Boston - we can't complain - Chicago is completely shutdown

The City of Chicago has a storm for the ages. These pictures are amazing and scary




This is a bus driver's seat















I guess we can't really complain

Red Sox could really help the hotel and restaurant industry in January - Why don't they do it???

The Boston Red Sox have never been known to leave any money on the table but for some reason they refuse to sponsor a major team event like many other MLB teams.

For example in Chicago, both the Cubs and White Sox have major weekend long events in January that are huge draws.


2011 Chicago Cubs Convention 


2011 Chicago White Sox SoxFest

Both of these events are wildly popular and brings thousands of fans into the Chicago Loop in the middle of winter. This should be a no-brainer for the Red Sox, but they seem to have no interest.

Does anybody doubt for a second that a Red Sox WinterFest ( an event they held in December of 1996 at the Hynes Convention Center) wouldn't be a huge attraction? January is one of the slowest months of the year for the Boston hotel and restaurant industry and a Sox sponsored event would provide a nice boost. The prefect weekend would be the last weekend of January as that is week before the Super Bowl and there is little else going on.


The Red Sox do sponsor some minor events...the invitation only Christmas at Fenway, usually the second Saturday of December, the 2011 Red Sox Road Trip and of course Truck Day (this year February 8th)

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Again, back in December of 1996, the Red Sox DID sponsor an event.

Patriot Ledger Nov 30, 1996

The Red Sox will host WinterFest Saturday (9 a.m.-7 p.m.) and Sunday (9 a.m.-6 p.m.) at the Hynes Convention Center. The event is modeled after the FanFest events, which have become popular attractions at the Major League All-Star Game. It's the first time a large-scale fan event has been planned in conjunction with the Winter Meetings.


Highlights will include autograph sessions, video batting and pitching cages, baseball card trading and memorabilia as well as merchandise from major- and minor-league teams for purchase. Ballpark-style food will be available. The event will also coincide with the lighting of the Prudential Center Christmas tree Saturday evening.
Tickets, available at the door, are $6 for adults, $4 for children 5-12. Children younger than 5 will be admitted free.

Come on Messrs Henry, Werner and Lucchino. This is a no brainer and would be a win for everybody.

Let's do it for 2012.

A Nation Invades Chicago (and for some they have no choice)

A long weekend of baseball on the south side of Chicago and the final result was the Sox won all 4 games.
(Red Sox 2 White Sox 2 )

Red Sox Nation was at U.S. Cellular Field in force all weekend and for the most part was very well behaved.

We met a couple Monday night and their reason for being in Chicago saddened me. They are from Randolph and ardent Red Sox (and especially Coco) fans. I asked if they get to Fenway often and their reply stunned me. They don't go to Fenway *NOT* because they can't get or afford tickets but because they fear for their safety because of their race.

'The Cell' as the park is called by the locals is a very nice place to watch a game and unlike the ballpark 8 miles to the north the fans know exactly what is happening on the field. This was proven in the sixth inning when White Sox pitcher John Danks hit Jacoby Ellsbury with a pitch and a loud groan was heard as Danks' perfect game was gone. These fans know their baseball and the only pink hats I saw were Boston ones. The concessions I sampled were quite tasty and priced far more reasonably than Fenway. One nice feature for those who like to keep score is you can buy a scorecard for only $1 and they also sell beer at the seats.

One thing Red Sox and White Sox fans share is Hall of Fame catcher Carlton Fisk. His number 27 is retired at Fenway and the number 72 is retired at USCF. In the center field bleachers there is a statue of Fisk.

In some ways a White Sox game reminds me of minor league games in Lowell or Pawtucket as their are a lot of gimmicks between innings from hamburger races on the scoreboard to a goal scoring contest sponsored by the hockey Blackhawks and the fans seem to enjoy them.


Leaving the park we saw a sign that would make Yogi Berra proud. I mean how can you enjoy the game when you have left?????

The park is located 5 miles south of 'The Loop' Unlike Boston there is plenty parking and the park is located just off the Dan Ryan Expressway. The park is also served by 2 subway stations. The lines at the SOX-35th St station after the game is just as bad as Kenmore.

Overall if you ever want to see The Olde Town Team on the road I would highly recommend Chicago. It might be the finest city in the United States.

I had never been to Wrigley Field....what a night

I am in the middle of a baseball vacation and we will see our beloved Sox tonight and tomorrow in Kansas City and then in Chicago this weekend.

I had never seen a game at Wrigley Field so last night we went to the old ballpark at Clark and Addison. I won't remember much of the game but I will never forget the sheer terror of thinking I am going to die with 40,000 other people. The Chicago Tribune explains

The clock on top of the venerable Wrigley Field scoreboard read 8:06 p.m. Monday when tornado sirens began to wail in the darkness. Action between the Cubs and Astros had been suspended already for nearly a half-hour.

Then, minutes after the sirens howled, the wind started blowing out. Like, really out. Like carry-a-ball-to-the- Michigan-shoreline out.

Rain pulled a U-turn within the stadium. Debris floated along a river of standing water on the warning track behind home plate.

All of it giving a new, unsettling meaning to "It's Gonna Happen."

When the sirens went off the Cubs tried to tell the fans to seek refuge under the stands. Cubs fans may be very loyal but they are not stupid as if a tornado hits it most likely would not be wise to be under the upper deck of a almost 100 year old ballpark. 40,000 people vanished in minutes.

At this point it was an official game and of course they were finished for the evening.... nope

We were a mile away munching on a burger some 3 hours later and watching the Red Sox lose on NESN when suddenly the TV showed the game had resumed. We rushed back to Wrigley and joined about 81 other fans to watch the game.

In the eight inning the sky turned white and the loudest thunder I have ever heard at the same instant sent the players running for their lives. The game was finally called and the Cubs lost.

The Cubs fans we met we all friendly and they are SO HOPEFUL that this is NEXT year. They all want to play the Red Sox in the World Series something the Cubs have not been in since 1945.
Nobody that we spoke to wants an all Chicago World Series as Cubs fans fear if they met the crosstown White Sox they would lose.

Wrigley Field is not in good shape. Fans explained to me that renovations like those at Fenway Park are almost impossible to make because the City of Chicago has given the park 'landmark' status.

It is the only park in MLB that does not have a video replay board because the city will not allow it. However they do serve beer in the seats.

Sadly the Cubs have more 'pink hats' than we do.

On to Kansas City

Flying to Chicago O'Hare??? USE MIDWAY IN JULY or else.....

Just a heads up for anybody planning to fly to Chicago O'Hare for the next few weeks.

The CTA ( Chicago Transit Authority ) has shut down 4 miles of track that connect O'Hare Field with the rest of the L system in the city.

Passengers have to take shuttle buses to cover the 4 miles.

Those who don't want to deal with a shuttle bus can expect to pay $40-50 for a cab.

The Chicago Tribune has more.

Blue Line shuttle to O'Hare will test travelers' patience for rest of July

Here is an idea for Mayor Menino

A friend was in Chicago over the weekend and saw this. It turns out they even have a website.

Could you imagine Boston having something like this??

UPDATE: Boston loses 3-2 to Cubs

The Chicago Cubs defeated the Boston Braves 3-2 this afternoon at Wrigley

THE BOSTON BRAVES LIVE AGAIN

At 2:20 Eastern time tomorrow the Boston Braves take the field at Wrigley Field in Chicago to play the Cubs. Tomorrow marks 60 years of Cubs baseball on WGN-TV in Chicago and the teams will wear 1948 uniforms. The Atlanta players will wear a hat with the letter B and the famed Wrigley scoreboard will say BOSTON instead of ATLANTA

Select concessions (NOT BEER) will be sold at 1948 prices.

The Braves played at what is now known as Nickerson Field at BU and a small part of the old Braves Field is still used today. The park was much bigger than Fenway but was hampered by being next to the old New York Central railroad yards that would blow smoke into the seats.

WBZ announcer Steve LeVeille has a tribute website for the long forgotten Braves.

Had the Braves not left in 1953 for Milwaukee it is quite possible that in a few years they would have become more popular than the Red Sox as they went on to win 2 pennants and a World Series in Milwaukee led by a young slugger known as Henry Aaron.

Today we might be fans of Boston Braves Nation.

Bad day for Green Lines - MBTA and CTA in Chicago

I think the universe does not like the color GREEN today Hopefully this is not an omen for the CELTICS tonight at the Garden

In Newton

Two trains collided on the Green Line near the Brae Burn Country Club in Newton Wednesday afternoon. The collision happened on Dorset Road around 6 p.m. on the D-Line between the Waban and Woodland stops.

and in Chicago this morning
CTA: Operator Error Played Role In Green Line Derailment

14 People Taken To Hospitals, Others Refuse Treatment