Chicago Sports Then and Now

In 2005 the White Sox claimed the first World Series title for the city since 1917.

With the first decade of the 21st Century coming to a close, we look back at 10 memorable sports moments for Chicago area sports teams during the last 10 years.

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(10) Cub –Yankee Game—June 7, 2003
In interleague play, the Yankees return to Wrigley Field for the first time since the 1938 World Series. The atmosphere at the ballpark is electric, as Kerry Wood outduels  Roger Clemens to secure a Cub victory.

(9) Bulls-Celtics Playoff Series-April -May, 2009
The Bulls surprise the defending NBA champion Boston Celtics in the first round of the playoffs with their tenacious play and amazing  shooting  accuracy. The teams set an NBA record playing four overtime games in a playoff round, but eventually Boston triumphs in game seven to win the series. Read the rest of this entry →

See ya Milton, it's been awful...

Milton Bradley is finally gone.  The experiment that was doomed from the get-go and lasted just under one year is over.  After rumors swirled throughout the winter meetings about possible destinations such as Tampa Bay or Texas, on Friday the Cubs traded the troubled outfielder to Seattle in exchange for SP Carlos Silva and cash considerations totaling $9 million over the next two seasons.

In just one season with the Cubs, Bradley underperformed, got injured multiple times, called out umpires, said he felt hatred from Chicago fans, and was sent home in September for conduct detrimental to the team.    A match between Cubs fans and the tempermental Bradley was never going to work, and still leaves all us Cubs fans wondering why GM Jim Hendry made the decision to sign him in the first place. Read the rest of this entry →

Big Z is here to stay

In the wake of the Milton Bradley fiasco and resulting trade rumors, another name that has popped up in the rumor mill is Cubs starter Carlos Zambrano.   Zambrano, who signed a 5-year $91.5 million extension during the 2007 season, has been mentioned by multiple media outlets as a potential trade item for the Cubs.

Not that the Cubs would ever entertain trading Zambrano, but in case they did, his performance Friday night in San Francisco is every reason why they should forget the idea.

When in control of his emtotions, Zambrano is one of the best pitchers in the game.  He might be just 9-6 on the season, but his ERA is just 3.69.  He has allowed more than 3 ER in a start just 5 times on the season, and 3 of those have been in Cubs victories. Read the rest of this entry →

It all started with a thunderstorm.

On June 16^th, I was all set to attend the first game of the Crosstown Classic between the Cubs and the White Sox at Wrigley Field.  Then Mother Nature struck, postponing the game.

Instead of playing a double header, the game was rescheduled for the first mutual off day, September 3^rd.  As fate would have it, the Chicago Bears, the team for whom I hold season tickets, just happened to be playing their fourth and final preseason game on that same day.

I’ve been racking my brain, and I can’t think of another time when a Chicagoan, or a fan from any city for that matter, would have the chance to attend a full game of three major sports teams from their hometown in the same day.  While I’m lucky enough to be the one going, it would be rude of me not to share it with those of you in the Sports Then and Now community.

So get ready, because starting with my arrival in Wrigleyville and lasting until the final whistle in Soldier Field, I’ll be coming to you live from both games via the World Wide Interweb.  Using just my phone and that fancy Twitter application, I’ll be live blogging from in and around both Wrigley Field and Soldier Field, bringing you all the action and perspective from a fan lucky enough to be at both games (in increments of 140 characters or less).

I’ll be posting the updates to the site as often as I can, but for the most up-to-date posts, check out the LIVE BLOG. Read the rest of this entry →

Don Kessinger

For more than a decade, this week’s Chicago Sports Then and Now Vintage Athlete of the Week patrolled the shortstop position at Wrigley Field.

As both a slick fielder and solid offensive producer, Don Kessinger helped the Cubs enjoy the most consistent stretch for the team since the 1930s. The Cubs posted winning records in six consecutive seasons between 1967 and 1972 and finished second in their division three times.

Read the rest of this entry →

And that'll do it...

While watching the Cubs 7-2 loss to the Dodgers on Thursday night, I had an eerie feeling of déjà vu.  While it was in a different city, with a different player at the plate and a different player on the hill, I felt I was watching the exact same scenario unfold.

A grand slam by the Dodgers to all but end the Cubs’ chances of a deep playoff run.

In 2008, it came in Game 1 of the NLDS at Wrigley Field.  The Cubs led 2-0 thanks to second inning Mark DeRosa home run when the Dodgers came to bat in the fifth inning.  Ryan Dempster proceeded to walk the bases loaded (his fifth, sixth and seventh walks of the game), before giving up a granny to James Loney on a 1-2 pitch.

Just like that, the energy was sucked out of Wrigley Field, and even though the Cubs were only trailing by two runs, you could read the same expression on everyone’s faces: “Not again.”  The Cubs lost that game 7-2 as well, never led the rest of the series, and were swept out of the playoffs for the second straight season.

Fast forward back to Thursday night.  Read the rest of this entry →