Flashback:<\/strong> May 12, 1939<\/p>\n 1939:<\/strong> The Tribune became the first newspaper to print a color photo of a breaking news event: a grain elevator fire<\/a> at 102nd Street and the Calumet River in South Deering.<\/p>\n Weather records <\/strong>(from the National Weather Service, Chicago<\/a>)<\/p>\n The projetor at the Adler Planetarium with Paul Langa, from left, Curt Richter, professor Phil Fox and Ernest A. Grunsfeld, circa March 24, 1930. (Chicago Tribune historical photo)<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Chicago Herald and Examiner<\/p>\n Professor Philip Fox, an astronomer, from left, Max Adler, the donor, Dr. Oskar von Miller and Frau Lula von Miller (also Frau von Bomhardt) in front of the Adler Planetarium, circa December1929. Original caption says: “Dreams come true –Sixteen years ago Dr. Oskar von Miller of Munich ordered, and ten years ago saw built, the world’s first planetarium. Here he is inspecting the latest and biggest, the Adler planetarium near the Field Museum.”<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Chicago Herald and Examiner<\/p>\n Phillip Grover, from left, George F. Wormser, Max Adler and Col. Philip Fox were present for the dedication of the planetarium on May 11, 1930.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Chicago Herald and Examiner<\/p>\n An aerial view of the Adler Planetarium at Lake Michigan just after it opened, circa June 1930.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Chicago Tribune historical photo<\/p>\n Professor Philip Fox, from left, Max Adler and Felix Warburg pose next to a telescope outside the Adler Planetarium, circa 1932.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Chicago Herald and Examiner<\/p>\n Professor Philip Fox, director of the Adler Planetarium, right, and Maude Bennot, assistant director, circa 1931.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Chicago Tribune historical photo<\/p>\n Chicago business owner Max Adler, who funded the Adler Planetarium, circa 1932.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Chicago Herald and Examiner<\/p>\n Nell Rettke points to the Tellurion clock, an old-time astronomical instrument on display at the Adler Planetarium in Chicago in 1931. The clock shows the day, night and seasons as they relate to the rotation of the Earth on its axis with the sun.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Chicago Tribune historical photo<\/p>\n Professor Philip Fox, from left, who was in charge of the Adler Planetarium when it opened, Joseph H. Beauttas, builder, Ernest A. Grunsfeld, architect, and donor Max Adler stand next to the Zeiss projector at the Adler Planetarium in 1930 before opening day.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Chicago Herald and Examiner<\/p>\n Adler Planetarium Director Philip Fox, left, and Assistant Director Maude Bennot, circa 1931. Bennot would take over as director of the planetarium from 1937 to 1945, a rarity for a woman at that time.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Bill Sturm \/ Chicago Tribune<\/p>\n Professor Philip Fox lectures on the eclipse of the moon at Adler Planetarium in 1935. Fox has a crater named after him on the dark side of the moon.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Charles Keller\/Chicago Tribune<\/p>\n Mrs. Cyrus M. Adler, from left, and Mr. and Mrs. Max Adler make their annual visit to the Adler Planetarium in 1946.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Chicago Herald and Examiner<\/p>\n C.A. Dragstedt, of Northwestern University, and Jane Dragstedt are the 1 millionth visitors to the Adler Planetarium in 1931. With them is professor Philip Fox, left, the director of the planetarium. Dragstedt was given a pair of binoculars as his prize.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Ray Rising \/ Chicago Tribune<\/p>\n Hazel Gagne, of Iroquois Falls, Ontario, and Sal Amaru, of Brooklyn, New York, sit and stare at a model of the moon on Aug. 1, 1946, at the Adler Planetarium in Chicago.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Ray Rising \/ Chicago Tribune<\/p>\n Helen, 6, Robert, 8, and Julia Ch\u00e1vez, 10, wade in the pool near the Adler Planetarium with Carmen Dello on Aug. 1, 1946.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Bob Rea \/ Chicago Herald American<\/p>\n Florine Seres and Nancy Wright, NBC television stars, look at the moon at the Adler Planetarium on Sept. 22, 1950.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Wagner \/ Chicago Tribune<\/p>\n Nickey Nichols, 9, and Valarie Springer, 9, both of Oak Park, look over an exhibit with Adler Planetarium Director Albert Shatzel and Robert S. Adler on June 4, 1958.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Arnold Tolchin \/ Chicago Tribune<\/p>\n Abbott dancers Ellen Wehr and Donna Bruen get a piece of 20th anniversary cake from the director of the Adler Planetarium, Wagner Schlesinger, on May 9, 1950.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Reichstein \/ Chicago Tribune<\/p>\n A Christmas star lights up the Adler Planetarium at night on Dec. 12, 1947, in Chicago.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Bill Allison \/ Chicago Tribune<\/p>\n Chicago Park District workers place a star on the front of the Adler Planetarium for Christmas on Dec. 12, 1952.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Joe Migon \/ Chicago Tribune<\/p>\n Albert W. Shatzel, assistant director of the Adler Planetarium, talks to Naval ROTC cadets from the Illinois Technical Institute on March 5, 1953.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Ed Wagner Sr. \/ Chicago Tribune<\/p>\n Fourth-grade students from Tinley Park Central School look over sundials and nocturnals at the Adler Planetarium on Dec. 16, 1958.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Joe Mastruzzo \/ Chicago Tribune<\/p>\n James Caplan, 14, Fred Davis, 16, and Mary Lou Carlson, 15, all members of the Chicago Junior Astronomical Society, observe movements of the planet Mars in 1956.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Chicago Tribune historical photo<\/p>\n Henry Eloridge, of South Coventry, Connecticut, was the 7 millionth visitor to the Adler Planetarium on July 6, 1953. Eloridge was with his wife, Lillian. Greeting Eloridge is Wagner Schlesinger, the Planetarium director, who presented him with a clock construction kit.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Jack Mulcahy \/ Chicago Tribune<\/p>\n The Adler Planetarium in a misty outline on April 5, 1957, as fog closes in on the city, forcing motorists to turn on headlights.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n Show Caption<\/p>\n 1 of 25<\/p>\n The projetor at the Adler Planetarium with Paul Langa, from left, Curt Richter, professor Phil Fox and Ernest A. Grunsfeld, circa March 24, 1930. (Chicago Tribune historical photo)<\/p>\n Expand<\/a><\/p>\n 1930:<\/strong> The Adler Planetarium<\/a>, the first of its kind in the Western Hemisphere, opened<\/a> on the lakefront. It was followed 18 days later by the John G. Shedd Aquarium.<\/p>\n 1955:<\/strong> Sam \u201cToothpick\u201d Jones<\/a>, so nicknamed because he chewed on a toothpick as he pitched, became the first Black pitcher<\/a> to throw a big-league no-hitter, beating the Pittsburgh Pirates in a drama-packed ninth inning at Wrigley Field.<\/p>\n Jones, also called \u201cSad Sam,\u201d walked the first three Pirates he faced in the ninth. Then he struck out the side: Dick Groat, Roberto Clemente and Frank Thomas. He was later given a golden toothpick<\/a> by TV announcer Harry Creighton.<\/p>\n 1970:<\/strong> \u201cMr. Cub\u201d Ernie Banks<\/a> hit his 500th major league home run<\/a>, a solo shot off Atlanta\u2019s Pat Jarvis at Wrigley Field. At the time, he was just the ninth player to reach the 500 mark. The milestone home run also increased his career RBI total to 1,600.<\/p>\n Mike Polisky resigns: The timeline of events that led to the Northwestern AD\u2019s departure after less than 2 weeks<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n 2021:<\/strong> Northwestern athletic director Mike Polisky stepped down<\/a> amid criticism of his May 3 hiring<\/a>. Nearly 400 Northwestern students, faculty and community members marched<\/a> from campus to university President Morton Schapiro\u2019s home to protest the hiring of Polisky.<\/p>\n Polisky, who was NU\u2019s deputy athletic director, was one of four named defendants in a sexual harassment lawsuit<\/a> filed by a Northwestern cheerleader. The cheerleader dropped the lawsuit<\/a> last year.<\/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![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/CTC-L-TRIBUNE-FIRST-COLOR-PHOTO-1939-01.jpg\")
A grain elevator fire on May 11, 1939, in South Deering was captured by the Tribune and published on May 12, 1939, and again on June 25, 1939. The photograph is considered the first breaking news image published in color in the United States. (Chicago Tribune)<\/p>\n\n
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![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/CTC-L-ADLER-PLANETARIUM-CT0038678287.jpg\"\/)
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\n![\"C.A.](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/KAICHO2ZEZHY5F5PWACIAY4DFQ.jpg?w=620\")
\n![\"Hazel](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/VWLQFGSG35AI7O7WB4FB3IL4UU.jpg?w=620\")
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\n![\"Nickey](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/H5WE732X65HFFLHILDULM5KHKM.jpg?w=620\")
\n![\"Abbott](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/SBSBDZXDEVBNROR7GR6WRFL3D4.jpg?w=620\")
\n![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/XZDE55B3DVF5DDSMRSEWACWWOY.jpg?w=620\")
\n![\"Chicago](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/XPANYHBX6JCKVMXLGGP4Q3IQYE.jpg?w=620\")
\n![\"Albert](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/LATM3HGY2JD4ZPV7QGMFWLFYT4.jpg?w=620\")
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\n![\"Sam](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/CTC-L-SAM-TOOTHPICK-JONES-CT0021647393.jpg\")
Sam “Toothpick” Jones pitched for the Cubs in 1955 and 1956. In 1955, he led the National League in strikeouts and became the first Black pitcher to toss a no-hitter in the majors. (Chicago Tribune archive)<\/p>\n![\"Fans](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/CTC-L-ERNIE-BANKS-500-CT0026108756.jpg\")
Fans greet Ernie Banks after he hit the 500th home run of his career on May 12, 1970, against the Atlanta Braves at Wrigley Field. (Phil Mascione\/Chicago Tribune)<\/p>\n\n