Front page flashback:<\/strong> March 8, 1937<\/p>\n 1937:<\/strong> A 5.4-magnitude earthquake<\/a> centered in northwest Ohio<\/a> was felt in Chicago around midnight.<\/p>\n \u201cExcept for frazzled nerves and a few broken dishes there was no damage; an early survey showed nobody hurt,\u201d the Tribune reported.<\/p>\n Weather records <\/strong>(from the National Weather Service, Chicago<\/a>)<\/p>\n 1932:<\/strong> A fire destroyed Miralago dance club<\/a> in a two-story stucco building in \u201cNo Man\u2019s Land,\u201d<\/a> which was an unincorporated strip of land between Wilmette and Kenilworth.<\/p>\n Firefighters were late to respond, with Kenilworth officials arguing the establishment had no right to its water mains. Today, Plaza del Lago shopping center is on the site.<\/p>\n 1946:<\/strong>\u00a0The\u00a0University of Chicago<\/a>, a founding member, left the Big Ten Conference. Michigan State\u2019s entry in 1949 returned the conference to 10 teams<\/a>.<\/p>\n As of 2024, there are 18 teams in the Big Ten.<\/p>\n The Chicago Bears have called Soldier Field home since 1971 \u2014 but they have flirted with leaving the downtown stadium several times since<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n 1971:<\/strong> The Big Ten Conference denied permission<\/a> for the Chicago Bears to lease Dyche Stadium \u2014 two weeks after the Bears signed a five-year deal with Northwestern University to play there.<\/p>\n 1972:<\/strong> Reigning king of the blues B.B. King<\/a> performed a free concert for 1,400 inmates at the gymnasium inside Cook County Jail.<\/p>\n \u201cA prisoner is still a human being,\u201d King said before the show. \u201cIf you\u2019re going to reform him, give him something to do. I\u2019ve never been in trouble, but it\u2019s just because of my environment. I was lucky.\u201d<\/p>\n 1980:<\/strong> \u2018We\u2019re firemen again.\u2019<\/a> Chicago firefighters ended their strike \u2014 their only one in city history \u2014 after 23 days.<\/p>\n Flashback: Chicago\u2019s first firefighters strike created a battle line between brothers<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n As they returned to work, many praised the Rev. Jesse Jackson for serving as a mediator between city and union officials.<\/p>\n Chicago Tribune<\/p>\n The Chicago Tribune writes about the University of Chicago basketball team on March 14, 1997.<\/p>\n 1997:<\/strong> The University of Chicago advanced<\/a> to the NCAA Division III Sweet 16 by defeating Wabash College 78-70 for the Maroons\u2019 18th straight win.<\/p>\n It was only the third NCAA championship run in the 94 years of the sport on campus, and it came as the team recorded more than 20 victories for the first time since 1920.<\/p>\n Vintage Chicago Tribune: March Madness was born in Illinois. Here\u2019s history of Chicago teams in the tournament.<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n But March Madness hit differently in Hyde Park.<\/p>\n The Final Four? More like the finals four<\/a>: \u201cI have four exams in one day,\u201d said sleep-deprived student Manuj Shah, hopped up on tea.<\/p>\n 1998:<\/strong> Michael Jordan played his final game with the Chicago Bulls at Madison Square Garden \u2014 while wearing his original Air Jordans<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m still glad I can entertain people with those kinds of shots,\u201d Jordan said after the game. \u201cBut you wouldn\u2019t believe the blisters I have on my feet now. I paid the price for going back to 1984.\u201d<\/p>\n Jordan scored 42 points in 43 minutes in the Bulls\u2019 102-89 victory over the New York Knicks. In his first game on Nov. 8, 1984, at the venue, Jordan had 33 points in 33 minutes.<\/p>\n Also in 1998:<\/strong> It was a no-look pass into the NCAA Tournament for the 22-5 University of Illinois-Chicago Flames \u2014 the team\u2019s first NCAA Tournament<\/a> in school history.<\/p>\n The Flames lost<\/a> to North Carolina-Charlotte 77-62.<\/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![\"Though](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/CTC-L-CHICAGO-EARTHQUAKE-1937-01.jpg\")
Though it was centered in Ohio, many in Chicago were shook by an earthquake late on March 8, 1937. (Chicago Tribune)<\/p>\n\n
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Evanston, Wilmette and Winnetka fire departments each responded to a fire on the second floor of a stucco building in unincorporated “No Man’s Land” on March 8, 1932, but couldn’t put the fire out after Kenilworth police refused to let the firefighters use water from their mains. (Chicago Tribune)<\/p>\n![\"Coach](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/CTC-L-CTHIST-University-of-Chicago-07c_229062493.jpg\")
Coach Clark Shaughnessy, left, and the University of Chicago football squad, circa 1933. (Chicago Tribune historical photo)<\/p>\n\n
![\"B.](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/CTC-L-CTHIST-AKG-096-CT_F_260274743.jpg\")
B.B. King performs inside Cook County Jail on March 8, 1972, where 1,400 men and women cheered his brand of the blues. (Quentin C. Dodt\/Chicago Tribune)<\/p>\n![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/CTC-L-CTHIST-CTHIST-ABL-462-CT_F_226343309.jpg\")
The Chicago firefighters of Truck 29 and Engine 96 are glad to be back at 441 N. Waller St. after their strike in March 1980. (Michael Budrys\/Chicago Tribune)<\/p>\n\n
![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/FWEWYSQPR5C5RDBN5EBJ6UQSOU.jpg\")
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![\"Michael](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/CTC-L-MICHAEL-JORDAN-WEARS-ORIGINAL-JORDANS-01.jpg\")
Michael Jordan wore his original 1984 Air Jordans in his last game at Madison Square Garden with the Chicago Bulls on March 8, 1998, as reported by Tribune columnist Sam Smith. (Chicago Tribune)<\/p>\n![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/CTC-L-UIC-FLAMES-BASKETBALL-TOURNAMENT-1998-01.jpg\")
The University of Illinois-Chicago men’s basketball team was announced as the ninth seed in the East Regional of the NCAA tournament on March 8, 1998. The Flames lost to eighth-seeded North Carolina-Charlotte in Hartford, Connecticut. (Chicago Tribune)<\/p>\n