Friday is the first of the Sox-Cubs games this season, symbolizing the greater North Side vs. South Side rivalry. But lost in the hype devoted to that divide are other classic internal duels, both city and suburban, some raging for decades, others just getting started, some quite serious, others a little silly.
THE DALEYS VS. THE MADIGANS VS LIPINSKIS VS STROGERS VS THE HYNESES VS THE BURKES VS THE LAURINOS VS THE CULLERTONS
Sure, they’re all Democrats. And, sure, the Daleys have run the city from the 5th floor of City Hall for 38 of the last 51 years. But, make no mistake, these political families are rivals for power. They’ve been able to co-exist, in large part, because they’ve each carved out a particular piece of the pie for themselves. In the 39th Ward, for example, Margaret Laurino has been the alderman for 12 years, a post her father, Anthony, held for the previous 29 years. Michael Madigan is the committeeman for the 13th Ward, but his real power base is his office as Illinois House speaker. And his daughter Lisa just happens to be the Illinois attorney general. Todd Stroger is the 8th Ward alderman, but he’s maneuvering to become Cook County Board president if his ailing father, John, incumbent since 1994 and renominated earlier this year, is unable to resume the race this fall. And then, of course, there’s Gov. Rod Blagojevich, whose father-in-law is 33rd Ward Ald. Richard Mell, and U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr., whose father is, well, civil rights legend and former Democratic presidential hopeful Jesse Jackson.
EAST AURORA VS. WEST AURORA
You can’t have a river town without rivalries. Aurora started as two cities — the Village of Aurora on the east side of the Fox River, and the Village of West Aurora across the way. They joined in 1857 as the City of Aurora, but the provincialism didn’t die. City Hall, the post office and the library were built on neutral territory: Stolp Island, in the middle of the Fox. And by gentlemen’s agreement, mayors — then limited to one term — came from alternating sides of the river. Businesses also got into the act. When West Side merchants along River Street decided to add ornate streetlights in 1908, East Side merchants along Broadway came up with their own decorative lighting. In sports, East-West high school football games used to draw an estimated 10,000 fans. Because of the city’s outward sprawl and an influx of new residents (the population went from 80,000 20 years ago to more than 160,000 today), the rivalry isn’t as potent as it used to be. But it’s certainly tangible at the East-West high school basketball games, which always pack the schools’
gyms.
QUARTINO VS. OSTERIA VIA STATO
When John Coletta opened Quartino — serving quartinos (quarter liter, or 1/3 of a standard bottle) of wine with Italian small plates, salumi and cheese — earlier this year directly across Ontario Street from Rick Tramonto’s Osteria Via Stato — which also serves quartinos of wine with Italian small plates, salumi and cheese — the tension was delicious. If these two were Italian siblings, you might describe Quartino as the younger, louder, wilder budget-conscious sister to the slightly fancier, more serious and grown-up sister with a regular “large plate” dining room attached. And the rivalry isn’t just about the two powerhouse Italian chefs fronting these places, it’s about their partners Rich Melman (of Lettuce Entertain You fame) behind Osteria and Hugo Ralli and Steve Lombardo (of Hugo’s and Gibson’s
fame) going head to head.
NAPERVILLE GARDEN CLUB VS. COMMUNITY GARDENERS
The gardeners of Naperville can align themselves with the venerable Naperville Garden Club (founded in 1929), which meets at a country club and boasts a history of formal teas with finger sandwiches and silver trays. Or they can side with the Naperville Community Gardeners (founded in 1979), where culinary precedents are more along the lines of Oreos-out-of-the-bag and instant coffee. Some members of the Garden Club might say of the relatively casual — and hugely popular — annual competition sponsored by the Community Gardeners, “Oh, that’s not a real flower show,” according to Nancy Carroll, who’s actually a member of both groups. And the produce-proud Community Gardeners don’t mind noting that theirs is the club with the biggest melons, peppers and onions. “They have been rivals,” says Carroll. “But I think the true spirit of both clubs is that they probably appreciate that they’re all gardeners and it would be nice to get together for a function.”
UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO HOSPITALS vs. NORTHWESTERN MEMORIAL HOSPITAL vs. RUSH UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER
Each is a major facility that draws patients from around the Midwest. Each has a medical school, expansion plans or projects under way, and specialties that have earned prominent placement on U.S. News & World Report’s “America’s Best Hospitals” issue. Each touts itself in aggressive marketing or advertising campaigns and vies for top physicians and researchers, sometimes plucking them from one another. So who’s the winner? Why, we are. “Chicago would be lucky to have two of the three, but to have all three is a real tribute to the city,” says Jim Unland, president of Health Capital Group, Chicago-based consulting firm. “They don’t all have the same identical triple-A rated strengths. But they all have very important strengths in different areas.” Lucky for us, indeed.
FRANCIS W. PARKER SCHOOL vs. LATIN SCHOOL OF CHICAGO
One is named for a dead language, the other for a dead colonel, but very much alive after 105 years is the rivalry between the two. Latin, founded in 1888 as an alternative to Eastern boarding schools, and Parker, founded in 1901 by Civil War Col. Francis Wayland Parker, a pioneer of progressive education, are heavily tilted toward the affluent, academically renowned, and within a mile of each other on Chicago’s Near North Side. They have battled it out on the playing fields for decades, in everything from basketball and baseball to volleyball and soccer. What’s more, they vigorously compete for gifted students, seem to follow each other in erecting lavish additions and claim illustrious alums (Latin: Supreme Court Justice John Harlan, Illinois Atty. Gen. Lisa Madigan, Nancy Reagan, Claes Oldenburg; Parker: David Mamet, (erroneous information published at this point has been deleted from this text) Daryl Hannah, Billy Zane).
MARSHALL vs. WHITNEY YOUNG GIRLS BASKETBALL
These two Chicago schools, within a few miles of each other, juggle the oldest and strongest rivalry in local girls basketball. “It’s the battle of the West Side,” says Young coach Corry Irvin. “If you have two Chicago teams … a mile [or so] apart, they’re trying to prove who is best in that area.” This year, Young was the best, taking both conference games against Marshall, winning the Public League championship and finishing third in the state tournament. Legendary Marshall coach Dorothy Gaters says keys to this rivalry are the marquee players — this year, Young’s Amanda Thompson, one of the nation’s top players, filled that spot — and the programs’ consistent quality. “And there’s always an element that you just cannot predict a winner,” Gaters says. “You know it’s going to be a hard-fought contest, just for pride.”
WOODFIELD SHOPPING CENTER vs. STREETS OF WOODFIELD
These Schaumburg shopping centers share a name (Woodfield), a street (Higgins Road) and traffic jams, of course. But there’s a leisure battle royal going on: stuff vs. fun stuff. While Woodfield has the edge in serious retail, from the Apple Store to Yankee Candle, the upstart Streets of Woodfield, after many mall mis-starts in that spot, has grabbed the entertainment ring, with the arcade-o-rama GameWorks, a movie multiplex and the triple restaurant threat of Maggiano’s, Shaw’s Crab House and Big Bowl. Now, Woodfield is sinking its teeth into new edgy eateries, such as Todai Seafood Buffet. And Streets now has Dick’s Sporting Goods. Let the fun begin.
ULTIMO vs. IKRAM
One — Ultimo — is the Oak Street designer boutique that for decades reflected the European style of Chicago fashion maven Joan Weinstein. The other is the rival designer boutique started by a former Ultimo saleswoman Ikram Goldman with the support and counsel of Weinstein, who felt betrayed when she was pushed out at Ultimo by the venture capitalists she brought in to expand her empire. Ultimo was rescued by former investment analyst Sara Albrecht, who recently celebrated her sixth anniversary at the helm. When Ikram debuted in 2001, some salespeople jumped ship from Ultimo and there was a little nastiness over which boutique was the “real” Ultimo. Ikram recently celebrated its fifth year in business with an over-the-top bash for 540 guests. Ultimo also recently hosted a party for Roberto Cavalli, the reigning Italian god of sexy clothing. Chicago’s fashionistas don’t seem to mind having more options — or more parties.
NORTH OAK PARK vs. SOUTH OAK PARK
The houses are bigger and lawns are broader on the north side of town. But the south siders claim they have more cultural diversity, which is one of the hallmarks of this suburb. The north has Frank Lloyd Wright’s Home & Studio and Ernest Hemingway’s birthplace and boyhood homes. The south has the gem of a conservatory and the better swimming pool, not to mention the best bakery in town. Then there’s youth sports — in particular the highly competitive baseball and softball leagues — where teams are split into two divisions: South Side and North Side, culminating in the often intense crosstown village championships.
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Your turn: What are some of the other great Chicago-area rivalries, both within and across boundaries? Write to Rivalries, Chicago Tribune, 435 N. Michigan Ave., Chicago, IL 60611. Or e-mail ctc-tempo@tribune.com.
