Steve Bartman and Moises Alou of the Cubs battle for a foul ball in the 2003 National League Championship Series. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)

The goat. The ghosts. The black cat. The meltdowns of 1969, 1984, 2003 and heaven knows how many other seasons. Bartman.

The yearly hope and the abysmal fades. The ivy covered walls and the addled brains of the fans. The legendary rave-out of a manager fed up with losing, the fans and the media. A countless parade of tired managers and players who go from great to trash as soon as they put on the uniform.

This is the 100 year legacy of the Chicago Cubs. 100 years since their last World Series win. 100 years of mostly really terrible teams and the “3000 (bleepin’) fans who come out here every (bleepin’) day, rippin’ every (bleepin’) thing you do.”

It’s been so long since the Cubs won a pennant, that this kid is an old man by now. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Allsport)

I have always enjoyed going to Wrigley Field to cover the Cubs for two main reasons. Seeing a ball game at Wrigley is a joy for a baseball fan. And there’s always the chance, almost every day, that you’ll see something during a baseball game that you’ve never seen before. And it almost always goes bad for the Cubs. A triple play. A no hitter spoiled with two outs in the top of the ninth inning on Opening Day. Two grand slams hit in the same inning against the Cubbies. You name it, I’ve seen it. Almost. (There’s always next year!)

In 2005, the Chicago White Sox earned a place in my heart forever. They won the World Series.  A Chicago team won the World Series IN MY LIFETIME. No goats, ghosts or black cats. Just solid baseball from a wonderful team with a manager who will always deserve a place in Chicago sports history along with Ditka, Payton, Jordan, Sosa and Fisk.

A White Sox fan celebrates the 2005 World Series Championship on Rush Street in Chicago. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)

The results of the 2005 season for the Sox put the heat on the Cubs management like never before. They began to build a team to win the World Series. And they hired a no-nonsense manager, Lou Piniella, who is so different from White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen, that he might as well live on the moon. The Cubs team for 2008 was built for one thing and one thing only: to win the World Series. This year. Period.

Manager Ozzie Guillen of the Chicago White Sox enjoys teasing other players and managers as much as managing a game. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)

Manager Lou Piniella of the Chicago Cubs has perfected the long, slow walk from the dugout to the mound and back like no other Major League manager. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)

Since May, both Chicago teams have been in first place in their respective divisions and leagues, with the exception of a few days for the White Sox. The Sox have had injuries galore and a Minnesota Twins team that just wouldn’t give up, breathing down their necks for the entire season. The Cubs have had a 2-4 game lead most of the year in their division with the Milwaukee Brewers, one of the finest smoke and mirror teams in the Major Leagues, nipping at their heals until recently. The Cubs have led the League in almost every category imaginable the entire season from team batting to runs scored to ERA…you name it. And aside from a every-year stint on the DL from Kerry Wood and Alfonso Soriano, they’ve done it relatively injury free.

The managers for both teams couldn’t be more different. Ozzie is a trickster, a joker, a guy with his heart on his sleeve that says anything and everything to the media. Lou is the seasoned veteran manager whose every move is calculated and who basically hates talking to the media. They both have gotten the best out of their players all season, using wildly different tactics and some surprisingly good players, especially on the south side of town where two players in particular, Carlos Quentin and Alexei Ramirez, have become full-blown stars this year. The Cubs core players have proven star ability, like Carlos Zambrano, who threw the first Cub no-hitter since 1972 a few weeks ago, and Aramis Ramirez a third baseman with a lethal swing. But players like Mark DeRosa and Ryan Theriot have proven to be special cogs in the Cubs machinery this season. And Geovany Soto, the Cubs rookie catcher, may end up being the National League Rookie of the Year when it’s all said and done.

Until his injury, Carlos Quentin of the White Sox was leading the American League in home runs with 36 and had driven in 100 RBI’s. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)

Alexei Ramirez, a rookie from Cuba, has shown that he belongs as a starter on the White Sox roster. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)

Fans cheer as Aramis Ramirez of the Cubs celebrates a walk-off home run to beat the White Sox in June. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)

Carlos Zambrano, shown pitching against the Brewers in Milwaukee, became the first Cub to throw a no-hitter since 1972 by shutting down the Astros during a game played in Milwaukee after being canceled in Houston because of Hurricane Ike. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)

Mark DeRosa of the Cubs tips hit helmet to the crowd after hitting a grand slam against the Astros in August. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)

The Sox, on the other hand, have swung from OK, to great to absolutely terrible all season long, with star players like Paul Konerko fighting off injuies and slumps and a bullpen that imploded following a back injury to Scott Linebrink midway through the summer.

Two first place teams from Chicago…with one improbable destiny…an all-Chicago World Series.

It would seem at this point that the White Sox have the toughest road. The Rays, Red Sox and Angels are formidable and the Sox had trouble with all three teams this season. The Cubs should slide right through their National League playoff opponents like they did all season. The team coasted to the NL Central title a couple of weeks ago, almost a foregone conclusion for many who predicated a World Series berth for the Cubs at the beginning of the season. And despite a potential Sports Illustrated cover jinx facing them, thanks to my photo last week of Aramis Ramirez raising his fist in victory after hitting a walk-off home run against the White Sox in June, they should go all the way to the big show this month. However, as many in Chicago have been constantly reminded…the Cubs are the Cubs, after all. The “Loveable Losers” with the key word being…..losers.

The White Sox could not have won their division in a more sensational manner. To win the title, the Sox managed a feat never before accomplished in Major League history. They beat three different teams in three days win the title. After a dismal last two weeks of the season, the Sox finished a 1/2 game behind the Twins. With a win over the Cleveland Indians, the Sox were forced to play a make-up game on Monday and defeated the Tigers, setting up a winner-take-all AL Central tiebreaking game against the Twins Tuesday night in Chicago. It was a nail-biter of a game; a pitchers duel between John Danks of the Sox and Nick Blackburn of the Twins. It was settled in the 7th inning when Jim Thome blasted a 461 foot solo home run off of Blackburn in the 7th inning. Thome, a 38 year old designated hitter and one of the nicest guys in all of sports, celebrated like a kid who just won the Little League World Series title.

Manager Ozzie Guillen and Jim Thome celebrate winning the AL Central title after a 1-0 win over the Minnesota Twins. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)

But just the thought of an all-Chicago World Series is so tantalizing, so ridiculous, so unbelievable that it’s worth entertaining some thought. Actually, the same goes for having just the Cubs in a World Series. But it’s the first time in 102 years that both Chicago teams have been in the playoffs at the same time. If that’s not deep-dish pizza karma, I don’t know what is.

The last week of baseball season has Chicago fans on both sides of town looking forward to what could be a wild ride in the October playoffs. Can Ozzie make it through the American League with the injured players and the season-long up and down nature of their hitting and bullpen? Can Lou and his team built for a Title excise 100 years worth of Cubbie demons?

Stay tuned. This is gonna be fun.

Will Lou Piniella of the Cubs and Ozzie Guillen of the White Sox meet again in the World Series? Maybe hell could freeze over indeed. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)

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Having been lucky enough to have traveled to most baseball parks in the United States, I can safely say that Fenway Park in Boston is the crown jewel of them all. One does not have to be a Red Sox fan to appreciate the history of the ballpark and the memories that have taken place here. There are so many aspects to the park that make it unique, from the obstructed view seats, to Pesky Pole in right field, to the famous green monster in right field.

The Green Monster is the most famous left field wall in sports, measuring 37 feet tall and only 310 feet from home plate. In a time of brand new ballparks with fancy concourses and luxury boxes, Fenway is a throwback to the old school. It still has a manually operated scoreboard that keeps track of everything from each ball and strike but also the score of every game being played, all by hand. Every player who comes to Fenway wants to go out to the Monster because of its lore.

This year, the mystique of the Green Monster and Fenway park will mostly likely be strengthened by another World Series championship by the Red Sox. If this happens, the Sox maybe on their way to establishing themselves as a dynasty team. They no longer will be living under the shadow of the Yankees in the East and will have firmly established themselves, and their ballpark, as the best there is.

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photo: Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images

The October Classic returns to Boston this year after another come-from-behind-win from the Red Sox over the Cleveland Indians to advance to baseball’s ultimate goal – the World Series. This year they face the Colorado Rockies, who leisurely advanced 8 days ago, having won all of their previous play-off games to reach the series.

After the Red Sox’ miraculous run in 2004 to beat the Yankees, eventually to win the World Series and break the “curse of the Bambino,” they are back again, but this time there is a different feeling in the air.

In 2004, there was a sense of unbelievable, cautious excitement throughout the series with the entire Red Sox nation wondering if this could really happen. Could they actually break the curse? This year there is a much cockier, confident feeling around Fenway with the fans already feeling that the series is in the bag – especially after the game one trouncing of the Rockies. There is a significant change in the attitude about the Red Sox. No longer are they a second class baseball team, but they have firmly established themselves as the team to beat in baseball.

Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images

The Colorado Rockies had a similar swagger when they came into the series, having won 18 out of 19 of their last games of the year. The feeling before game one is that it would be  a clash of two titans, two of baseball’s hottest teams colliding on the biggest stage. But after the 13th run was scored and fans started making football references to the score, you knew that there was some disparity between the two teams. Hopefully, the Rockies win today and redeem themselves for all of their hard work and a great baseball team leading up to this point. Hopefully they won’t end up another footnote for the mighty Boston Red Sox machine.

Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images

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Tonight’s game 4 victory by the St. Louis Cardinals was a true World Series Classic. The game was back and forth throughout, with many lead changes late into the game. Photographically, the game provided more moments than any of the previous three games. So often, does the quality of the game mirror the quality of the pictures. Tonight was no exception. Shooting a game with so much on the line for both teams, usually leads to defining moments. Hopefully, as a photographer, you are in a position to capture these moments. The good thing about working with a team of photographers is that you have back-up. Chances are, that at least one of our five photographers will have an angle on the key moments.

Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images

There are so many variables that can prohibit you from doing your job at a baseball game. After a home run or any key score, the Fox TV camera man runs onto the field to get a wide angle shot of the action, usually blocking not only his own camera people, but just about everyone else on the field as well. In my opinion, it is both an ugly shot and is disrespectfully to the players and the integrity of the game. Shooting in an elevated position, fans can often block you with a variety of objects, including the dreaded rally towel. Another interesting problem that can occur, especially in cold weather, is heat waves that radiate from the dugouts that, in turn, affect the sharpness of the image. This happened to both and Elsa and myself when shooting from over the dugout.

Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images

With one more win, and a little help from Mother Nature, the St. Louis Cardinals can wrap things up today. In general, I always hope for the winning team to win to at home. The pictures are often much better because of the interaction the players may have with the fans after the game.

Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images

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Game One of the 2006 Monopod Baseball Chamionships was under way in the bowels of Busch Stadium. Rob Tringali on assignment for ESPN the Magazine stepped up to the plate, in the bottom of the ninth inning with two out, to face veteran closer Robert Seale of The Sporting News. These are the things legends are made of and that are remembered for millennium. Seale started the at bat with two balls on the outside corner then followed up with a cutter inside that jammed Tringali. Seale then delivered a back door slider for a strike followed by a high heater that Tringali amazingly laid off of to work the count full. Seale’s catcher came out to visit him before the payoff pitch to calm the nerves of the veteran closer. No one is sure if Seale has lost a bit on his cutter or Tringali got some batting advise from Hammering Hank Aaron when he passed by in the hallway, but Tringali slammed that cutter out of the corridor for a walk off solo home run to lead his team to victory in Game One of the 2006 Monopod Baseball Championships!!!

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ST. LOUIS – OCTOBER 25: Robert Seale of the Sporting News pitches to Rob Tringali in the ninth inning of Game One of the Monopod Baseball Championships on October 25, 2006 in the bowels of Busch Stadium in St. Louis Missouri. 

Michael Heiman-Pool/Getty Images 

ST. LOUIS – OCTOBER 25: Rob Tringali hits a walk off solo home run off of Robert Seale in the ninth inning of Game One of the Monopod Baseball Championships on October 25, 2006 in the bowels of Busch Stadium in St. Louis Missouri . 

Moments after hitting the game winning shot Tringali was offered the front of a Wheaties Box and a huge endorsement deal with Manfrotto which he gracefully turned down. When asked why he turned down the deal Tringali said. “I’m in it for the game, not the money and I want the kids who have dreams of making it to the pro’s one day to realize that.” With such an amazing outcome in game 1, one wonders if game 2 will be able to provide as much excitement, but with rain forecasted again for tonight’s MLB game we can only hope that the play will continue again for a second straight night in the bowels of Busch Stadium where legends are born and heros are made……

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Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images

The hallway outside of the photo work area in St. Louis is in-between the Tigers and Cardinals clubhouse, with a Fox TV interview room sandwiched in the middle. It turned out to be the hub of rumors/information on the weather. Last night, when nine o’clock rolled around and the rain still failing, no word had come out on the fate of the game. Everyone was trying to find out bits of information either from the green and yellow swirls of pixels on the radar, or just word of mouth. The hallway outside began to resemble a Greyhound bus station. Except for the fact the Hank Aaron, Derek Jeter and members of the Tigers kept walking by. The photographers who are always the most spirited bunch of the media contingent, started playing monopod baseball. Some of the crew being new fathers, just found some time to get a little shut eye. In the end, after all the waiting around, the game was cancelled. There is talk of a three day rainout, which would be, “not so nice!”

Brad Mangin/Getty Images 

Fox broadcaster Chris Myers wakes up new father and Getty Staff photographer Jonathan Daniel from a nap during the rain delay. JD was startled by the impromptu interview, and responded in a typical Chicago fashion. The audio won’t make it onto Fox!

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As Jed pointed out in his posting, it is very hard to make pictures from a game where very little happens. It isn’t that the images aren’t out there but they are just a little harder to find sometimes.
Last nights game provided us with some challenges. Besides a two run RBI by Jim Edmonds all the scoring happened on errors which don’t always translate into good pictures. As editors at a big event, we need to try to tell the story as much as we can.

Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images

ST LOUIS – OCTOBER 24: Albert Pujols #5 celebrates with Yadier Molina #4 of the St. Louis Cardinals after scoring on a two RBI double by Jim Edmonds #15 in the fourth inning against the Detroit Tigers during Game Three of 2006 World Series at Busch Stadium on October 24, 2006 in St. Louis, Missouri.

Besides the game, the side stories were also important and needed to be covered as well, especially when the game itself isn’t the most interesting one.
St. Louis is a BIG baseball town, with a brand new stadium hosting its first World Series game ever. Stories likes these give the photographers and the editors the ability to get a little creative. You get the chance to make more pictures and use your eye instead of using what is happening in a game. Fans, food, merchandise are all important parts of baseball and last night proved a great time to illustrate that.

Jamie Squire/Getty Images

ST LOUIS, MO – OCTOBER 24: A detail of hot dogs are seen on the vendor’s grill prior to the start of Game Three of 2006 World Series between the Detroit Tigers and the St. Louis Cardinals at Busch Stadium on October 24, 2006 in St. Louis, Missouri.

Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images

ST LOUIS – OCTOBER 24: Water, which has been dyed red, flows from the fountain in Keiner Plaza in front of the Arch before Game Three of 2006 World Series between the Detroit Tigers and the St. Louis Cardinals on October 24, 2006 in St. Louis, Missouri.

lso with the recent controversy about pine tar and Kenny Rogers being all over the local and national media we have a duty to our clients to do our best to tell that angle of the story as well. Since he wasn’t playing last night we have to do make sure we keep an eye out for him and also keep an out for any fan reaction to the story. In a situation like this sometimes a fan holding a sign is the best way to illustrate the mood of the evening.

Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images

ST LOUIS – OCTOBER 24: A fan holds up a sign that reads “Detroit Cheetahs” during Game Three of 2006 World Series between the Detroit Tigers and the St. Louis Cardinals at Busch Stadium on October 24, 2006 in St. Louis, Missouri.

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