A Chicago Tavern
A Goat, a Curse, and the American Dream
www.lakeclaremont.com
by Rick Kogan
Before the fourth game of the World Series between the Chicago Cubs and the Detroit Tigers at Wrigley Field on October 6, 1945 a special bus carrying reporters from their headquarters at the Palmer House breaks down at Belmont Avenue, forcing the newsmen to thumb rides to the park; actress June Haver rushes onto the field and kisses Cubs’ manager Charlie Grimm; team owner Philip K. Wrigley entertains National League executives in the club’s private press lounge called the Pink Poodle; Andy Frain has 525 ushers on hand to handle the crowd of 42,923. Only one of those people is causing a problem.
[FULL STORY]
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Andrew "Rube" Foster Excerpt
Chicago Aces: The First 75 Years
www.vintageballist.com
by John Freyer and Mark Rucker
Andrew 'Rube' Foster was an outstanding pitcher, a shrewd manager and the dominant force behind the growth of Black baseball in America.
[FULL STORY]
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Wrigley Field's Last World Series
The Wartime Chicago Cubs and The Pennant of 1945
https://www.lakeclaremont.com
by Chuck Billington
On the eve of World War II, baseball was truly the national pastime. In big city sandlots and rural open spaces, in high schools and colleges of all sizes, children and students played ball. When school was out, teenagers played on American Legion teams, while adults who still had an itch to play gravitated toward community leagues and, where talent warranted, the semipros. But even these outlets were not enough to satisfy Americans’ passion for the sport; in addition to playing, they wanted to watch.
[FULL STORY]
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Pre-National League Excerpt
Chicago Aces: The First 75 Years
www.vintageballist.com
by John Freyer and Mark Rucker
Baseball first appeared in Chicago as early as 1856, at least that’s what’s been documented. I’m sure it was there even earlier. Recent research suggests that the pioneers of the North-West (our Midwest), were playing townball in Rockford in 1848.
[FULL STORY]
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