Hard to believe, but if you take away the White Sox’s World Series title, 2005 was still a highly entertaining and often magical year for sports in Chicago.
Not that you could pry away the World Series title even if you tried.
Here are RedEye’s top 10 most newsworthy Chicago sports stories from the past 12 months, and here’s to many more in 2006.
White Sox win the World Series
This might just be the greatest sports accomplishment in Chicago sports history. A team that almost nobody picked to even make the playoffs, that nearly folded in the final six weeks of the season, blew past three successive postseason opponents to win the World Series for the first time since 1917.
Moment to remember: Wherever you were the moment the Sox clinched.
Illinois’ post-season run
TV’s were turned off and depression began to set in among Illini faithful when they trailed Arizona by 15 points with under four minutes left in the NCAA regional final at
Allstate Arena. It’s a good thing nobody told the team it was over. Deron Williams’ 3-pointer capped a furious comeback, and Illinois went to its first Final Four since 1989 before losing to North Carolina in the title game.
Moment to remember: Illinois coach Bruce Weber’s raw emotion during a moment of silence as he returned to coach Illinois in the Big Ten Tournament after the death of his mother, Dawn.
Bears go on eight-game winning streak
They were 1-3 with a rookie quarterback when the Bears blew out visiting Minnesota, 38-6. Over the next seven weeks, the Bears rode the NFL’s best defense and an offense that made few mistakes to the top of the NFC North.
Moment to remember: Charles “Peanut” Tillman’s interception return for a TD in overtime against Detroit put the Bears above .500.
Rex Grossman breaks his ankle
Maybe it wasn’t so surprising to see Rex Grossman get hurt, but so soon? The Bears were only in the second quarter of their second preseason game when Grossman broke his left ankle, the third straight season he suffered a serious injury.
Moment to remember: It would have been Grossman writhing in pain that day in August, but Grossman rehabbed his ankle and made his debut in the second half against Atlanta in Week 15. On his first play, he threw a 22-yard pass to Muhsin Muhammad, and just like that he was back.
Bulls return to the playoffs
It looked like the Bulls were still the joke of the NBA when they lost their first nine games, but a powerful work ethic instilled by coach Scott Skiles never left them. The Bulls finished 47-35 to earn their first playoff berth since the
1997-98, the last of the Bulls’ six championship seasons.
Moment to remember: Anytime Ben Gordon had the ball in the fourth quarter.
Cubs trade Sammy Sosa to Baltimore
The end of Sosa’s career in Chicago really ended when he left Wrigley Field on the final day of the regular season before the game was over. But the Cubs weren’t able to unload him until February.
Moment to remember: It was a moment that didn’t happen. Sosa was supposed to come to U.S. Cellular Field for a series against the Sox but just days before the series he went on the disabled list with an abscessed left foot.
Olin Kreutz breaks Fred Miller’s jaw
The saga of Miller’s broken jaw went from sad to surreal after the initial story he told the Bears and the media — that he fell in his home — turned out to be a lie. Kreutz punched him in the jaw after the two got into a fight after a day spent at one local FBI shooting range. Miller missed two games and both players were fined $50,000.
Moment to remember: Fred Miller addressing the media through clenched teeth after the ruse was revealed.
The Bulls trade Eddy Curry to New York
One of the big reasons for the Bulls’ resurgence was fourth-year center Eddy Curry. In late March he experienced an irregular heartbeat, forcing him out for the remainder of the season, and six months later he was dealt to New York. The Bulls declined to give him the long-term deal he wanted without Curry taking a DNA test, something the Knicks didn’t ask for.
Moment to remember: John Paxson showing how hurt he was after Curry allegedly declined to return any of Paxson’s phone calls or e-mails. “I deserve from Eddy better than that,” Paxson said.
Cubs finish below .500.
Injuries to Mark Prior, Nomar Garciaparra, Kerry Wood and Aramis Ramirez certainly played a role in the Cubs’ demise, but it was the baffling incompetence of LaTroy Hawkins and Corey Patterson that symbolized a lost season on the North Side.
Moment to remember: After an August loss to Colorado, Corey Patterson lost any goodwill he had with Cub fans when he said, “It’s just a game, you know?”
Blackhawks play first game in 18 months
The NHL lockout ended and Chicago, one of the great hockey cities of the 20th century, could barely give a damn.
Moment to remember: Opening night was at the United Center. The Hawks didn’t televise the game. Same old, same old.
White Sox go, go, go!
Oct. 26: World Series Game 3
It was well past midnight when the Sox won a 14-inning thriller 7-5 in Houston to extend their Series lead to 3-0.
Exact moment: In his first Series at-bat, reserve infielder Geoff Blum jerked a two-out homer over the left-field wall to silence the stunned sellout crowd of 42,848 fans at Minute Maid Park.
Oct. 16: Sox clinch ALCS
The Sox eliminated the Angels 4-1 in their best-of-seven series as Jose Contreras allowed only five hits in pitching the Sox’s fourth consecutive complete game.
Exact moment: Joe Crede ties the game at 3 with a solo homer in the seventh inning, right about when you thought the Angels might pull it off.
Oct 12: Game 2 of the ALCS
One day after losing 3-2 in Game 1 in Chicago to the road-weary Angels, the Sox rebounded. Game 1 would turn out to be their only loss of the playoffs.
Exact moment: A.J. Pierzynski swung at a low pitch for what could have been the final out, but he broke toward first base as the Angels catcher rolled the ball to the mound. The umpire ruled Paul didn’t catch the ball or tag Pierzynski. Moments later, the Sox won, 2-1.
Oct 28: Sox downtown parade
The charmed Sox hit downtown for a rally and were greeted by a city ready to party. It was maybe the only time Chicagoans didn’t mind Loop traffic.
Exact moment: Paul Konerko (above right) said he had a gift for Sox chairman Jerry Reinsdorf (above left), then the free-agent first baseman presented Reinsdorf with the ball from the last out of the Series. Almost one month later, Konerko and the Sox agreed to a deal.
Sept. 29: Sox clinch division
After seeing a 15-game lead nearly evaporate, the Sox beat Detroit 4-2 to clinch the division.
Exact moment: After the game, Paul Konerko told reporters, “If you said before the season that we were going to win the division, you’re lying.”
