Here’s a look at some stories happening the week of Oct. 8-14.
Oct. 12, 1927: Wright Field dedicated
Wright Field, the “nation’s air center,” was formally dedicated to government service.
Many of the nation’s top aviation experts and many military leaders were in Dayton for the event.
Wright Field was seen as significant in many ways, including that it kept the engineering branch of the air corps in Dayton. It meant that the leading scientist in the field would be in Dayton and that the airplane industry had a home here.
The event started at 9:30 a.m. and lasted nearly all day. It began with tours of the facilities, followed by a lengthy speaking program that included a speech by Dwight F. Davis, Secretary of War.
The program ended with the presentation of the 4,500 acres of Wright Field to the government by Col. E.A. Deeds.
Because of rain, a trophy race and some other aerial exhibitions that were planned for the day had to be canceled.
Oct. 8, 1939: Many at services for Detective Sergeant Lucius Rice
Between 1,500 and 2,000 people were at Woodland Cemetery for the services of Detective Sergeant Lucius Rice, a veteran officer with the Dayton Police Department.
Rice had been fatally shot in the line of duty a week before.
His wife, Dora Burton Rice, was the first Black policewoman in Dayton. His pallbearers were all fellow detective sergeants.
City leaders and police department officials attended the services, and police departments for other cities nearby sent representatives.
Both Lucius and Dora were inducted into the Dayton Walk of Fame in 2018.
Oct. 11, 1948: President Harry S. Truman visits Dayton
Harry S. Truman was greeted by former Ohio Gov. James M. Cox and other dignitaries at Dayton’s Union Station. The group piled in a convertible Cadillac and waved to those gathered along the crowd-lined streets as they made their way to Memorial Hall.
Shortly after, 7,500 Daytonians greeted Truman as he gave that speech at Memorial Hall. About 3,000 people were inside while a loud speaker reached between 4,000 to 5,000 more outside.
In his opening remarks, Truman said that he was always a special admirer of Gov. Cox, who was also the founder of the Dayton Daily News, and was an ardent supporter of him in the 1920 presidential campaign.
In a fight to retain his presidency, Truman went on to criticize the “do-nothing Republican 80th Congress” during his address.
Oct. 11, 1959: Dayton’s first Columbus Day parade
“Chris had the boats; Dayton has the floats” was the headline for a story about Dayton’s first annual Columbus Day parade.
Hundreds lined Main St. as the parade marched its way from Second Street to the fairgrounds for a noon program.
The theme was “Americans All Working Together.”
In all, some 48 marching units participated in the parade that took 45 minutes to pass a given spot.
Oct. 8, 1975: Corks pop as Reds take National League pennant
Dayton Daily News Hall of Fame reporter Hal McCoy was there when the Reds won the National League pennant with “a drama-dripping 5-3 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates in 10 innings.”
The starting pitchers were Gary Nolan for the Reds and John Candelaria for the Pirates.
“I was out there for about an hour-and-a-half and I was scared every second,” Nolan admitted.
Pete Rose hit a two-run home run in the eighth inning.
In the 10th inning, Ed Armbrister hit “a sacrifice fly that scored Ken Griffey from third base with the run that broke a 3-3 tie and the hearts of 46,355 fans” at Three River Stadium in Pittsburgh, McCoy wrote.
Pedro Borbon closed out the game for the Reds.
About 12,000 fans greeted the Reds for a 3:30 a.m. party at Fountain Square in Cincinnati when the team arrived home.
Oct. 12, 1984: Reagan-mania grips Daytonians
Thousands of people crowded Courthouse Square to see Ronald Reagan during his trip to Dayton.
Reagan arrived in Dayton by plane, landing at Wight-Patterson Air Force Base and spoke for 15 minutes before leaving by train to continue his five-city whistle-stop tour through western Ohio.
Reagan told the overflow crowd that the upcoming election was the most significant and important in a half a century. It was either move forward or “go back to the old days and the old ways.”
He also said that his election opponent, Walter Mondale, planned to increase taxes.
The crowd was overwhelmingly made up of Reagan supporters, but some demonstrators were on hand as well, protesting Reagan’s military policies.
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