Trivia Wednesday: A Killer Cop

     Okay folks, time for more trivia.  The answer to the previous question is this. In 1929, the Chicago Defender started the Bud Biliken Parade, a celebration of summer that still goes on to this day.  And now, for this week's question:

Which notorious Chicago cop was known as "Two-Gun Pete"?  (And for bonus points, which legendary music producer dreamed of one day making Pete pay for his sins?)

   We'll be back next week with the answer, as well as another question.

Trivia Tuesday: The Innovative Defender

     We're back!  After a few more days off than I was intending, let's start right back up with the trivia!  Here's the answer from 2 weeks ago:  The deserted CTA Station in question is the Mannheim/22nd station, on the far reaches of what today would be the Blue Line.  Except it never was part of the Blue Line, as it was abandoned in 1951.  And now, this week's question:

Which enduring part of Chicago was started by writers for the Chicago Defender in the 1920s?

 We'll be back next week with the answer and another question.

The Chicago Eight: Marathon Week Day 3

     Ever since the first running of the Mayor Daley(Chicago) Marathon way back in 1977, tens of thousands of different people have crossed the finish line.  But there are 8 individuals who have actually ran every single marathon.  Some of them may be a bit long in the tooth, some of them may not be as fast as they once were, but they all are still keeping at it, and they all will be running on Sunday.  These are their stories:

• Daniel Skrzypczynski ran his first Chicago Marathon in 4 hours and 20 minutes, and has covered the gamut of times and experiences, from finishing the 1977 Marathon with his brother to walking the marathon course with his daughter in the aftermath of undergoing meniscus surgery.
• Ron Williams polished off the 1977 race in 4 hours and 45 minutes, and some of his most cherished memories of the run are completing the race with his daughter, as well as being able to remember when the women's field was so slim that he could easily count the number of women running the race.
• Henry Kozlowski's first time was 5:09, and recalls his parents greeting him at the finish line of the first race proud of him, but also wondering if their son had taken leave of his senses.  One year he came back from falling off of a ladder and still finished the Marathon that same year.  Ultimately, he wants to reach the 50 marathon mark, after which he'll just start doing it for the fun of it.
• Andrew Praxmarer completed his first Marathon with a time of  3:12:57, and one of his cherished memories is running with his wife in her first marathon in 2004.  He recalls the treacherous 2007 edition, remembering how he'd never seen so many people start walking early on in the race.
• George Mueller(who ran a 4:50 his first time) also ran in 2007, but his experience was much more uplifting, as it was completing a comeback from a broken leg.  He didn't even realize it had closed until he finished.
• Randy Burt's first time was 3:36, but his most vivid memory comes from the 1984 Marathon, where he saw Steve Jones running the opposite way as him on his way to setting a world record.
• Larry Moon walked to the starting line in 1977 having never ran more than 20k.  He ended up running that race in 4:20, and made it to the halfway spot just in time to see the first winner crossing the finish line.
• Joseph Antonini ran his first Marathon in 4:05:58, and remembers just how much community spirit there was on the course.  He wasn't sure if he could finish it, and as he approached Soldier Field he saw many people sitting on the side of the course.  He persevered and made it, and all the finishers embraced each other in congratulations afterwards

Come tomorrow morning, all 8 of these men will be stepping off for their 37th Chicago Marathon.  If you see them, wish them well.

Running in an Oven: Marathon Week Day 2

     In the days leading up to the 30th Chicago Marathon, the prognosis was not looking good.  Forecasts were telling of an unseasonably hot race day, with temperatures approaching 80 degrees at the time of the race.  Upon hearing this, the organizers sprung into action.  From notifying local running clubs and emailing all the registered runners, to plastering the heat advisories all over the expo the day before, the word was spread all throughout the running community that this race could potentially be very hot.  Not just that, but Executive Race Director Carey Pinkowski met with the Chicago Fire Department to request some backup equipment.  All told, he acquired a ventilation van, a giant misting machine, bike patrols, and 22 open fire hydrants that could be used to spray water.  On top of that, 28 ambulances stood at the ready along the course, and the Marathon team had arranged for several more ambulances to be at the ready across the state, ready to be activated via the MABAS(Mutual Aid Box Alarm System).  The 15 aid stations were all outfitted with 200,000 extra servings of water and sports drink, as well as ice and cooling sponges.  As yet another line of preparation, 5 CTA buses were turned into cooling buses and placed along the course to aid overheated runners.  But no matter how much they prepared, they could only wait for race day to see how it could all pan out.

     October 7, 2007 dawned on the city of Chicago warm, bright, and full of anticipation, as tens of thousands of runners made their final preparations.  Meanwhile, Pinkowski was making sure his team was ready, checking over all their preparations one final time.  He carried a jacket and gloves with him, both out of a force of habit and as a hope for some kind of breeze or cloud cover.  But neither of those things were to be had.  Runners were breaking into a sweat while waiting in their start corrals, and things only went downhill from there.  9,000 people didn't even start the race.  For those who did, problems started becoming apparent almost immediately.  Folks who were skilled runners, those who normally wouldn't even start to get thirsty until after Mile 10, were guzzling water at the first aid station at Mile 1.7.  Water started to run out, and it did so quickly.

     Meanwhile, spectators at the finish line were treated to a spectacular show, as the men's race came down to a photo finish, and the women's race featured a thrilling comeback in the final 100 meters.  But this belied the travails going on further back in the course.  By the time most runners hit Mile 15, folks started dropping like flies, and a thermometer in Pilsen was seen to record a temperature of 92 degrees.  By 11:24, Pinkowski made the call to activate MABAS.  11 Minutes later, the Chicago Marathon was cancelled.  But cancelling the race and getting the racers off the course were two different animals entirely.  While officials did create a diversion point where the slower runners were directed off the course, that still left many runners on the course with a dwindling support system.  Unfortunately, this ended in tragedy for one runner, a 35 year old policeman from Michigan who collapsed and died on the course.  All told, only 25,534 out of the 45,000 registered runners finished the race, with only 1,363 of them finishing before the race was officially cancelled.

     Even though the response seemed chaotic, the quick thinking and efforts of the medical team assuredly saved lives and kept people out of hospitals.  Despite the chaos of race day, Pinkowski remained in charge of the Marathon, a post which he holds to this day.  Sunday's weather forecast calls for a high of only 58 degrees, so I think it's safe to say we won't have the same problem this year.

Chicago's Marathon: Marathon Week Day 1

     This Sunday, 45,000 runners will take to the streets of Chicago in an attempt to conquer the Marathon. 26.2 miles of pure, unadulterated, grit and determination. But did you know we've had a Marathon here ever since the first Roosevelt Administration? That's right. The 1896 Olympics turned the world's attention to the Marathon distance, and within a year, Boston had already started running their own yearly Marathon(which is still going to this day). Interest eventually spread to Chicago, and the city held its first Marathon in 1905. The course ran from Evanston all the way to Washington Park, where 100,000 people gathered to watch the thrilling finish. The first iteration of the Marathon continued until the 1920s, when it was sidelined.


     In 1972, Frank Shorter won the Olympic Marathon in Munich, spawning renewed interest. Then in 1976, the New York City Marathon ran a course that encompassed all of the city, popularizing that concept. At that same time, Mayor Richard J. Daley was thinking about re-establishing the Chicago Marathon. Lee Flaherty entered the picture, and helped push the idea. Daley died before the Marathon started, so Mayor Bilandic had the first race in 1977 called the Mayor Daley Marathon. Bilandic even handed out medals at the end with his wife. The race didn't truly become a world class destination until 1982, when sponsorship allowed for better prize money, attracting better runners. This was also the final year that an American won the Men's race, with a time of 2:10:59. In 1987, only a half marathon was run due to a lack of sponsorship. In 1994, LaSalle Bank became the sponsor, and then in 2008 Bank of America began to sponsor the race.


     The race itself goes through 29 of Chicago's 77 neighborhoods, giving a diverse glimpse of all the areas of the city. And the residents put on a show of their own. As the runners go through Boystown, they'll be treated to an all-male cheerleading squad, and in Chinatown they'll meet up with dragon dancers. Not just that, there are also several cheer zones set up along the course where spectators can cheer on the runners.  But the spectators aren't only restricted to the Cheer Zones, they line the streets of the city from start to finish.  Some of them even climb up on the city's bridges to get a better view. Regardless of how you watch it, the Chicago Marathon is truly a sight to behold, and a great time for all ages.  Make sure to come down to the city on Sunday to catch all the action live.

The Great Chicago Fail Festival

     Back in 2009 when Chicago was bidding for the Olympics, Jim Lasko started brainstorming as to what Chicago's Opening Ceremony might look like.  Looking for something uniquely Chicago, he came up with the beginnings of a plan.  But once Chicago lost the Games, his thinking was put on the back burner. This past Saturday night 30,000 people lined the banks of the Chicago River between State and Columbus to see the realization of Lasko's vision, which had taken form as the Great Chicago Fire Festival. The festival was meant to be a celebration of the city's rebirth from the Great Chicago Fire in 1871.  The event, which was organized by Redmoon(a Chicago-based arts group), was actually the culmination of several months worth of smaller interactions and engagements with many of Chicago's diverse neighborhoods.


     October 4, 2014 was to be the conclusion of the Festival, the Grand Spectacle, which would culminate in 3 Victorian-style house mock-ups being set on fire in the River.  The first activity was a neighborhood bazaar taking place along Upper Wacker Drive, with various artisans and other vendors selling their unique wares that helped to show off Chicago's diversity.  Starting at 5:30, there were two stages set up(one of them being in Pioneer Court) where various acts performed for the next two hours, such as She, The O'Mys(just over a month removed from their successful show at the Bash on Wabash), Dragon Dancers from St. Therese Chinese School, Keyani, a performance by the Happiness Club, as well as many other acts. At 7:35, there was an announcement of winners and a trophy presentation at one of the stages, and the show was all set to begin.  After the arrival of some dignitaries on boats, the Spectacle was on.  First up, two stars from NBC's Chicago Fire(because of course they'd do that) lowered a fire cauldron from the Michigan Avenue Bridge.  Other participants lowered 14 more cauldrons.  Then 3 steamships came through, led by the S.S. O'Leary(because once again, of course they'd do that).  The steamships were to take the fires from the buoys and use them to ignite the Victorian mock-ups mentioned earlier.  After the houses burned, a "symbolic, interior core" was to be exposed.  After that, fireworks would go off and 30,000 screaming fans would cheer their approval, then the first annual Great Chicago Fire Festival would be a success.  Right?

Wrong.

     It was all going so well. The stage acts went off without a hitch, there were 30,000 people waiting on the banks of the river, Jesse Spencer and Taylor Kinney lowered the first cauldron, and the O'Leary fleet did their thing.  Just one problem: the houses didn't burn up, they just caught on fire and then fizzled out.  Apparently, the safety system integrated into each of the houses was too efficient for its own good.  The internal propane tanks in each house were designed not to unleash the propane until an electrical impulse was issued from the pilot light.  Unfortunately, the houses were so moist that the impulses failed to go.  Ergo, no fire.  After several failed attempts, Redmoon cut their losses and went straight to fireworks.  In the wake of the let down, there has been an uprising on Twitter, disappointed Chicagoans, a comparison to Geraldo's ill-fated attempt at digging up some dirt on Capone, and even an inquiry by Alderman Ed Burke into just how much money was wasted on the spectacle that wasn't.  As of now, the head of Redmoon says that they intend to try again next year, so I guess the answer for now is just to stay tuned for 2015.

Trivia Tuesday: Deserted Stations

     Okay guys, welcome back.  First off, last week's answer.  A commuter who wanted to go from Zion to Ogilvie for a whole year on Car 553 would need to pony up $3,378.  That's $2,478 for 12 Metra monthly tickets at $206.50 each, plus $900 for the annual fee to join Car 553.  And now, this week's question(and no math this time, I promise):

Which CTA station grew so deserted by the end of its run that it looked like a dilapidated shed?

  We'll be back next week with the answer, as well as another question.

Daaa Superfans: Bears Week Day 4

     Saturday Night Live has come out with some groundbreaking sketches over the years, but only one of them succinctly wraps up the mindset of the stereotypical Bears fan so well. It premiered in 1991(mere hours before the Bears were to take the field for a playoff match up with the New York Giants), and originally featured Joe Montegna(who is from Chicago), Mike Myers, Chris Farley, Rob Smigel, and Kevin Nealon. The plot as it first went was that Bill Swerski(played by Montegna) and his cronies are all camped out in Mike Ditka's Restaurant, holding court over copious quantities of brats, Polish Sausage, and beer, all while discussing the fortunes of the Bears at that specific moment in time, kind of like this:

     The sketch was originally written by Rob Smigel in 1988 for another comedy show he was attached to, basing the characters on Chicago broadcast personalities from the 70s and 80s. Since Montegna was just the host for that first sketch, he was replaced in subsequent airings by George Wendt, who played his brother Bob. Bill's absence was explained away by Bob saying that his "brudder had anudder heart attack"(heart attacks were quickly becoming their go-to ailment). The fans made several more appearances on SNL, discussing such things as how well Ditka would do in a Hurricane, how he'd do in the Indy 500(he'd finish in first place driving the team bus), and how Da Bearss would do against Da Bullss.  The fans also branched out into talking about the Bulls a bit, pondering over how Jordan would perform in a game played while lounging on a recliner, or saying that Da Bullss would blow out the Pistons 402-0(but Jordan would be held to under 200 points).  In their heyday, both Jordan and Ditka would make appearances in the sketch.

     Their final appearance on SNL came in 1997, courtesy of a comedic "where are they now" sketch hosted by Bill Kurtis.  Chris Farley died 2 months later, precluding any more skits.  Regardless, the Superfans have popped up in various media over the years since, including appearances by a relative of the Swerskis on Weekend Update, a few appearances on ESPN, a call-out in a GEICO commercial, and this ad for State Farm:

They're Not Here to Start No Trouble: Bears Week Day 3

    In late 1985, members of the Chicago Bears gathered in a vacant recording studio in Chicago to record a song. At first blush, the idea of pro footballers laying down a track sounds about as appealing as a DVD boxed set of Cop Rock, but this was different. That February, the Bears brought the Lombardi Trophy to Chicago, and the legend of the Super Bowl Shuffle was born. Well on their way to a commanding 15-1 record, a local fan named Randy Weigand had an idea to write and choreograph a rap number for the team. His girlfriend(who just happened to be a cheerleader) got him in touch with Willie Gault, who in turn communicated with the rest of the team, which really got the ball rolling. And this was the result:

     Almost the entire lineup took part in the production, save for Dan Hampton, who thought the whole thing rather arrogant(which to be frank, it probably was, but what would the '85 Bears have been without it?) In reality, the whole affair had a charity angle to it as well, with the Bears donating roughly $300,000, a fact which Walter Payton emphasized in verse, saying "Now we're not doing this because we're greedy, the Bears are doing it to feed the needy." The song was a hit far beyond any expectations, making it to #41 on the Billboard charts, making the Bears the only American pro team to ever have a hit record. In the subsequent years, the song has spawned many imitations, many of them done by teams who didn't actually win it all, others becoming only slightly popular, but none of them achieving the stature of the Super Bowl Shuffle, a performance that still holds up 29 years later.

50 years at the Confines: Bears Week Day 2

     The Chicago Bears were founded way back in 1921.  However, they didn't play their first game at Soldier Field until 50 years later.  Why, you ask?  Because they spent the intervening years playing games at Wrigley Field.  That's right, the Bears played at Wrigley from 1921 all the way till 1970.  And while there, they had some memorable moments.  They won 8 championships there(that's about 8 more than the Cubs have), and they fielded some of the most memorable teams and players in NFL history.  This is where Gale Sayers accomplished the gargantuan feat of scoring 6 touchdowns in a single game.  This is where Bronco Nagurski ended up running into the outfield wall, cracking it, and remarking to George Halas that "That last guy hit me awfully hard".  This is where it became hip to Bear Down. Not just that, but this is where the Bears first wowed the nation with their T formation and became known as the Monsters of the Midway.  George Halas, Mike Ditka, Gale Sayers, Dick Butkus, and many other players all made their marks and their legends here.


     Ultimately the team was forced to leave Wrigley after the 1970 season because the place simply couldn't have any more seats jammed into it, but their 50 years at Wrigley remains the 2nd longest period of occupying one stadium by any team in the NFL(the Green Bay Packers have played in Lambeau Field since 1957)