Northsiders: Essays on the History and Culture of the Chicago Cubs »

Gerald C. Wood is chair of the English department at Carson-Newman College in Jefferson City, Tennessee. He lives in New Market, Tennessee. Andrew Hazucha is the chair of the Humanities Division and English Department at Ottawa University in Ottawa, Kansas. He lives in Lawrence, Kansas.

This collection of 21 essays examine the role of baseball's Cubs in the history and politics of Chicago. Focusing on topics such the rise of a nationwide fan base through the long reach of superstation WGN; the local uses and views of icons Ernie Banks, Ron Santo, and Ryne Sandberg; historical divides along lines of race (on the field) and class (in the stands); Wrigley Field as a public space both sacred and cursed; the importance of local and nationwide media coverage in developing the fan base; and the Cubs' impact on Chicago music and literature, the collection explores ties between team and town from a wide range of perspectives.

Introduction 1

Cubs Timeline 5

I The Cubs, Wrigley Field, and P. K. Wrigley

Lake View, Baseball, and Wrigleyville: The History of a Chicago Neighborhood Margaret Gripshover Gripshover, Margaret 11

Wrigley Field: An Historical Basis for the Cubs' Curse? David Bohmer Bohmer, David 27

Hallowed Ivy and Sacred Sun: The Iconic Character of Wrigley Field Joseph L. Price Price, Joseph L. 35

Philip K. Wrigley: Contrarian George Castle Castle, George 49

Educating Wrigley: The Failed Experiment of the College of Coaches Andrew Hazucha Hazucha, Andrew 59

II Race Ethnicity, and the Cubs

Making It Home: Cap Anson, Fleet Walker, and the Romance of the National Pastime Steve Andrews Andrews, Steve 69

Mediocrity Under Pressure: The Integration of the Cubs as Covered by the Chicago Defender Brian Carroll Carroll, Brian 86

Let's Play Two ... in Black and White: Ernie Banks and Race Relations in Chicago Gerald C. Wood Wood, Gerald C. 97

For Ken Holtzman: Wherever I May Find Him Terry Barr Barr, Terry 105

III The Sociology of Cubdom

"I'm a Cub fan. I cannot be bought": Onstage Fandom in Bleacher Bums James Davis Davis, James 121

The Friendly Confines of Prose: Chicago Cubs in Fiction Tim Morris Morris, Tim 126

The Voices of Cubs Broadcasters Curt Smith Smith, Curt 134

Paradise Lost: Cubs Fans, the Tribune Company, and the Unfriendly Confines Ron Kates Kates, Ron 142

Scoring at Home Holly Swyers Swyers, Holly 149

IV Players as Icons

John Clarkson, the 34 Million Dollar Man Shawn O'Hare O'Hare, Shawn 159

Hack Wilson in Chicago Bob Boone Boone, Bob Jerry Grunska Grunska, Jerry 165

Gabby, Gangsters, the Great Depression,and the "Homer in the Gloamin'" William F. McNeil McNeil, William F. 176

Loving Ivy: Ron Santo, Ryne Sandberg, and the Ideals of Cubs Nation Gerald C. Wood Wood, Gerald C. 184

V Epilogue

Why the Cubs Must Not Win the World Series ... Yet Rick Moser Moser, Rick 195

Selective Bibliography 203

About the Contributors 209

Index 213