SAPL : October 6 In San Antonio History...

Press release from the San Antonio Public Library:

Andrew Crews

6 October 2021

1955
The “Jazz at the Philharmonic” show (featuring jazz heavyweights such as Ella Fitzgerald, Dizzy Gillespie, Lester Young, Gene Krupa and Oscar Peterson) at Municipal Auditorium is spoiled by antics of two young men who try to beat up an off-duty policeman during the concert. Promoter Norman Granz has to plead with the audience three times, twice to ask them to refrain from smoking and once to ask the crowd not to yell or whistle during Ella Fitzgerald’s performance. One of the songs is facetiously introduced as “The Last Time We Played San Antonio Blues.” Along with the unruly behavior, poor ticket sales (a reported 200 people) move Granz to not bring the series to San Antonio again.

1968
HemisFair ’68 comes to a close with a final total of 6,384,482 attendees. The final day sets the one-day attendance record of 121,850 people.

1992
The Hearst Corp. announces it will purchase the Express-News for $185 million in cash and the San Antonio Light newspaper will be sold.

This press release was produced by the San Antonio Public Library. The views expressed here are the author’s own.