November 25 in San Antonio history…

1857
The San Antonio Fire Company is established on this date, A. A. Lockwood, chief.

1934
After a grand sendoff from the Harlandale High School band and the Alzafar Shrine calliope, Capt. and Mrs. F. E. Kleinschmidt take off from Winburn Field at 3 p.m. for a trip to the North Pole to find Santa Claus.  On board, they carry a cargo of Christmas letters from San Antonio schoolchildren for Kris Kringle when they locate him.

1946
San Antonio Transit Co. workmen began to clear Tech field in preparation for the company’s construction of a new maintenance shop and garage facilities. This ends all hopes of the San Antonio Missions using the area as a playing field in 1947.

May 29 in San Antonio history…

1857
Officer Frederick Fieldstrup becomes the first recorded San Antonio Police Officer in San Antonio to die in the line of duty. He is killed on the corner of Market Street and Alamo Street in a shoot-out with Bill Hart, a notorious gambler, and two of his companions. Hart and his two companions were also killed along with Fieldstrup.

1979
U.S. District Judge John H. Wood Jr. of San Antonio is assassinated while getting into his car at his home in San Antonio. Charles Harrelson, father of actor Woody Harrelson, is later convicted of the crime and sentenced to two life terms.

1986
Dressed as a magician, Mayor Henry Cisneros waves a magic wand to trigger an explosion to start the groundbreaking for the $53 million redevelopment of Hemisfair Plaza.  The small explosion shakes windows and causes panic in the nearby John H. Wood, Jr. Federal Courthouse due to recent worldwide terrorist attack activity.

March 23 in San Antonio history…

1857
The weekly San Antonio Herald, which began publication on April 3, 1855, changes to a daily edition with this issue.  The Herald was one of the first papers to suggest Sam Houston for governor, but it lost much of its popularity with subscribers and advertisers when it espoused the cause of John Ireland against Gustav Schleicher in a Democratic race for Congress. In 1880 the Herald was absorbed by the San Antonio Daily Times.

1968
James M. Gaines, chief executive officer of HemisFair ’68, announces that the Bolshoi Ballet has been signed for seven performances during the fair in the Theater for the Performing Acrts, June 18-23.  This will be the first performance for the company in the Southwestern United States.

1969
Las Palmas branch library (right) is dedicated.

October 5 in San Antonio history…

1857
The mail from San Antonio arrives in San Diego in 26 and a half days, the fastest time on record (to that time.)

1873
Renovations to San Fernando are completed and the cathedral is reopened.  The second tower, however, would not be finished until 1902.

1946
The first of a fleet of 50 air-conditioned buses was received today and will go into service on some of’ the heavier traffic routes this week, according to Laurence Wingerter, vice-president and general manager of the Transit company.

November 25 in San Antonio history…

1857
The San Antonio Fire Company is established on this date, A. A. Lockwood, chief.

1950
This is the coldest November 25 on record for San Antonio, with the mercury hitting a low of 25 degrees this morning.

1963
Rep. Henry B. Gonzalez, D-Texas, has issued a call to the Texas Municipal Police Officers Association to raise funds for the family of police officer J. D. Tippitt, killed in Dallas. Gonzalez who is an honorary member of the association, sent communications to other members in an effort “to make sure that this family is not forgotten.”

October 5 in San Antonio history…

1857
The mail from San Antonio arrives in San Diego in 26 and a half days, the fastest time on record (to that time.)

1937
Saying “the epidemic of world lawlessness is spreading,” President Franklin D. Roosevelt calls for a “quarantine” of aggressor nations.

1940
Texas A&M defeats Tulsa, 41-6, in the first college football game at the brand new Alamo Stadium.  The first Aggie to score a touchdown was Derace Moser (right).

November 25 in San Antonio history…

1857
The San Antonio Fire Company is established on this date, A. A. Lockwood, chief.

1953
Sen. Lyndon B. Johnson cited 2,100 Jefferson High School students as “trustees of freedom” in a San Antonio speech keyed to Thanksgiving. He said he was thankful for the youth of the land.

1963
Rep. Henry B. Gonzalez, D-Texas, has issued a call to the Texas Municipal Police Officers Association to raise funds for the family of police officer J. D. Tippitt, killed in Dallas. Gonzalez who is an honorary member of the association, sent communications to other members in an effort “to make sure that this family is not forgotten.”

November 5 in San Antonio history…

1857
The San Antonio Fire Company is established on this date, A. A. Lockwood, chief.

1868
The cornerstone of St. Joseph’s Catholic Church is laid.  The church would be nicknamed “St. Joske’s” in the future because of the department store built around it.

1977
Fiesta Dinner Playhouse opens with “Come Blow Your Horn” starring Michael Cole (“The Mod Squad”), with a special cocktail party beforehand featuring Hollywood stars and local dignitaries.

May 29 in San Antonio history…

1857
Officer Frederick Fieldstrup is the first recorded San Antonio Police Officer in San Antonio to die in the line of duty. He is killed on the corner of Market Street and Alamo Street in a shoot-out with Bill Hart, a notorious gambler, and two of his companions. Hart and his two companions were also killed along with Fieldstrup.

1918
The San Antonio Express prints the account of the lynching of German immigrant Robert Prager in Illnois on April 4.  Prager professed his love of America and kissed the flag that his tormentors wrapped him in.  Despite this, the drunken mob hanged him under suspicions of disloyalty.

1979
U.S. District Judge John H. Wood Jr. of San Antonio is assassinated while getting into his car at his home in San Antonio. Charles Harrelson, father of actor Woody Harrelson, is later convicted of the crime and sentenced to two life terms.

 

March 23 in San Antonio history…

1857
The weekly San Antonio Herald, which began publication on April 3, 1855, changes to a daily edition with this issue.  The Herald was one of the first papers to suggest Sam Houston for governor, but it lost much of its popularity with subscribers and advertisers when it espoused the cause of John Ireland against Gustav Schleicher in a Democratic race for Congress. In 1880 the Herald was absorbed by the San Antonio Daily Times.

1918 – World War I
Maj. Leo A. Walton, junior military aviator, has been named officer in charge of flying for Brooks Field.  Though unofficial information had been received several days ago to the effect that Major Walton was to be ordered to Brooks Field to take charge of the training in flying, confirmation from the War Department was lacking until yesterday evening.

1968
San Antonio will join Dallas and Houston as area headquarters for the Southwestern Bell Telephone Co., it was announced today.  The company is creating a new operating area in Texas with headquarters in a new nine-story addition to its building at 1010 N. St. Mary’s.