Today in Chicago History: A dinosaur named Sue is unveiled at the Field Museum

News Room

Here’s a look back at what happened in the Chicago area on May 17, 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: 94 degrees (1962)
  • Low temperature: 36 degrees (2002)
  • Precipitation: 3.11 inches (2020)
  • Snowfall: None
A woman walks along the newly-installed yellow bricks on Nov. 4, 2019, outside the West Side home where L. Frank Baum lived in the late 1800’s while writing The Wizard of Oz. (Raquel Zaldivar/Chicago Tribune)

1900: L. Frank Baum’s “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz” was published. Baum wrote the book when he lived on Chicago’s West Side.

A 23-22 win by the Philadelphia Phillies against the Chicago Cubs on May 17, 1979 at Wrigley Field set several team records at the time: Most total bases in a game (97); most home runs in a game (11); most total bases (49 for the Cubs and 48 for the Phillies); most home runs given up by the Phillies (6); and most runs scored by the Phillies (23). (Chicago Tribune)
A 23-22 win by the Philadelphia Phillies against the Chicago Cubs on May 17, 1979, at Wrigley Field set several team records at the time: Most total bases in a game (97); most home runs in a game (11); most total bases (49 for the Cubs and 48 for the Phillies); most home runs given up by the Phillies (6); and most runs scored by the Phillies (23). (Chicago Tribune)

1979: The wind was blowing out at Wrigley Field. The first inning tipped off what was coming. The Philadelphia Phillies scored seven runs on seven hits. The Chicago Cubs scored six on seven hits. Mike Schmidt cracked his second home run in the top of the 10th to win it 23-22.

There were 50 hits in the game, 26 by the Cubs, and 11 were home runs. Dave Kingman hit three homers for the Cubs. Bill Buckner, Steve Ontiveros and Jerry Martin had one apiece. Bob Boone, Gary Maddox and Randy Lerch homered for the Phils. On cold nights in the winter of 1979-80, WGN-TV replayed the 23-22 game. Ratings were very good.

Sue, the most complete Tyrannosaurus Rex ever found, is unveiled at the Field Museum on May 17, 2000. (Phil Velasquez/Chicago Tribune)
Sue, the most complete Tyrannosaurus rex ever found, is unveiled at the Field Museum on May 17, 2000. (Phil Velasquez/Chicago Tribune)

2000: Sue — the largest, most complete and best preserved Tyrannosaurus rex specimen found to that date — debuted in Stanley Field Hall (the lobby inside the Field Museum).

Vintage Chicago Tribune: Sue the T. rex’s journey to the Field Museum

Want more vintage Chicago?

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

Related posts