In his poem “Chicago,” Carl Sandburg wrote of our great city’s mirthful denizens, “Come and show me another city with lifted head singing so proud to be alive and coarse and strong and cunning.” This particular line of Sandburg’s rapturous ode came to mind as I watched the three short documentaries that comprise “Chicago Memories,” a program screening Saturday at Chicago Filmmakers.
My favorite of the three, Bleacher Bums: Rabid Fans Of Wrigley Field (1998), profiles storied Cubs fans. Clinger seeks out the original bums, though, as with the beginning of any great thing, there’s some dispute over who originated the fabled pastime. The episode is centered around the Cubs’ 1969 season, when the team came closest to winning the pennant than they had since 1908; the Bleacher Bums rose to prominence that year, as their antics made the team’s strong season seem that much more convivial. Above all, they helped to engender feelings of pride in our city, alive, coarse, strong, and cunning as it’s shown to be in all three of these “Chicago Memories.” v
Sat 2/22, 8 PM, Chicago Filmmakers, 5720 N. Ridge, chicagofilmmakers.org, $8 suggested donation.
