Author: staff

​Nobody just wakes up and says, “I’m gonna make roti today.” Not for the first time, anyway, and not without preparation. So says Dawn Lewis, who…

SAN DIEGO — The moment could not have been scripted much better.Check that: the Chicago Cubs would like a rewrite on the ending.AdvertisementFrank Schwindel’s roller coaster 48-hour stretch took yet another twist Tuesday night against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park. Optioned to Triple A on Sunday and recalled mere hours later — with a nail in his car tire mixed in — Schwindel’s opportunity for redemption came.An ugly beginning to the season, including a three-strikeout game in the series opener, left the struggling Schwindel tinkering. Few big-league hitters have faced a greater higher-leverage situation this season than when Schwindel pinch hit in the ninth inning Tuesday with two outs and the bases loaded as the Cubs trailed the Padres by one run.AdvertisementPerhaps that sounds dramatic. But statistically, the showdown between Schwindel and Padres lefty closer Taylor Rogers featured an incredibly high Leverage Index, which measures a team’s potential change in win expectancy. Schwindel’s 9.21 LI for the plate appearance was the fifth highest in the majors this season, according to Stathead. He also notably ranks No. 2 on that list (10.84 LI) in a similar circumstance when he struck out on three pitches against Pittsburgh Pirates closer David Bednar with the bases loaded to end a 4-3 loss April 24 at Wrigley Field.One swing could have made Schwindel the hero Tuesday.“It was the perfect situation to be in,” Schwindel reflected afterward. “That’s one you dream of as a kid.”Behind in the count 1-2, Schwindel connected on the type of pitch he has failed to do damage against this season. Taylor threw a 94.1 mph sinker that caught middle-in over the plate, and Schwindel barreled the ball to left field. Off the bat, Schwindel appeared to hit a two-out, go-ahead grand slam.“I mean, I didn’t celebrate it or anything,” Schwindel said, “but I thought I hit it good enough to go for sure.”“I think everybody did,” manager David Ross noted.Instead, Padres left fielder Jurickson Profar caught the ball against the wall to seal the Cubs’ 5-4 loss, leaving the visitors dugout stunned.AdvertisementFrank Schwindel on near go-ahead grand slam in 9th falling short by foot for final out: “I mean, I didn’t celebrate it or anything, but I thought I hit it good enough to go for sure.“It was a perfect situation to be in, that’s one you dream of as a kid.” pic.twitter.com/XW0KQKgKhJ— Meghan Montemurro (@M_Montemurro) May 11, 2022

The fly out, with a 102.5 mph exit velocity, had a .710 expected batting average. Based on the Statcast data, it would have been a home run in five big-league ballparks. Unfortunately for Schwindel and the Cubs, Petco Park wasn’t one of them.“I put a good swing on it and that’s all you can really ask for it in that situation,” Schwindel said.The Cubs’ rally in the ninth started with a two-out, pinch-hit single by Seiya Suzuki, who had been scratched from the lineup because of lingering right ankle soreness. An Ian Happ RBI single between Patrick Wisdom and Willson Contreras getting hit by Taylor set up Schwindel’s chance.“That was a heartbreaker,” Ross said. “Our guys fought offensively. It’s a tough one to swallow tonight. But overall these guys fought really hard.”Chicago Tribune SportsWeekdaysA daily sports newsletter delivered to your inbox for your morning commute.This is the big leagues, though, and potential feel-good moments only go so far, particularly as the Cubs dropped to 10-19 while losing 11 of their last 13 games. Perhaps Tuesday’s ninth-inning sequence sparks a strong finish to their series in San Diego before a three-game set in Arizona. But the Cubs are headed for a long summer if they can’t turn more close games into victories.Tuesday marked the Cubs debut of left-hander Wade Miley. He lacked crispness during his three-inning start, unsurprising considering it was only his fourth time facing hitters since he reported to spring training in mid March. After two live batting practices, a rehab appearance with Triple-A Iowa and his season debut, his outing against the Padres essentially represented another rehab start.AdvertisementMiley allowed three runs, five hits and walked five batters in the loss. He thought he had good command early, retiring the first two Padres he faced on seven pitches. A four-pitch walk to Manny Machado followed, and the first inning unraveled from there as San Diego plated two runs, including one on a bases-loaded walk.“I was honestly just trying to take it like any other start, try to go out and give the team a chance,” Miley said. “I knew I was going to be a little limited on how deep I can get pitch count wise.”Miley thought he got too amped up and became too quick with his delivery after recording two quick outs to open the game.“I was under control, calm and then when the pressure went up, I went with it rather than staying calm and just making pitches,” Miley said. “I can’t let myself get frustrated, get angry.”The Cubs will continue to build up Miley, whose left elbow inflammation prevented a normal spring. They desperately need some guys to step up with 12 players on the injured list and an offense that has turned into one of the most inconsistent in the majors. A turnaround must start with the rotation behind veteran arms in Kyle Hendricks, Drew Smyly and Miley.

Eight people were shot on the grounds of Jackson Park Tuesday night in two shootings about an hour apart, both south of the Jackson Park Lagoon,…

In its bid for year-round attention domination, the NFL is down to one final conquest: June.Because as of now, that’s the only month during which there is no unofficial league holiday. April, of course, featured the NFL draft, which came a little more than a month after the free-agency frenzy of March, which happened after Super Bowl LVI was played in February, punctuating a thrilling postseason that began in January.AdvertisementThat playoff party kicked off after a wild regular season took us from just after Labor Day until just past New Year’s Eve. August featured the somewhat glorious return of preseason football, which sprang back to life after teams opened their training camps to great fanfare in July.And this week we’ve arrived at the NFL’s new May celebration: Schedule Release Day, which once upon a time was locked in to April but now has set up squatting rights in the middle of May, creating a new wave of energy as a docket of 272 regular-season games comes into focus.AdvertisementThe full 18-week picture will become visible at 7 p.m. Thursday. But glimpses are sure to leak out earlier.[ [Don’t miss] 7 questions for 7 positions as the Chicago Bears prepare for OTAs — the next step in the offseason program ]For Chicago Bears fans, it means a first peek at the roadmap that awaits new coach Matt Eberflus, second-year quarterback Justin Fields and a revamped roster. The Bears are a 100-1 long shot to win the Super Bowl, and the odds of them playing beyond Week 18 are slim.Like all NFC teams this season, the Bears will play nine games at home and eight on the road. In addition to their six NFC North games, the Bears will host the Buffalo Bills, Houston Texans, Miami Dolphins, Philadelphia Eagles, San Francisco 49ers and Washington Commanders at Soldier Field while making road trips to face the Atlanta Falcons, Dallas Cowboys, New England Patriots, New York Giants and New York Jets.By this point, the league has locked in most — if not all — of the schedule. But that shouldn’t stop us from making a few last-minute requests, right?Here are a half-dozen wishes for how we hope the Bears’ 2022 itinerary materializes.Texans coach Lovie Smith, center, talks to the team during a voluntary minicamp practice on April 26, 2022. (David J. Phillip/AP)Save the date: Sunday, Sept. 11. Bears-Texans in that wonderful football theater just off Lake Michigan. You’d be up for that, right?Sure, it has been almost a decade since Smith coached the Bears, and the reunion tour already had nostalgic dates in 2014 and 2015. As coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Smith lost his initial return to Soldier Field 21-13 in 2014 before suffering a 26-21 loss to the Bears at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Fla., the following year. But there would be notable symmetry in bringing Smith back to Chicago for this season’s opener as he starts a new chapter with the Houston Texans.Smith coached the Bears for nine seasons, compiling an 81-63 regular-season record with three playoff berths and a run to Super Bowl XLI during the 2006 season. The Bears have played nine seasons since Smith’s departure with three coaches. And the trio of Marc Trestman, John Fox and Matt Nagy combined for a 61-84 regular-season record — and no playoff victories. AdvertisementSo why not give Week 1 some added pizzazz? Plus, Chicago could benefit from some feel-good vibes to open the Eberflus era. The Texans are widely considered the league’s worst team heading into 2022.Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers celebrates with his teammates after scoring a rushing touchdown in the fourth quarter against the Bears at Soldier Field on Oct. 17, 2021. (Chris Sweda/Chicago Tribune)It probably won’t make much of a difference either way. And maybe it would be better for the Bears to take a swing at Rodgers in September while he’s adjusting to life without Davante Adams and still getting to know rookie receiver Christian Watson and free-agent signee Sammy Watkins.Still, it’s only fair that Eberflus receive an opportunity to get his hustling, takeaway-hungry defense up and running before subjecting him to the biannual Rodgers torture chamber. You remember last year, right? Two more Rodgers victories over the Bears, including a Week 6 triumph at Soldier Field in which he yelled to Bears fans: “I own you! All my (bleeping) life! I own you! I still own you!” Ouch. Again.The grand hopes that last year might mark his final visit to Chicago as Packers quarterback fizzled this winter. So now Eberflus and new defensive coordinator Alan Williams will try to reverse the slide.For what it’s worth, both Nagy and Fox were forced to face Rodgers in their first regular-season games as Bears coach. Both lost. Nagy, in fact, lost seven of eight games against Rodgers, who has beaten five Bears coaches, six Bears defensive coordinators and eight Bears starting quarterbacks. Including the NFC championship game in January 2011 at Soldier Field, Rodgers has a 23-5 record as a starter against the Bears.A Bears fan adjusts her Thanksgiving turkey hat before a game against the Lions at Ford Field on Nov. 25, 2021. (John J. Kim / Chicago Tribune)Admittedly, this is a selfish plea from a sports writer who, just once, would rather not run his Thanksgiving morning 5K on a treadmill in the desolate fitness center of a hotel near the Detroit airport. Listen, Ford Field knows how to host Thanksgiving quite well. And ingesting a 4,000-calorie press box dinner before 11 a.m. Chicago time is always quite the feast. (Gotta save the pumpkin pie for halftime.)AdvertisementBut the Bears have played on Thanksgiving in five of the last eight seasons with four of those games against the Lions. Does the rest of America really get fired up for that matchup to start the holiday? Wouldn’t another team like to give the experience a try? Shouldn’t football fans in Chicago be allowed to keep the Tums in the medicine cabinet until after dinner?Outside of the Lions and Cowboys, who as a tradition play on Thanksgiving every year, no NFL team has been featured on the holiday more than the Bears, who have played 37 times. Last year Andy Dalton sparked a riveting 16-14 win that snapped a five-game losing streak. (Full disclosure: Every Bears beat writer is expecting to be sent to Dallas for Thanksgiving this year. Just a hunch.)Bears head coach Matt Eberflus at rookie minicamp at Halas Hall on May 6, 2022. (Jose M. Osorio / Chicago Tribune)The scheduling stars have aligned for the Bears to play twice this season at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J. — once against the Giants and once against the Jets. The last time that happened was during the 2006 Super Bowl season when the Bears downed the Giants 38-20 in Week 10 and beat the Jets 10-0 the following Sunday.So maybe the schedule makers could piece together another back-to-back just for fun — and perhaps to tempt Eberflus into a weeklong East Coast team bonding experience. Mix in a few field trips to change up the week. Think outside the box of the standard NFL preparation rigors.OK, we know that last part never would happen. But back-to-back games against the Giants and Jets at least would open a world of possibilities for the most dedicated Bears fans.Patriots quarterback Mac Jones points to his helmet during a game against the Dolphins on Jan. 9, 2022. (Doug Murray/AP)Of the four other quarterbacks drafted in the first round in 2021, Fields could face three of them this season: the Jets’ Zach Wilson, the 49ers’ Trey Lance and the Patriots’ Jones. But let’s save Fields versus Jones for the back half of the schedule, when both quarterbacks have had time to build momentum.AdvertisementThe Bears, under former general manager Ryan Pace, engineered an aggressive trade up to draft their quarterback of the future last year, giving up their first- and fourth-round picks in 2022 plus a 2021 fifth-rounder to leap from No. 20 to No. 11. They could have selected Jones there but always had their eyes on Fields. The Patriots took Jones four picks later without having to trade anything.Inevitably, every quarterback from the ‘21 class will be compared against the others for years to come. But the Fields-Jones assessment will be particularly compelling in Chicago, given the Bears had a choice between the two.It’s worth noting that Fields might head to Gillette Stadium with revenge in the back of his mind. Jones and Alabama hammered Fields and Ohio State 52-24 in the national title game in January 2021. Jones also had a more impressive rookie season, helping the Patriots to the playoffs while throwing for 3,801 yards and 22 touchdowns.Bears running back Damien Williams celebrates after catching a pass from quarterback Andy Dalton during the second quarter against the Vikings on Jan. 9, 2022. (Erin Hooley / Chicago Tribune)Somebody in the league office needs to help with this one. The Bears and Vikings play twice every year, yet somehow the game in Minneapolis is always late in the season. Late late.Since the NFL began playing only division games in the final week of the regular season in 2010, the Bears have played their finale on the road against the Vikings seven times. Furthermore, the Bears’ last 15 trips to Minneapolis have come in December or early January. Without fact-checking this, we’re pretty sure the average outdoor wind chill at kickoff of those games is right around minus-64.Yes, yes, we know the Bears have been indoors for most of those games. Still, there was the ice-rink game in 2010, played at TCF Bank Stadium on the University of Minnesota campus a week after the Metrodome roof collapsed. The Vikings also played their home games at TCF Bank Stadium in 2014 and 2015.

The Chicago Bears offseason program is underway with rookie minicamp wrapping up last weekend and organized team activities on tap next week. Brad Biggs tackles questions about evaluating Justin Fields, trading for a wide receiver and more in his weekly Bears mailbag.I understand the need to draft best players available given the teardown required with the current Bears roster, so I’m not upset they drafted defense with their first two picks. I do wonder, though, without significant upgrades to either the offensive line or receiver group, will it be difficult to evaluate the progress of Justin Fields this coming season? I would think that the Bears would need to know what they have with Fields by the end of 2023 so they can decide whether to stick with him or move off of him. Your thoughts? — Chris M., Hermosa Beach, Calif.AdvertisementThe Bears would like to have a good idea about Fields’ long-term projection by the end of this season if possible. One of the errors this franchise has made on occasion is sticking with quarterbacks who clearly are not the solution longer than it should have. The more time you take to explore the next option only extends the search for the replacement to Sid Luckman. I think some folks, not all, who are unsettled by the lack of greater moves for the offense have overlooked the salary-cap issues that new general manager Ryan Poles has worked to put behind the team before 2023.If Fields is an elite talent, that will shine through this season with the current group of skill-position players and the line as it is constituted. Josh Allen didn’t have the greatest cast of skill-position players during his second season with the Buffalo Bills in 2019. His leading wide receiver was John Brown with slot receiver Cole Beasley next. Isaiah McKenzie was third among Bills wide receivers with only 27 receptions. But at the end of that 10-6 season, the Bills had a pretty good indication things were trending upward for Allen.AdvertisementThe performance of Fields and the offense this season no doubt will shape the trajectory of the next offseason.ExpandAutoplayImage 1 of 18Bears inside linebacker C.J. Avery (47) and other defensive players warm up during rookie minicamp at Halas Hall in Lake Forest, May 6, 2022. (Jose M. Osorio / Chicago Tribune)Am I wrong to think Equanimeous St. Brown could be a big part of the passing offense this season? — Matt M., GlenviewI’ve mentioned in previous mailbags that St. Brown is intriguing because he has good size (6-foot-5, 214 pounds) and speed. He also arrives with a pretty good idea of what offensive coordinator Luke Getsy wants to do with the playbook. There’s some projection involved here because St. Brown didn’t do a whole lot in the 2021 season for the Green Bay Packers. He appeared in 13 games and had nine receptions for 98 yards. But he was mentioned the past couple of years as someone who could break out for the Packers, and I imagine Getsy was the leading voice in the team’s pursuit of St. Brown in free agency.[ [Don’t miss] 7 questions for 7 positions as the Chicago Bears prepare for OTAs — the next step in the offseason program ]“I thought EQ had a tremendous year last year in his growth and his maturity from where he was to where he is now,” Getsy said Sunday after rookie minicamp wrapped up. “I was really excited that we were able to snag him because I think all his best football is ahead of him. I’m excited to see. He’s one of those guys — you talk about a big body, a guy that can run, his toughness and all that stuff and everything that we’re going to preach in this system — he’s that expectation.”Ryan Poles mentioned he’s open to working on the roster, including trades. In your opinion, if he can get a top receiver this offseason, would he pull the trigger on an expensive trade? Or are we looking at more midlevel guys with upside only? — @sprucebanditI assume you’re referring to next offseason as most of the big-name wide receivers available in trade already have been moved. I don’t envision the Bears swinging a deal for Deebo Samuel, who remains with the San Francisco 49ers despite asking to be traded. The Bears aren’t in a position where they can fork over the kind of draft capital required to pull off a deal like that, and the 49ers seem far more inclined to keep Samuel.The Bears need to see what they have on the roster and then, if possible, a far better option is to draft their next superstar wide receiver. Then you have a player on a cost-controlled rookie contract and aren’t giving up a load of draft picks while also paying a player at or near the top of the wage scale. When people talk about trading for an elite player, you have to remember that costs premium draft capital that can be used to fill other needs.ExpandAutoplayImage 1 of 11 Meet the Chicago Bears’ 2022 NFL draft class. (Jae C. Hong/AP)Any thoughts on if the Bears should pursue a veteran linebacker? — @pumpi91AdvertisementI guess it’s possible, but this looks like one of the better position groups on the roster with Roquan Smith and Nicholas Morrow, who moved really well for the Las Vegas Raiders in 2020 and was a valuable nickel defender because of his range. Other positions stand out to me as spots where veteran help could be needed, such as both lines and maybe another slot cornerback option.Is the current roster a more talented or less talented roster than the one that ended the 2021 season? Are there position groups where the difference stands out sharply? — @gucasliogitoIt’s a little tricky answering that question. Will Justin Fields be substantially better than he was as a rookie? Will some of the new wide receivers compensate for the departure of Allen Robinson? The Bears finished the 2021 season with a lot of expensive key players injured. The current roster isn’t better than one with a fully healthy Khalil Mack, Akiem Hicks and Robinson. That doesn’t mean the Bears can’t be in a better place at the end of the 2022 season than they were in 2021. I don’t think you can argue that this roster needed a total renovation either.[ [Don’t miss] 3 things we heard from Chicago Bears offensive coordinator Luke Getsy, including his ‘tremendous’ dynamic with Justin Fields ]Charles Snowden seemed like a defensive end with potential last season. Have you heard the new regime discuss plans for him? Many thought he’d be a third-rounder until he got hurt. A sleeper this season? — @joe4ceSnowden was one of the few veteran players to participate in rookie minicamp over the weekend. It’s possible the return to a 4-3 scheme in which he can play with his hand in the dirt will aid him, just as I think it could benefit Trevis Gipson. Snowden is in a large group of young players the Bears will be keeping an eye on to see if they can break through. Obviously not every player will be a solution or someone to build with, but the Bears can expect a handful of pleasant surprises from young players who get opportunities.Do you see Chase Allen making the 53-man roster at tight end? — @rbarnold2626AdvertisementThe Bears signed the Iowa State alumnus as an undrafted free agent, and he has very good size (6-foot-6, 254 pounds) and long arms (34⅛ inches). Allen projects as a Y tight end or a blocker. At minimum he has a chance to start the season on the practice squad and he could break through to the roster. Allen isn’t a great athlete as a receiver, so I wouldn’t expect a ton from him in the passing game. But if the Bears want to develop a blocking tight end, he could have a solid opportunity ahead of him.[ [Don’t miss] Rookies Velus Jones and Trestan Ebner may be gearing up for a special competition to be the Chicago Bears kick returner ]What kind of role is Khyiris Tonga going to play in the new 4-3 defense? He played fairly well for a seventh-round rookie last year. Is he going to be able to carve out a spot for himself on the roster? — @petermartuneacTonga has a chance to play in the rotation as a nose tackle. I agree he made the most of his chances as a rookie, and provided he fits the profile of what they’re looking for in a run stuffer, there should be more playing time in front of him.Do you anticipate the Bears going with an outside hire or promoting someone from within to replace Mark Sadowski? — @davegilchooch2That’s a good question. If GM Ryan Poles has a good feel for one of the scouts he inherited from the previous staff, he could promote from within. Otherwise, I imagine Poles will seek out someone he worked with previously or who comes with a strong recommendation from a close adviser. We’ll have to see how things eventually are structured because Poles has some high-ranking advisers now in assistant GM Ian Cunningham and co-directors of player personnel Jeff King and Trey Koziol.

I’ve never been the type to have a single favorite artist (I’ve probably got 100, depending on the context or mood), but for more than a…

In the last few weeks, Mayor Lightfoot has revealed several important details about the casino she’s pushing so hard to develop, including . . . Where…

Aleksey Ruderman swept and mopped the floors of McHenry County jail, wiped tables, and cleaned the showers and the toilets — all against his will and…

Writer and photographer Jessica Mlinaric wants Chicagoans back on the streets.The last time we heard from her, it was 2018 and she was revealing tidbits of Chicago information, like where one can sunbathe on a Lake Michigan shipwreck and where one could ride in one of Chicago’s only manually operated elevators — all details found in her book “Secret Chicago: A Guide to the Weird, Wonderful, and Obscure.”AdvertisementThe Wicker Park resident and urbnexplorer.com blogger has a second book coming out Sunday, “Chicago Scavenger: The Ultimate Search for Chicago’s Hidden Treasures,” — one that seeks to help readers explore the city and unlock the hidden gems in its neighborhoods.Mlinaric said she “wanted to come up with a way for people to engage in the city again, in a safe way.”Advertisement“All of the places that are featured in ‘Scavenger’ are things you see outdoors,” Mlinaric said. “We just wanted people to be able to get together outside safely, and enjoy the city. Just writing the book last summer, it was so nice for me to be able to get out and explore other neighborhoods again, and remember everything that’s out there in Chicago — all the different communities, restaurants and small businesses to support and things to see that we didn’t really get to enjoy for a little while.”Travel writer and photographer Jessica Mlinaric stands in front of the home where L. Frank Baum lived in the late 1800s while he wrote “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.” The site of the mosaic mural and yellow bricks is one of the locations in Mlinaric’s new book, “Chicago Scavenger.” (Raquel Zaldivar / Chicago Tribune)The book enlists readers in an interactive mission to explore 17 neighborhoods — from Rogers Park to Pullman. Readers have to decipher rhyming and visual clues that lead them to sites and locales imbued with history. Grouped by neighborhood and organized by suggested routes, there are 342 spots for viewers to discover — revealing public art, city oddities, less-known museums, overlooked historical markers and more.Take the Pullman neighborhood, for instance. Mlinaric takes readers through the company town built in 1881 for employees of the Pullman Palace Car Co. Readers start their tour of the area, notable for its labor history, at the famous clock tower (now the visitor center); they go under the Metra train line viaduct to see public artwork that speaks to said labor history; and then go by the Queen Anne building, the exhibit hall with a vivid mural, a horse’s head, a place of worship and a building that was once the Pullman area’s hospital. Don’t forget to take in the war memorial and the shared gallery space that doubles as affordable housing for artists to live and create.The Tribune spoke with Mlinaric about adventuring in Chicago with her book at our side. The interview has been condensed and edited for clarity.Q: You were surprised to learn how easy it is for Chicagoans to stay in their neighborhood bubble. Do you think this book will turn the tide?I hope so. With it coming out in the spring, hopefully that will be good timing for everybody to get out and enjoy the city again. I’m thinking people can take their kids out or go out with their friends and challenge each other to see who can get the most places in one neighborhood. Or just do it by yourself. Keep the book in your car. And, if you’re driving around and you need something to do, just take it out because it’s spiral-bound, so it’s more like a workbook. It’s really meant to be used; there’s places for notes in there. Take it out and hit the town.I hope there are things people will recognize right away and some things they’ll discover that they didn’t know about. Chicago is so big, there’s plenty of places that people who lived here forever have never been, so challenge yourself to go see something new. Go check out a different community. Talk to people across town. That can be a big deal.Q: How did you land on which of Chicago’s 77 neighborhoods to include in the book?AdvertisementI got a mix of neighborhoods from around the city, from the Northwest and South sides and also the Loop. I wanted to choose places where there was a concentration of points of interest close to each other so it would be easy enough to either walk or bike or drive from place to place in the neighborhood. And the places that I picked are either something that’s visually exciting or interesting, maybe something historically significant or just really meaningful to the neighborhood.Jessica Milnaric’s latest book, “Chicago Scavenger,” is an interactive mission to explore 17 neighborhoods across the city. (Reedy Press)Q: How hard was it to select photos for clues without giving it all away?I took all the photos in the book. There’s 342 places and some of them were challenging to try to get a photo that wouldn’t give it all away. But it’s meant to be a hint. If you’re nearby and you’re looking for it, it’s supposed to hopefully tip you off to make sure that you know you found this.Q: How hard was it to write every clue in rhyme? You managed to rhyme ‘restored’ with ‘forbs.’I learned that word. I am not a poet by background. I’ve never tried to write in rhyme before so I wasn’t sure I could do it. I took a day and a few ideas and sat down and tried to make it work. It was fun; about 350 clues in rhyme, I was feeling a bit like Dr. Seuss. Once I chose the sites, I thought about what do I want the reader to know about them? Why did I choose it, why is it historic or significant and then a little description of where they can find it so they know what they’re looking for. I took those keywords and then just tried to find rhyming combinations with them. I hope that they make sense to the readers. I was talking in rhyme for a while there and I think my husband thought I was losing my mind.AdvertisementQ: Is the next step to cover all the city’s neighborhoods?That would be fun. If I could just keep doing them and eventually cover all of Chicago. Because as much as I learned about Chicago, I always end up with more questions and more things to research and go check out; people to talk to. You can never really do all of Chicago, but it’s fun to try though.Q: What is the unique thing you found in your travels. Were you surprised by anything?Some of the things that surprised me: Learning about the stories behind some of the public art that you see. If you’ve been by the lakefront, there’s that totem pole near Belmont Harbor, and that’s based on an earlier work that used to be in Chicago. And different restaurants like Pilsen’s Carnitas Uruapan has been there since 1975. Or Lutz Cafe in Lincoln Square has been there since 1948. I think that’s so special. … To learn about how certain things have been there as communities have changed and grown over time.Q: How long does it take to go through a neighborhood on this city scavenger hunt?I would say to budget about a day for each neighborhood. I am fully aware and expect people to Google or do whatever you have to do on your phone and find it. If you’re just out and you see something, or you’re having brunch and you’re in one of the neighborhoods in the book and you’ve got it handy, just go out and do it.AdvertisementI am going to have a little contest on my website for everyone who wants to really dig in and solve all the clues. I’ll have some prizes. … Take a picture of each site and upload it on my website. And you’ll get points (there will be a leaderboard). And that’s for anyone who wants to do it “Amazing Race” style. You can certainly be a little more casual about it. Just go out with your family, friends, colleagues at work for a team-building exercise.Q: Is there a lot of overlap or some overlap from the first book to the second? Maybe former readers can connect the dots with the second book?There is a little bit of overlap. I would say if you’ve read the first book, you’ll have a bit of an upper hand on this one. But the first book, “Secret Chicago,” was more background on each place, more information and photos and things. Whereas this book is me giving you all the information about a place; I’m kind of pointing you in the direction and you’re discovering it on your own.Q: Was there any neighborhood that really sparked your interest?AdvertisementI’m excited to get people down to Pullman because it’s pretty unique that we have a national monument here in Chicago. I think a lot of people haven’t made the trip down to visit and they have a new visitor center, and the administration building has been redone since last summer.The book launch for “Chicago Scavenger” will be at 1 p.m. May 21 at Schubas. Mlinaric will be signing books. There will be a raffle, prizes and a poet typing custom poems for people.drockett@chicagotribune.com

Bob Lanier, the left-handed big man who muscled up beside the likes of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as one of the NBA’s top players of the 1970s, died Tuesday. He was 73.The NBA said Lanier died after a short illness. The Hall of Famer had worked for the league as a global ambassador. The Athletic reported in 2019 that Lanier was being treated for bladder cancer.AdvertisementLanier played 14 seasons for the Detroit Pistons and Milwaukee Bucks and averaged 20.1 points and 10.1 rebounds for his career. He is third on the Pistons career list in both points and rebounds. They drafted Lanier with the No. 1 pick in 1970 after he led St. Bonaventure to the Final Four.NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said Lanier was among the most talented centers in league history and added that his accomplishments went far beyond what he did on the court.Advertisement“For more than 30 years, Bob served as our global ambassador and as a special assistant to David Stern and then me, traveling the world to teach the game’s values and make a positive impact on young people everywhere,” Silver said in a statement. “It was a labor of love for Bob, who was one of the kindest and most genuine people I have ever been around.”Lanier went into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1992. But his boat-size shoes got there ahead of him with a display of his bronzed sneakers in the shrine.He was known for wearing size 22 shoes, although that was disputed in 1989 by a Converse representative, who told the Atlanta Constitution that Lanier wore size 18½.“The 22 he was reputed to wear was a Korean size,” shoe rep Gary Stoken said.Not contested was the abundantly clear fact that his feet were big.“A lot of people can put both feet into one of my shoes,” Lanier told Hoop magazine.Bucks center Bob Lanier (16) moves to the basket as the 76ers’ Darryl Dawkins defends during an NBA playoff game April 13, 1981, in Milwaukee. (Steve Pyle/AP)Born Sept. 10, 1948, in Buffalo, N.Y., Lanier starred in college at St. Bonaventure, where he averaged 27.6 points and 15.7 rebounds in three seasons. The Bonnies made it all the way to the Final Four in 1970, but Lanier had injured his knee in the regional final and St. Bonaventure lost in the national semifinals to Artis Gilmore and Jacksonville.Lanier overcame a litany of orthopedic injuries, dealing with shoulder, back, elbow, hand and toe problems during his career. But that didn’t prevent him from earning his place among the top NBA centers of his era. After being named to the all-rookie team in 1971, he averaged at least 21 points and 11 rebounds for each of the next seven seasons. He was an eight-time All-Star and the MVP of the 1974 All-Star Game.AdvertisementLanier could beat opponents from the inside and outside while ruling the boards. Although Abdul-Jabbar had a more famous hook shot, the sky hook, Lanier’s was very much a weapon.“Guys didn’t change teams as much, so when you were facing the Bulls or the Bucks or New York, you had all these rivalries,” Lanier told NBA.com in 2018. “Lanier against Jabbar! Jabbar against Willis Reed! And then (Wilt) Chamberlain and Artis Gilmore and Bill Walton! You had all these great big men and the game was played from inside out.”As exceptional as Lanier was, the Pistons won only one playoff series with him. He played 64 games or fewer in each of his last four full seasons in Detroit. In February 1980, he was traded to the Bucks.Lanier averaged fewer minutes with the Bucks but was part of Milwaukee teams that reached the Eastern Conference finals in 1983 and 1984, the final two seasons of his career.He also served as president of the players union during the final years of his career, with Silver saying Lanier played “a key role in the negotiation of a game-changing collective bargaining agreement.”Bulls center Joakim Noah receives the NBA Cares Community Assist award from NBA legend Bob Lanier on March 18, 2015, at the United Center. (Nuccio DiNuzzo / Chicago Tribune)Lanier was the Pistons career leader in points and rebounds before he was passed by Isiah Thomas and Bill Laimbeer in those categories, and his single-game franchise record of 33 rebounds was topped by Dennis Rodman.AdvertisementIn 1995, Lanier was an assistant coach for the Golden State Warriors, then took over as coach on an interim basis after Don Nelson resigned. Lanier went 12-25, and the Warriors found another coach after the season.Lanier won the NBA’s J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award for the 1977-78 season for outstanding community service. After his playing career, he helped start the NBA’s Stay in School campaign and participated in other outreach for the league.“There’s so much need out here,” Lanier said. “When you’re traveling around to different cities and different countries, you see there are so many people in dire straits that the NBA can only do so much. We make a vast, vast difference, but there’s always so much more to do.”