Farewell, Jan Metzger, Age 60

Janice Metzger came to Lake Claremont Press about a year and a half ago with late-stage lung cancer, open about her likely terminal diagnosis, and one ambitious and compelling proposal for the book she intended to write while undergoing treatment: What Would Jane Say? She impressed us with her prolific hard work, commitment, fire, historic imagination, and quality of research and writing. In the end, we were mostly wowed at her accomplishment, more so because she delivered something so complete and beautiful that matched what she out to do, and in such a short period of time, than because of the circumstances under which she did it.

She died earlier this week on February 22, 2010. She is survived by her partner, John Paige; her sons Timothy, Christopher, and Andrew Metzger; a stunning book brimming with her passion and meticulous research; years of public school, neighborhood, and transportation activism; and a better city and world for her having passed through it. It was a privilege to have known her.

A few loving tributes to Jan by those who knew her longer than we did:

http://wickerparkbucktown.org/2010/02/in-memoriam-janice-metzger-wpb-commissioner/

http://oururbantimes.com/obituaries/urban-activist-janice-metzger-dies-lung-cancer-february-22-2010-age-60

http://8monthsafuera.blogspot.com/2010/02/goodbye-to-fierce-role-model-and-dear.html

Set the Wayback Machine to 1945 with Cubbiedude

Cubbiedude at View from the Bleachers recently wrote a touching review of Charles Billington's Wrigley Field's Last World Series: The Wartime Chicago Cubs and the Pennant of 1945, that sprung from a conversation with his father in an oncologist's office. Read the full review here. In the meantime, here are some of Cubbiedude's favorite quotes from the book:

--"Americans' interest in baseball in the late 1930s was such that roughly 330 cities boasted professional minor league teams."

--"Lou Boudreau, Phil Cavarretta, Marty Marion, Hal Newhouser, Ernie Lombardi, and Mort Cooper are just a few of the many excellent ballplayers with 4-F classifications."

--"In 1941 Chicago became the first team to install an organ in their stadium for the enjoyment of the fans..."

--"Helping the team's bottom line were the tremendous concession sales, $121,145, dwarfing the amounts received by other teams."

--"While the fans probably heard the national anthem before the opening game on April 17, the song was not sung at every game but was saved for special events. At the time, this was also the practice of the armed forces; the national anthem was performed only on special occasions, such as national holidays. 'There is a difference between patriotism and commercialization,' Wrigley would explain."

--"He also set an unrecorded record that will almost certainly never be broken, striking out only nine times in 636 at bats, an unheard-of ratio for anyone with his power production."

--"DiMaggio set a new major league record by hitting four grand slam home runs in one season."

Free LCP Books for Chicago's Birthday

To the first 80 guests at Forgotten Chicago's Party

Forgotten Chicago is throwing a 173rd Birthday Bash for Chicago (with Silent Auction) at Cunneen's Pub in Rogers Park, and we're giving free books to the first 80 guests.

Cunneen's Pub

1424 W. Devon

Thursday, March 4, 8 p.m.- 1 a.m.

Note that pitchers are $2 off on Thursday nights.

RSVP on Facebook.

Forgotten Chicago aims to "discover and dcoument little known elements of Chicago's infrastructure, architecture, neighborhoods, and general cityscape, whether existing or historical." Check out the photo-heavy features on their website, like this one devoted to vintage neon signs, or take one of their walking tours, like this past trip through the vacated sections of Ogden Avenue.

Cunneen's appears in Sean Parnell's Historic Bars of Chicago coming early this spring from Lake Claremont Press.