Today in Chicago History: White Sox and Brewers start 8-hour game at Comiskey Park

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Here’s a look back at what happened in the Chicago area on May 8, 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: 91 degrees (1963)
  • Low temperature: 29 degrees (1983)
  • Precipitation: 1.26 inches (1880)
  • Snowfall: 0.5 inches (1923)
The National Air Transport (later United Air Lines) Curtiss Carrier Pidgeon corporation plane, christened Miss Chicago, is shown taking off with a load of mail that would eventually get to Dallas during opening ceremonies of the city’s new airfield, Chicago Municipal Airport, at 63rd and Cicero Avenue on May 8, 1926. City leaders hailed the event as opening a new chapter in Chicago’s development. (Chicago Tribune historical photo)

1926: Chicago’s first municipal airport opened. It’s now known as Midway International Airport.

The first flight: An aircraft christened Miss Chicago took off for Dallas. The cargo: A load of mail.

Chicagoans took to the streets for a V-E Day celebration on May 8, 1945. (Chicago Herald-American)
Chicagoans took to the streets for a V-E Day celebration on May 8, 1945. (Chicago Herald-American)

1945: “Complete victory in Europe was won by the allies today with the unconditional surrender of Germany,” read the front page of the Tribune.

V-E Day was cause for celebration — and worry

Victory in Europe (V-E) Day brought thousands of people to State Street. The exterior lights of movie theater marquees, the Water Tower and Palmolive Building — dim since a Feb. 1 order — were once again lit in celebration. While some donated blood destined for wounded soldiers, others working in the city’s war plants stopped to listen to a proclamation by President Harry Truman.

Though celebratory, everyone knew “that another war needs to be fought in Asia.”

A 420-foot home run by Harold Baines in the 25th inning gave the Chicago White Sox a win against the Milwaukee Brewers at Comiskey Park on May 9, 1984. (Chicago Tribune)
A 420-foot home run by Harold Baines in the 25th inning gave the Chicago White Sox a win against the Milwaukee Brewers at Comiskey Park on May 9, 1984. (Chicago Tribune)

1984: Tied at 3-3, a Chicago White Sox game against the Milwaukee Brewers at Comiskey Park was suspended at 1 a.m., May 9, because of the American League’s curfew and resumed the next day.

Harold Baines ended the game in the 25th inning when he hit a home run into the center field bullpen — on the 753rd pitch, according to the National Baseball Hall of Fame. The Sox won 7-6. At eight hours and six minutes, it was the longest game in elapsed time in MLB history. (The longest game in innings — 26 — between the Brooklyn Dodgers and Boston Braves took place May 1, 1920 in Boston. Tribune columnist Jerome Holtzman noted both pitchers were not only born in Chicago, but also went the distance.)

“Ten years from now, millions of Chicagoans will have laid claim to being in Comiskey Park for this historic two-night affair,” Tribune reporter Fred Mitchell wrote. “Accept no frauds. Make them show you their ticket stub.”

When it was over, the teams started their regularly scheduled game at 7:30 p.m. The Sox won that one too, 5-4.

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