December 4 in San Antonio history…

1899 
The city is given the gift of present-day Brackenridge Park by George W. Brackenridge.

1961
A mention in the San Antonio Light that the new Randolph High School was looking to schedule football games for fall brought a flurry of calls to Principal Earl Hall.  Six games have been scheduled already, said Hall, and he is looking for one more on either November 2 or November 9.  All the games will be played on the road, as the playing field probably will not be ready in time for the fall season.

1979
City Manager Tom Huebner denies a parade permit to the Iranian students in San Antonio who wished to protest the presence of the Shah in San Antonio.  The Ku Klux Klan, who vowed to hold a parade if the Iranian students were allowed a protest parade, are also denied a permit.

October 4 in San Antonio history…

1957
Buddy Holly & the Crickets make their only San Antonio appearance at the Municipal Auditorium with “The Biggest Show of Stars for ’57.” Along with the Crickets, the bill includes: Fats Domino, LaVern Baker, The Drifters, Frankie Lymon, Chuck Berry, Clyde McPhatter, Eddie Cochran, The Diamonds, Buddy Knox, Jimmy Bowen and Paul Anka. The concert of many rock and roll stars was probably overshadowed with the news that the Soviet Union had launched an artificial “star” that day – Sputnik.

1971
USAA implements a four-day, 38 hour work week.

1979
City Council accepts a $3.3 million insurance payment and decides to restore the Municipal Auditorium after the devastating fire the previous January.

August 2 in San Antonio history…

1932
Tax collector Maury Maverick sends a donation of $50 to be used for caring for members of the “veteran’s bonus army” now quartered in Johnstown, Pennsylvania.  The telegram follows:  “Herewith is $50 for bonus veterans, the gift of my aged mother, who only wishes she could send more.  I commend your manly attitude for right and justice.  The country applauds you.”

advertisement, San Antonio Light, 2 August 1968, p. 7A

1968
The Jolly Jack restaurant (right) holds its grand opening at 4318 Broadway, offering free soft drinks and free pirate hats.

1979
Joske’s holds the first day of a disco dancing contest to win an appearance in the upcoming Allan Carr film tentatively titled “Discoland.”  [Allan Carr was the producer of “Grease.” “Discoland” would be released in 1980 as “Can’t Stop the Music.”]

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.

May 11 in San Antonio history…

1960
In Corporation Court today, Eugene “Mike” Nolte, Republican party leader, is found not guilty of slapping Rev. Earl J. Gordon during a May 3 protest in front of Joske’s segregated Camelia Room restaurant.   Nolte stated that he slapped Gordon while breaking through the protest line which was preventing him from entering the dining room.  Rev. Gordon, who had been charged with disturbing the peace, was also found not guilty.

1966
“Tower of the Americas”, the name suggested by Rosa Gonzalez of Corpus Christi, is chosen as the official name of the 622-foot tall HemisFair tower. Ms. Gonzalez won a three-day expenses-paid stay at the Menger Hotel for herself and her immediate family, a $100 savings bond and a season pass to HemisFair. The names chosen as runners-up were: Hemispire, Hemistower, Astroshaft, Astrospire, Astrotower, Stratospire, Spire of the Americas and Tower of Peace.

1979
Contributions to the Express-News sniper fund, to benefit needy victims of the Battle of Flowers shooting, have reached $12,675.  The fund is co-sponsored by KONO/KITY radio and KENS 5 TV.

May 9 in San Antonio history…

1925
A tornado sweeps Stinson Field doing $75,000 damage to planes and hangars.

1946
Two bids on downtown underground parking lots were opened by the city council and terms of the two proposals read.

1979
UTSA archeologists announce that a skull dug up two months ago at the Alamo belongs to a victim of the battle but they do not know which side he was on.  The unfortunate man was about 20 years old and struck in the head with a sword.

May 4 in San Antonio history…

1901
President McKinley is the first President to visit to San Antonio.  He delivers a speech in front of the Alamo.

1954
Little Bobby Ledger bravely steps to the head of the line at 9 a.m. Tuesday, bares his arm, grits his teeth and becomes the first San Antonian inoculated with Salk polio vaccine.

1979
Blood samples taken from Battle of Flowers sniper Ira Attebury have turned up “quite a lot” of Angel Dust, or PCP, according to Bexar County medical examiner Dr. Ruben Santos.

April 27 in San Antonio history…

1974
A 22-year old streaker jumps on a float in the Fiesta Flambeau parade.  He is arrested on a disorderly conduct charge, pleads guilty and assessed a $200 fine in Municipal Court.  He was not released, however. He was held in custody as he was wanted by Armed Forces Police for being AWOL from the Air Force since last December.

Al Guzman/SAN ANTONIO LIGHT FILE PHOTO

1979
During the Battle of Flowers parade, Ira Attebury sprays the crowd with shotgun and semiautomatic rifle fire from a parked motorhome (right). Two die, 55 are wounded. Attebury commits suicide as SWAT teams close in.

1986
The first heart transplant in San Antonio was performed by a team of surgeons from Medical Center Hospital and the UT Health Science Center.

February 28 in San Antonio history…

1976
Just 24 hours after a 140-116 loss to the Denver Nuggets, the Spurs get revenge in Convention Center Arena, 134-122.  Before the game, Nuggets coach Larry Brown is presented the ingredients for guacamole by Karen Cox of Deluxe Super Markets in response to his comment on Feb. 18 that all he liked “about San Antonio was guacamole salad.”

1979
Arthur “Hap” Veltman, Chairman of the Centro 21 Task Force, announces the creation of a committee to raise funds to keep the Hertzberg Clock at the corner of St. Mary’s and Houston streets.  Hertzberg has announced plans to close the store there and move the clock to North Star Mall.

1983
Foley’s in Ingram Park Mall holds its grand opening.

January 29 in San Antonio history…

1917
The Robert B. Green opens to the public as the county hospital (right).

1938
Actress Judy Garland makes a “whistle stop” in San Antonio and signs autographs for fans.

1979
A traffic accident at at IH-10 and South New Braunfels at 12:06 a.m. is the first emergency reported to the 911 system.  San Antonio is the first metropolitan area in Texas to have the 911 emergency system.