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Here’s a look back at what happened in the Chicago area on Sept. 9, according to the Tribune’s archives.

Is an important event missing from this date? Email us.

Weather records (from the National Weather Service, Chicago)

  • High temperature: 95 degrees (1983)
  • Low temperature: 43 degrees (1986)
  • Precipitation: 3.44 inches (1875)
  • Snowfall: None

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In this Sept. 9, 1969, file photo, a black cat stands in front of the Chicago Cubs' dugout during the first inning of a baseball game against the New York Mets in New York. (Dave Pickoff/AP)
A black cat walks in front of the Chicago Cubs' dugout during the first inning of a game against the New York Mets in New York on Sept. 9, 1969. (Dave Pickoff/AP)

1969: The Chicago Cubs lost their sixth straight game — this one to the New York Mets — after a black cat walked past the Cubs’ dugout. The game also marked Cubs pitcher Fergie Jenkins’ 13th loss to the Mets.

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The next day, the Cubs lost to the Philadelphia Phillies and fell into second place behind the Mets. The Cubs, in first place almost all season, lost 17 of 25 games that September and ended up eight games out.

Shoppers browse the recently opened Woodfield Mall on Sept. 9, 1971. (William Yates/baiduhai)
Shoppers check out the recently opened Woodfield Mall on Sept. 9, 1971. (William Yates/baiduhai)

1971: Woodfield Mall opened on 191 acres in Schaumburg with a drum and bugle corps and celebrities, including actor Vincent Price, on hand to cut a huge orange ribbon.

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With 1.7 million square feet and 10,000 parking spaces, Woodfield was crowned the largest mall in America at the time. Yet only half of the mall’s planned 215 retail outlets — including the largest Marshall Field & Co. store to date — were opened for business.

Former Chicago Bulls basketball great Michael Jordan kisses the basketball floor of the Chicago Stadium as he leaves it for the last time after a charity basketball game in Chicago, on Sept., 9, 1994. Jordan played his first three championships seasons at Chicago Stadium before a stint playing minor league baseball with the Birmingham Barons. Chicago Stadium was to be replaced by the new United Center across the street. (Tim Boyle/AP)
Former Bulls basketball great Michael Jordan kisses the floor of the Chicago Stadium as he leaves it for the last time after a charity game in Chicago on Sept. 9, 1994. Jordan played his first three championship seasons at Chicago Stadium before playing minor league baseball with the Birmingham Barons. Chicago Stadium replaced by the United Center across the street. (Tim Boyle/AP)

1994: Michael Jordan played in the Scottie Pippen All-Star Classic — the final game at Chicago Stadium — and scored 52 points. Jordan kissed the Bulls logo on the floor at game’s end.

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2004: “You get a car! You get a car!” In the 19th season premiere of her talk show, Oprah Winfrey brought 11 members of her Chicago studio audience to the stage and gave them each a new car, worth about $28,000. Then she told the audience that she had one more car to give out. Her staff distributed boxes to each audience member and Winfrey instructed them to open the boxes at the same time. Squeals ensued as Winfrey shouted that everybody was getting a car.

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