Today in Chicago History: Sears Tower becomes the world's tallest building
Is an important event missing from this date? Email us.
Weather records (from the National Weather Service, Chicago)
High temperature: 92 degrees (1955)
Low temperature: 30 degrees (2004)
Precipitation: 1.59 inches (1919)
Snowfall: 0.8 inches (1907)
1973: Ironworkers bolted the last girder into place, making Sears Tower (now Willis Tower) the world's tallest building. Sears Tower ended the Empire State Building's four-decade reign as the world's tallest and transformed the West Loop into a glittering office corridor.
The 1,451-foot Willis Tower lost its crown as the world's tallest when it was surpassed in 1996 by Malaysia's Petronas Towers, and the American title in 2013 when New York City's One World Trade Center was completed. After decades of construction in Asian countries, it's now the 25th tallest in the world.
Chicago Tribune's 28 Pulitzer Prizes: A list of all the winners
1976: The Tribune won a Pulitzer Prize in special local reporting for two major investigations, one demonstrating the devastating effect of FHA loans on inner-city neighborhoods, the other exposing shoddy conditions and practices at several Chicago hospitals.
2009: The Chicago Cubs retired the No. 31 jersey worn by Hall of Fame pitchers Fergie Jenkins and Greg Maddux at Wrigley Field.
If Jenkins had his druthers, he'd have worn No. 30 when he joined the Cubs after a trade with Philadelphia in 1966.
Column: Fergie Jenkins soaks up the adoration as the Chicago Cubs unveil his statue outside Wrigley Field
'That was my number with the Phillies, but Yosh Kawano informed me that was Mr. Ken Holtzman's number,' Jenkins recalled. 'He offered me 31, and I said, 'Fine.''
Kawano, the colorful longtime potentate of the Cubs clubhouse, was still around when Maddux showed up 20 years later. Perhaps he knew something when he gave Maddux No. 31. 'They told me it was Fergie's number,' Maddux said. 'I thought, 'That's pretty cool.''
Jenkins was the fifth Cubs player to have a statue unveiled outside Wrigley Field.
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
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Newsweek
10 minutes ago
- Newsweek
Eugenio Suárez Trade? Cubs Rumors Heating Up As Deadline Nears
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. The Chicago Cubs need to make a few moves ahead of the trade deadline to cement themselves as World Series favorites. Their roster is loaded with talent, but there are still a few places to improve over the next few days, including at third base. FanSided's Aldo Soto recently suggested the Cubs could land a trade for Arizona Diamondbacks slugger Eugenio Suárez in the coming days as Chicago looks to build a World Series roster. PHOENIX, ARIZONA - JULY 21: Eugenio Suarez #28 of the Arizona Diamondbacks reacts after hitting a solo home run against the Houston Astros during the third inning at Chase Field on July 21, 2025 in... PHOENIX, ARIZONA - JULY 21: Eugenio Suarez #28 of the Arizona Diamondbacks reacts after hitting a solo home run against the Houston Astros during the third inning at Chase Field on July 21, 2025 in Phoenix, Arizona. More"Rookie Matt Shaw has been great coming out of the All-Star break, recording a hit in 10 of 11 games, including four home runs and three doubles. His resurgence at the plate has been a sight for sore eyes after he finished the first half in a deep slump," Soto wrote. "However, if the Cubs have the ability to add the best hitter on the market, they can't let the opportunity slip by. "Adding Suarez wouldn't solely be about displacing Shaw from third base. The right-handed hitting slugger can fill in at first base for Michael Busch against left-handed pitching or give Craig Counsell another right-handed bat by shifting Seiya Suzuki to left field and moving Ian Happ to the bench." Suárez would be a huge upgrade for Craig Counsell's team. He would slot into the lineup every day and give the team somebody who could leave the ball park each and every time he steps to the plate. The Cubs have the prospect capital to land Suárez, too. The only issue with this deal is his market. Suárez is expected to be pursued by multiple other top teams, though the Cincinnati Reds and New York Yankees have seemingly dropped out of the sweepstakes. Still, the Cubs have a chance to land Suárez. If they can pull it off, it's hard to imagine a team with a deeper lineup in October than Chicago. More MLB: Dodgers Blockbuster? Cy Young Ace Linked To LA In Deadline Deal
NBC Sports
10 minutes ago
- NBC Sports
As good as ever? Jordan Spieth eyes playoff run, predicts big things ahead
Making another Ryder Cup team was Jordan Spieth's 'loftiest goal' at the start of this season. Spieth was coming off late-August surgery on his left wrist and likely out for the first few events of the season. When he ultimately returned to action at Pebble Beach in late January, Spieth was well behind the eight-ball in U.S. Ryder Cup points. Fast forward to this week's Wyndham Championship, and Spieth enters the regular-season finale at Sedgefield Country Club ranked 27th among the American hopefuls. 'That's something that's a perk of accomplishing the other goals that I'm trying to over the next few weeks,' said Spieth, who is also No. 50 in FedExCup points, easily into next week's playoff opener in Memphis but firmly on the bubble in terms of qualifying for the BMW Championship, and by virtue, all of next year's signature events. Six automatic selections are finalized after the BMW, while six captain's picks are named following the Tour Championship. 'I think if I'm able to get on a good run and contend and have a few high finishes and maybe get a win or so, you know, I make a good case. But I'm on the outside looking in. And it was going to be a tall task off of my season hurt last year and starting late this year – it was just going to be a lot to ask with majors being a huge part of my opportunities to make the team, just the majors this year. 'Having said that, experience does help, and I've got maybe some guys in my corner if I start to show that good things are coming. … If I'm making a run through East Lake, then I feel good about whatever happens.' Spieth has played five straight Ryder Cups since his debut in 2014, going 8-7-3 – he's just 1-4-3 in his last two, though. He's also missed just one Cup since debuting at the 2013 Presidents Cup, failing to qualify for the 2019 Presidents Cup. Barring a high finish at The Open two weeks ago, Spieth was always going to tee it up in Greensboro, North Carolina. He took three weeks off after withdrawing from the Travelers Championship with a freak neck injury, which has since resolved itself, and also skipped last week's 3M Open following a T-40 at Royal Portrush. Also, prior to The Open, Spieth and his wife, Annie, welcome their third child, son Sully. During that time, Spieth, who owns four top-10s among eight top-25s this year, slipped from No. 38 in points to the last man currently into the siggys. Even if Spieth got into six of the eight elevated fields this year, all but one of those via sponsor invites, he doesn't want to rely on going to that well for a second straight season. 'I didn't like asking for exemptions this year at all,' Spieth said. 'I was fortunate to receive a lot of them, but you just never know. And when you miss out on elevated events, the way it's structured, they've got the best players in the world at all of them, and you don't want to miss any of them. It's a big reason why I'm here. … It would be nice to have a huge boost this week and not have to worry about it next week, but I'm fully prepared to have some stress next week on that 50 number, and ideally a good start this week or next week really takes a lot of that off.' Either way, Spieth, encouraged about his future at age 32, left the media with this on Wednesday: 'Next year's going to be a really good year for me, I can feel it. It's all coming along. I'll be healthy, and just structurally putting, the mechanics are all getting really, really close. One good offseason should get me nailed down to where I could be as good as I've been.'
Indianapolis Star
41 minutes ago
- Indianapolis Star
'Putter finally woke up.' Charlie Woods gets hot in Round 2 of Junior PGA Championships
WEST LAFAYETTE ― Charlie Woods answered the challenge of battling the tight fairways of Kampen-Cosler Course offered during the second round of the Junior PGA Championship on Wednesday. He roped tee shots onto greens, converted key putts and displayed the kind of poise on the course patterned after his father, 15-time major championship winner Tiger Woods. Charlie shot 66 and finished 7-under through two rounds, tied for third at time of his exit after starting the day 1-under. He converted six birdies through the front nine, including Holes 6 to 8 and added birdies on 14 and 15. Woods sank a 25-foot birdie putt on the third hole on a morning where his short game was in command. Woods biggest hole came on No. 9. After hooking a tee shot to the right onto the cart path and into wooded forage, he hit an iron shot out of the woods into a flat bunker, laid his third shot six feet from the hole and converted a par putt in front of a group of 75 onlookers eager to watch the 16-year-old from Jupiter, Florida. "I hit it about the same as I did in the first round, but the putter finally woke up today," Woods said. "It felt really good in my hands, and I was able to roll a few in after some solid iron shots. Nice to get myself back in the mix and looking forward to getting after it (Thursday)." 'It's surreal watching.' Charlie Woods scores under par in first round of Junior PGA Championships Woods should comfortably make it to the third round, as the top 60 after the first two days advance. His fellow statesman, Tyler Mawhinney of Fleming Island, Florida, is also in line to advance. Mawhinney finished the second round tied for seventh and moved up 24 spots to make the cut into the third round. Despite hailing from the same state, the past two days were the first time Mawhinney played with Woods which included Jackson Ormond from Webster, New York. "It's a fun group and we're all having a good time out there," Mawhinney said. "It's kind of cool with the crowds but other than that, it's just a normal game of golf." Insider: Investment into Purdue golf nets Junior PGA Championships, top amateurs like Charlie Woods Hellish, beautiful, infuriating, serene: The best 18 single holes of golf in Indiana This is a big tournament for the young players. The winner and runner up of the Junior PGA Championship automatically makes the Junior Ryder Cup Team, as long as they're an American and are in the class of 2026 or younger.
