Sports Highlights: May 17, 1979
On May 17, 1979, Wrigley Field witnessed a thrilling baseball game between the Philadelphia Phillies and the Chicago Cubs. The Phillies triumphed over the Cubs with a score of 23-22. This game set multiple records at the time. The teams amassed a total of 97 bases, marking the highest in a single game. The game featured 11 home runs, another record. The Cubs accounted for 49 total bases, while the Phillies claimed 48. For the Phillies, it was their first time scoring 23 runs in a game, and they allowed six home runs, which was unprecedented for them.
The first inning set the tone with the Phillies scoring seven runs on seven hits and the Cubs responding with six runs from seven hits. Mike Schmidt secured the victory for the Phillies with his second home run in the 10th inning. In total, the game had 50 hits. Dave Kingman hit three homers for the Cubs, while Bill Buckner, Steve Ontiveros, and Jerry Martin each added one. The Phillies also saw home runs from Bob Boone, Gary Maddox, and Randy Lerch. During the 1979-80 winter, WGN-TV often replayed this high-scoring encounter on cold nights.
Weather Records
The National Weather Service in Chicago recorded these weather extremes on May 17:
- Highest temperature: 94 degrees in 1962
- Lowest temperature: 36 degrees in 2002
- Precipitation: 3.11 inches in 2020
- No recorded snowfall
Publication of “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz” (1900)
L. Frank Baum’s iconic book, “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz,” was published in 1900. Baum resided on Chicago’s West Side while he wrote this beloved work.
Sue the T. rex Unveiling (2000)
On May 17, 2000, Sue, the largest and most complete Tyrannosaurus rex fossil discovered up to that point, was unveiled at the Field Museum in its Stanley Field Hall. Sue’s debut marked a significant moment for Chicago’s natural history displays.