Who I am
A Hyde Park resident, age 60, a Cubs fan since 1966, author of best-selling mysteries featuring private detective V.I. Warshawski and of a new memoir, “Writing in an Age of Silence.”
Why I fell in love with the Cubs
I was a South Side camp counselor, and the Sox wouldn’t return our phone calls, but the Cubs gave our kids free passes every week. As you know, in Chicago, an honest politician is one who stays bought.
Favorite Cub
Bill Buckner, despite all the sneers and smears against him. He had all these ankle injuries, and he would soak his ankles in hot salt water for two hours before every game, and then he played his heart out on them. I responded to his spirit. Also, I had a friend who lived next door to him with her 90-year-old mother, but didn’t know he was a sports hero. For her, he was the nice boy next door who took out their garbage and made sure their walks were shoveled.
Favorite Cubs moment
Rick Reuschel crying when the Cubs traded him to the Yankees. He wept at leaving the Cubs.
Why I don’t want to be asked if they’ll go to the World Series
I lived and died with them in ’84, and, boy, did I die in ’84. I try not to get that invested in them. It’s too hard. I’m leaving for Europe in a week, so if they make it to the Series, I’ll be online every chance I get, looking up scores. But maybe that won’t be as bad as being here.
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IN THE WEB EDITION
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