>I can just see the neighborhood as you talk about your growing up there!
>
>The University was odd. On the one hand, it was as stiffling of an intellectual atmosphere as you could imagine. And, then, you'd have the down home treats of the ethnic communities of the city, always done with a touch of irony.

My gosh! I'm getting misty.:-)

I was there, well from birth until about 1970. In the late 60s Hyde Park was where the Anti-War Movement met the Counter Culture. It may be unfair to say this, but it was sort of a "thinking man's Old Town".

>There was a softball league at the school. The team that won one spring was the "See your Food" team. Do you remember the Valois -- a cafeteria that catered to street people. Their slogan was "See your Food" -- as though that would be an enticement to dining there as distinguished from some place like, oh, let's see, like McDonald's where you'd actually know what you were eating. The team had taken that name as though the Valois were actually sponsoring them. And, you've got to admit, it is rather catchy.

Valois? Sure I remember it, but never ate there< bg >.

>Well, the captain of the team challenged Mike Royko to a game to decide the City Championship. Well, Mike had a field day with that -- we might actually say several field weeks. Every day in his column he'd try to bring the university and team down to size. He talked about his opponents hanging from trees. He said *** WARNING -- POLITICALLY INCORRECT LANGUAGE FOLLOWS -- YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED *** that as captain of his team, he wouldn't allow his men to have sex with their wives until the game. Of course, they could make it with anyone else.
>
>Well, the great day came. The teams took their places on the field. Now, for those of you unfamiliar with the great Chicago tradition of 16" softball -- this is a true "man's" game. It's you and the ball -- none of this sissy "glove" stuff -- wouldn't do you any good anyways. Well, after a couple innings, it was clear that Royko's team's experience would overcome anything that UC had to offer. As the game closed, the captains met. The SYF captain said it would be fun to play again sometime. Royko said "Why not now?" So, they played a doubleheader -- Royko's team just confirmed the first decision.

I tell down here people about Chicago softball and they have a hard time believing it. Used to play all the time. Especially during the mid to late 70s. By that time, I'd moved to Evanston. Had a weekly game (referred to by all as the "Salt and Pepper" games). Afterwards we all gathered at a bar on Howard Street to "swat flies and swap lies" about the game.:-)

>They, they all went across the street to Jimmie's where Royko treated.
>
>I worked up 116 S. Michigan, then later at 333 N. Wacker with the Church Federation -- which was going through it's period of finding itself.

I worked at 332 S. Michigan. That restaurant you mentioned wouldn't have been the Wabash Inn, would it? It's no long there, but the Exchequer Pub at the south end of that block still is.

>It's a great city!

A wonderful city. (he gets choked up and has to stop)