Weather records <\/strong>(from the National Weather Service, Chicago<\/a>)<\/p>\n 1778:<\/strong> Illinois became a county of Virginia<\/a>.<\/p>\n 1889:<\/strong> The Auditorium Theatre<\/a> was opened and dedicated by President Benjamin Harrison.<\/p>\n 1934:<\/strong> Students of early NFL history know that the New York Giants upset the Chicago Bears<\/a> 30-13 at the Polo Grounds for the 1934 title because the Giants donned sneakers to help their footing on the icy field. But how many know that Abe Cohen was a hero in the so-called \u201cSneakers Game\u201d?<\/p>\n Cohen was a tailor, a fan, and a sometimes-clubhouse attendant. Giants trainer Gus Mauch served a similar role at Manhattan College. When coach Steve Owen wondered where he could find enough gym shoes on a Sunday to outfit his club, Cohen was dispatched in a cab to Manhattan College. There, by hook or by crook, he entered the gym, opened lockers and returned with a cab full of rubber-soled shoes.<\/p>\n The Giants rallied from an early 10-3 deficit<\/a> to score four unanswered touchdowns in the last 10 minutes and win. Lewis Burton in the New York American wrote: \u201cTo the heroes of antiquity, to the Greek who raced across Marathon Plain and to Paul Revere, add now the name of Abe Cohen.\u201d<\/p>\n 2005:<\/strong> The Chicago Bulls retired<\/a> Scottie Pippen\u2019s No. 33 jersey during halftime of the Bulls\u2019 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers at the United Center.<\/p>\n Pippen was a 6-7 forward from Central Arkansas when the Bulls selected him in the 1987 draft<\/a> with the fifth pick, which they obtained in a trade with Seattle. Pippen helped the Bulls win six NBA titles in eight seasons. He went on to become an all-NBA player seven times and an all-defensive team player eight times, seven times on the first team.<\/p>\n Pippen finished his Bulls career with averages of 18 points, 6.8 rebounds and 5.3 assists, making him one of the most versatile front-court players in league history. He was named one of the 50 greatest players in NBA history in 1996.<\/p>\n The Bulls traded Pippen<\/a> to the Houston Rockets in 1999.<\/p>\n 2008:<\/strong> At 6:15 a.m.,Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich<\/a> was roused from his Ravenswood Manor home, arrested, handcuffed and hauled before a federal magistrate on sweeping charges that he conspired to sell his office many times over \u2014 including putting a price on the U.S. Senate seat vacated by President-elect Barack Obama.<\/p>\n Rod Blagojevich saga: From arrest to Donald Trump\u2019s pardon<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n \u201cI intend to stay on the job, and I will fight this thing every step of the way. I will fight. I will fight. I will fight until I take my last breath. I have done nothing wrong,\u201d Blagojevich said on Dec. 19, 2008, in his first news conference after his arrest.<\/p>\n During his second trial, Blagojevich was found guilty<\/a> on 17 of 20 counts. In 2011, he was sentenced to 14 years<\/a>\u00a0in federal prison \u2014 the second-longest term ever delivered in federal court in Chicago for a public corruption case.<\/p>\n President Donald Trump,\u00a0convicted<\/a>\u00a0of felonies himself,\u00a0commuted<\/a>\u00a0Blagojevich\u2019s\u00a014-year sentence<\/a>\u00a0to about eight years served on Feb. 18, 2020.<\/p>\n 2010:<\/strong> Annie Ricks<\/a>, the last resident of the Cabrini-Green<\/a> public housing development\u2019s last-standing housing tower, and her family left their home of 20 years \u2014 Apartment 1108 at 1230 N. Burling St., Chicago.<\/p>\n 2013:<\/strong> The No. 89 jersey worn by Mike Ditka<\/a> was retired<\/a> by the Bears at Soldier Field during one of the coldest Bears home games ever<\/a> at the venue. The temperature was 8 degrees at the 7:40 p.m. kickoff of the \u201cMonday Night Football\u201d game.<\/p>\n 2018:<\/strong> Former Chicago Cubs reliever Lee Smith and Harold Baines<\/a>, former Chicago White Sox outfielder, were elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame. Smith retired in 1997 after an 18-year career as the all-time leader with 478 saves. Baines collected 2,866 hits during a 22-year career, 14 with the Sox.<\/p>\n 2021:<\/strong> Marc-Andre Fleury<\/a> of the Chicago Blackhawks became the third NHL goaltender (Martin Brodeur and Patrick Roy were the others) to reach 500 career wins. The Blackhawks won 2-0 over Fleury\u2019s hometown Montreal Canadiens at Centre Bell.<\/p>\n Also in 2021:<\/strong> Actor Jussie Smollett<\/a> was found guilty on five of six felony counts of disorderly conduct for lying to police about a purported attack in January 2019 in which the \u201cEmpire\u201d actor claimed he was the victim. He had been charged with making the whole thing up.<\/p>\n Smollett was sentenced in March 2022 to 150 days in Cook County Jail<\/a>. His convictions, however, were overturned<\/a> in November 2024 by the Illinois Supreme Court, which found that a special prosecutor\u2019s decision to retry him for allegedly staging a hate crime against himself violated his rights after the Cook County state\u2019s attorney\u2019s office previously dropped all charges.<\/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 \t\t\t\n
![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/CTC-L-CTHIST-auditorium-building-007_229043523.jpg\")
The Auditorium Building, circa 1889, with the entrance on Congress Street (now Ida B. Wells Drive) on the right, underneath the tower. (Chicago Tribune historical photo)<\/p>\n![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/CTC-L-CTHIST-chicago-bears045_229045799.jpg\")
The New York Giants attempt to wrestle the Chicago Bears’ Bronko Nagurski, far right, to the ground during a football game at the Polo Grounds in New York on Dec. 9, 1934. New York won 30-23. (UPI)<\/p>\n![\"In](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/CTC-L-SNEAKERS-GAME-BEARS-GIANTS-1934-01.jpg\")
In what became known as the “Sneakers Game,” the New York Giants beat the Chicago Bears 30-13 on Dec. 9, 1934, at the Polo Grounds in New York. The Giants swapped their cleats for rubber-soled shoes due to the field’s icy conditions. (Chicago Tribune)<\/p>\n![\"Scottie](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/CTC-L-JACKSON_SPT-040206-P2-KWS-CT-Bulls1209024_189801345.jpg\")
Scottie Pippen, left, with former coach Phil Jackson, center, and teammate Michael Jordan during the half-time ceremony where Pippen’s No. 33 jersey was retired on Dec. 9, 2005, at the United Center in Chicago. (Charles Cherney\/Chicago Tribune)<\/p>\n![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/CTC-L-bulls-knicks059_217529546.jpg\")
The numbers for Chicago Bulls greats’ Jerry Sloan, Bob Love, Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen hang above the United Center floor on Jan. 4, 2025. (Chris Sweda\/Chicago Tribune)<\/p>\n![\"Illinois](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/CTC-L-ILLINOIS-GOV-ROD-BLAGOJEVICH-ARRESTED-2008-01.jpg\")
Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich was arrested on Dec. 9, 2008, at his Northwest Side home on charges of conspiracy to commit fraud and solicitation of bribery. (Chicago Tribune)<\/p>\n\n
![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/CTC-L-MET-AJ-1-SCHMICH-2-_189101959-e1765228273187.jpg\")
The last resident of the last high-rise building, Annie Ricks, center, is swarmed by the media after she moved out of the Cabrini-Green public housing development on Dec. 9, 2010. (Jos\u00e9 M. Osorio\/Chicago Tribune)<\/p>\n![\"Mike](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/CTC-L-CT-bears-cowboys054_188543547-e1765228374940.jpg\")
Mike Ditka speaks during a halftime ceremony to retire his No. 89 at a game between the Chicago Bears and the Dallas Cowboys at Soldier Field in Chicago on Dec. 9, 2013. (Chris Sweda\/Chicago Tribune)<\/p>\n![\"Former](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/CTC-L-CT-cubs-sox039_178524461.jpg\")
Former Chicago Cubs player Lee Smith, second from left, and former Chicago White Sox player Harold Baines, second from right, pose for photographs after both threw out ceremonial first pitches before the game between the two teams at Wrigley Field in Chicago on June 18, 2019. (Chris Sweda\/Chicago Tribune)<\/p>\n![\"Chicago](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/CTC-L-AP-MARC-ANDRE-FLEURY-500-WINS-2021-01.jpg\")
Chicago Blackhawks goalie Marc-Andre Fleury (29) stands with his family as he is honored for 500 career wins before an NHL hockey game against the Washington Capitals on Dec. 15, 2021, in Chicago. (Matt Marton\/AP)<\/p>\n![\"Jussie](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/5ZNGHXDAKBHN5FTEUXQEFX6T3Y.jpg\")
Jussie Smollett, third from left, leaves the Leighton Criminal Court Building on Dec. 9, 2021, after he was found guilty on five of six disorderly conduct charges for allegedly giving false information to Chicago police about an alleged racial and homophobic attack in January 2019. (E. Jason Wambsgans\/Chicago Tribune)<\/p>\n