Today in Chicago History: Spectators place final bets at Arlington Park

Here’s a look back at what happened in the Chicago area on Sept. 25, according to the Tribune’s archives.

Is an important event missing from this date? Email us.

Weather records (from the National Weather Service, Chicago)

High temperature: 92 degrees (2017)
Low temperature: 30 degrees (1942)
Precipitation: 1.85 inches (1961)
Snowfall: Trace (1942)

Field Museum expert Karl Schmidt recorded what happened to him after he was bitten on Sept. 25, 1957, by a venomous African tree snake known as a boomslang. “The diary was written in perfect penmanship of the old school, on several sheets of ruled note paper, and covered a 15-hour period from the time Dr. Schmidt boarded a suburban train at 4:30 p.m. on the day he was bitten until the next morning,” the Tribune reported. Schmidt died the next day at his Homewood home. (Chicago Tribune)

1957: Field Museum curator emeritus Karl Patterson Schmidt was bit on his left thumb by a boomslang, a poisonous African tree snake, while examining the creature at the museum at the request of Lincoln Park Zoo director Marlon Perkins. Since the snake was young and the bite was small, Schmidt decided against using an anti-venom serum.

Schmidt fell ill at his Homewood home and recorded his observations in a diary before he died the next day.

Legendary Chicago bluesman Buddy Guy poses for a portrait at his club Buddy Guy's Legends on June 10, 2024. (Armando L. Sanchez/Chicago Tribune) — Legendary Chicago bluesman Buddy Guy at Buddy Guy’s Legends on June 10, 2024. (Armando L. Sanchez/Chicago Tribune)

Also in 1957: Bluesman George “Buddy” Guy left rural Louisiana for Chicago. He’s made 19 records under his own name and many others with friends and collaborators. He’s won eight Grammys, and he never took a single guitar lesson.

Timer Mike Murphy tolls the end of Floyd Patterson's reign as heavyweight champion as he counts Floyd out after 2:06 of the first round on Sept. 25, 1962, at Comiskey Park in Chicago. Patterson lost the title before a crowd of 18,894 to Sonny Liston, left, of Philadelphia. (Chicago Tribune historical photo) — Timer Mike Murphy tolls the end of Floyd Patterson’s reign as heavyweight champion as he counts Patterson out at 2:06 of the first round on Sept. 25, 1962, at Comiskey Park in Chicago. Patterson lost the title before a crowd of 18,894 to Sonny Liston, left, of Philadelphia. (Chicago Tribune historical photo)

1962: Charles “Sonny” Liston knocked out champion Floyd Patterson in 2 minutes and 6 seconds of the first round and won the heavyweight title at Comiskey Park. As he left Chicago, Patterson tried to disguise himself by wearing fake whiskers.

Dan Cloeter, 25, of Fort Wayne, Indiana, is welcomed by an official as he crosses the finish line near Buckingham Fountain to win the 1977 Mayor Daley Marathon on Sept. 25, 1977. (Michael Budrys/Chicago Tribune) — Dan Cloeter, 25, of Fort Wayne, Indiana, is welcomed by an official as he crosses the finish line near Buckingham Fountain to win the Mayor Daley Marathon on Sept. 25, 1977. (Michael Budrys/Chicago Tribune)

1977: The Chicago Marathon — then known as the Mayor Daley Marathon — debuted. Theology student Dan Cloeter, 25, from Fort Wayne, Indiana, won it with a time of 2 hours, 17 minutes, 52 seconds.

Tickets for a series of Led Zeppelin concerts at Chicago Stadium planned for November 1980 required a mail-in form, which was published on Sept. 25, 1980 in the Tribune. (Chicago Tribune) — Tickets for a series of Led Zeppelin concerts at Chicago Stadium planned for November 1980 required a mail-in form, which was published on Sept. 25, 1980, in the Tribune. (Chicago Tribune)

1980: An estimated 1,000 people lined up to buy the Tribune because of something special within its pages — a mail-order form for tickets to four nights of Led Zeppelin shows at the Chicago Stadium. The band was supposed to appear several times in Chicago in 1977, but canceled following the death of singer Robert Plant’s oldest son, Karac. Needless to say, fans were excited for the band’s return.

As ‘Becoming Led Zeppelin’ nears theaters, a look back at the pivotal shows the band played in Chicago — or almost did

Little did the fans who camped out in front of Tribune Tower know, however, Led Zeppelin’s drummer John Bonham was found dead in England the same day, reportedly after drinking the equivalent of 40 shots of vodka. The 1980 concert tour was immediately canceled, and the band parted ways just a few months later. Tickets, however, had already been printed for the four Chicago shows. They gathered dust inside Chicago Stadium until 1986. That’s when Michael Dehn bought 79,652 undistributed tickets to the canceled shows for $9,000, and set a Guinness World Record. Dehn now sells them online in various commemorative sets.

Vintage Chicago Tribune: How McCormick Place’s Lakeside Center came to be on the lakefront

1991: Gov. Jim Edgar signed legislation worth nearly $1 billion to expand McCormick Place.

Horses cross the finish line on the final race day ever at Arlington International Racecourse on Sept. 25, 2021. (Chris Sweda/Chicago Tribune)

2021: An estimated 10,000 people attended Arlington Park’s final day of the season, placing their last bets ever at the racetrack.

The Chicago Bears finalized a deal to buy the site in February 2023. The team is expected to publicly present their latest plans for a new stadium in Arlington Heights this fall, officials said earlier this month, with the hope of breaking ground by spring.

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