Till Sunday,
GO HAWKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Friday, May 30, 2014
Chicago 365 Playoff Central: To Live to Fight another Day
First up, the theme music:
The Chicago Blackhawks opened up tonight's tilt on very unstable ground. The Kings were up 3 games to 2, and we were in LA. The slightest mis-step would have doomed the Hawks to elimination. Luckily, the team brought their A game. Throughout the first period, the Hawks were silent on the puck, but LA wasn't and they struck first 17 minutes into the game. The Hawks came back in the second, scoring 2 unanswered goals to make the score 2-1 Hawks at the end of 2 periods. Then in the 3rd, both teams came out in a mad scramble. The Kings scored 2 goals within 2 minutes of each other(yeah, big deal. Get back to me when you get 2 in 17 seconds) to retake the lead, 3-2. Luckily, the Hawks woke back up and scored 2 more goals to pull ahead 4-3, which became the final score. The Blackhawks rose to the challenge and won Game 6, staving off elimination till at least Sunday. Game 7 is back home at the United Center. Whoever wins that game wins a date with a trophy that they won't touch, and an opponent(the New York Rangers) that won't let up. Sounds like fun.
Chicago 365 Playoff Central: That Good Feeling
First off, to get you in the mood, here's the music for today's entry:
Okay guys, it's Game 6. We fought off the Kings on Wednesday, but tonight we're in their place. We're gonna need to dig deep in this. We can do this. The Hawks can do this. Jonathan Toews said that he, much like Flo Rida, has a "good feeling" about tonight's game. But good feelings don't score goals. Good feelings don't stop pucks, and they sure as hell don't win games. We're gonna need purebred ambition and gutsiness for that to happen. It is possible to win tonight and force Game 7 but it won't be easy. Keep the faith, and hopefully I'll be back in 4 hours to tell you all about how we're coming back to the United Center to play on Sunday. Hopefully.
Unseated
On October 14, 2003, the Cubs were 5 outs away from going to the World Series. A strange amalgamation of shitty circumstances followed, including Steve Bartman interfering with a foul ball. After nearly getting beaten into a pulp by enraged Cubs fans and being threatened with the denial of a pardon by then-Governor Blagojevich(which became hilariously ironic a few years later), Bartman settled into an uneasy(if not private) exile/life. The other elements of that day took on a life of their own. The ball was sold to Harry Caray's and blown up in a grand affair. The blame eventually died down, after a while. But the most enduring legacy was the seat.
Aisle 4, Row 8, Section 113, to be more exact. That was the seat that Bartman was sitting in with his cronies hoping to see the Cubs make it to the World Series. Since that fateful night, the seat has become a folk icon at the park, with fans sitting in it, taking pictures of each other in it, and even decorating it with Cubs stickers. But that could all go away before long. Part of the extensive Wrigley Field renovations that the Ricketts are pushing for is a relocation of the dugouts, which would straighten out the left-field line, therefore potentially eliminating that area of seats. When pressed about it, a Cubs spokesman said that "that name has been taken out of our vocabulary...That seat will have other seats adjoining it". So folks, if you haven't done so already, make sure to trek it out to Wrigley this summer and check out the Bartman seat before it is lost to history and the petty pride of the Cubs organization.
Aisle 4, Row 8, Section 113, to be more exact. That was the seat that Bartman was sitting in with his cronies hoping to see the Cubs make it to the World Series. Since that fateful night, the seat has become a folk icon at the park, with fans sitting in it, taking pictures of each other in it, and even decorating it with Cubs stickers. But that could all go away before long. Part of the extensive Wrigley Field renovations that the Ricketts are pushing for is a relocation of the dugouts, which would straighten out the left-field line, therefore potentially eliminating that area of seats. When pressed about it, a Cubs spokesman said that "that name has been taken out of our vocabulary...That seat will have other seats adjoining it". So folks, if you haven't done so already, make sure to trek it out to Wrigley this summer and check out the Bartman seat before it is lost to history and the petty pride of the Cubs organization.
Wednesday, May 28, 2014
Chicago 365 Playoff Central: ONE. GAME. AT. A. TIME!
After getting kicked around for 3 straight by those sun-worshipers from out west, the Blackhawks finally found their hockey abilities again and took to the ice like the defending champs that they are. The puck dropped at 8 PM, and the game got going soon afterwards. Within the first 4 minutes, the Hawks had already gone up 2-0. The Kings began a quick resurgence with 4 goals to make the game 4-3 after the 2nd Period. Then the Hawks got the equalizer in the 3rd when they clawed their way back to a 4-4 tie. With that, the game went into overtime, where the Hawks eventually prevailed in 2 overtime periods by a final score of 5-4. Now guys, this was only one game, but that's all we need to worry about. Just one game. Each night, we just play THAT game, not worry about the other games we have to win to stay alive. THAT is how we will survive and thrive. By keeping our heads down and grinding out winning hockey games. And for now, it's back to L.A. for Game 6 on Friday. We'll be waiting and ready, just aiming to win one game at a time.
GO HAWKS!!!!!!!!!!!!
Chicago 365 Playoff Central: RALLY! RALLY! RAAAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLLLLLYYYYYYYYY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
For maximum effect, play this video while reading this entry.
Okay Chicago, our backs are against the wall. We're down 3-1 to LA, and I'm gonna be honest, we're facing elimination in tonight's game. But you know what? We can't let that happen. And we won't let that happen tonight at OUR HOUSE. This is the place that cheers through the National Anthem like the bunch of hockey fan beauties that we are! This is the place that they call the Madhouse on Madison, the craziest freakin' place in the League! This is Chicago and we want another damn parade! So it's not over. Oh boy, it ain't over. Was it over when the German's bombed Pearl Harbor? HELL TO THE NO!!!!!!!!!! SO. Western Conference Finals Game 5. TONIGHT. OUR HOUSE. Let's go make LA wish they'd never set foot in the joint.
That is all.
GO HAWKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Tuesday, May 27, 2014
Biking south on Lake Shore Drive...
This past Sunday, as everybody was getting ready for Memorial Day, Lake Shore Drive was closed down for 6 hours. Why? For your information, it wasn't because the city likes closing roads down(though it sure seems like that sometimes). It was actually to facilitate the 13th annual Bike The Drive, an event that is put on each year by the Active Transportation Alliance to generate advocacy and raise awareness of alternate modes of transportation. The ride stretches the whole course of Lake Shore Drive, going from 57th Street all the way up to Bryn Mawr Avenue. Riders start out in Grant Park and then proceed either north or south, turning around at either terminus and heading back in the other direction.
For this year's event, 20,000 people registered, making it the 2nd most well attended event in Bike The Drive's history. The cyclists ranged in age from 11 year olds, all the way to married couples with grown children. One of the riders said that it was "tiring, very tiring...[but] It's fun. It's kind of weird to think you're biking somewhere cars normally go down at like top speed". Even though organizers exercised their best efforts and screened a pre-ride safety video, there were a few bumps and scrapes. But for the most part the ride was fine, as said another rider "It's a long road and there's a lot of space, It's very surreal to be out here on Lake Shore Drive with no cars. I'll definitely do it next year".
For this year's event, 20,000 people registered, making it the 2nd most well attended event in Bike The Drive's history. The cyclists ranged in age from 11 year olds, all the way to married couples with grown children. One of the riders said that it was "tiring, very tiring...[but] It's fun. It's kind of weird to think you're biking somewhere cars normally go down at like top speed". Even though organizers exercised their best efforts and screened a pre-ride safety video, there were a few bumps and scrapes. But for the most part the ride was fine, as said another rider "It's a long road and there's a lot of space, It's very surreal to be out here on Lake Shore Drive with no cars. I'll definitely do it next year".
Why(or more appropriately, How) Memorial Day?
And so it begins. Summer 2014 is upon us, and for the next 98 days I'll be putting up fresh new articles every day talking about just what Summer in Chicago truly is. What a better place to start than with the roots of the holiday that kicks off the summer.
Memorial Day is the day where most people unofficially pin the beginning of summer. Memorial Day is also the day set aside to honor those brave men and women who have given their lives in military service to our country. But how did it start? For that we have to go back to the early 1860s, when women in Georgia would decorate the graves of Confederate soldiers. Over the next few years, there were sporadic commemorations of the war dead held at cemeteries throughout the country. Finally, the war ended in 1865. Along with that came the mechanics of honoring 600,000 dead American soldiers, giving the proceedings a new found significance.
On May 5, 1868, General John Logan, the commander-in-chief of the Grand Army of the Republic(an alumni association of sorts for those who had fought on either side of the conflict) proclaimed that a "Decoration Day" would be observed on the 30th of that month. The first observance of said holiday proved to be a success, and all of the northern states had officially adopted it by 1890. Originally the holiday(which came to be known as Memorial Day) was celebrated on May 30 each year. But that changed in 1971 when the Uniform Monday Holidays Act took effect at the federal level, which was intended to create more 3-day weekends for federal workers.
Now as for what this has to do with Chicago, here's some facts: the Grand Army of the Republic was founded in Decatur and had a healthy presence in Chicago. In fact, the GAR sponsored a room that was built into the first Chicago Public Library. Additionally, General Logan was an Illinois native. Beyond that, Logan is memorialized in two different places in Chicago. The first is with a statue at the south end of Grant Park. The second is the Logan Square neighborhood, which is named for the General.
Memorial Day is the day where most people unofficially pin the beginning of summer. Memorial Day is also the day set aside to honor those brave men and women who have given their lives in military service to our country. But how did it start? For that we have to go back to the early 1860s, when women in Georgia would decorate the graves of Confederate soldiers. Over the next few years, there were sporadic commemorations of the war dead held at cemeteries throughout the country. Finally, the war ended in 1865. Along with that came the mechanics of honoring 600,000 dead American soldiers, giving the proceedings a new found significance.
On May 5, 1868, General John Logan, the commander-in-chief of the Grand Army of the Republic(an alumni association of sorts for those who had fought on either side of the conflict) proclaimed that a "Decoration Day" would be observed on the 30th of that month. The first observance of said holiday proved to be a success, and all of the northern states had officially adopted it by 1890. Originally the holiday(which came to be known as Memorial Day) was celebrated on May 30 each year. But that changed in 1971 when the Uniform Monday Holidays Act took effect at the federal level, which was intended to create more 3-day weekends for federal workers.
Now as for what this has to do with Chicago, here's some facts: the Grand Army of the Republic was founded in Decatur and had a healthy presence in Chicago. In fact, the GAR sponsored a room that was built into the first Chicago Public Library. Additionally, General Logan was an Illinois native. Beyond that, Logan is memorialized in two different places in Chicago. The first is with a statue at the south end of Grant Park. The second is the Logan Square neighborhood, which is named for the General.
Sunday, May 25, 2014
Tragedy at O'Hare
As per yesterday's announcement, we're going to spend the summer going all around the city and explaining exactly why everybody makes such a big deal about Summertime in Chicago. But for today, we're going to take a slightly different track and chronicle the events that unfolded at O'Hare International Airport exactly 35 years ago today.
On May 25, 1979, people all across the country were getting ready for another calm and peaceful Memorial Day weekend filled with parades, grilling, drinking, and communing with peers. At O'Hare International Airport, Walter Lux was in the cockpit of a DC-10 prepping for yet another routine flight from Chicago to Los Angeles. Between Lux, his First Officer, and the Flight Engineer, the cockpit team had almost 5,000 hours flying experience on the DC-10.
8 weeks earlier, mechanics had been doing routine maintenance on that same aircraft when they performed a procedure on one of the plane's engines that involved removing the engine from the wing. There were two different ways of doing this. One involved taking the engine off of its pylon, and then removing the pylon from the wing. The other way involved removing the pylon with the engine still attached. The manufacturers of the DC-10 recommended the first method, but the second method was not without merit, as that involved fewer system disconnects to complete the procedure(which was gentler on the connections). Regardless, the mechanics working on that aircraft utilized the latter method.
Moving back to the 25th of May, the pilots have completed their pre-flight checks and the plane is now hurtling down the runway. All of a sudden, the engine underneath the plane's left wing breaks off of the aircraft and is flipped backwards over the wing. Many of the plane's systems begin to lose power as a result, rendering the plane in a good amount of trouble. As the plane was already at takeoff velocity, there was no turning back, and the plane left the ground. The flight crew saw that they had just lost an engine(though they had no way of knowing that the engine had literally fallen off), and initiated procedures to compensate for that. Alas, the procedures were not taking effect, and the aircraft climbed to a height of 300 feet while banking left at an angle of 112 degrees. For those of you who realize the extremity of that angle, you're right. In fact, this is what the plane looked like from O'Hare's observation deck in those final moments:
Soon after this photo was taken(and only 50 seconds after losing its engine), American Airlines Flight 191 crashed into a field near the corner of Touhy Avenue and Mount Prospect Road, erupting into a massive fireball. All 271 people onboard the aircraft as well as 2 people on the ground died. In the aftermath, the DC-10's reputation suffered as a result of the crash, as well as three other high-profile crashes from the 1970s. Ultimately, the DC-10 redeemed itself and continued to be used in passenger flights for the next 30+ years, before finally making its last passenger flight in February of 2014. The pylon-removal procedure(or more accurately, the shortcut method thereof) was eventually labeled the main cause of the engine snapping off. During that final maintenance stop, the pylon had been damaged, and 8 more weeks of takeoffs and landings had further exacerbated the problem until the stresses finally proved too much.
For the next several decades after the crash, there was no permanent memorial to those who lost their lives. That finally changed in 2011 when a 2-foot concave wall was erected 2 miles from the crash site listing the names of those who lost their lives in the crash. To this day, it remains the deadliest aviation accident to occur on United States soil(the September 11 attacks are not considered to be accidental)
On May 25, 1979, people all across the country were getting ready for another calm and peaceful Memorial Day weekend filled with parades, grilling, drinking, and communing with peers. At O'Hare International Airport, Walter Lux was in the cockpit of a DC-10 prepping for yet another routine flight from Chicago to Los Angeles. Between Lux, his First Officer, and the Flight Engineer, the cockpit team had almost 5,000 hours flying experience on the DC-10.
8 weeks earlier, mechanics had been doing routine maintenance on that same aircraft when they performed a procedure on one of the plane's engines that involved removing the engine from the wing. There were two different ways of doing this. One involved taking the engine off of its pylon, and then removing the pylon from the wing. The other way involved removing the pylon with the engine still attached. The manufacturers of the DC-10 recommended the first method, but the second method was not without merit, as that involved fewer system disconnects to complete the procedure(which was gentler on the connections). Regardless, the mechanics working on that aircraft utilized the latter method.
Moving back to the 25th of May, the pilots have completed their pre-flight checks and the plane is now hurtling down the runway. All of a sudden, the engine underneath the plane's left wing breaks off of the aircraft and is flipped backwards over the wing. Many of the plane's systems begin to lose power as a result, rendering the plane in a good amount of trouble. As the plane was already at takeoff velocity, there was no turning back, and the plane left the ground. The flight crew saw that they had just lost an engine(though they had no way of knowing that the engine had literally fallen off), and initiated procedures to compensate for that. Alas, the procedures were not taking effect, and the aircraft climbed to a height of 300 feet while banking left at an angle of 112 degrees. For those of you who realize the extremity of that angle, you're right. In fact, this is what the plane looked like from O'Hare's observation deck in those final moments:
For the next several decades after the crash, there was no permanent memorial to those who lost their lives. That finally changed in 2011 when a 2-foot concave wall was erected 2 miles from the crash site listing the names of those who lost their lives in the crash. To this day, it remains the deadliest aviation accident to occur on United States soil(the September 11 attacks are not considered to be accidental)
Saturday, May 24, 2014
The Announcement
Okay folks, to get in the proper mood for this entry, read it while listening to this song:
Summertime in Chicago. Some people say that it's an oasis in the otherwise wacky Midwestern weather schedule. Some people say that it transforms the city into a whole other place than it is in the Winter. Some say simply that it is awesome. Well, guess what? They're right. All of them. Summertime in Chicago is chock full of long hot days schlepping around various street festivals, and warm nights spent listening to jazz, watching fireworks/movies, and communing with friends. It is something to be experienced. And here at Chicago 365, that's exactly what I'm setting out to do. Starting on Monday and going through Labor Day, I will be profiling different things to do all throughout the city. One day I might be going to a street fest, the next day I may be taking in jazz and fireworks on a beautiful evening, and I might even catch the vibe at some parades(I haven't lost faith yet and you shouldn't either). Point is, if you want to see what a summer in Chicago can be, follow this blog this summer and live vicariously through my entries. And if you have any suggestions, please don't hesitate to leave them in the comment section. Thanks for your time and here's to a GREAT summer.
Thursday, May 22, 2014
Divvying it up
Chicago. We're the city that works. But we're also rapidly becoming the city that bikes to work. The recent explosion of dedicated bike lanes downtown(as well as of bikes downtown in general) are certainly indicators of a trend on the rise. And now with Mayor Emanuel's well-publicized support of the expansion of biking, it seems like all Chicagoans are on board with the ascent of the city biker(Well, with the exception of a certain well-known Tribune columnist). Just last summer biking in Chicago got a major shot in the arm with the introduction of the Divvy program in June of 2013. The program was inspired by a visit Richard M. Daley took to Paris in 2007. Being inspired by the bike-sharing system that the Parisians enjoyed, Daley decided that Chicago should have something similar. After a few delays, the program was up and running by the middle of last summer.
One little Easter Egg that came with the bikes was the inclusion of a single red bike amongst the fleet. Riders who find this bike and take a picture with it can potentially win an annual Divvy membership. The bikes were even planned to be made available over the winter, though given the severity of the weather, I'm not sure how many souls braved the elements. As the weather heats up again, the city is poised for an even more successful season of Divvying, especially with the city's compliment of stations rising to 400.
This is just the first in several biking related articles that will be popping up on this blog throughout the summer, make sure to periodically check back with us for more posts about biking in Chicago.
One little Easter Egg that came with the bikes was the inclusion of a single red bike amongst the fleet. Riders who find this bike and take a picture with it can potentially win an annual Divvy membership. The bikes were even planned to be made available over the winter, though given the severity of the weather, I'm not sure how many souls braved the elements. As the weather heats up again, the city is poised for an even more successful season of Divvying, especially with the city's compliment of stations rising to 400.
This is just the first in several biking related articles that will be popping up on this blog throughout the summer, make sure to periodically check back with us for more posts about biking in Chicago.
Wednesday, May 21, 2014
The Most Terrible Thrill
Remember that post I put up about the Harvard School for Boys? Remember how I said that all would be revealed today? Well, I am a man of my word, so sit back and prepare to have the veil lifted from your eyes.
At the dawn of the 20th Century, the Kenwood neighborhood was a hamlet of the wealthy and affluent(which it still is to this day, being the Chicago residence of President Obama), attracting lawyers, executives, and rich immigrant families. At some point, two recent college graduates who lived in the area with their families made the acquaintance of each other. Their names were Nathan Leopold and Richard Loeb. Leopold had an IQ of 210, had completed an undergrad degree at the University of Chicago, allegedly spoke 27 languages fluently, was a skilled ornithologist, and was currently attending the University of Chicago Law School. In short, he was a genius. Loeb was no slouch either. Despite expressing a desire to be more focused on non-academic pursuits, he nonetheless skipped several grades in school and became the youngest graduate of the University of Michigan, a distinction that still stands to this day.
When the two men met, they both realized that they had a strong interest in crime, so they began to exercise that hunger by engaging in a streak of petty crimes, eventually working their way all the way up to arson. However, they still were largely ignored, and so they decided to up the ante. To do this, they turned to Leopold's interest in Nietzsche, specifically his idea of the Ubermenschen, or the Superman(this was the same idea that would inform Hitler's obsession with the Aryan race a decade later). Leopold believed the two of them to be Supermen, which meant that they could pull off the perfect crime. After several months of research, the duo concocted a plan to kidnap and murder a young boy all for the thrill of it.
The ball started rolling on Wednesday, May 21, 1924 when the duo pulled up in a rented vehicle to the HARVARD SCHOOL FOR BOYS. Their intent was to lure one of the students to their car. Loeb ended up selecting Bobby Franks, his second cousin and son of a Chicago millionaire. As they drove off with Franks, one of the boys sat in the back seat and struck him in the head with a chisel. After the deed was done, the duo drove to a lake in Hammond, Indiana to dispose of the body. After that, the boys went back to Chicago and whiled away the rest of the night playing cards. The next day, Chicagoans were transfixed to the news of Franks' disappearance. An investigation was soon launched, which soon hit pay dirt. Police found a pair of glasses at the body dump. Additionally, only three people in the whole city had that specific type of glasses, one of them being Leopold. Suspicion was immediately cast upon the two boys, and they were hauled in for questioning just 8 days after killing Franks(Police 1, Ubermenschen 0). While they were being questioned, Leopold's chauffeur came in with a change of clothes for the boys. As he was leaving, the man casually mentioned that the boys had to innocent, as the family's car was in the shop the day of the murder. Unbeknownst to him, Leopold's alibi centered around the fact that the two of them had driven that same car on the day of the murder. The perfect crime had been defeated by the casual small talk of a lowly chauffeur.
The two of them were put on trial soon afterwards. Fearing the imposition of the death penalty, Loeb's family hired Clarence Darrow to represent him. Even with Darrow's status as a rock star in the legal world firmly entrenched, little hope was held out for the two of them. But Darrow gave it all he had, starting off with a 12-hour argument on the first day of the trial, which contained what many regard as his finest speech, which included this line: "This terrible crime was inherent in his organism, and it came from some ancestor... Is any blame attached because somebody took Nietzsche's philosophy seriously and fashioned his life upon it?... It is hardly fair to hang a 19-year-old boy for the philosophy that was taught him at the university" As a result of his masterful words that left the courtroom in silenced awe, Darrow succeeded in delivering the boys from an apparently certain death sentence. The court instead sentenced each of them to life plus 99 years in prison. They immediately were sent to Joliet to serve their time.
In 1936, Loeb was stabbed to death with a straight razor by a fellow inmate. In 1958, Leopold was released on parole after spending 33 years in prison. He soon moved to Puerto Rico to avoid media attention. On August 29, 1971, Nathan Leopold died of a heart attack, providing the Chicago media with one final time to reflect on the murders. Leopold's corneas were later donated to a deserving recipient.
At the dawn of the 20th Century, the Kenwood neighborhood was a hamlet of the wealthy and affluent(which it still is to this day, being the Chicago residence of President Obama), attracting lawyers, executives, and rich immigrant families. At some point, two recent college graduates who lived in the area with their families made the acquaintance of each other. Their names were Nathan Leopold and Richard Loeb. Leopold had an IQ of 210, had completed an undergrad degree at the University of Chicago, allegedly spoke 27 languages fluently, was a skilled ornithologist, and was currently attending the University of Chicago Law School. In short, he was a genius. Loeb was no slouch either. Despite expressing a desire to be more focused on non-academic pursuits, he nonetheless skipped several grades in school and became the youngest graduate of the University of Michigan, a distinction that still stands to this day.
When the two men met, they both realized that they had a strong interest in crime, so they began to exercise that hunger by engaging in a streak of petty crimes, eventually working their way all the way up to arson. However, they still were largely ignored, and so they decided to up the ante. To do this, they turned to Leopold's interest in Nietzsche, specifically his idea of the Ubermenschen, or the Superman(this was the same idea that would inform Hitler's obsession with the Aryan race a decade later). Leopold believed the two of them to be Supermen, which meant that they could pull off the perfect crime. After several months of research, the duo concocted a plan to kidnap and murder a young boy all for the thrill of it.
The ball started rolling on Wednesday, May 21, 1924 when the duo pulled up in a rented vehicle to the HARVARD SCHOOL FOR BOYS. Their intent was to lure one of the students to their car. Loeb ended up selecting Bobby Franks, his second cousin and son of a Chicago millionaire. As they drove off with Franks, one of the boys sat in the back seat and struck him in the head with a chisel. After the deed was done, the duo drove to a lake in Hammond, Indiana to dispose of the body. After that, the boys went back to Chicago and whiled away the rest of the night playing cards. The next day, Chicagoans were transfixed to the news of Franks' disappearance. An investigation was soon launched, which soon hit pay dirt. Police found a pair of glasses at the body dump. Additionally, only three people in the whole city had that specific type of glasses, one of them being Leopold. Suspicion was immediately cast upon the two boys, and they were hauled in for questioning just 8 days after killing Franks(Police 1, Ubermenschen 0). While they were being questioned, Leopold's chauffeur came in with a change of clothes for the boys. As he was leaving, the man casually mentioned that the boys had to innocent, as the family's car was in the shop the day of the murder. Unbeknownst to him, Leopold's alibi centered around the fact that the two of them had driven that same car on the day of the murder. The perfect crime had been defeated by the casual small talk of a lowly chauffeur.
The two of them were put on trial soon afterwards. Fearing the imposition of the death penalty, Loeb's family hired Clarence Darrow to represent him. Even with Darrow's status as a rock star in the legal world firmly entrenched, little hope was held out for the two of them. But Darrow gave it all he had, starting off with a 12-hour argument on the first day of the trial, which contained what many regard as his finest speech, which included this line: "This terrible crime was inherent in his organism, and it came from some ancestor... Is any blame attached because somebody took Nietzsche's philosophy seriously and fashioned his life upon it?... It is hardly fair to hang a 19-year-old boy for the philosophy that was taught him at the university" As a result of his masterful words that left the courtroom in silenced awe, Darrow succeeded in delivering the boys from an apparently certain death sentence. The court instead sentenced each of them to life plus 99 years in prison. They immediately were sent to Joliet to serve their time.
In 1936, Loeb was stabbed to death with a straight razor by a fellow inmate. In 1958, Leopold was released on parole after spending 33 years in prison. He soon moved to Puerto Rico to avoid media attention. On August 29, 1971, Nathan Leopold died of a heart attack, providing the Chicago media with one final time to reflect on the murders. Leopold's corneas were later donated to a deserving recipient.
Friday, May 16, 2014
The Scene of The Crime
In 1865 the Civil War was winding down, Chicago's meatpacking business was heating up, and there were a bevy of young and impressionable minds just waiting to be shaped, and their parents demanded only the best in education for their little darlings. Into this picture steps Edward S. Waters, a graduate of Harvard. To assure the fine education of Chicago's future, he established a school that would mold the boys of Chicago into products ready-made for enrollment in the finest universities that the East Coast had to offer. Fittingly, Waters' venture was named the Harvard School for Boys.
Originally located on the corner of Congress and Wabash, the school ultimately moved to the 4700 block of Ellis Avenue, where it absorbed the Princeton-Yale School and the men from the South Side Academy. Much like its neighbor the University of Chicago, Harvard quickly became distinguished as the best possible place to get an education, and the enrollment records read like a who's who of powerful Chicago surnames: Armour, Field, Walgreen, Drake, and Burnham, to name just a few.
As it was such a bastion of the young and affluent, it makes sense that the school also had a heavy sports legacy. Some highlights include sending a track and field athlete to the 1904 Olympic Games, and establishing golf as an interscholastic sport in the early 20th Century. However, the school fell victim to changing times and declining enrollments, and its doors were permanently shuttered in 1962 after 97 years of helping to educate some of Chicago's best and brightest.
Post-script: I know my choices for blog entries can be extremely eclectic, but this time there is a method to my madness. Aren't you guys even the tiniest bit curious why I just did an entry about a Boys School that hasn't seen a single student pass through its doors in 54 years? And just what in the world is going on with that title? Rest easy dear readers, for all will be revealed...on Wednesday. That's right, I'm making you wait 5 WHOLE DAYS to find out the rest of the story. So go ahead, enjoy your weekend, and then come back here on Wednesday to get the full reveal.
Originally located on the corner of Congress and Wabash, the school ultimately moved to the 4700 block of Ellis Avenue, where it absorbed the Princeton-Yale School and the men from the South Side Academy. Much like its neighbor the University of Chicago, Harvard quickly became distinguished as the best possible place to get an education, and the enrollment records read like a who's who of powerful Chicago surnames: Armour, Field, Walgreen, Drake, and Burnham, to name just a few.
As it was such a bastion of the young and affluent, it makes sense that the school also had a heavy sports legacy. Some highlights include sending a track and field athlete to the 1904 Olympic Games, and establishing golf as an interscholastic sport in the early 20th Century. However, the school fell victim to changing times and declining enrollments, and its doors were permanently shuttered in 1962 after 97 years of helping to educate some of Chicago's best and brightest.
Post-script: I know my choices for blog entries can be extremely eclectic, but this time there is a method to my madness. Aren't you guys even the tiniest bit curious why I just did an entry about a Boys School that hasn't seen a single student pass through its doors in 54 years? And just what in the world is going on with that title? Rest easy dear readers, for all will be revealed...on Wednesday. That's right, I'm making you wait 5 WHOLE DAYS to find out the rest of the story. So go ahead, enjoy your weekend, and then come back here on Wednesday to get the full reveal.
Thursday, May 8, 2014
The Top Of Their Game: Cubs/Sox Week Day 3
In 1906, the Cubs and the White Sox faced each other in the World Series. The matchup led to such a commotion and an upset victory by the White Sox that it quickly became the stuff of legend. Over the intervening decades, the two teams never again approached playing each other when it counted. Then, the 1977 season saw both the Cubs and the Sox leading their respective divisions in the summertime and thoughts began to turn to another all-Chicago World Series. Alas, both teams bottomed out by the Fall, and it was not to be. 31 years later, the flames of destiny would be fanned once more.
The year was 2008, and it was the 100th Anniversary of the Cubs' last World Series victory. Not just that, but both teams were doing surprisingly well. When the time came for the annual face-off, the two teams were at the top of their divisions, and the gauntlet had been thrown down.
The Series touched off on June 20, at Wrigley Field. Heading into the final stretch of the game, the Cubs were down when Derrek Lee and Aramis Ramirez homered to tie up the game. Then Ramirez smacked a walk-off homer to seal up the game 4-3. For Game 2 of the series, the Cubs were down 4-1 in the 4th inning, when the team lit up the Sox for 9 runs in the 4th, ultimately prevailing by a score of 11-7. The next night, the Cubs dazzled before a national audience with a 7-1 victory, prompting A.J. Pierzynski(2 years removed from his infamous bout with Michael Barrett) to parrot Lee Elia's infamous rant from 25 years previously.
The following weekend, the series reconvened at U.S. Cellular Field. The first pitch of Game 4 was thrown out by newly acquired Bulls guard Derrick Rose, after which it was the South Siders turn to produce a laugher, beating the Cubs 10-3. The following day saw the White Sox stifle a Cubs rally to win the game 6-5. Finally, the Series Finale saw the White Sox emerge victorious by a score of 5-1. Final Results of the 2008 Crosstown Classic: 3 wins for the Cubs, 3 wins for the Sox.
At the end of things, the all time series was tied 33-33, and the two teams still led their divisions. There were still murmurs about another all-Chicago World Series, and while both teams made the playoffs in the same year for the first time since 1906, they both lost in the Division Series.
The year was 2008, and it was the 100th Anniversary of the Cubs' last World Series victory. Not just that, but both teams were doing surprisingly well. When the time came for the annual face-off, the two teams were at the top of their divisions, and the gauntlet had been thrown down.
The Series touched off on June 20, at Wrigley Field. Heading into the final stretch of the game, the Cubs were down when Derrek Lee and Aramis Ramirez homered to tie up the game. Then Ramirez smacked a walk-off homer to seal up the game 4-3. For Game 2 of the series, the Cubs were down 4-1 in the 4th inning, when the team lit up the Sox for 9 runs in the 4th, ultimately prevailing by a score of 11-7. The next night, the Cubs dazzled before a national audience with a 7-1 victory, prompting A.J. Pierzynski(2 years removed from his infamous bout with Michael Barrett) to parrot Lee Elia's infamous rant from 25 years previously.
The following weekend, the series reconvened at U.S. Cellular Field. The first pitch of Game 4 was thrown out by newly acquired Bulls guard Derrick Rose, after which it was the South Siders turn to produce a laugher, beating the Cubs 10-3. The following day saw the White Sox stifle a Cubs rally to win the game 6-5. Finally, the Series Finale saw the White Sox emerge victorious by a score of 5-1. Final Results of the 2008 Crosstown Classic: 3 wins for the Cubs, 3 wins for the Sox.
At the end of things, the all time series was tied 33-33, and the two teams still led their divisions. There were still murmurs about another all-Chicago World Series, and while both teams made the playoffs in the same year for the first time since 1906, they both lost in the Division Series.
Tuesday, May 6, 2014
Fight! Fight! Fight!: Cubs/Sox Week Day 2
The date is Saturday, May 20, 2006. The White Sox are still ecstatic over their World Series win over the Cardinals the previous October. The Cubs are in the midst of a moribund season that will see them lose 96 games and lead to the firing of Dusty Baker. But as is customary for Cubs/Sox each year, you can throw the records out the window, because the unexpected can and does happen.
On this specific occasion, our attention turns to the second inning of the ball game. At that time, Brian Anderson of the White Sox had just hit a sacrifice fly, trying to drive in A.J. Pierzynski. As he was sliding into home, he ran headlong into Cubs catcher Michael Barrett, who wound up dropping the ball from the shock of the impact. The home plate umpire called A.J. safe, who slapped home plate in an emphatic celebration before turning back towards the dugout. Perturbed over something, Barrett got in Pierzynski's face and decked him in the jaw. As is customary, both benches immediately cleared and a brawl broke out right at home plate. After the fracas finally cleared, the umpires were debating for more than 15 minutes over who would be ejected from the game. After the umps restarted the game, Scott Podsednik loaded up the bases for the Sox, who received a Grand Slam when Tadahito Iguchi brought everybody home.
The game was eventually won by the White Sox 7-0. The White Sox ended up taking the season series that year 4 games to 2. As for the fallout, Michael Barrett was suspended for 10 games, Brian Anderson missed 5, and Pierzynski received a fine. And the flames of the rivalry were fanned for another year.
On this specific occasion, our attention turns to the second inning of the ball game. At that time, Brian Anderson of the White Sox had just hit a sacrifice fly, trying to drive in A.J. Pierzynski. As he was sliding into home, he ran headlong into Cubs catcher Michael Barrett, who wound up dropping the ball from the shock of the impact. The home plate umpire called A.J. safe, who slapped home plate in an emphatic celebration before turning back towards the dugout. Perturbed over something, Barrett got in Pierzynski's face and decked him in the jaw. As is customary, both benches immediately cleared and a brawl broke out right at home plate. After the fracas finally cleared, the umpires were debating for more than 15 minutes over who would be ejected from the game. After the umps restarted the game, Scott Podsednik loaded up the bases for the Sox, who received a Grand Slam when Tadahito Iguchi brought everybody home.
The game was eventually won by the White Sox 7-0. The White Sox ended up taking the season series that year 4 games to 2. As for the fallout, Michael Barrett was suspended for 10 games, Brian Anderson missed 5, and Pierzynski received a fine. And the flames of the rivalry were fanned for another year.
Monday, May 5, 2014
The Rivalry: Cubs/Sox Week Day 1
This week, the Cubs and the White Sox reconvene for their 18th Annual tilt of games. Here at Chicago 365, I've decided to take a look back at some of the memorable moments from those games.
Ever since the American League was founded in 1901, there had been a rivalry between the two leagues, with the AL openly poaching both players and fans from the more established National League. This rivalry extened to the teams themselves, including the Chicago Cubs and the new AL affiliate in town, the Chicago White Stockings. The tension started even before the White Stockings played their first game, as the owner of the Cubs had filed suit to prevent Charles Comiskey from even moving another team into the city. The courts let Comiskey move in the team, and the animosity had been stoked.
In 1906, both teams made the World Series(which was actually the first time that two teams from the same city played each other in the Fall Classic). The Cubs had won 116 games that year and were the odds on favorites. The White Stockings had won 93 games and were known as the Hitless Wonders. Regardless, the Cubs wound up losing the Series to the South Siders. For several years after the '06 Series, the two teams played a post-season series that served to provide bragging rights. By the '40s, that series was no longer played.
Then, in the late '80s, the idea was resurrected for the annual Crosstown Classic charity game. This wasn't too momentous, other than the fact that it led to Michael Jordan starting a game at Wrigley Field(this was when Jordan played in the White Sox farm system). Finally, in 1997 MLB organized regular season interleague play, and the two teams faced each other when it counted for the first time in 91 years. Since then, the White Sox have won the series 9 times, with the other 8 being either Cubs wins or ties. The series commences once again tonight, and who knows what kind of a show we're in store for.
Ever since the American League was founded in 1901, there had been a rivalry between the two leagues, with the AL openly poaching both players and fans from the more established National League. This rivalry extened to the teams themselves, including the Chicago Cubs and the new AL affiliate in town, the Chicago White Stockings. The tension started even before the White Stockings played their first game, as the owner of the Cubs had filed suit to prevent Charles Comiskey from even moving another team into the city. The courts let Comiskey move in the team, and the animosity had been stoked.
In 1906, both teams made the World Series(which was actually the first time that two teams from the same city played each other in the Fall Classic). The Cubs had won 116 games that year and were the odds on favorites. The White Stockings had won 93 games and were known as the Hitless Wonders. Regardless, the Cubs wound up losing the Series to the South Siders. For several years after the '06 Series, the two teams played a post-season series that served to provide bragging rights. By the '40s, that series was no longer played.
Then, in the late '80s, the idea was resurrected for the annual Crosstown Classic charity game. This wasn't too momentous, other than the fact that it led to Michael Jordan starting a game at Wrigley Field(this was when Jordan played in the White Sox farm system). Finally, in 1997 MLB organized regular season interleague play, and the two teams faced each other when it counted for the first time in 91 years. Since then, the White Sox have won the series 9 times, with the other 8 being either Cubs wins or ties. The series commences once again tonight, and who knows what kind of a show we're in store for.
Chicago 365 Playoff Central: Taming The Wild
Yesterday, the Blackhawks defeated the Wild 4-1, pulling ahead to a 2-0 lead in the Western Conference Semifinals. Jonathan Toews kicked off the scoring with a goal 11 minutes into the game. After a 2nd Period goal by Brandon Saad, Minnesota's Cody McCormick scored with 2 minutes elapsed in the 3rd. After a near miss by Minnesota that would have tied the game at 2 goals apiece, Bryan Bickell and Brandon Saad each chipped in a goal apiece to run the score up to 4-1 Blackhawks. And that's how the score stayed throughout the rest of the game, with the final result putting the Hawks up 2-0 against the Wild.
Some may wonder what has been behind the team's sudden resurgence? Well ESPN's Craig Custance has theorized that falling into the 0-2 hole against the Blues has spurred the team on to a new effort. Since that happened the Blackhawks have now won 6 games in a row, so Craig very well may have a point. Game 3 of the Series against the Wild is in Minnesota tomorrow night. Till then,
Some may wonder what has been behind the team's sudden resurgence? Well ESPN's Craig Custance has theorized that falling into the 0-2 hole against the Blues has spurred the team on to a new effort. Since that happened the Blackhawks have now won 6 games in a row, so Craig very well may have a point. Game 3 of the Series against the Wild is in Minnesota tomorrow night. Till then,
GO HAWKS!!!!!!!!!!!
Sunday, May 4, 2014
Chicago 365 Playoff Central: 5 wins down, 11 to go!
On Friday night at the United Center, the Chicago Blackhawks defeated the Minnesota Wild in Game 1 of the Western Conference Semifinals. The game started off strong, with the Hawks entering the Third Period up 2-0. Then the Wild's offense got going, and they scored 2 goals in the first 7 minutes of the period to tie up the score 2-2. After a mild scare, the Blackhawks got their act together. Over the next 10 minutes, Patrick Kane scored 2 goals to make the score 4-2 in the favor of the home team. And then 30 seconds later, Bryan Bickell chipped in with his 4th goal of the playoffs to make the score 5-2. No more scoring occurred, and the Hawks wound up winning the game by a final score of 5-2. Except for that brief period at the start of the third period, the Hawks were in command of this game, which made for an exciting and confident start to this playoff series.
The series continues today with Game 2, commencing at 2 PM. Stay with Chicago 365 for continuing updates on the Blackhawks as they quest to become the first team in 16 years to repeat as Stanley Cup Champions.
The series continues today with Game 2, commencing at 2 PM. Stay with Chicago 365 for continuing updates on the Blackhawks as they quest to become the first team in 16 years to repeat as Stanley Cup Champions.
GO HAWKS!!!!!!!!!!
Thursday, May 1, 2014
Chicago 365 Playoff Central: We have an opponent!
With the late-breaking results of last nights Game 7 between the Wild and the Avalanche becoming official, the Chicago Blackhawks will be squaring off against the Minnesota Wild in the next round of the playoffs. The action starts tomorrow night at 8:30 in the United Center. Even better, the Blackhawks have home ice for the Series this time. Things are looking good, let's keep it up!
GO HAWKS!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)