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In Kurt Weichert?s? Sports Fan Chronicles, one of the recent up-and-coming top sports novels, two long-time friends Kurt and Brian are the Windy City?s coolest salesmen and best friends with a shared dream: NFL ownership. When they?re not making huge deals, they find themselves disrupting NBA playoff games, flipping their company cars, throwing wild toga parties, and investing in defunct gold mines with their group of rowdy friends. This story is one of the many great sports fiction books that use Chicago sports as the backdrop to their storyline; it also is one of the many novels about sports, which wrap the synopsis around sports franchise ownership.
In light of Sports Fan Chronicles rising toward becoming one of the top sports novels by new sports fiction authors, in addition to its closely approaching sequel, it seemed appropriate to say something about the true identities behind Chicago?s sports team franchises and the changes they have made to give their teams and city the best opportunity for victory as possible.
Jerry Reinsdorf ? In 1981, Reinsdorf purchased the Chicago White Sox for 19 million dollars.
He immediately signed Greg Lukinski and Carlton Fisk. Tripling the team promotional budget and increasing the number of team scouts from 12 to 20 was his next step. In 1983, the White Sox had the best record in the Major League and made the playoffs. In 1985, Reinsdorf purchased the Chicago Bulls for 16 million dollars. He immediately drafted Scottie Pippin and Horace Grant. This changed the Bulls from having 6,365 fans per game to an 8,000-person season ticket waiting list. While many view Reinsdorf as a cheapskate and a hardhead, he was the employer to the one of the highest paid Major League Baseball player (Manny Ramirez)and highest paid Major League Basketball player(Michael Jordan) in record.William Rockwell ?Rocky? Wirtz ? In 2007, Rocky assumed control of the Chicago Blackhawks franchise after his father died. Almost immediately he began making changes to unpopular policies made by his father Will. Wirtz signed a deal with Comcast SportsNet Chicago. While former Blackhawks like Bobby Hull and Stan Mikita(1963 Stanley Cup champion of the Blackhawks) with Will, he rectified the relationship by appointing them as the ?ambassadors? to the team. In 2008, he signed Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews who would both become NHL all-stars. In 2010, the Chicago Blackhawks won their first Stanley Cup since 1963.
Virginia Halas McCaskey ? Virginia is the eldest daughter of former Chicago Bears owner, George Halas. After Halas? sudden death in 1983, Virginia took over as principal owner of the team. Shortly after, in 1985, the Bears won Superbowl XX. Unfortunately, the team started struggling in the 1990s and since 1999, Virginia has been a very hands-off owner leaving her son George McCaskey to oversee the team and Ted Phillips in control of operations.
J. Joe Ricketts ? In 2009, Ricketts acquired 95 percent controlling interest in the Chicago Cubs and Wrigley Field, as well as 25 percent of Comcast SportsNet. Rickets is the eighth franchise owner in a 133-year history of the team. While Ricketts isn?t directly involved in the team?s operations, he led a 200 million dollar renovation to Wrigley Field in 2010.
In good times and in bad, these people do all they can to give their teams the best opportunities possible. They are all very resourceful and interesting people, which is one of the reasons so many sports fiction books base their storyline around their jobs. It is probably one of themost rewarding jobs a sports fan could have.?
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