July 12 News WLUP / Outtakes Comiskey Disco Demo

Transcript (Download)

You I Surprisingly no one was seriously hurt during the melee I I I I I Channel 2 News I Would awaken in the morning with the loop spend over a quarter million dollars airing this TV commercial last spring The model's name is Lorelei She's from California and most viewers probably noticed the station's call letters on her t -shirt But the loop denies the obvious you have people will comment about that But I think the production of the spot was the thing that stood out Where the camera goes in and focuses on her lips as she lip -syncs? Air check the radio station, and I think that was the main thing that caught the people's attention I don't think it was so much you know her physical attributes that did it More than just a robust woman in a t -shirt to loop as a morning man with a cause His name is Steve doll and his gimmick has been to lead a frontal attack on disco music and the disco culture As you might imagine Steve doll does not have one of those little plastic membership cards to faces So it was really no surprise to his fans that Steve dolls Kamiski Park Anti -disco promotion last night capped by the blowing up of a stack of disco fans Disco records turned into a riot And the loop staff seemed to enjoy watching videotape replays of the event at the station today They know the whole thing can't hurt them in an era when notoriety can equal even better ratings for the loop Still Steve doll was a little contrite about it today I tried to poke a light -hearted thought at the whole thing because it really is an anti very strong anti -disco sentiment among listeners and that's what we were doing now Because they got too high because they got to whatever to worked up there were people Rushed out on the field and were crazed and they shouldn't have done it Steve doll was to appear at a Chicago night spot tonight for another of his series of anti -disco happenings But given what happened last night doll says he's decided to stay home and listen to the skips and his old Rolling Stones albums I think one thing probably ought to be pointed out here It's awfully easy when you look at something like that to say everybody was a bad guy As Greg pointed out seven to ten thousand out of a crowd of fifty five thousand inside and several thousand more outside So they're probably just some nice kids out there who got caught up in it too.

But obviously and anytime you Wait Oh The owner of the white dot bill Beck pleaded with the crowd to disperse Finally a team of riot -equipped Chicago police went over the field and moved towards the remaining crowd in their bonfire Most of that crowd quickly regained control and ran for the fan The arrival of the police was applauded by the 40 ,000 or more who remained in their seats The second game between the White Sox and Detroit Tigers was canceled Ron Miller ABC News Chicago A Warm night a packed house But very quickly most of them had gotten in cheap just 98 cents in a disco record Part of a promotional stunt by a local radio station So many came to see that station's disc jockey destroyed disco records that the old part quickly filled overflowing almost 50 ,000 people inside at least 10 ,000 others outside turned away Some angry and frustrated scaled turnstiles and ran onto the field where they were quickly joined by others And here's all looked on There were no serious injuries but riot -equipped police made 29 arrests for disorderly conduct with most of the crowd cheering as the arrest Six -dollar boxy it gets twice what a record once with a lit cigarette firecrackers going off in two seats You can see a few other people come back to this ballpark They think that's what I come here to a ballgame for that's their business They can have this business all the time they want but that is not what I come to a ballgame for almost an absolute And torn umpire said it was unfit second game Bob Paul CBS News Chicago Coming up on 19 minutes past the hour now Banging on doors jumping turnstiles and storming the park Inside FM radio DJ Steve Dahl was about to preside over the blowing up of some disco records After several explosions went off several thousand fans started pouring onto the field and wouldn't leave Estimates say between seven to ten thousand people wound up on the field and the crowd was largely out of control Arrests were made those arrested taken to 11th and state by the time it was I'd like to get a shit.

Can I get a shot of you in the back here? Except for some I'll do whatever you want.

You know Just as long as they spell your name wrong the old adage I'm embarrassed as I said Objectively apologetic for having Before they could finally clear the field nothing the white should have reacted But I think when the pattern was there that it happened the other two times They had that same type of production It should have been better prepared.

I said this morning on the air.

I said hey look, you know, we had it Most of us had a real good time out there last night unfortunately, there was a problem on the field as you all know and Hey, you know, it doesn't help anything.

It just it's gonna It's gonna make it tougher for us to do more things like this in the future You get hurt you get arrested Of course that you end up with a promotion because you know for a game you have to feel that you did more than a little wrong I would only like to apologize to the players and and even more importantly almost to the fans who come and support us regularly Bruce we were out here this morning dad myself at about 20 after 5 and I can say that after last night it as far as the groundkeepers concerned.

It was a nightmare What would you have to do? Well, we had to put in about 170 yards a side I because they got to whatever to worked up.

There were people Then rushed out on the field and were crazed and they shouldn't have done it.

The White Sox would undoubtedly agree the At the beginning Johnny Morrison was forced Well, as you probably saw earlier in our newscast a mob scene between games So the second game was postponed until Sunday after Detroit won the opener 4 -1 the crowd a full house of approximately 49 ,000 fans the first game was all Tigers as Fred Howard lost the pat under with this triple by Tom Brookings drove home the eventual winning run in the second the Tigers led to nothing went on to win in a breeze by a final Four to one everything was calm before that for you or the backfire and the Cubs had their game delayed Kenny Holson is picking for Chicago that game is scoreless But all the activities happening out the clean game did on team night WLUP held a disco Demonstration we'll talk about that a little bit more to the game to love pencil out there As we said between game activities the main attraction the disco demolition spearheaded by morning radio man Steve And his anti -disco army called the insane coval lip earlier I asked Steve just what he has against disco Well, the first thing I have against it is that I can never find a white three -piece suit that fits me off the rack So I hate to taste the pina coladas.

I don't I'm allergic to gold jewelry.

So there's nothing there for me I'm a cheap skate.

I don't like to waste a lot of money at home You know in terms of my electrical bill and you have to spend so much time blow -drying your hair It's a waste of energy, okay, I'm ecologically meaningful and cheap so I'm not into it I'd like to if I could show you how we destroy the disco record And this is how I do it Yeah, I can't myself Koho lips Koho lips And then I just That felt good Well worthy of the call you we have other baseball news today the Cubs after a long rain delay in Cincinnati are Forfeited after all it's been postponed until Sunday Sunday, so we didn't lose the game Not yet.

Anyway, that's it for this Thursday night.

I'm Terry Murphy and I'm Joel Daly.

Thank you for joining us We'll be back tomorrow at 5 6 and 10.

Identifier

F.2005-08-0149

Date Of Production

1979

Abstract

Unused footage from Bill Stamets' film Rock Sox Disco Sux, a short Super 8mm film documenting "Disco Demolition Night," which took place July 12, 1979 at Comiskey Park in Chicago's Bridgeport neighborhood.

The anti-disco promotion was spearheaded by Chicago White Sox owner Bill Veeck along with shock jock Steve Dahl of 97.9 FM WLUP "The Loop," a Chicago rock station. Attendees were able to attend the games for only 98 cents if they turned in a disco record; between the doubleheader’s games, all the donated records would be blown up in center field. The White Sox were forced to forfeit the second game when the promotion went off the rails, when anti-disco demonstrators rioted on the field and caused significant damage to the park. The riot resulted in at least nine injuries and 39 arrests.

Run Time

0:15:16

Format

Super 8

Extent

228 feet

Color

Color

Sound

Mag Stripe

Reel/Tape Number

1/1

Has Been Digitized?

Yes

Element

Reversal Positives

Genre

Documentary

Form

Outtakes

Subject

Disco music
Riots
Chicago White Sox (Baseball team)

Related Collections

Subseries II: Footage

Related Places

North America ➜ United States ➜ Illinois ➜ Chicago

Main Credits

Stamets, Bill (is filmmaker)

Participants And Performers

Dahl, Steve (is participant)

Shark, Lorelei (is participant)

Meier, Garry (is participant)

Caray, Harry (is participant)

Do you know more about this item?

If you have more information about this item please contact us at info@chicagofilmarchives.com.