{"id":868135,"date":"2026-10-26T09:24:20","date_gmt":"2026-10-26T09:24:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/868135\/"},"modified":"2026-10-26T09:24:20","modified_gmt":"2026-10-26T09:24:20","slug":"today-in-chicago-history-michael-jordans-nba-debut","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/868135\/","title":{"rendered":"Today in Chicago History: Michael Jordan’s NBA debut"},"content":{"rendered":"

Here\u2019s a look back at what happened in the Chicago area Oct. 26, according to the Tribune\u2019s archives.<\/p>\n

Is an important event missing from this date? Email us<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Front page flashback: Oct. 27, 2005<\/p>\n

\"TheThe Chicago White Sox swept the Houston Astros on Oct. 26, 2005, to win the team’s third World Series. (Chicago Tribune)<\/p>\n

2005: The Chicago White Sox won<\/a> their first World Series in 88 years.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey completed their stunning run in a manner that mirrored their amazingly successful season, riding the pitching of Freddy Garcia and the bullpen to a 1-0 victory over Houston and completing a four-game sweep of the 2005 World Series,\u201d Tribune reporter Mark Gonzales wrote.<\/p>\n

Vintage Chicago Tribune: How the Cubs and White Sox have fared in the postseason since 1906<\/a><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

Weather records (from the National Weather Service, Chicago<\/a>)<\/p>\n

High temperature: 84 degrees (1963)
\nLow temperature: 22 degrees (1942)
\nPrecipitation: 2.18 inches (2019)
\nSnowfall: 1.9 inches (1957)<\/p>\n

\"TheThe Chicago Theatre opened as a movie house at 175 N. State St. on Oct. 26, 1921. (Chicago Tribune)<\/p>\n

1921: Balaban & Katz\u2019s Chicago Theatre<\/a> opened. It was said to be the largest and finest of its kind in the world, with seating for 5,000 people.<\/p>\n

The first film shown was a silent one: \u201cThe Sign on the Door,\u201d<\/a> starring Norma Talmadge.<\/p>\n

Vintage Chicago Tribune: Highs \u2014 and lows \u2014 of the magnificent Chicago Theatre<\/a><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

\u201cIn early architectural renderings, the theater at 175 N. State St. had been labeled the Ambassador or the Capitol,\u201d the Tribune\u2019s Richard Christiansen wrote in 2001. \u201cFortunately, those were dropped.<\/a> Chicago prevailed, and the six-story vertical sign that spells out the name has become one of the city\u2019s enduring icons.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"S.R. Crown Hall, the 19th new building to be constructed since the Illinois Institute of Technology launched its expansion program in 1943, was dedicated on April 30, 1956. At the ceremony were, from left: Jay Doblin, director of the Institute of Design; Dr. John T. Rettaliata, president of the school; Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, head of the architecture department and designer of the building; and Irving and John Crown, whose family contributed to the building. Editors note: this historic print shows hand painting and crop marks. (Chicago Tribune historical photo)<\/p>\n

1939: Armour Institute of Technology and Lewis Institute announced they would merge to form Illinois Institute of Technology<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"MichaelMichael Jordan, right, plays his first regular-season game as a Chicago Bull on Oct. 26, 1984, against the Washington Bullets at Chicago Stadium. (Charles Cherney\/Chicago Tribune)<\/p>\n

1984: Wearing a No. 23 Chicago Bulls jersey<\/a> for the first time \u2014 in front of 13,913 fans at Chicago Stadium \u2014 Michael Jordan<\/a> scored 16 points in his NBA debut, a 109-93 victory against the Washington Bullets. Also there? The San Diego Chicken<\/a>.<\/p>\n

An unused ticket from the game<\/a> sold at auction in 2022 for $468,000.<\/p>\n

\"Volponi,Volponi, a 43-1 longshot ridden by jockey Jos\u00e9 Santos, is all alone as he wins the Breeders’ Cup Classic by 6\u00bd lengths on Oct. 26, 2002, at Arlington Park. (Jim Prisching\/Chicago Tribune)<\/p>\n

2002: Arlington Park hosted a sold-out crowd of 46,118 for the Breeders\u2019 Cup World Thoroughbred Championships<\/a> \u2014 the first ever held in the Midwest.<\/p>\n

Want more vintage Chicago?<\/p>\n

Subscribe to the free\u00a0Vintage Chicago Tribune<\/a>\u00a0newsletter, join our\u00a0Chicagoland history Facebook group,<\/a> stay current with Today in Chicago History<\/a> and follow us on Instagram<\/a>\u00a0for more from Chicago\u2019s past.<\/p>\n

Have an idea for Vintage Chicago Tribune? Share it with Kori Rumore and Marianne Mather at krumore@chicagotribune.com<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0mmather@chicagotribune.com<\/a><\/p>\n

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