In addition to his earlier career achievements, Jordan led the Bulls to three consecutive NBA championships in 1991, 1992, and
1993. This statue was desinged by Omri Amrany and Jule Roblattt-Amrany and dedicated on&nbsp;November 1, 1994, the season following Jordan’s
retirement. The twelve-foot bronze statue is located on a five-foot Black granite base that lists many of Michael Jordan’s accomplishments
throughout his career.&nbsp;

More information about Jordan's career from the Smithsonian 

Website

This statue of Michael Jordan was dedicated in 1994 and is located inside gate four at the United Center. Regarded by many as the greatest player of his time, Michael Jordan began his career with the Bulls in 1984 and played all of his games with the Bulls before coming out of retirement. The base of the sculpture lists many of Michael Jordan’s awards.

Michael Jordan statue at the United Center

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This driving tour starts at Wrigley Field and includes stops at landmarks buildings such as the Chicago Athletic Association as well as stadiums and arenas. The tour includes stops at former ballparks that were home to the city's All-American Girls Professional Baseball League franchise and the Chicago American Giants of the Negro Leagues.

Wrigley Field, the home of the Chicago Cubs Major League Baseball team, is a stadium with a rich and storied history. It is the site of many famous moments in sports history and is a revered and beloved landmark for Chicagoans and tourists to the city alike.         Built in 1914, Wrigley Field is the second-oldest MLB ballpark in the country, just behind Fenway Park in Boston. Located at 1060 West Addison Street, Wrigley Field was constructed on land previously occupied by a seminary. Originally called Weeghman Park after landowner Charles H. Weeghman, the stadium seated 14,000 occupants and cost $250 thousand dollars to build. Between the infield and outfield, the stadium boasted 4,000 yards of soil and 4 acres of bluegrass.                The stadium was called Cubs Park upon the sale of the team from Weeghman to the Wrigley family in 1920 with the official name being changed to Wrigley Field in 1926 in honor of team owner William Wrigley, Jr. The famous Wrigley Field marquee was constructed in 1934 and remains intact and fully functional today. In 1937, the outfield was renovated to accommodate more occupants, thus the bleachers were added as well as the famous center field scoreboard. Despite numerous renovations to the stadium over the years, the original scoreboard remains intact and is still in use today. 1937 was also the year the infamous ivy was planted. Bill Veeck, treasurer for the Cubs (whose late father had once been the president of the Cubs) purchased and planted bittersweet vines from the top to the bottom of the wall and ivy at the base of the wall. This unique touch is a beloved part of Wrigley Field’s history and is recognizable to baseball fans around the world (Chicago Cubs). The Ivy was put in not only as a new renovation to make Wrigley look better, but it also give a little bit of padded protection when outfielders run into the walls.               Over the years, Wrigley Field has grown to seat 41,160 occupants. Stadium lighting was added in 1988 to allow for night games to be played. The first night game at Wrigley Field took place on August 8, 1988, with Rick Sutcliffe being throwing out the opening pitch of the game against the Philadelphia Phillies. The Cubs were leading 3-1 in the fourth inning when downpours covered Chicago, causing the game to be called. Although it was the first night game at Wrigley Field, the game did not count toward the 1988 season. Luckily, the next night is when the first complete night game took place at Wrigley Field, with the Cubs defeating the Mets 6-4 (Cubs Get Lights at Wrigley Field). From 1994-95, 63 private boxes were also added to the stadium. After the completion of the 2005 baseball season, the outfield bleachers were expanded and a restaurant was added. The restaurant, which serves local cuisine like the famous Chicago-style hot dogs and features a bleacher patio that can seat up to 600 guests, can be rented out for private engagements (Chicago Cubs).Wrigley Field is also on of the only ball parks where neighborhood residents can sit ion their roof tops and watch the games. It wasn't a problem for the Cubs until the 1990s when the owners of the apartments put bleachers on the roofs and were charging people to watch the cubs games from the roof. This later was settled because the owners of the apartment complexes agreed to share some of the proceeds with the Cubs. In return the Chicago Cubs did not end up putting up a fence to block the view. Later on, Cubs owners have even bought some of the apartments for themselves.               Wrigley Field has seen some of the greatest moments in baseball history and is the home of many first for baseball. Wrigley Field was the first MLB stadium to feature organ music as well as the first ballpark to allow spectators to keep foul balls. Wrigley Field was the first ballpark to have permanent concession stands. The stadium was also the location of the 1947, 1962, and 1990 All-Star Baseball Games as well as games from the 1918, ’29, ’32, ’35, ’38, and '45 World Series.' Babe Ruth called his shot at Wrigley Field as well. Ruth did this during the 1932 World Series. Some argue that he didn't actually call his shot but was instead just pointing at the Cubs dugout, but no matter what happened, it happened at Wrigley Field. The highest scoring game in baseball history was played at Wrigley Field between the Cubs and the Philadelphia Phillies on August 15, 1922, that ended with a final score of 26-23. The first home run of the 1938 World Series was scored at Wrigley Field by a 17 year-old Lou Gherig. While no batted baseballs have ever hit the famous scoreboard, golfer Sam Snead did manage to hit it with a golf ball when he teed off on home plate before the 1951 season opener against the Cincinnati Reds. Baseball legend Pete Rose reached his 4,191st career hit, tying him with Ty Cobb for most hits in baseball history. A proud memory for Cubs fans was broadcaster Harry Caray’s singing of “Take Me Out to the Ball Game” during the 7th inning stretch (Wrigley Field, Chicago Cubs ballpark).      Wrigley Fields most recent achievement was there 2016 World Series championship. The Chicago Cubs held the record for the longest World Series drought. They had not won a World Series in 108 years. The last time they had won a National League pennant was 71 years. After not winning a World Series since 1908, this championship was more than just a win for the team but a win foe the city as well. This win gave the city hope and was a sign of rebirth in the city of Chicago and for Wrigley Field. They now had a winning team. In the 2016 World Series, they defeated the Cleveland Indians 8-7 in game seven.

                Wrigley Field is home to the Chicago Cubs Major League Baseball team. Built in 1914, the stadium is the second-oldest in baseball history behind Fenway Park home of the Boston Red Sox. Wrigley Field is a landmark in Chicago. Wrigley Field is the home of many baseball firsts as well as some of the greatest moments in baseball history. This field is one of the top tourist attractions i Chicago and a legendary place for teams to play at. 

Wrigley Field

<div>In 1977, George Randazzo founded the Italian American Boxing Hall of Fame as a way to raise money for a struggling local Catholic youth program. Randazzo collected boxing photos and memorabilia, a hobby that inspired him to organize a fundraising dinner that brought together a list of boxing greats and celebrities. The dinner honored twenty-three former Italian American boxing world champions, including Rocky Graziano, Jake LaMotta, Sammy Angott, Willie Pep, and posthumously Rocky Marciano, Primo Carnera and Tony Canzoneri.</div><div> </div><div>The results were so overwhelming that a friend and local businessman, Don Ponte, encouraged Randazzo to start a Hall of Fame to honor all Italian American athletes. One year later, the National Italian American Sports Hall of Fame was founded as a non-profit, educational institution. The first induction ceremony and banquet was a star-studded event, as the Hall of Fame honored Lou Ambers, Eddie Arcaro, Charlie Trippi, Gino Marchetti, Dom DiMaggio, and the Yankee Clipper Joe DiMaggio. Mrs. Vince Lombardi also accepted the posthumous induction of her late husband, Coach Vince Lombardi.</div><div> </div><div>In the years that followed, celebrities from all walks of life have come to the annual induction ceremonies to pay tribute to outstanding Italian American sports champions and heroes. A special and uninvited guest took part in the 1980 induction ceremony, as President Jimmy Carter offered his congratulations and addressed the crowd. In 1988 the Hall of Fame moved from its original headquarters in Elmwood Park to Arlington Heights.</div><div> </div><div>The NIASHF enjoyed a new beginning in 1998 with the help of Phoenix Suns Chairman/CEO Jerry Colangelo. A 1994 Inductee and Chicago Heights native, Colangelo was asked by Randazzo to serve as Chairman of an ambitious new Hall of Fame building project in the heart of Chicago's Little Italy. Colangelo accepted and has succeeded in bringing together civic-minded men and women from across the country in support of the project. In 2000 the new facility was dedicated as The Jerry Colangelo Center, a tribute to his efforts and leadership.</div>

Located in Chicago's "Little Italy," the National Italian American Sports Hall of Fame honors important athletes of Italian descent. There are over 230 inductees enshrined in the Hall of Fame. To date, the organization has raised over $6 million for scholarships and charitable causes. In 27 years, the collection of sports memorabilia the Hall has amassed is second to none. The priceless artifacts include Mario Andretti's Indy 500 racecar, Rocky Marciano's first heavyweight championship belt, Vince Lombardi's last coat worn as coach of the Green Bay Packers, and swimmer Matt Biondi's Olympic Gold Medals.

National Italian American Sports Hall of Fame

Chicago during the height of the Gilded Age was an extravagantly splendid city, full of glamorous fashion and architecture. When the city hosted the World’s Fair in 1893, many new buildings appeared in anticipation of the event. One of the most unique to be constructed during the early 1890s was the Chicago Athletic Association. While the majority of these buildings were designed in the Chicago School or Beaux Arts style, Henry Ives Cobb designed the 11-story CAA in what is known as a Venetian Gothic style. Based on the palace of the Doge in Venice, Cobb constructed the façade of this building with crisscrossing arches and columns. When completed in 1893, the Chicago Athletic Association was the premier men’s club in the city, seeing such guests as Marshall Field, William Wrigley, Jr., AG Spaulding, and Cyrus McCormick.&nbsp;A few alterations occurred to the Chicago Athletic Association during the early 20th-Century: in 1906, a 12-story annex was added which included a second ballroom and lodging for women, and then in 1926 the height of the building was increased to 19-stories for additional guest lodging. The CAA served as a recreation space for Chicago’s upper class for over a century, eventually closing in 2007 due to low membership. Then in 2012, the building was purchased for $13 million by AJ Capital Partners, Agman Partners, and Geolo Capital. The partners hired Hartshorne Plunkard Architects and interior architects Roman + Williams to meticulously restore and modernize the CAA into a 241-room luxury hotel. The newly renovated and aptly named Chicago Athletic Association Hotel opened in 2014. The majority of the CAA’s original 1893 architectural features were preserved, such as the ornate ironwork, tiled floors, and stained glass. The Chicago Athletic Association Hotel is currently one of the premier adaptive reuse projects in the city of Chicago.

The Chicago Athletic Association (CAA) opened in 1893 in congruence with the World’s Fair being held in Chicago. Designed by Henry Ives Cobb to feature crisscrossing arches that mimic the extravagant palace of the Doge in Venice, the 11-storied building is often described as Venetian Gothic. The Chicago Athletic Association catered to the city’s most elite men, such as Marshall Field, William Wrigley, Jr., AG Spaulding, and Cyrus McCormick. The CAA closed its doors in 2007 after 114 years in operation. Then in 2012, the building was purchased for $13 million by AJ Capital Partners, Agman Partners, and Geolo Capital. The partners hired Hartshorne Plunkard Architects and interior architects Roman + Williams to meticulously restore and modernize the CAA into a 241-room luxury hotel. The Chicago Athletic Association Hotel is currently one of the premier adaptive reuse projects in the city of Chicago.

Chicago Athletic Association

Originally a national landmark, the stadium's renovation in 2002-2003 for which modern amenities&nbsp;were provided, caused it to be removed from national landmark status.&nbsp;However, roman-style (Neoclassic) pillars and plaques adorn the outside that provide evidence of its historic legacy.&nbsp;Soldier Field originally opened in 1924 as 45,000-seat Municipal Grant Park Stadium. It was the first metropolitan-sponsored sports stadium and a sign of both the booming 1920s economy and a culture apt to spend money on leisurely activities, such as the theater, music events, and sports.1&nbsp;The first football game played there occurred on November 24 when Notre Dame (South Bend, IN)&nbsp;defeated Northwestern University (Evanston, IL) 13 -6. &nbsp;The name was changed to Soldiers' Field in 1926 as a tribute to World War I soldiers -- Army and Navy played a game on November 27 of that year to commemorate the event.2&nbsp;Two games played later that decade rank among the most attended football games in National Collegiate Athletic history. The first one came when Notre Dame defeated&nbsp;the University of Southern California &nbsp;7-6 on Nov. 26, 1927, in front of an estimated 123,000 fans (the&nbsp;Notre Dame's official athletic site, however, only 99,573 were listed as paid). The second game, played on October 13, 1928, was played in front of 120,000 (103,081 paid).3&nbsp;The stadium has hosted numerous sporting and special events, but it is best known for existing as the home of the National Football League's Chicago Bears. After spending half of a century at Wrigley Field (now the historic home of the Chicago Cubs), the Bears moved to Solider Field in 1971.4&nbsp;The Bears realized most of its sports success in the 1980s, with a world championship (Super Bowl) in 1985, numerous division championships, and the play of one its greatest players, Walter Payton, known as "Sweetness." In 1984, Payton broke the all-time&nbsp;rushing record (yard attained by running the ball) that had&nbsp;previously been set by the Cleveland Browns'&nbsp;Jim Brown&nbsp;in 1963. That record has since been surpassed by Emmitt Smith of the Dallas Cowboys, who broke Payton's record in 2002.&nbsp;

Opened in 1924, Soldier Field is the oldest active stadium in the NFL. The stadium's name is intended to honor veterans of World War I, and was selected by voters after holding a contest to name the recently completed field. Numerous college and professional teams have used Soldier Field as their home turf, but after the Chicago Bears moved from playing games at Wrigley Field to Soldier Field in 1971, the stadium has been associated as the home of the Chicago Bears. 

Soldier Field

&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Comiskey Park was the home of the White Sox for
over 50 years. Originally built on land purchased by Charles Comiskey, the
first owner of the White Sox. The ballpark was made specifically to Comiskey’s
instructions and was designed to be a pitchers’ park. From 1910 until 1990, the
White Sox played their games at Park Stadium before moving to a new field in
1991, also called Comiskey Park until being renamed to Cellular Field in
2003.&nbsp; During its time, the park hosted a
number of major events. Some examples of these events were the 1917 World
Series, the first All-Star Game in 1933, a heavyweight boxing championship in
1937, the Negro League East-West All Star Game from 1933 to 1950, the Chicago
American Giants of the Negor League’s home game from 1941 to 1950, and was the
home of the NFL’s Chicago Cardinals from 1922 to 1925 and 1929 to 1959.

&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;During the 1940s, the Chicago American Giants
played their games at Comiskey Field. Also, the ballpark featured the Negro
League East-West Game from 1933 to 1950. After the installment of lights for
nighttime baseball, Comiskey Park became a very popular destination for African
Americans as their attendance grew rapidly following 1939 when the lights were
put in. In addition to being the site of all these important events in African
American sports history, Comiskey Park was also the site of the first African
American playing in the American League when Larry Doby of the Clevelend
Indians played the White Sox on July 5, 1947.

&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Over the years, Comiskey Park grew as Comiskey
added grandstands and owner Bill Veeck, Jr. added a scoreboard that fired off
fireworks every time the White Sox scored. However, Jerry Reinsdorf and Eddie
Einhorn decided to push for a new Comiskey Park in 1981. When these new owners
threatened to move the White Sox to Addison if they did not get a new Comiskey
Park, the mayor of Cincinnati at the time, Harold Washington, successfully
lobbied the state legislature. Because of political tie-ups over displacing
residents, construction was halted until 1989, and the White Sox began their
play at the new Comiskey Park in 1991. Today, the old Comiskey Park has been
torn down, and the new Comiskey Park has been renamed to Cellular Field.

Comiskey Park was the home of the White Sox for over 50 years. Originally built on land purchased by Charles Comiskey, the first owner of the White Sox. The ballpark was made specifically to Comiskey’s instructions and was designed to be a pitchers’ park. From 1910 until 1990, the White Sox played their games at Park Stadium before moving to a new field in 1991, also called Comiskey Park until being renamed to Cellular Field in 2003.  During its time, the park hosted a number of major events. Some examples of these events were the 1917 World Series, the first All-Star Game in 1933, a heavyweight boxing championship in 1937, and was the home of the NFL’s Chicago Cardinals from 1922 to 1925 and 1929 to 1959.

Comiskey Park

The Chicago White Sox, an American League team, has been around since
1901 and has called three different stadiums its home: South Side Stadium,
Comiskey Park, and currently, US Cellular Field. Thanks to their residence on
the South Side of Chicago, US Cellular Field has a working-class, no-frills
feel, something the residents and fans who frequent games love. &nbsp;There might not be a lot of grandiose scenic
views from many locations throughout the stadium, but to Chicagoans and White
Sox fans, that just means more reason to focus on the game.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; After threats to
move the team to Florida if a new stadium wasn’t built, ground broke on US
Cellular Field on May 17, 1989. The $167 million dollar price tag for the new
stadium was financed by a 2% tax placed on hotels in Chicago, a ballot that
voters had originally rejected. The new 1.3 million square foot stadium,
originally called New Comiskey Park, had an initial seating capacity of 44,000
and now holds 40,615. The infield dirt was transported from Comiskey Park to
the new stadium. The park opened on April 18,1991 to mixed reviews from
spectators and fans. Unlike the original Comiskey Park, New Comiskey Park was
expansive and lacking the cozy feeling that fans loved about the old stadium.
Despite that, attendance was at 2,934,154 in the first year.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; In 2001, a series
of major renovations to the park began, starting with a restaurant being added
to the outfield as well as a few other minor changes. 2002 saw a party deck
added, as well as an updated scoreboard replicated to look like the original
one from Comiskey Park. In 2003, LED ribbon boards surrounding the upper deck
as well as a fan deck in center field were added. 2003 also saw the name of the
stadium change from New Comiskey Park to US Cellular Field after US Cellular
made a 20-year, $68 million dollar deal with the White Sox to use their name. A
life-size bronze statue of Charles Comiskey was also erected on the center
field concourse. In 2004, eight rows of 6,600 seats were removed from the top
of the upper deck and a new 20-foot roof was constructed. The outfield wall was
redone, featuring pictures of eight players whose numbers were retired: Nellie
Fox (2), Harold Baines (3), Luke Appling (4), Minnie Minoso (9), Luis Aparicio
(11), Ted Lyons (16), Billy Pierce (19), and Carlton Fisk (72). A 314-seat
scout seating area was put in directly behind home plate in 2005, and the
transition of the bright blue seating to dark green (like what had been in the
original Comiskey Park) began. From 2006-2007, the color change of the seats
was completed and a new premium-seat restaurant, the Jim Beam Club (now called the
Home Plate Club) was added in the old press box behind home plate on the
Diamond Suites &nbsp;200 level. To replace the
original press box, a new one was put in behind home plate on the Diamond
Suites 400 level. 

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; US Cellular Field
was the home of the 2003 All-Star Game. In addition, the first two games of the
2005 World Series were played there between the Chicago White Sox and the
Houston Astros; the White Sox would go on to win their first World Series title
in 88 years. On April 18, 2007, Mark Buehrle pitched a no-hitter against the
Texas Rangers, the first no-hit game in US Cellular Field’s history and the
sixteenth no-hit game in White Sox history.

U.S. Cellular Field on the South Side of Chicago is the home of the Major League Baseball team, the Chicago White Sox. Since 1991, the White Sox have resided in this expansive stadium that seats 40,615. Originally called New Comiskey Park, U.S. Cellular Field has seen a multitude of renovations over the years. 

U.S. Cellular Field

The third South Side Park in Chicago, Illinois was the longest running venue of the South Side Park. A baseball field and home to many teams throughout its time but it was the first home of the Chicago American Giants. They were a team in the Negro National League and coached by the man who organized the league, Rube Foster.Rube Foster played baseball before his decision to start the NNL. He was a star pitcher and paved the way for many African American players. He experienced racism and discrimination because of who he was. Foster was able to overcome these circumstances and became a very prominent and remembered man in baseball.The Chicago American Giants won many league championships at the start of the NNL. Whether it was because Foster was their coach will be a mystery. They were a talented team, however, and the fact that Foster was their coach only made them better. In many ways, the Negro National League was a way for African American to play the game they loved. It was a stepping stone for many athletes and proved to be a huge part of baseball history.South Side Park III along with many other ballparks is considered very historic for the fact that it was home to a team in the Negro Leagues. Without places like this these teams could have never become successful, and without Rube Foster the inclusion of African Americans in Major League Baseball could have had a different past than it does today.The Chicago American Giants, South Side Park, and Rube Foster are all remembered together and celebrated in unison. Foster, the Father of the Negro Leagues, inspired many to break the barrier and do the unthinkable. In 1981 Foster was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. He will forever remain an important part of the Negro Leagues and baseball in general. South Side Park, though the stadiums have long been demolished, will&nbsp;always be the home of the Chicago American Giants.

The Negro National League was created by Rube Foster in 1920. He decided that with this new league he would attempt to make a team his own and be the coach. The third South Side Park in Chicago, Illinois would become the home of the Chicago American Giants. Their team would find success with Foster and be remembered in history.

South Side Park III-Home of the Chicago American Giants (1900-1940)

Italian born scientist Enrico Fermi had worked with uranium
for years.&nbsp; Having received the Nobel
Prize in 1938 for his work on transuranic elements, and later moving to
America, he was the lead scientist at the University of Chicago during the secretive
Manhattan Project efforts.&nbsp; In 1939 it
was discovered that bombarding an atom of uranium with neutrons would sometimes
cause the uranium atoms to split.&nbsp; Later
scientists discovered that when the uranium atom split, additional neutrons
would emit and present the possibility of further reaction with other
atoms.&nbsp; Knowing this, scientists deduced
that a chain reaction was quite possible under this fission process.&nbsp; It was further believed that with enough
uranium compiled together under the right circumstance, a controlled chain
reaction could occur, at a point known as the “critical mass”.&nbsp; Over the next three years this concept was
studied but it wasn’t until almost a year after the bombing of Pearl Harbor in
1941 a pile of critical mass was constructed and the controlled nuclear chain
reaction had become reality.

During Fermi’s research, the squash court turned nuclear
laboratory, had an odd look.&nbsp; Centered in
a 30’ by 60’ room and covered on three sides by a gray balloon cloth laid a
pile of bricks and wooden timbers.&nbsp; With
square sides on the bottom and flat part way up the sides, a dome shaped top completed
the careless “pile” look, a word now used to describe these devices.&nbsp; The scientists joked amongst themselves at this
sight saying “If people could see what we’re doing with a million-and-a-half of
their dollars, they’d think we are crazy.&nbsp;
If they knew why we are doing it, they’d know we are.”&nbsp; (atomicarchive.com)&nbsp; Fermi and the other scientists stacked 19,000
pieces of uranium metal, uranium oxide fuel and 40,000 graphite blocks within a
24 foot square wooden frame to build Chicago Pile Number One (CP-1).&nbsp; 

Scientist George Weil pulled out the cadmium-plated control
rod at the critical mass point and history was made.&nbsp; After the success of this first controlled
nuclear reaction more allocated funds poured into the project and nuclear
facilities were being built in Tennessee and Washington.&nbsp; The Manhattan Project was about to experience
rapid growth and top secret priority.&nbsp; By
July 16, 1945 the first atomic bomb was ready to be tested.&nbsp; Members of the Manhattan Project were at the
Alamogordo, New Mexico site to experience its detonation.&nbsp; After a blinding flash, a mushroom cloud that
had reached 40,000 feet into the sky returned to earth, creating a half-mile wide
crater. &nbsp;The scientists and government knew
that a new age of weaponry was upon us.&nbsp; 

Although destructive in the form of a bomb, the nuclear age
brought upon many attributes as well.&nbsp; In
the 1950’s the Atomic Energy Commission funded the opening of the Argonne
Cancer Research Hospital and developed a treatment for cancer known as
radiation.&nbsp; Expanding on this development,
the continued use of radiological innovations enables the ability to diagnose
and treat other types of diseases.

This was the location of the original Stagg Field-famous today for its role in the nuclear experiments that ushered in the Atomic Age during World War II. As German physicists were discovering how to split a uranium atom, Albert Einstein and Enrico Fermi expressed concerns to President Roosevelt that the German military might soon develop a nuclear weapon. Roosevelt responded by agreeing to gradually move forward with an ambitious research and development program that would grow to become the Manhattan Project-a top secret initiative to develop an atomic bomb. Three universities were involved in the initial stages of the research; Columbia University, the University of Chicago and the University of California at Berkeley. On December 2, 1942 at exactly 3:25 p.m. under the west stands of the University of Chicago’s Stagg Field, these researchers became the first to release and control the energy of the atom.  Although not yet powerful enough to power a single light bulb, the success of this initial experiment inspired continued work, as well as the eventual completion of the atomic bomb. Ranging from the utilization of nuclear energy to power cities to the destructive power of nuclear weapons, a new age of science and technology began under the stands of Stagg Field.

Stagg Field and the first controlled nuclear reaction, 1942

The All-American Girls
Professional Baseball League (AAGPBL)&nbsp;operated from 1943 to 1954. The
AAGPBL lasted long past 1945, when&nbsp;the end of World War II led to a resumption of
normal life in the United States. The impetus of the league was a way for team
owners&nbsp;to generate revenue-especially teams in small
cities as&nbsp;many minor league teams saw many of their players
leaving baseball during the war years to&nbsp;serve&nbsp;n the military. Despite expectations, the league continued
for nearly a decade after the war owing to the quality of baseball and the
creative talents of league promoters.&nbsp; 
 
The Chicago Colleens were one of the ten teams
listed on the 1948 season AAGPBL roster.&nbsp;They&nbsp;were members of the
Eastern Division and were managed by the former National League professional
player Dave Bancroft aka "Beauty". Unfortunately for Bancroft, the&nbsp;Colleens were one&nbsp;of the worst teams in the
league, finishing with a losing record of 47-76. As a result, the&nbsp;Colleens and the Springfield Sallies (another losing
club) functioned as&nbsp;rookie development teams that traveled around the
country playing each other and other teams&nbsp;in exhibition games. These teams
toured in both 1949 and 1950 and primarily traveled in the South and East areas
of the United States.&nbsp;Many official lists ignore both teams after
1948,&nbsp;but their existence in the league remained until 1950.4&nbsp; 
 
These exhibition teams were used as a way to
market the AAGPBL beyond the upper Midwest where most AAGPBL teams were located. These teams were used not just to&nbsp;train new rookie
recruits and give them experience in the league, but to show other areas of
the&nbsp;United States that women were in fact playing baseball. Like other
AAGPBL teams, the&nbsp;athletes&nbsp;were expected to play well, but also present themselves as
"proper women," &nbsp;- they all attended charm school and followed&nbsp;strict rules of&nbsp;etiquette.1 
 
Fran Janssen stated in her interview with Jim
Sargent, ”We traveled more than 10,000 miles in 1949 from Illinois to Texas,
across the Gulf states and up to New Jersey and Pennsylvania. We played in
minor league parks in Tulsa and Baltimore, as well as in city parks, and we
drew good crowds.. We rarely spent more than two nights in a town. We had to
make fast trips."&nbsp;Fran&nbsp;estimated that the team played in about fifty&nbsp;cities from New York to&nbsp;Florida and&nbsp;throughout Midwest and Southern states
in their first year as a traveling team. 
 
Former player Patricia L Brown commented in her
book, "A League of My Own," that by 1950, the team played more than
100 games in the U.S. in Canada, playing in a range of fields from poorly
managed recreational fields to minor league parks.&nbsp; 
 
The team was managed by Major League Hall of Fame
shortstop,&nbsp;Dave Bancroft.&nbsp;From 1924 to 1927 Bancroft managed the
Braves but only managed&nbsp;a 249-363 record before losing his job. He found work once again as a&nbsp;player-manager for the next few years before becoming a
full-time manager for&nbsp;minor league teams such as
the&nbsp;Minneapolis Millers of the American Association (1933), his
hometown&nbsp;Sioux City Cowboys (1936),&nbsp;and the St. Cloud Rox (1947). The
following year he became the manager of the Colleens.&nbsp;5&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 
Although&nbsp;many attribute the end of the war as the reason
for the league's demise, the attendance peak occurred after the war's end; the
league's ten&nbsp;teams&nbsp;collectively&nbsp;drew 910,000 fans in 1948. Thus,
there existed an appreciation of women's baseball that went beyond
"filling the void of men leaving for war." &nbsp;The league ended in
1954 due to many factors, such as&nbsp;decentralization&nbsp;of the league and
a recession that prevented money being spent for&nbsp;promotion.&nbsp;6 
 
After the Colleens left, the field was used
for&nbsp;serious&nbsp;sporting functions.&nbsp;Today, Shewbridge Field is known&nbsp;Amos Alonzo Stagg
Stadium, named for the famous University of Chicago&nbsp;football coach. Stagg
played football at Yale before coaching in Massachusetts at an&nbsp;institution
that&nbsp;grew into Springfield College.&nbsp;James Naismith was mentored by
coach Stagg, and would go on to become the inventor of basketball. In
1892,&nbsp;Stagg was hired by the University of Chicago&nbsp;to develop courses
in physical&nbsp;education&nbsp;and also develop the university's football
team. 
 
Although the University of Chicago later&nbsp;discontinued its football&nbsp;team in order to concentrate their
resources on academics,&nbsp;Stagg built the University of Chicago into one of
the greatest football&nbsp;powerhouses
in the first decades of the 20th century. Stagg complied a record of&nbsp;242-112-27 while at the University of
Chicago and&nbsp;led the Maroons to seven Big Ten Conference championships.
During these years, Stagg developed many features of the game that increased
its popularity among fans, such as the lateral pass and the reverse. He also
created tackling dummies so that players could perfect their technique without
suffering as many injuries. Stagg's influence on the game of football was so
significant that&nbsp;Notre Dame coach Knute Rockne once claimed
that&nbsp;"all football comes from Stagg."

Although now a high school athletic field, in 1948 this field served as the home to the All American Girls Professional Baseball Team, the Chicago Colleens. At that time, the ballpark was known as Shewbridge Field. The This is the location of Shewbridge Field where the Chicago Colleens All American Girls Professional Baseball League team played their games in 1948. The Chicago Colleens played their first season at Shewbridge Field. The remainder of the team's history was spent as a traveling team. Although the Colleens never competed for a championship, they worked to promote the league throughout the United States while providing a credible demonstration that women could play competitive baseball. 

Chicago Sports History Driving Tour

Michael Jordan statue at the United Center

Introduction

Images

Backstory and Context

Additional Information