Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
of World War I, was undeniably shabby and low on amenities. The stadium's
most distinctive feature, its classically inspired colonnade, was retained, but a
giant addition that resembles a spaceship was crammed awkwardly on top.
(Thus, the complaints that the place is an architectural disaster). But from a
comfort perspective, the place is much improved. Regale your kids with stories
of the notorious “Monsters of the Midway” who battered opponents into sub-
mission under the aegis of NFL founding father and legendary coach George
“Papa Bear” Halas. There is still something quintessentially Chicago about
bravely freezing your derriere off at Soldier Field, or, for that matter, grilling up
ribs and brats in the parking lot before the Bears go to battle against our arch
enemy, the Green Bay Packers. True story: I once sat through a Bears-Packers
game late in the season in which it rained, then sleeted, then snowed (and still,
it seemed that not one spectator left!). Just make sure you bring a thermos of hot
chocolate for the kids and a flask of something warming for the adults before
you experience “Bear Weather” for the first time.
At Soldier Field, Lake Shore Dr. and
16th St.
&
847/295-6600.
www.chicagobears.com. Tickets $40-$300. Bus: 12, 127, 130, or 146.
Chicago Blackhawks
Ages 8 & up.
The 'Hawks have a devoted, impas-
sioned following of fans who work themselves into a frenzy with the first note
of the “Star Spangled Banner.” But don't expect any heroics on ice along the
lines of past 'Hawks legends such as Bobby Hull and Tony Esposito. Any player
that turns into a star and, hence, earns the right to restructure his contract for a
higher salary is immediately traded by penny-pinching owner Bill Wirtz—
derided by fans and local sportswriters as “Dollar Bill.” Blackhawks's practices at
“The Edge,” the ice facility in west suburban Bensonville (near O'Hare Airport),
are open to the public; for information, call
&
312/455-7000.
(Practices at the
United Center are not open to the public.) For a more family-friendly and
affordable hockey experience, catch the semipro
Chicago Wolves
at the Allstate
Arena (
&
847/724-GOAL;
www.chicagowolves.com). The team has been con-
sistently excellent over the past few years and the games are geared toward all
ages, with fireworks before the game and plenty of on- and off-ice entertainment
(tickets $13-$30).
Blackhawks at the United Center, 1901 W. Madison St.
&
312/455-4500.
www.chicagoblackhawks.com. Tickets $15-$100. Bus: 9 or 20.
Chicago Bulls
Ages 8 & up.
Woe is us. After dismantling the world-famous
six-time NBA championship Chicago Bulls following the 1998 season, the Bulls
losing 5, 10, or 15 games in a row year after year is so dismal, I almost can't write
about it. Still, maybe basketball in Chicago will become fun again—who knows?
But until then, do not mention the name Jerry Reinsdorf or Jerry Krause to a
Chicago sports fan unless you want to be pummeled like a speed bag—the
owner and general manager, respectively, have been castigated by the public and
local press ever since that infamous 1998 dismantlement. Back in the glory days,
the planet's most celebrated athlete, Michael Jordan, pulled off the impossible:
replacing the world's perception of Chicago as gangster Al Capone's playground
with an image of his royal Airness executing a signature tomahawk dunk. We
started to take for granted the frenzied celebrations in the street that inevitably
occurred each June in the wake of the latest championship crown. It was a won-
derful boost for a perennially pessimistic sports-loving metropolis, and a rare,
indelible moment when the city's white and black populations seemed to
embrace in simple camaraderie and festivity. United Center, where the Bulls
play, feels like an airplane hangar-size funeral parlor these days, and for the time
being, tickets are worth about as much as the paper they're printed on. So grab
yourself a courtside seat—there are plenty to go around.
At the United Center, 1901
