Gleason, “The Horror at Comiskey,” Chicago Sun-Times , about disco to Chicago Sun-Times sports columnist Bill Gleason. He said: 13 July 1979. “It’s awful music that had to be forced upon us by the so-called taste- 21. Mike Veeck to Seth Swirsky, 27 November 2001, in Swirsky, Something makers. I say ‘had to’ because of the extreme lack of taste in disco. to Write Home About: Great Baseball Memories in Letters to a Fan It couldn’t have happened by itself” (Bill Gleason, “The Disco Is Here (New York: Crown, 2003), 101; Gallas, “Sox Pay for Disco Disaster with to Stay Despite Efforts of the Sox,” Chicago Sun-Times , 11 July 1979). Forfeit”; Hersh, “Bill Veeck ‘Sad and Embarrassed’ by Disco Night”; 6. Mike Veeck to Ferone, 21 February 1979, private collection, Chicago. Dozer, “Veeck Protests Sox Forfeit, but Accepts Responsibility”; 7. Jerome Cramer, “So, You Want to Own a Minor League Baseball Team,” Gallas, “Sox Pay for Disco Disaster with Forfeit.” www.forbes.com (15 September 2003), quoted in “Bill Veeck,” by Steven 22. Pille, “The Fans Return Quietly to Comiskey,” Chicago Sun-Times , P. Gietschier, in American National Biography , ed. John A. Garraty and 14 July 1979; Dave Phillips quoted in “The Promotion Night That Ended Mark C. Carnes (New York: Oxford University Press, 1999), 22:314. in Flames: From Setting Records on Fire to a Forfeit,” New York Times , 8. Gietschier, “Bill Veeck,” 313–15. 11 July 2004; www.whitesoxinteractive.com (18 March 2004); see also 9. Richard Dozer, “Veeck Protests Sox Forfeit, but Accepts Responsibility,” Dave Phillips with Rob Rains, Center Field on Fire: An Umpire’s Life with Chicago Tribune , 14 July 1979; see also Brian Hewitt, “Fans Riot at Pine Tar Bats, Spitballs, and Corked Personalities (Chicago: Triumph, White Sox Park,” Chicago Sun-Times , 14 July 1979. 2004), 51–54. 10. Gallas and Jachimec, “5,000 Disrupt Sox Ball Game”; Gallas, 23. Allen, www.whitesoxinteractive.com (25 June 2003); Anonymous, “Sparky Won’t Play ‘Disco’ Makeup,” Daily Herald , 13 July 1979. www.whitesoxinteractive.com (18 March 2004). 11. David Israel, “When Fans Wanted to Rock, the Baseball Stopped,” 24. “Veeck Asked for It,” Chicago Tribune , 14 July 1979; Lynn Emmerman Chicago Tribune , 13 July 1979. and Joseph Sjostrom, “‘These Weren’t Real Baseball Fans’—Veeck,” 12. Gallas, “Sparky Won’t Play ‘Disco’ Makeup.” Chicago Tribune , 13 July 1979. In the days that followed, Bill Veeck said, 13. Lorelei, www.whitesoxinteractive.com (18 March 2004); Phil Allen, ibid. “I abjectly apologize for having put a great many White Sox fans through (25 June 2003); “Discophobia Out of Control,” Chicago Tribune , 13 July an evening that was scary”; Hersh, “Bill Veeck ‘Sad and Embarrassed’ 1979; Lorelei, www.whitesoxinteractive.com (18 March 2004). by Disco Night.” 14. According to Richard Dozer, on April 26, 1925, the White Sox lost to 25. Emmerman and Sjostrom, “‘These Weren’t Real Baseball Fans’—Veeck”; Cleveland 7–2 in seven innings as a result of the game being shortened Gallas and Jachimec, “5,000 Disrupt Sox Ball Game.” Bill Gleason wrote because the fans stormed the field; see Dozer, “Sox Promotion Ends in that “the majority in the mob were exhibitionists. They came not to watch a Mob Scene.” baseball but to be seen”; Gleason, “The Horror at Comiskey”; see also 15. Gallas, “Sox Pay for Disco Disaster with Forfeit,” Daily Herald , 14 July Pille, “The Fans Return Quietly to Comiskey.” 1979; “Anti-Disco Rally Halts White Sox,” New York Times , 13 July 1979; 26. Israel, “When Fans Wanted to Rock, the Baseball Stopped.” Dozer, “Sox Promotion Ends in a Mob Scene”; Tom Duffy, “Tiger Rookie 27. Ibid. Stays Cool Against Sox,” Chicago Tribune , 14 July 1979; Gallas and Jachimec, “5,000 Disrupt Sox Ball Game”; Leon Pitt and Phillip J. O’Connor, “Fans Rampage at Sox Park—2d Game Put Off,” Chicago Sun-Times , 13 July 1979; Phil Hersh, “Bill Veeck ‘Sad and Embarrassed’ by Disco Night,” Chicago Sun-Times , 15 July 1979. 16. Gallas, “Sox Pay for Disco Disaster with Forfeit”; Dozer, “Sox Promotion Ends in a Mob Scene”; Lt. Robert Reilly quoted in “Discophobia Out of Control.” 17. White Sox pitcher Ross Baumgarten stated he “didn’t know people could have such little regard for other people’s safety,” Hewitt, “Fans Riot at White Sox Park”; see also Hewitt, “A.L. Rules Sox Must Forfeit to Tigers,” Chicago Sun-Times , 14 July 1979. As Dan Ferone helped an elderly lady get away from her box seats he recalled being concerned about the possibility of getting hit by a flying record; Dan Ferone, conversation with author, Chicago, 2003; Pitt and O’Connor, “Fans Rampage at Sox Park—2d Game Put Off,”; Gallas, “Sparky Won’t Play ‘Disco’ Makeup”; “Aggravated White Sox Fan Bob,” www.whitesoxinteractive.com (25 June 2003); Brian Pegg, www.whitesoxinteractive.com (25 June 2003).

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