If you’ve been scoring at home, you know that RedEye’s Phillip Thompson holds a slight 1-0 lifetime lead over fellow reporter Jimmy Greenfield in the RedEye Scavenger Hunt Championship Series, but there’s a long way to go in this head-to-head competition.
On Sunday we sent both reporters to U.S. Cellular Field with fresh scavenger hunt assignments, not because we like to see the two of them fight it out but because–OK, yes, we like to make them fight it out. Here’s how they fared:
JIMMY (1 POINT EACH)
1. Find a tailgater with a recipe worth sharing.
Lemon Grass Pork Chops (a.k.a. Pavlov’s Pork Chops): Look at those pork chops and don’t let your mouth water. Trust us, it can’t be done.
That’s because Craig Yuen marinates his chops for 12 hours in garlic, salt, pepper and of course, lemon grass. But it’s his final ingredient that makes this so delectable.
“A bunch of stuff,” he calls it. French chefs, eat your hearts out.
2. Shoot a picture of a Jerry Reinsdorf look-alike.
This man is not the owner of the White Sox. He’s Mark Zisook, 48, of Northbrook, and when I asked him if he agreed he resembled Reinsdorf he could not have agreed more. “Sure, a little bit,” Zisook said. Funny, that’s exactly what Reinsdorf would have said.
3. Spot a Jim Thome Sox jersey and get the story.
Well, that didn’t take long. There were plenty of Jim Thome jerseys at The Cell on Sunday night, including one worn by Kevin Skaggs, 19, of Lynwood. He paid $100 for it at Champ Sports a couple weeks ago. Why Thome?
“He’s been a Sox killer ever since he’s been with the Indians,” Skaggs said. “So now that he’s with us it’s great that we got him.”
He’s so giddy that what he said made no sense. Onward.
4. Insta-poll: Find 10 fans and ask if the Sox win the Series again this year. Report findings.
What happens if you ask 10 people at The Cell if the Sox will repeat as World Series champions? You get eight people who say yes, and two who say no. And the two who said no? Not Sox fans. So, there you go.
— Brian Smith, 25, Lombard–no
— Jackie Hoheisel, 30, Naperville–yes
— Dave Claahsen, 26, Crestwood–yes
— Matt Weiss, 22, Braidwood–no
— Hope Ohearn, 20, Bradley–yes
— Ryan Fay, 23, Roscoe Village–yes
— Bob Gikas, 37, Lockport–yes
— Dan Lyman, 27, Garfield Ridge–yes
— Amy Sachs, 28, Long Grove–yes
— Kyle Stoll, 17, Lynwood–yes
5. Find the youngest fan you can at the game.
I wish I could say a few nice things about Paul Fischer, born Jan. 30, 2005, but when I interviewed him about going to his first White Sox game, he would not say a word to me. Not one word. Just stared and had his “publicist” Bruce Fischer, 47, of River Forest do all the talking for him.
JIMMY’S FIRST-ROUND SCORE: 5 points
PHIL (1 POINT EACH)
1. Shoot a picture of a Paul Konerko look-alike.
Bless you Paul Konerko for looking like half the thirtysomething males in Chicago. I found not one but two Konerkos.
“The goatee definitely does it,” Rich Wilke, 29, from Lake in the Hills said. “I wish I had his money.”
Later I asked Brian Eaheart if anyone told him he looked like Paulie.
“Jeff Bagwell, but not Paul Konerko,” said the 35-year-old health-care professional. “But if it gets me free seats, I’ll take either.”
He said he got a free limo ride in Las Vegas about three years ago because his buddy convinced the driver he was Bagwell.
2. Get a traffic report from someone who came in on the Dan Ryan.
Traffic on the Dan Ryan Expressway was pretty light, said Dan Krause, 33, an assistant principal. He left New Lenox between 3 and 3:30 p.m. and arrived at the park about 45 minutes later.
“For a Sunday on a game day, it wasn’t too bad,” Krause said. “I think people probably stayed off the road. After seeing what they did to it, yeah. If they haven’t stayed off it, they should stay off it.”
3. Get a group of 10 people to pose as the World Series trophy.
Some of the Sox faithful were a little uncooperative for people who just won a world title. But by my third try, I found some very willing and accommodating tailgaters.
4. Find a fan wearing a Cubs item and then get a prediction: When will the Cubs win a Series?
I know one was out there. But wisely, any Cubs gear was covered up.
5. Find the youngest fan you can at the game.
I found one kid who was 18 months, but the parents were in a hurry for a bathroom break. Then I saw little Carlos Trujillo (left) all decked out in Sox gear. He was born on Oct. 26, 2004, said mom Maureen.
PHIL’S FIRST-ROUND SCORE: 3 points
BONUS ROUND
(1 POINT EACH)
Find a look-alike of each other.
A. Jimmy found Eric Rembert (right) of Portage Park as his Phil
look-alike. Phil couldn’t find anyone who looked like Jimmy. “I think we can thank advances in medicine for that small favor,” Phil said.
B. Get an interview with someone that you define as a celebrity.
Jimmy: An interview with Jimmy Greenfield, RedEye celebrity …
RedEye: Oh my God, I love you in 5 on 5.
Jimmy: Who are you with?
RedEye: RedEye.
Jimmy: Didn’t that paper close down?
RedEye: That was Red Streak.
Jimmy: And who am I with?
RedEye: RedEye.
Jimmy: Why do I keep asking you questions?
RedEye: Because this is a fictional conversation.
Jimmy: You blew my mind.
Phil: Who says the Blues Brothers are the only colorful family from Chicago? I met up with the Da Greens Brothers, Mike (from left), Pete and Jack, who have been making appearances for 16 seasons on special occasions such as the South Side St. Patrick’s Day parade and White Sox games, said manager Dan Green (not his real last name; they all are named Green.) “It’s always fun,” Green said. “As long as they have beer.” You can join the fan club at www.beverly records.com/greensbros.htm
C. Spot someone wearing a 2005 Sox jersey for a player no longer with the team.
Jimmy: Frank Thomas is gone, but he’s not forgotten. Brian Campana, 24, of Aurora won’t let the memory of one of the greatest White Sox players ever fade away. Isn’t that right, Brian? “I just didn’t have $100 to buy another jersey,” he said.
Phil: I saw a lady wearing an Aaron Rowand jersey, and I pounced! “We miss him, we love him. He’s got great legs and a hot ass,” said Marla DeLeo, a 46-year-old flight attendant from Logan Square. “He wears his uniform really tight.”
D. Have someone sing “Don’t Stop Believin’ ” and record it.
Jimmy: My plan was to ask Sox organist Nancy Faust to give them some background music. By coincidence, the guy I asked was Eric Jenkins, who happens to be Faust’s son. He sang for me. I’d describe it for you, but I’ve blocked it from my memory. Phil: It’s hard to cheese up a Journey song, but this group might have done just that. I can just picture Steve Perry’s mullet flapping as Scott Radziewicz, Reece Murry, Becky Bravo and Jennifer Jurczyk sang the song. “Sox win!” shouts Bravo. Bravo, indeed.
E. Have a photo taken of you overlooking the Dan Ryan.
The picture at right says it all.
FINAL SCORE …
Jimmy aced the bonus round, while Phil only got four out of the five extra items correct. Jimmy wins this hunt, 10-7.
