The World Cup comes to Chicago(and lots of other news)

     As the FIFA World Cup gets rolling in Brazil, let us take a trip down memory lane to 1994, when the World Cup opened up right here in Chicago

     20 years ago today, Soccer's biggest event, the FIFA World Cup, began it's 15th edition right here in Sweet Home Chicago.  Soldier Field(sans spaceship) was decked out and filled to the brim with soccer-loving fans, there were lavish opening ceremonies, and there were even appearances made by Oprah and President Bill Clinton(and no, Monica wasn't there with him :P).  After all the hoopla died down, the World Cup got started.  Some of the highlights of that tournament were the team from Northern Ireland winning a match, the United States making it out of Group play(partially thanks to an own goal courtesy of Andres Escobar), and a large inflatable soccer ball blowing into Lake Michigan. Ultimately Brazil wound up winning it all to collect their 4th World Cup.  But let's go back to June 17, 1994 for a second.  No mention of events on this date would be complete without talking about everything else that happened on that day.  Here goes:

• In Oakmont, Pennsylvania, the storied professional career of golf legend Arnold Palmer came to an end when he competed in his final U.S. Open tournament.
• In New York City, the Canyon of Heroes welcomed it's newest visitor, the New York Rangers, who had just won the Stanley Cup to finish off a 54-year championship drought.
• Later that day at Madison Square Garden, the New York Knicks won Game 5 of the NBA Finals over the Houston Rockets.
• At Kansas City's Kauffman Stadium, Ken Griffey Jr. knocked his 30th home run of the season, tying Babe Ruth's record for most homers by the end of June.
• And of course, at 6:20 PM that evening on California's Interstate 405, a motorist reported seeing a white Ford Bronco driving down the road.  The passenger in that car was none other than Orenthal James Simpson, who was wanted for murder.  After the longest and most infamous low-speed chase in history, Simpson turned himself in, and today is serving time in prison(but not for the murders.  No, he was acquitted[something about a glove not fitting] of the murders, but ended up getting sent up the river for an armed robbery he took part in during the Fall of 2007.  And no, I'm not making that up.  Seriously, it takes a special kind of stupid to literally get away with murder and then to just go get yourself thrown into jail on a robbery charge.  I guess nobody ever said anything about criminals being smart.)

     June 17, 1994 was a day that saw many different occasions, and one which will not only go down in Chicago history, but that of the general sports lexicon.  The events are summed up best in the 2010 ESPN 30 for 30 Documentary June 17, 1994, which is included below: