Chicago’s five major professional sports teams have put their fans through hell, reached incredible heights, and been graced by some of sports’ greatest stars. And that’s only part of the story of Chicago sports.

Divided during the summer and united for the rest of the year, the Chicago sports scene has a unique culture. The win-loss records can only say so much about the Bears, Blackhawks, Bulls, Cubs, and White Sox. Each team has a rich history filled with characters and settings a writer could only dream of creating. Perhaps more than any other city, Chicago is defined by what its teams do on the field, as some of the city’s athletes have become its greatest ambassadors.

Chicago: America’s Best Sports Town tells the stories of the athletes and beloved sports teams of this Midwestern metropolis. Yes, some losing is involved, but so is plenty of triumph and, most of all, passion.

About the Author(s)

Brian Sandalow is a freelance sports reporter in Chicago who has written extensively for the Chicago Sun-Times, Associated Press, The Sports Xchange, and ChicagoSide Sports. Raised in suburban Skokie and a graduate of the University of Missouri, Brian has covered just about everything in Chicago sports, ranging from the Cubs to New Zealand rugby, the Blackhawks to international soccer, and pretty much anything in between.

Michael Keller Ditka (born Michael Dyczko; October 18, 1939) is a former American football player, coach, and television commentator. A member of both the College Football (1986) and Pro Football Hall of Fame (1988), he was the 1961 UPI NFL Rookie of Year, a five-time Pro Bowl selection and five-time All-Pro tight end with the Chicago Bears, Philadelphia Eagles, and Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League (NFL).