20 Insane Photos of ‘Disco Demolition Night’

Daniel Bonfiglio Published 06/06/2024 in wow

Do you like Disco? Well, a man named Steve Dahl really didn't, and on July 12, 1979, he decided to do something about it.

In partnership with the Chicago White Sox, who were looking for any reason to get people to the ballpark during a lackluster season, Dahl was allowed to hold "Disco Demolition Night" during a doubleheader against the Tigers.

Fans were given 98-cent tickets – as long as they brought a disco record with them to throw away in a special dumpster. Between games, Dahl was to burn the dumpster in center field.

The White Sox predicted a crowd of 20,000, but with the help of Dahl's radio popularity, 50,000 fans showed up, most of whom were there for the burning. The result was an anti-disco, and for many people anti-black riot that saw the police called, stadium ushers sent home, and the White Sox forfeiting game two.

Dahl denies his movement's racial undertones to this day, but the mob did little to clear his name.

Here are 21 insane photos of the time Chicago's Comiskey Park was overrun by anti-disco rock and rollers.

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Steve Dahl on the field.
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Disco vinyl on fire in center field at Comiskey Park.
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Steve Dahl beside the dumpster full of records collected for Disco Demolition Night.
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1.
Steve Dahl on the field.
2.
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4.
Disco vinyl on fire in center field at Comiskey Park.
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Steve Dahl beside the dumpster full of records collected for Disco Demolition Night.
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