Chicago (Baseball) Classics

Our themed series of Chicago Classics continues, with a proper celebration of the start (hopefully) of a new baseball season. Our beloved baseball teams have inspired a whole canon of great literature, from memoirs to short stories to detective novels to plays like Bleacher Bums. An all-star lineup of readers will share some of their favorite Chicago baseball passages. Pulitzer Prize winner Ira Berkow, born and raised in Chicago and a New York Times columnist these past four decades, will lead a lineup of notable literary baseball people. John Freyer will give tribute to Chicago's contribution to the Negro Leagues, in honor of its recent, official recognition by Major League Baseball as a Major League concern. Barbara Gregorich will give us a sampling from She's on First, her novel about the first female Major League player, before she reads her Classic selection. Billy Lombardo and Julia Borcherts will serve as our co-hosts.