Chicago Stadium - Notable Events

Notable Events

• 1932: Due to a snowstorm, the Chicago Bears played the 1932 championship game inside the Chicago Stadium against the Portsmouth Spartans (later the Detroit Lions). The Bears won 9–0.
• 1932, 1940, and 1944: Democratic National Conventions, at which Franklin D. Roosevelt won his first, third and fourth nominations from the Democratic Party for President of the United States.
• 1932 and 1944: Republican National Conventions, at which Herbert C. Hoover and Thomas E. Dewey, respectively, would win the Republican Party's nomination for President of the United States. Both lost to Roosevelt.
• 1933: Funeral of Chicago mayor Anton J. Cermak, the sole fatality in an assassination attempt on President-elect Franklin Roosevelt.
• 1946: While waiting in a backstage area to go onto the arena floor during a rodeo, Roy Rogers proposed to Dale Evans.
• 1961, 1974 and 1991: Chicago was the host city for the NHL All-Star Game.
• 1961: Scenes from the 1962 version of the film The Manchurian Candidate depicting the Republican nomination convention, were filmed in the stadium. The scenes are set in New York's Madison Square Garden.
• 1972: On June 16-17, 1972, Elvis Presley played three sold-out shows at the stadium during his 15-city tour.
• 1973, 1988: Chicago was the host city for the NBA All-Star Game.
• 1976: May 31-June 2: Paul McCartney & Wings Paul McCartney's first three concerts for Chicago in 10 years; performs in his "Wings Over America" Concert Tour.
• 1976: October 15: Elvis Presley played the second of two concert dates, to a crowd of 19,000 fans.
• 1977: In the spring of 1977, Led Zeppelin played four shows here during their North American tour (they had previously played three concerts at this venue on their 1975 North American Tour). Two more were scheduled for later in the tour but were cancelled due to the death of Robert Plant's son.
• 1977: Elvis Presley's last gig in Chicago is at the Chicago Stadium, on May 1-2, 1977.
• 1979: The Bee Gees played two sold out shows here on July 30 and 31, 1979 as part of their 1979 Spirits Having Flown Tour.
• 1981: The Jacksons performed two concerts at Chicago Stadium on August 22 and September 5, 1981 during their Triumph Tour.
• 1992: Great Midwest Conference men's basketball tournament.
• 1992: Chicago Bulls win the second of three straight NBA titles in Game 6 of the NBA Finals. This would be the only time the Bulls clinched the championship while playing on the Stadium's floor, though they did it twice at the new United Center (in 1996 and again in 1997).
• 1994: The final concert was held on March 10, 1994, featuring Pearl Jam, Urge Overkill and The Frogs.
• 1994: The final ice hockey game at Chicago Stadium was played on April 28. The Blackhawks lost to the Toronto Maple Leafs 1–0, eliminating them from the 1994 Stanley Cup Playoffs. The only goal in the game, and last goal ever scored, came from Mike Gartner in the first period.
• 1994: The final event at Chicago Stadium was Scottie Pippen's Ameritech Classic charity basketball game, which was organized through Rev. Jesse Jackson's Push-Excel program and was held on September 9, 1994. Michael Jordan, despite being in retirement at the time, participated and scored 52 points, leading the White Team to a 187–150 victory over Pippen's Red team. At the end of the game, Jordan kneeled and kissed the Bulls logo at center court.