Chicago & Boston, Both Are Major League.
BOSTON VS. CHICAGO
Here are some responses, statements and testimony to the Boston/Chicago dual. Everyone likes their hometown better, but here are some facts and stats with a side order of opinion. Just like… who’s got a better St. Patrick’s Day. Brats vs baked beans. Is chili better with beans? Who has got the worst weather (OK , you win Chicago)
Who is the “WINDY CITY”, if you ask? NOAA, then…“The windiest city in the United States is not the one nicknamed the “Windy City”. Among large cities, Chicago ranks twelfth for fastest average wind speed. America’s windiest major city is Boston, where overall the wind blows two miles per hour faster than in Chicago. Boston and Chicago are two of thirteen large US cities with year-round winds averaging above 10 mph.”
Quote from “Current Results” web site who collected data from NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) {www.currentresults.com/Weather-Extremes/US/windiest-cities.php }
In a selected response to a recent “Chicago is Better than Boston” Blog.
Chicago issue #2. Super Bowl XX . Head to Head. OK, the 1985 Super Bowl was a butt-kicking. Bears 46, Patriots 10. However, from 1973 to 2010, the N.E. Patriots have a regular season 8-3 edge, over DA BEARS.
Chicago issue #3 – Chicago Fire 1871. This just in… Great Boston Fire in… 1872. Both horrible.
Chicago issue#4 – Boston Braves (various names) 1870’s to 1953 in Boston. Braves stayed 12 years in Milwaukee before leaving for Atlanta, beginning in 1966. Boston (NL) 1915-1953 played at Braves Field. Braves won World Series in 1915, at neighboring, larger Fenway Park. Yes, Boston (NL) World Series Champs win at Fenway Park in 1915. Braves won the NL pennant in 1948, one playoff game away from a Boston (NL) vs. Boston (AL) World Series.
Chicago issue#7 – Red Sox vs Yankees are always relevant. In last 15 years, Sox finished first or second in 11 of the last 14 seasons. In the last 20 years, the Yankees finished first or second 19 times [ I can’t believe that I am – momentarily – waving the NY flag.]
Since 1998, NY (AL) is 5-2 in W.S. , BOS is 2-0 and CHI (AL) is 1-0. CHI (NL) 0-0 or their name is the Cubs, the 1908 W.S. Champs (and 1907). Hello Cubs? It’s me, Cleveland (AL) you know, the second longest drought in MLB? (Indians, 1948 WS Champs) I’m still waiting and I am up to 64 years! What’s that Cubs? 1908? Waiting 104 years? Billy Goat curse (began in 1945)? Steve Bartman incident (2003) with just four outs from going to your first W.S. Since 1945? Good luck, with that.
BUT…….. it’s still Good vs. Evil? Red Sox president Larry Luchino in 2002, called the George Steinbrenner Yankees “the evil empire”.
BTW : In February 2004, CNN anchor Miles O’Brien chats with columist (New Jersey Star Ledger) Larry Rochia. ( from www.cnn.com )
O’BRIEN: All right. So explain this one. George Steinbrenner — let’s face it. The Red Sox/Yankees dispute runs deep. And probably he would have paid any amount of money to pull this off. Right?
ROCHA: Probably, yes, basically. This obviously is the greatest rivalry in sports. It goes back to — 85 years to when the Yankees got Babe Ruth from the Red Sox. The ending is always the same. Sometimes the route to that ending is different.
But basically I think the way to explain the Yankees/Red Sox rivalry to the basic person is just think about the Road Runner and Wiley Coyote. And the Red Sox are Wiley Coyote. And every time they’re ready to drop that wrecking ball full of explosives on the Road Runner’s head, the Yankees pull off something and…
O’BRIEN: An anvil drops on the franchise. Acme something or other blows up in their face.
ROCHA: Right.
O’BRIEN: All right, so let’s extrapolate out for a moment. Dream teams are seldom the dream they pretend to be. Will the Yankees really be worth the money?
ROCHA: You know, they’re going to be a great team. Right now they’re the best team in baseball.
Later in October 2004, Red Sox radio announcer Joe Castiglione shouts: “Can you believe it”
Chicago issue#8 – It’s a tie. Wrigley Field 1914, the second oldest baseball park vs. Fenway Park 1912, the oldest baseball park. Both are flawed antiques, whose value is prized by the hearts of many and cursed by the sore bottoms of the same.
Name: Weeghman Park (1914–1920), Cubs Park (1920–1926), Wrigley Field (1927-present)
Name : Fenway Park (1912-present)
M. L. B. :
Chicago White Sox (AL) have 3 World Series titles and 6 pennants. Most recent W.S title 2005. ( 88 year drought)
Boston Red Sox (AL) have 7 World Series and 12 pennants. Most recent W.S. title 2007. (We know a good ‘drought’ when we see one)
Chicago Cubs (NL) have 2 World Series titles and 16 pennants. Most recent W.S. title in 1908 (define “drought”, see 1908)
Boston Braves (NL) have one World Series title and 2 pennants (since 1912). Most recent title, 1914.
Chicago White Sox (AL) also known as, the Chicago “Black Sox” in 1919. (Pennant winning, but 1919 World Series losers, see “Eight Men Out”)
N. F. L. :
Chicago Bears (1 win & 1 loss ) in Super Bowls. Most recent win January 1985.
New England Patriots ( 3 wins & 4 losses ) in Super Bowls. Most recent win February 2004.
N. B. A :
Boston Celtics : Since 1946-47, have won 17 Championship titles in 51 playoff appearances. Most recent title, 2007-08.
Chicago Bulls : Since 1966-67, 6 Championship titles, with 32 playoff appearances. Most recent title, 1997-98.
N. H. L.
FYI: The Original Six: Montreal, Toronto, Detroit, New York, Chicago and Boston. No coincidence, all great uniform designs, too.
Boston Bruins : 6 Cups, 68 playoffs since 1924-25. Most recent Cup 2010-11 .
Chicago Black Hawks : 5 Cups, 58 playoffs since 1926-27, Most recent Cup 2009-10, 2012-13.
2012-13 CHICAGO defeats BOSTON 4 games to 2. Now 5 Cups for Chicago.
Chicago issue# 9 – Jordan vs. Bird.
Both first team greats. In 28 regular season match-ups, Larry (Celtics) vs. Michael (Bulls), it’s 17-11 Boston. In six playoff games in 1986 and 1987, it’s 6-0 Boston with Bird 27.2 ppg and Jordan 39.7 ppg. Note: In 1986, Jordan scores 63 in a 135-131 OT Celtics playoff win. Jordan 53 minutes played, Bird 56 minutes played and scores his ’86 playoff high 36 points.
STATS ALERT: In the six playoff matchups, Bird was 6-10 and Jordan was 3-4 from the three-point line. In assists, Bird has the advantage in 4 of the 6 games with an 8.5 average to Jordan’s 5.8 assists per game. Bird gets the rebounding edge in 5 of these 6 matches. In 5 of these 6 playoff duals, Jordan goes off for 30, 35, 42, 49 and 63 . While Bird pumps in 29, 30, 32 and 36 points.In blocks, Bird (5 blocks) 0.8 and Jordan (11 blocks) 1.8 bpg.
BTW: In the winter of 1986, Larry is 30 years old, Michael is 23.
BTW: Jordan leads in retirements. Jordan retired from basketball in 1993 (29), 1999 (35) and in 2003 (age 39). Bird retired in 1992 (age 36).
BTW: Select Jordan Honors: 6 NBA titles. 6x Finals MVP, 5x NBA MVP. 10x scoring champion. 14x All-Star
BTW: Select Bird Honors: 3 NBA titles. 3x Finals MVP, 3x NBA MVP. 9x All-Star
BTW: The Twitter logo was named Larry the Bird from 2010-2012, after Larry Joe Bird.
Chicago issue #11 – Pizza? Welcome to the North End. Nuff said. However, concerning local restaurants? I declare a tie. Both winners.
Chicago issue #19 – No hip-hop station in Boston? Memo to Jam’n 94.5 FM. Turn it up!
Chicago issue #22 – True. We can’t go to a bar at 4am. Lucky you.
Chicago issue #24 – The Bruins have used “Zombie Nation” to signal a goal. Perfect. “Zombie Nation” by Kernkraft 400 (one-hit wonder from Germany, 2000) is one of the greatest arena songs or chants ever, because it is upbeat, fans can chant it and clap-clap-clap to it.
The Chicago Black Hawks use the lame “Chelsea Dagger” by The Fratellis. Good luck with that.
FYI : The “Nut Rocker” (1970’s Bruins TV-38 theme song) by B. Bumble & the Stingers, from 1962, was a rare “instrumental” hit record. It was a variation on Tchaikovsky’s “The Nutcracker”.
FYI : Hartford Whalers widely acclaimed “Brass Bonanza” is still a favorite in the new England area.
Chicago issue #25 – Last call. As the first subway in the USA, Boston still shuts down too early. The MBTA’s last train leaves Government Center 12:45am but, bars close at 2:00am. Why? Same or earlier times for all Boston’s subways.
Chicago issue #32 – True. Boston streets are a messy design. Half the city was filled-in marshes and swamps throughout the 1700-1800’s. See? The field trip to downtown comes in handy …years later!
Chicago issue #39 – Nobody beats Bobby Orr. Nobody. What The Hull?
BTW : In the three years that Bobby Orr played for Chicago, he played a total of 26 games. He wore #4 for the Black Hawks but never cashed a check from Chicago, out of principle, because he was not one the ice, due to his injuries. Orr signed with the Black Hawks at the end of the 1975-76 season and retired after the 1978-79 season. The N.H.L. Hall of Fame waived the 3-year waiting period and Orr, at age 31, became the youngest living hockey player to be so honored.
Chicago issue #40 – Sam Adams beer (and its million varities) beats “what” micro-brew, Chicago beer?
Chicago issue #44 – Since 1976, “More Than A Feeling” and the whole Boston debut ranks as a perfect 8-track tape, with other classics songs to follow. BTW, everyone in New England had tons of Chicago vinyl, too! Do we need to send Aerosmith out there to kick your butt.
Chicago issue: #51 – ESPOSITO BROTHERS.
Phil Esposito was traded to Boston by Chicago with Ken Hodge and Fred Stanfield for Pit Martin, Jack Norris, and Gilles Marotte on May15 1967. Phil Esposito becomes a perrenial 1970’s All-Star and sets league and Bruins scoring records. Two Boston Stanley Cups 1970, 1972. Led NHL in Goals 6 years in a row. Finally, Phil was traded to NY Rangers by Boston with Carol Vadnais for Brad Park, Jean Ratelle and Joe Zanussi, November 7, 1975.
Phil and Tony did not play on the same team. Phil was CHI 1964-1967. Tony was CHI 1970-84.
Tony Esposito was on the roster of the Stanley Cup Champions, the Montreal Canadians in1968-69. Did not play. He was a five-time All-Star and won 3 Vezina Trophies (best goalie) in 1970, ’72, and ’74 . In Tony’s NHL debut : Tony was claimed by Chicago, from Montreal in Intra-League Draft, June 11, 1969. As a 26-year old goalie, he won the Calder Memorial Trophy (rookie of the year).
Both Esposito brothers have been inducted in the N.H.L. Hall Of Fame, in Toronto, Ontario in Canada.
Chicago issue #52 The National Anthem.
Both sung with animated fervor by the Bruins’ balladeer, Rene Rancourt (an institution since 1975) and the Black Hawks’ tenor, Jim Cornelison (since 2007).
The Chicago/Boston difference is the emotional cheering and patriotic excitement “during” the song, in Chicago, as opposed to the silent respect (until..the last line) in Boston.
Note: The emotional Wednesday April 17th, 2013 version of “The Star Spangeled Banner” sung by Rancourt, after the Monday Boston Marathon bombings ranks as his favorite. “This tops them all” said Rancourt, in an ESPN Boston interview. Of the many magical moments like the Phil Esposito/Ray Bourque jersey swap and the “Last Hurrah” that closed the old Boston Garden, this was the “tops”.
Chicago issue #53 – US Presidents? OK, Ronald Reagan was born in Tampico, Illinois in 1911.
Barack Obama lived in Chicago, since 1985, but he was born in Hawaii in 1961, really, he was.
Chief executives born in Massachusetts? John Adams No! He was born in Great Britian in 1735.
His son? J.Q. Adams (#6) was born in the town now called, Quincy, Massachusetts in 1767 and John Kennedy (#35) in Brookline, Mass.
Don’t forget George H.W. Bush (#41) born in Milton, Massachusetts.
AND…
Chicago issue # 54 – Frank Sinatra sings “Chicago” vs. “Shipping Up To Boston” by the Dropkick Murphys, “Dirty Water” by the Standells, “Boston” by Kenny Chesney, “M.T.A.” by the Kingston Trio.. and “Sweet Caroline” too.
Sinatra always wins. Really, it’s my kind of town, too.
by Ed Mullen, June 2013.
