{"id":683271,"date":"2026-10-10T09:12:19","date_gmt":"2026-10-10T09:12:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/683271\/"},"modified":"2026-10-10T09:12:19","modified_gmt":"2026-10-10T09:12:19","slug":"today-in-chicago-history-wayne-gretzky-makes-his-nhl-debut","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/683271\/","title":{"rendered":"Today in Chicago History: Wayne Gretzky makes his NHL debut"},"content":{"rendered":"

Here\u2019s a look back at what happened in the Chicago area on Oct. 10, according to the Tribune\u2019s archives.<\/p>\n

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

Flashback: Oct. 10, 1954<\/p>\n

\"B.B.A. Mylosh carries his wife to a dry spot on 119th Street after their home was flooded at 118th Street and Pulaski Road in Alsip on Oct. 10, 1954. (Dan Tortorell\/Chicago Tribune)<\/p>\n

1954: October 1954 was the wettest October on record<\/a> in Chicago, bringing the city some of its worst flooding on record. Two major rain events swamped the city. Most of the rainfall (almost 11 of the official 12.06 inches) accumulated in the first 10 days.<\/p>\n

The first deluge occurred on the morning of Oct. 3, when heavy thunderstorms dropped about four inches of rain<\/a> that produced widespread, urban-type flooding.<\/p>\n

From Oct. 9-11, 6.72 inches of rain fell in a 48-hour period<\/a>, leaving numerous roads and underpasses underwater for days.<\/p>\n

The overflowing Chicago River flooded downtown, and the river was so high, many of the lift bridges were inoperable<\/a>. Rain was even heavier west and south of the city, with some precipitation totals exceeding 12 inches.<\/p>\n

Vintage Chicago Tribune: The city\u2019s 10 wettest months on record<\/a><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

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

High temperature: 86 degrees (1962)
\nLow temperature: 27 degrees (1964)
\nPrecipitation: 3.94 inches (1954)
\nSnowfall: None<\/p>\n

\"GuttedGutted buildings and smoldering rubble are at State and Madison streets after the Great Chicago Fire in 1871. (Chicago Tribune archive)<\/p>\n

1871: As a gentle rain began to fall, the Great Chicago Fire burned itself out. There was nothing left to burn. The fire had reached all the way to the city\u2019s northern border, which was then at Fullerton Avenue.<\/p>\n

Almost 18,000 buildings were destroyed<\/a>, much of the city was leveled, 90,000 people were homeless and about 300 people had died.<\/p>\n

Flashback: As the city still smoldered from the Great Fire, the Tribune boldly proclaimed Chicago would \u2018rise again.\u2019 It had already begun to rise.<\/a><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

A young real estate developer named William D. Kerfoot<\/a> was the first to erect a building in the devastated business district.<\/p>\n

On Washington Street between Clark and Dearborn streets, he and some friends put up a wooden shack. Affixed to it was a crude sign: \u201cALL GONE BUT WIFE, CHILDREN AND ENERGY.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"EdmontonEdmonton Oilers phenom Wayne Gretzky, second from right, was given an assist on a power play goal by Keith Lowe against the Chicago Blackhawks on Oct. 10, 1979, at Chicago Stadium. It was Gretzky’s first NHL game and also the Oilers’ NHL debut. The Hawks won 4-2. (Walter Neal\/Chicago Tribune)
\n\"EdmontonEdmonton Oilers phenom Wayne Gretzky signals a goal against the Chicago Blackhawks on Oct. 10, 1979, at Chicago Stadium. It was Gretzky’s first NHL game and also the Oilers’ NHL debut. Gretzky was given an assist on Keith Lowe’s goal on a power play. The Hawks won 4-2. (Ed Wagner Jr.\/Chicago Tribune)<\/p>\n

1979: Edmonton Oilers rookie Wayne Gretzky<\/a> made his NHL debut against the Chicago Blackhawks at Chicago Stadium. He was held to one shot in each of the last two periods after taking four cracks at Hawks goalie Tony Esposito in the opening session, and earned an assist on a first-period goal made by teammate Keith Lowe. The Hawks won<\/a> 4-2.<\/p>\n

\u201cI never imagined what Chicago turned out to be like,\u201d Gretzky said. \u201cIn Edmonton, you can drive from one end of the city to the other in 20 minutes. But we get 16,000 people for every hockey game. Here, they tell me you have more than 3\u00bd million people, but you only see about 10,000 people in the stands. That seemed strangest of all.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"CustomersTreasure Island Foods grocery store at 3460 N. Broadway in Lakeview on Oct. 3, 2018. (Brian Cassella\/Chicago Tribune)<\/p>\n

2018: Treasure Island Foods<\/a> stores closed, officially ending a 55-year run in Chicago.<\/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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