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Channel Description:
- David Schaper is a NPR National Desk reporter based in Chicago.
- Jon Hansen is the Radio News Director for DNAinfo Chicago.
- Justin Massa is the founder & President of Food Genius.
- Wailin Wong is Senior Editor for The Distance.
- Tony Arnold is a WBEZ reporter.
- Dan Montgomery is president of the Illinois Federation of Teachers.
- Laurence Msall is President of the Civic Federation.
Despite becoming one of the league’s most successful franchises, the Chicago Bulls took some time—and some sweet talk—to get running.
The Bulls were the fourth attempt to establish an NBA team in Chicago. First there was the Stags…then, if you can believe it, the Chicago Packers and lastly, and ever-so-briefly, the Chicago Zephyrs. According to Bulls lore (and The Chicago Bulls Encyclopedia), the club’s first owner, Richard Klein, wanted the team’s name to reflect strength and power and the city’s reputation as Hog Butcher for the World.
“At first,” Klein explained at the time, “I was thinking of names like Matadors or Toreadors, but if you think about it, no team with as many as three syllables in its nickname has ever had much success except for the Canadians. I was sitting around the house, kicking these names around with my wife and three sons, when my little son Mark said, ‘Dad, that’s a bunch of bull!’ I said, ‘That’s it! We’ll call them the Bulls!’ And that’s how the team got its nickname.”
The team’s mascot required more hot air than that. After the few other failed attempts to bring pro basketball to Chicago, the city’s sports fans—and writers—weren’t interested. So the Bulls brought on a former big-time fight announcer to be the team’s public relations man. Ben Bentley, affectionately known to the boxing world and beyond as “Benny,” said he used to struggle to give tickets away in the early days; he used to turn up daily at Chicago’s four newspapers to talk up the team and hand out tickets. His thought was, if he got them in the seats, he’d make sure they had a reason to come back for more. One time, he wrestled a bear at half time to get people talking!
And so, the team’s original hype man lives on in its luv-a-bull mascot, Benny the Bull.
The Blackhawks are named so in honor of a the 19th-century Sauk Indian warrior, Black Hawk. His tribe made their home along Illinois’s Rock River. He began his quest to keep that land for his people as a teenager—and did so well into his 60s. After tribes in the region signed over lands east of the Mississippi River to the federal government, Black Hawk led a rebellion. He and some 1,500 followers—500 warriors and 1,000 women and children—on a 15-week campaign which caused panic in the area. Ultimately, Black Hawk was captured and most of his followers were killed.
It was his captors that turned him into a mascot of sorts. He was taken to Washington, where he met with President Andrew Jackson. Black Hawk became a media sensation, the symbol of resistance and rebellion, strength and resilience.
When the team’s founder, Major Frederic McLaughlin, he drew inspiration from his time serving as an Army commander in WWI. His division called themselves the Black Hawks in honor of the warrior.
Beth Carvey, directs the museum at Black Hawk State Historic Site in Rock Island. She said Black Hawk believed in fighting for his people and doing what was right by his people, even if it was a lost cause.
George Halas, one of the founding fathers of the NFL, didn’t first start with the name Bears for his original franchise. The team began playing in 1919 in Decatur, Illinois and was known as the Decatur Staleys since it was a owned by the A.E. Staley food starch company.
Halas took over the club in 1920 and moved the team to Chicago in 1921. According to the present team chairman, George McCaskey (and Halas grandson), the team had to keep the name Staleys for one year after they moved to Chicago, while they played at Wrigley Field. Halas thought about naming his Chicago team, the Cubs, but thought football players were tougher and decided to anoint them as the Chicago Bears.
The team in recent years has had a kid-friendly team mascot that is a huge, almost cuddly bear, named Staley. His name was to honor the original team's name and also the hope that the name may inspire children to seek the history.
-Cheryl Raye-Stout
White Sox mascot - Southpaw
The Chicago White Sox installed “Southpaw” as their U.S. Cellular Field mascot in 2002. The green, lizard-like character’s name references left-handed pitchers and the ball club's location on Chicago’s South Side. But you have to go back decades to get a taste of some of the mascot controversy that has embroiled the White Sox over the years . Andy the Clown was Andy Rozdilsky dressed in clown makeup, a bowler hat, glasses and a ruffled collared polka-dotted costume. For over 20 year he would run around the park inciting shouts of “Gooooo yooooouuuuu White Sox” from children and adults alike as the unofficial mascot of the Chicago White Sox. Rozdilsky clowned around Comiskey Park from 1961-1981, until Jerry Reinsdorf’s ownership group bought the team.
Reinsdorf hired a design firm to come up with a new mascot for the White Sox in an effort to keep up with the times, and plushy dinosaurs, chickens and other assorted abstract animals were all the rage.
White Sox management introduced Ribbie and Roobarb, two almost inexplicably strange characters in 1981, but they were instantly unpopular as fans overwhelmingly rebelled against them, hurling insults, mock fighting and spitting on the duo. Fans waged a phone-in campaign to have the White Sox reinstate Andy, who had been banned from the park (while wearing his costume). Eventually the club compromised, saying Rozdilsky could continue to perform in the upper decks only, but fans would go out of their way to sneak Andy into the lower grandstands.
When the Sox moved to the new Comiskey Park, the White Sox officially retired Andy the Clown, and Rozdilsky retired from clowning (in costume) a few short years before he passed away in 1995.
-Justin Kaufmann
Chicago Cardinals - Pom-Pon Girls, Cardettes and Gary Mann
Chicago’s pro-football stepchild, the Chicago Cardinals, which became the St. Louis Cardinals, which became the Arizona Cardinals, didn’t have an official mascot, according to sources with the team as well as at the Pro Football Hall of Fame and the Chicago History Museum, but in the 1940s & 50s they had the "Pom-Pon Girls,” the team’s "official vocalist, Gary Mann" who sang the National Anthem, and the Cardettes, a " 30-girl twirling and precision group."
The Cardinals played in Chicago until 1960, when for the sake of its financial survival, the team moved to St. Louis.
The team’s origins go back to 1898 when owner Chris O'Brien formed the Morgan Athletic Club. Some years later, he bought used jerseys from the University of Chicago. Because the jerseys were old and used, they lacked the University’s deep maroon color and were a strange faded red. O’Brien decided the jerseys were “Cardinal Red”. The new “Cardinals” started playing their games on Chicago’s South Side at 61st and Racine. They were known then as the “Racine Street Cardinals”.
Special thanks to Jon Kendle of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Lesley Martin of the Chicago History Museum and Allison LeClair of the NFL's Arizona Cardinals.
-Steve Bynum
Chicago Cubs - No Mascot
The Chicago Cubs are one of four teams (Angels, Cubs, Yankees and Dodgers) with no official mascot. However, with the new 5-year, $300 million expansion plan for Wrigley Field, the club has reportedly partnered with Northwestern University to conduct a poll about what kid-friendly experiences to add to the ballpark. Among those items discussed, an official mascot, according to the Chicago Tribune.
Chicago Fire - Sparky
The official mascot for the Chicago Fire is Sparky, who resembles an upright Dalmatian. The mascot generally wears a Fire jersey, but it can often be seen entering Toyota Park in fireman attire. The Chicago Fire made Sparky the official mascot in 1998.
Chicago Sky - Sky Guy
Sky Guy is a yellow and blue-suited sky diver with a jet pack. Sky Guy has been the official mascot since the Chicago Sky became an offiicial WNBA team in 2006.
-Tim Akimoff
Coping with Alzheimer’s through storytelling. Plus, we take a look at lost and found photos. And, a Blackhawks playoffs update.
We find out how to prepare for an emergency in Chicago. And, we examine the legacy of Brown vs. The Board of Education and the face of school segregation today.
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We wrap up this week’s biggest news headlines with NPR reporter David Schaper and Jon Hansen of DNAinfo Chicago. We discuss the Illinois pension reform law which has been ruled unconstitutional by the Illinois Supreme Court; the historic reparations package for torture victims of former Chicago Police commander Jon Burge; the resentencing of Cook County inmate Adolfo Davis; and, the Chicago Blackhawks sweep the Minnesota Wild in the race for the Stanley Cup.
Guests:
Every Friday we bring you a brand new mix from the Vocalo DJ Collective, curated by DJ Jesse De La Pena. Today’s set comes from DJ Duane Powell and features Bossa Nova, R&B and Neo Soul.
Guest:Duane Powell is a Chicago-based DJ.
We’re wrapping up Small Business Week with a look at one final local business from around the Chicagoland area. The music industry has suffered greatly in the last few decades and the rise of the mp3 has hit the retail end of the business hard. But at least one refuge for crate diggers and music lovers is still standing strong. Val’s halla Records in Oak Park is celebrating its 43rd anniversary at the end of July. Val’s halla owner, Val Camilletti joins us with her story.
Guest:Val Camilletti is owner of Val’s halla Records.
The first annual Evanston Literary Festival begins Monday, May 11. It’s a week-long celebration of the literary scene in Evanston with events taking place throughout the city. Award-winning Chicago author and Distinguished Writer in Residence at Northwestern University, Stuart Dybek, will be there to help get things started. We use the opportunity to check in with the celebrated Chicago writer.
Guest:Stuart Dybek is an award-winning Chicago author and Distinguished Writer in Residence at Northwestern University.
Uber is in the market for a new mapping system and sets sights on Nokia’s digital mapping service. Meanwhile, Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel wants a universal taxi app for Chicago cabbies to compete with ridesharing services like Uber. We discuss some of the week’s biggest tech stories with Justin Massa of Food Genius and Wailin Wong, editor and writer for The Distance.
Guests:
According to a recent Chicago Tribune investigation that looks at checkpoints all over the city, Chicago police set up more DUI checkpoints in predominantly black and Latino neighborhoods than white neighborhoods. Angela Caputo is the investigative reporter that worked on the story and she joins us with details.
Guest: Angela Caputo is a Chicago Tribune reporter.
Illinois must continue to pay for the pensions of state workers despite the fact that the program is $105 billion in debt. That was the outcome of the May 8 Illinois Supreme Court ruling that found the state’s 2013 pension law unconstitutional. The law sought to delay the retirement age for some workers, limit the salary used to determine pension benefits, and scale back cost-of-living increases. For now, none of that will happen. The unanimous decision means lawmakers and the governor head back to the drawing board to find a way to solve the state’s pension crisis, which is the worst in the nation. WBEZ’s Tony Arnold covers Statehouse politics in Illinois. We also get reactions from joined Dan Montgomery of the Illinois Federation of Teachers and Laurence Msall of the Civic Federation.
Guests:
Inauguration check-in
Thirteen new aldermen will be sworn in Monday along with Chicago mayor Rahm Emanuel. We check in with WBEZ's city politics reporter Lauren Chooljian just before 2015 Inauguration begins.
Guest: Lauren Chooljian is WBEZ's city politics reporter.
What's ahead for Mayor's second term?
Chicago mayor Rahm Emanuel is sworn into his second term Monday and there’s no doubt he faces some big challenges: fiscal disarray, unhappy teachers, under-served neighborhoods demanding more attention and crime. How much can Chicagoans expect to the mayor to get done in the next fours years? What needs the most attention? And will he persuade Springfield and the governor to give Chicago a city owned casino. We get analysis on the Morning Shift.
Guests: Laurence Msall is the Civic Federation's President.
Robert Starks is a Professor of political science at Northeastern Illinois University.
Inauguration preview: All about City Council
Mayor Rahm Emanuel will be sworn in today. And, City Council will too. Including the freshmen alderman. WBEZ’s Lauren Chooljian introduces the new city representatives and the issues they’ll face this term. Have a look at the city's new council members here.
Chicago sports update
The Blackhawks looked great for the first 40 minutes of game 1 of the Western Conference Finals, before succumbing to a big, methodical Ducks team. In baseball the Sox pull of a sweep, the Cubs almost do a double sweep, and the soap opera surrounding the Bulls and Tom Thibodeau continues. WBEZ’s sports contributor Cheryl Raye Stout brings us all the weekend action.
Guests: Cheryl Raye Stout is a WBEZ sports contributor.
Run Boy Run
Existing in the tension between tradition and frontier, Telluride Bluegrass Festival Band Contest winner and Prairie Home Companion guest, Run Boy Run, truly exceeds the sum of its parts as touches of classical, jazz, and folk express themselves through the old-time core of the band’s unique sound. The five piece band decided to stick around for an extra day after their Evanston performance Sunday night and play for the Morning Shift.
Guest: Run Boy Run is an Arizona-based band.
The Chicago Blackhawks headed south this week to secure a dynasty, and the Tampa Bay Lightning are the only obstacle left.
Jonathan Toews and his Blackhawks teammates have already raised the Stanley Cup twice in the past five seasons. They're just four wins away from a third NHL title that would establish them as the most accomplished club of their era.
The opener of the Stanley Cup Final is Wednesday night in Tampa Bay. Here are two matchups to watch for:
The Teams
NPR's David Greene talks to Greg Wyshynski, editor of Yahoo's Puck Daddy blog, for a preview of the Chicago Blackhawks and the Tampa Bay Lightning.
The National Anthem Singers
In hockey, the competition often begins before the puck is dropped — with the national anthem.
Here we are in the middle of August, nearing the end of the regular baseball season, and Chicago’s teams each just wrapped up an exciting series. The Cubs were spectacular, sweeping the defending World Series champs the San Francisco Giants in four games. On the flip side, the Sox were the ones who got swept. They fell three games in a row to the Kansas City Royals, last season’s runner-up. So, what does this mean for the postseason for our two home teams? WBEZ’s Cheryl Raye Stout talks baseball, plus an update on the Patrick Kane situation, and the latest from Bears training camp.
If there’s one thing we know about the Patrick Kane situation it’s that we’ll know more later.
Blackhawks team president John McDonough repeatedly told reporters at a press conference Thursday that the team was unable to answer questions at this time about the team’s star winger who’s alleged to have sexually assaulted a woman in early August. Kane was also at the press conference. He said he’ll be absolved but didn’t say much more.
The event was held to mark the official opening of Blackhawks training camp in South Bend. WBEZ’s sports contributor Cheryl Raye Stout was at the press conference and joins us with the details.
The baseball season has officially come to a close. The Kansas City Royals beat the Mets to win the World Series Sunday night. For Cubs’ fans, KC winning is a good sign. They’re young, they’re hungry, they came oh-so-close last year. Could the Cubs of 2016 be the Royals of 2015? Something to think about during the long winter as you’re watching the Bears, the Blackhawks, and the Bulls.
We take a moment to talk about those three teams — what they have going for them and what still needs work — with WBEZ’s sports contributor Cheryl Raye Stout.
