Author: staff
A Schererville man was acquitted Thursday in a Gary man’s murder, according to a prosecutor’s spokeswoman.Anthony Horde III, 28, of Schererville, was charged March 12, 2021,…
The price of bitcoin fell below $20,000 for the first time since late 2020 on Saturday, in a fresh sign that the selloff in cryptocurrencies is…
When a colleague pulled out his iPhone in the Chicago Cubs clubhouse Thursday afternoon to show a factoid he received from the team’s historian, my head began to spin.After the four-game sweep by the San Diego Padres, the Cubs had been outscored by 20 or more runs in back-to-back series for only the second time in franchise history. The other time it happened was in September 1879, when the Cubs were outscored by the Providence Grays by 20 runs (29-9) and the Boston Braves by 23 (31-8).AdvertisementOf all the bad teams in Cubs history, we finally have a matching set, separated by only 143 years.I wondered how the 1879 Cubs handled their beatings. Did they have stand-up players like closer David Robertson or catcher Willson Contreras who stepped up Thursday and faced media members after the embarrassing losing streak reached 10 games? Was the manager on the hot seat afterward? Did Cubs fans of 1879 ignore the drubbings on the field and focus on building the longest beer cup snake known to modern man at Lake Front Park?AdvertisementThanks to modern technology — a subscription to the Chicago Tribune — I was able to find some answers.The Tribune, which turned 175 on June 10, did not employ a baseball beat writer back in 1879, when the Cubs were known as the White Stockings, Rutherford B. Hayes was president and the telephone had just been invented three years earlier.The 1879 team was managed by Cap Anson, a first baseman who led the White Stockings to the National League pennant in 1876, the first year of the new league. Anson later was called “baseball’s first superstar” by the Society for American Baseball Research, which wrote: “So good was Anson’s bat control that he struck out only once during the 1878 season and twice in 1879.” Cubs slugger Patrick Wisdom, who can strike out three times in one afternoon, is no Cap Anson.Adrian “Cap” Anson, right, was manager of the Chicago White Stockings, the predecessors of the Cubs, from 1877 to 1897. There was no account of the 17-8 loss in Boston on Sept. 10, 1879, the first time in Cubs history the team had lost consecutive series by 20 or more runs. The big sporting news in the Tribune’s Sept. 11 edition was that Syracuse, one of the eight NL clubs, had disbanded, canceling the three games scheduled in New York that weekend with the White Stockings. (The 2022 Cubs would have no such luck. The Atlanta Braves not only refused to disband, they arrived in town Friday riding a 14-game win streak.)As it turned out, Anson’s 1879 team had more dissension than manager David Ross’s 2022 version, which has been controversy-free so far. Under the news of Syracuse folding was an item on the release of right fielder George Shaffer, who apparently was a talkative fellow nicknamed “Orator.”“A good many people in Chicago during the present season have objected to George Shaffer… on the ground that he was too much of a ‘chinner,’” the paper reported. “The Tribune has on several occasions alluded to the peculiarity of this young man, but out of consideration for him did not state, as it might have done, in addition to being noisy and troublesome on the field, Shaffer was the far worst kind of disorganizer. Even going so far not so long ago to charge another member of the nine to selling games, thus starting a rumor, that spread all over the country, that there was crookedness in the White Stockings camp.”This was before baseball rumors spread on Twitter or TikTok, because, you know, the phone had just been invented. That meant Orator Shaffer’s rumor the White Stockings had been selling (throwing) games was spread by a combination of word of mouth, the telegraph and newspapers.Anyways, Shaffer — whose baseball encyclopedia listing is spelled “Shafer” — had been in a “rough and tumble fight” outside a Boston hotel with teammate Ed Williamson, according to the Tribune. Shaffer was “badly worst and somewhat used up by the encounter,” the report said, and demanded his immediate release.AdvertisementThis was the kind of dust-up White Sox general manager Rick Hahn would refer to as a “nothing burger,” but the Tribune reported the White Stockings refused to release Shaffer until it could telegraph the team president in Chicago. White Stockings president William Hulbert eventually sent a telegraph back to Boston stating it was imperative to release Shaffer, who no longer would orate in Chicago.Chicago Tribune SportsWeekdaysA daily sports newsletter delivered to your inbox for your morning commute.The Tribune item ended with the unnamed author taking one last shot at Shaffer, concluding Hulbert’s actions would be endorsed “by the Chicago public to a man.” Even 143 years ago Tribune sports writers were trying to dump unpopular players. Imagine that.That was the end of the saga, and the Tribune virtually ignored the White Stockings the next couple weeks. But the paper provided a brief summary of the team’s up-and-down season in a Sept. 28 article headlined: “Providence Wins the Pennant.” The story mentions the White Stockings’ 14-1 start in May, and the slew of injuries that followed: “The Chicago boom continued with great force until the 1st of July, and then began the chapter of accidents and misfortunes that landed the team in third place.”The Trib report was particularly harsh on White Stockings pitcher Terry Larkin, one of the team’s two starters, who went 31-23 with a 2.44 ERA in 58 starts, with 57 complete games:“For the loss of power, Larkin was alone to blame. He is simply an addition to the long list of ball-players who have ruined themselves by dissipation. They deserve no pity and seldom see any.”The story included the long list of injuries that doomed the 1879 White Stockings, who went 4-12 in September to finish fourth with a 46-33 record.AdvertisementIf you believe the adage “what goes around, comes around,” there could be hope for Ross’ 2022 Cubs. Despite enduring back-to-back series beatings that no team in franchise history would match until now, the 1879 White Stockings would go on to capture three straight NL pennants from 1880-82, a couple decades before the first World Series.And just like in 1879, you can read about it here.
Coach Matt Eberflus was quick to point out the Chicago Bears spent the spring mixing and matching players at a variety of positions when asked about Braxton Jones appearing with the starters at left tackle earlier this month.Indeed, the Bears were shuffling the lineup at a couple of spots, but Eberflus and the Bears surely understand why particular attention is paid to the offensive line, the area general manager Ryan Poles talked about improving when he was hired.AdvertisementIf you’re handicapping the field at left tackle before the team opens training camp July 26, the day veterans will report to Halas Hall, Larry Borom and Jones are the leading candidates. Borom, a fifth-round pick last year, spent the offseason program at both tackle positions, and Jones has emerged as an option.“I’ll be honest with you, I was definitely a little bit surprised,” Jones said of his reaction when he was told to run with the starters. “That surprise went away quick. It was thrown on me and it’s time to go. It has been something that’s really good for me to get that speed, the speed of going against guys like Roquan Smith. That’s crazy, you know. It has been valuable for sure.”Advertisement[ Bears coach Matt Eberflus doubles down on his demand to players: ‘Get your track shoes ready’ ]Whether Jones gets a shot at the left tackle job when training camp opens remains to be seen. Real evaluation of play in the trenches begins when the pads go on, but the Bears had to have seen something in Jones to give him a look.Eberflus, offensive coordinator Luke Getsy and offensive line coach Chris Morgan will have plenty to sort through. They were rotating Sam Mustipher and Dakota Dozier at right guard, but Dozier was carted off Tuesday with what a source said is a left knee injury. Borom and Teven Jenkins, a second-round pick a year ago, played with the starters at right tackle. Ultimately the organization needs to identify its five best linemen and figure out how they fit.It’s possible the Bears are intrigued by one of the lineups they’ve used so far. Or there could be an entirely new lineup they want to explore in training camp, but Jones is eager to show up next month and battle.Chicago Bears tackle Braxton Jones stretches at rookie minicamp, May 6, 2022, at Halas Hall in Lake Forest. (Jose M. Osorio / Chicago Tribune)“I assume it’s going to be a lot different,” he said. “Even though we’re getting a good look right now in terms of speed with linebackers, you’re not necessarily getting a bull rush. You’re not getting somebody right down your face. It’ll change big time, and from now until July 22nd when I come back is going to be huge for me. I’ve got to gain ground on guys. I’ve got to get stronger.“Fifth-round guy, but it doesn’t matter. I have an opportunity here, and it’s a great opportunity to gain ground on some guys. I’ve got to get stronger, quicker, all that stuff, sharper in the playbook. It’s really important for me when I go home to have a plan, and I do have a plan, making sure I’m following that plan.”Jones, 6-foot-5, 310 pounds, popped on the radar of the Senior Bowl staff in spring 2021. Senior Bowl executive director Jim Nagy said three members of his staff went to evaluate Jones during his senior season at Southern Utah to confirm what they had seen on film. Some believe Jones’ junior tape was better than last season, which could be why he remained on the board into Day 3.“The talent is all there,” Nagy said. “He’s a really twitched up athlete. The pass-set stuff, the redirect, he looked like an NFL left tackle on his junior tape. We were really high on him.“The biggest thing is just lower-body development. He needs to get stronger in his lower half, which will come over time. If that is the one thing you need to improve, NFL teams feel good about that. It’s hard to make a guy longer or twitchier. You can always put some bulk or strength on them.”Advertisement[ Column: Chicago Bears offensive line still has big questions — and moving parts — as shown by Teven Jenkins and Braxton Jones ]Jones said Morgan has been stressing the need for him to be more effective and consistent with his hands to take advantage of his 35⅜-inch arms.“The biggest thing (in) my transition from college to the NFL or college to the Senior Bowl to the NFL and just in these OTAs is throwing my hands,” Jones said. “In college, I was really reserved with my hands and I didn’t use my long arms to my advantage. They’re a big thing for me and they’re going to help me be really good in this league. They’ve gotten better.”Nagy admitted it is unusual for Day 3 rookie offensive linemen to work their way into a starting role, especially at left tackle, and there’s a lot of ground to cover between now and Week 1 for Jones to earn a job.“I am not totally surprised because he has that kind of talent,” said Nagy, who noted Jones excelled in one-on-one pass rush drills during the Senior Bowl week. “He definitely has left tackle starter talent. Did I think he would get there Year 1? Probably not.“It’s hard with the big guys when you’re not in pads. That forum sets up really well for Braxton because he is such a good foot athlete and he can get out there and dance with you in pass protection. You’ve got to put the pads on in August and see how that all shakes out.”Whether Jones can put himself in position to play in Year 1 remains to be seen, but the Bears have a prospect worth investing time in. And if they can address the left tackle question with a Day 3 pick, whether it’s in 2022 or 2023, Poles would be off to a good start on the offensive line.Advertisement“Everybody is competing,” Jones said. “Rotating or whatever you want to call it, it’s all competition. I’m competing for a job, maybe a guy who is behind me is competing for a job, and maybe the right tackle on the other side is competing for my job. You never know.”
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There will be some very confused moths this summer in some parts of Cook, DuPage, Kane, Kendall and other Illinois counties. And that’s good news for trees.The insects are spongy moths (Lymantria dispar dispar, formerly known as gypsy moths), whose caterpillars are a serious threat to oaks and other trees because they are “feeding machines,” according to Stephanie Adams, a plant pathologist in plant health care at The Morton Arboretum in Lisle. To combat their spread, the Illinois Department of Agriculture is using small planes to apply a treatment called SPLAT that keeps the adult moths from reproducing by disrupting their mating.AdvertisementThe treatment uses sex pheromones to lure male moths away from the females. It is specifically targeted to spongy moths, so it doesn’t affect other species, and it is biodegradable and nontoxic to humans and other animals. The Arboretum is one of the sites where SPLAT will be applied.Spongy moth caterpillars kill trees by removing too many of the leaves the trees need to live. “The caterpillars eat at just an incredible rate,” Adams said. “A large caterpillar can eat a square foot of foliage a day.” Some 300 species of trees are on the menu, including oak, maple, apple, crabapple, hickory, birch, pine, spruce and willow. The moths’ populations tend to rise and fall in cycles, but when populations surge in an area, they can do widespread damage.AdvertisementA tree may not die right away, according to Sharon Yiesla, plant knowledge specialist in the Arboretum’s Plant Clinic. “But if a tree loses most of its leaves two or three times, it’s not going to be able to recover,” she said. “And if an evergreen tree loses more than 50 percent of its needles, it can’t come back.”The moths have been spreading steadily through North America since the 1860s, when they were imported as part of a failed effort to begin a silkworm industry. Their voracious caterpillars have caused widespread damage to forests, parks and trees in streets and yards.The caterpillars of spongy moths are voracious feeders and can kill trees by repeatedly eating most of their leaves. (Karla Salp/Washington State Department of Agriculture)The caterpillars, the larval stage of the moth’s life cycle, start eating at the top of a tree’s leafy canopy when they are small. “We may not even know they’re there,” Yiesla said. If you notice that your tree is getting thin on top, use binoculars to look for the caterpillars. They are dark colored and covered with spiky hairs, with five pairs of blue bumps and six pairs of red bumps along their bodies and are about 2½ inches long at their largest stage.If you think you have spongy moth caterpillars in a tree, Adams suggested tying a strip of fabric around the trunk as a trap. “The caterpillars come down out of the canopy at night,” she said. “And they will go underneath the fabric band. In the morning, you can squish them.”Over the winter and into early spring, you may be able to see egg masses closer to the ground. They are tan or light brown and 1 to 2 inches across, with a spongy, fuzzy texture. The egg masses may be on tree bark or any flat surface, such as lawn furniture, sheds or sculptures. “You can remove them and drop them into a bucket of soapy water to kill the eggs,” Yiesla said.Spongy moths are spread geographically when they lay eggs on movable surfaces such as vehicles, firewood or camping equipment that people carry to new sites. Vacationers can help slow the spread by examining their cargo carefully for the tawny-colored egg masses before leaving home, and by buying and burning firewood near the campsite. Bringing wood from home can spread eggs of spongy moths or other pests.Consult with an arborist about a heavy infestation of spongy moth caterpillars. There are insecticides that may help if the right chemical is used, if it is applied by a professional at the right time in the insect’s life cycle and if the tree is not already too badly stressed or damaged. Spraying a large, mature tree is difficult and likely to be expensive.To address adult moths, which emerge in June and July, pheromone traps are available that lure in male moths. However, Adams pointed out that the traps may not reduce your tree’s infestation because they attract moths from far beyond your yard. “You may end up with more moths,” she said.AdvertisementFor tree and plant advice, contact the Plant Clinic at The Morton Arboretum (630-719-2424, mortonarb.org/plant-clinic, or plantclinic@mortonarb.org). Beth Botts is a staff writer at the Arboretum.
Dear Readers: With wedding season upon us and in-person celebrations returning, I decided to devote a column to wedding mishaps – all sent in by readers.Perhaps reading about some of the things that can go wrong at a wedding will inspire people to avoid these pitfalls.AdvertisementAnd if these incidents can’t be avoided, marrying couples can try to embrace them and laugh about it all later.So take your seat at the “singles” table – and enjoy!AdvertisementDear Amy: My brother got married at our house in front of a bay window with a magnificent view of the Concord River.Halfway through the ceremony, his stoner friend from high school arrived in a canoe, stumbled ashore, and wobbled his way up the yard in full view of the guests. Hilarious backdrop!– I Was SoberDear Amy: My long-ago boyfriend invited me as his “plus one.”Once we got there it was obvious that he was invited solo, as there was no table card for me.My father once said, “There’s always someone at a wedding who shouldn’t be there.” In that instance it was me!– Plus OneDear Amy: My two brothers-in-law offered to be our photographers for our wedding.AdvertisementMy sisters had each just had their firstborns.There were a few photos of my husband and me, but most were of their little darlings.The other photos were of my husband’s buxom cousin in her revealing cleavage. Sigh.– BustedDear Amy: The first song at my uncle’s second wedding: David Lee Roth’s cover of “Just a Gigolo.”And the bride’s uncle later had a coronary while dancing the polka.Advertisement– Danced OutDear Amy: My friend and his date “Sheila” were heavily making out on the dance floor; Sheila later hit on multiple other (married) guests and then told my mom how hot she thought the groom was.My mom replied: “Yes, that’s my new son-in-law.”– Good TimesDear Amy: An unsupervised child at my wedding was running around and ran into a door. Got a nosebleed. The mother went to my father (father of the bride) to demand the venue’s wedding coordinator be fired for negligence. They stormed out when my dad refused.(The child was fine, by the way!)Advertisement– Still MarriedDear Amy: We were letting immediate family members know the date we’d finally chosen for our wedding before booking vendors.My parents said, “…but we have Notre Dame football tickets that day.”We tried other dates, but they all interfered with their football ticket schedule.We don’t talk anymore.– Fighting IrishAdvertisementDear Amy: I locked the keys in a running limo in front of the church (in the ‘80s), which meant needing a phone book and the minister’s office phone to frantically find a locksmith.– Locked OutDear Amy: I was a member of a flash mob at the reception. Short version of the story: Another member of the mob couldn’t kick as high as he thought he could (due to overly tight suit pants), and ended up kicking the bride in the head. Everyone was fine.– We Have Video!Dear Amy: In my 20s I was in a friend’s wedding. A bunch of us rented a room together. I woke up in the middle of the night with a pounding head, so I drank a glass of water.It was a groomsman’s contact lens solution – and his lenses.Advertisement– Tastebuds are 20/20Dear Amy: Our rabbi thought our noon wedding was at 6 p.m. Luckily, one of our guests found a replacement rabbi who stopped by to marry us on his way to a funeral he was officiating.Our marriage has lasted for 28 years.– Happy it TookDear Amy: My college roommate wanted a child-free wedding, but her family pitched a fit that children wouldn’t be included.At the reception, one niece ran circles around the room, and then vomited on herself on the dais at the front of the room during the meal.Advertisement– I Won’t Have What She’s HavingDear Amy: The bride’s mom caught my buddy and his date in a delicate position in the bridal suite (and neither were in the wedding party).– Can’t Unsee ThatDear Amy: My best friend’s (drunk) uncle officiated at his wedding.Ask AmyDailyNo-nonsense advice for better living delivered to your inbox every morning. For a limited time, sign up for the Ask Amy newsletter and get the book “Ask Amy: Essential Wisdom from America’s Favorite Advice Columnist” for $5.Drunk Uncle cleared his throat, produced a page he’d ripped out of his hotel room’s Bible, and began.– Gideon’s WayAdvertisementDear Amy: On the receiving line at my wedding, one of the guests told me, “If I had known you didn’t have a nice dress, I would have lent you mine.”– Dressed DownGot a question for Amy? Enter it here and we’ll send it to her.Sign up here to receive the Ask Amy newsletter to get advice e-mailed to your inbox every morning, and for a limited time — get the book “Ask Amy: Essential Wisdom from America’s Favorite Advice Columnist” for $5.©2021 Amy Dickinson.
Kahleah Copper had season highs with 23 points and 10 rebounds, Emma Meesseman scored 17 points and grabbed a season-best 12 rebounds and the Chicago Sky beat the Atlanta Dream 106-100 in overtime Friday night at Wintrust Arena.Allie Quigley also scored 17 points, Azurá Stevens and Rebekah Gardner added 15 apiece and Courtney Vandersloot had 11 for the Sky (10-4).AdvertisementMeesseman made a jumper, Copper hit a 3-pointer and, after Rhyne Howard made a layup on the other end, Quigley hit another 3 to give the Sky a 99-93 lead about 2 minutes into overtime. The Dream (7-8) twice trimmed their deficit to two points, but Stevens answered each time — the first with a pair of free throws to make it 101-97 with 1 minute, 27 seconds to play and the second with a 3-pointer that gave the Sky a five-point lead with less than a minute to go.AD Durr scored 21 points and McDonald finished with 20 for the Dream. Howard and Cheyenne Parker added 16 points apiece and Destiny Slocum scored a career-high 10.AdvertisementRuthy Hebard hit a jumper to give the Sky their biggest lead of the game at 71-53 midway through the third quarter, but the Dream responded with an 18-2 run that trimmed their deficit to 73-71 after McDonald and Slocum made back-to-back 3-pointers to cap the spurt.McDonald converted a three-point play before Parker made two free throws to give the Dream a one-point lead with 31.4 seconds left in regulation, but Copper made 1-of-2 free throws with 19 seconds remaining to tie it at 91. Howard missed a potential winning 3-point shot in the closing seconds. Naz Hillmon grabbed the offensive rebound, but her put-back attempt was blocked by Stevens to force overtime.