1. In 1969, the Chicago River was dyed green for the first time on July 24, as a tribute to Apollo 11's successful moon landing. The Chicago Journeymen Plumbers Union has dyed the river green every St. Patrick's Day since 1962, but this was the first time the river was dyed green for another occasion.

2. On July 24, 1915, the SS Eastland, a passenger ship docked in the Chicago River, tipped over, killing 844 people. The ship was overloaded and unstable, leading to one of the worst maritime disasters in American history.

3. In 1995, Jerry Springer's syndicated talk show taped an episode in Chicago where the guests were members of the notorious street gang, the Gangster Disciples. The episode caused controversy and led to calls for censorship of talk shows.

4. On July 24, 1975, the famous Chicago-based chess tournament, the "College Chess Final Four," was won by the University of Chicago. The tournament had been held annually since 1946, and University of Chicago went on to win the tournament six times.

5. In 1983, the Chicago White Sox played a game against the Milwaukee Brewers that lasted for 25 innings, the longest game in White Sox history. The game lasted for eight hours and six minutes and was not decided until the early hours of July 25.