Chicago Sports

Someone in Harvey Mayor Christopher Clark’s security details opened fire while responding to a possible robbery in Old Town Wednesday afternoon, but it was unclear whether anyone by hit by gunfire.

The incident happened around 1:55 p.m. in the 700 block of West North Avenue, according to a police spokeswoman who couldn’t provide additional information.

A law enforcement source said Clark’s security detail saw a person being robbed and tried to intervene. Someone in Clark’s detail fired shots, but it wasn’t immediately clear if the alleged robbers also opened fire or whether anyone was hurt.

No ambulance was called for the incident, according to the Chicago Fire Department.

No one was reported in custody.

A spokesman for Clark’s office didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

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Bears rookie wide receiver Velus Jones was back at practice Wednesday, though still limited by a hamstring injury. He was hopeful to make his NFL debut Sunday night against the Packers — “That’s the plan,” he said — but uncertain.

Jones, a third-rounder who was the Bears’ highest draft pick on offense, has been in and out since arriving at Halas Hall. He had repeated issues with his hamstring in the preseason and was out all last week leading into the opener.

“I’m making sure it heals all the way so that I won’t keep having these issues, just trying to stay on top of it,” Jones said. “And when I do get on top of it, trying to make sure it never comes back.”

Jones struggled to establish himself in the offense during the preseason, but made a strong case to be their punt and kick returner. While the Bears are ultimately expecting much more than that from a player they chose No. 71 overall, special teams presents a clear way for him to contribute immediately.

The Bears’ rookie class excelled in the season-opening win over the 49ers with left tackle Braxton Jones, safety Jaquan Brisker and cornerback Kyler Gordon playing every snap, and backup defensive end Dominique Robinson getting 1 1/2 sacks. While Jones was inactive, he was upbeat about what that collective performance signified.

“It’s just amazing to be in the situation I am in; I know a lot of people would kill to be in this situation,” Jones said. “I’m just looking at all the positive things, being grateful, hyping my teammates up, being involved in the game mentally, just visualizing making plays.”

When he finally debuts, he’s envisioning big things.

“I’m looking to score every time the ball hits my hands,” he said. “I’m really good with yards after catch and especially with yards after contact. That’s why I’m pushing to make sure I’m as healthy as possible, so I can be that dynamic player I know I can be.”

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Instead of saving Dylan Cease for the first place Guardians Thursday, the White Sox called on their Cy Young contender to take care of the 62-81 Colorado Rockies Wednesday.

“We’re trying to be our best [Wednesday] and we can be and we worry about tomorrow later,” acting manager Miguel Cairo said.

Using Cease felt like overkill but it was nothing but. Cease gave up three runs in five innings in what felt like a must-win game while the Guardians were streaking to their sixth consecutive game. What had been a rejuvenated Sox offense had eighth hits but nothing to show for them in a 3-0 loss that dropped the Sox (73-70) four games behind the lead.

The Sox were 0-for-11 with runners in scoring position.

As buzzkills go, this one stung for a team that has won 10 of 15 games under acting manager Miguel Cairo. And now it’s on to Cleveland for one game against the Guardians, who are call ingup rookie right-hander Hunter Gaddis from Triple-A to start a makeup game Thursday afternoon.

While Guardians right-hander Triston McKenzie was pushed ahead to start Cleveland’s series opener against the Twins on Friday, the Sox moved Lucas Giolito to face the Tigers Friday to allow Lance Lynn to face the Guardians Thursday.

Every game is crucial for Sox, who trail Cleveland by five games in the loss column, but especially games against the Guardians, who visit the Sox for three games next week and have the advantage of closing the season with six games at home against the Royals.

Cease needed 107 pitches to trudge through five innings, allowing three runs on six hits and two walks. He struck out eight.

Cairo was asked about saving Cease for Cleveland, “but I think today’s what counts. We cannot be waiting for tomorrow,” he said before the game.

And “Lance is one of our horses and has been pitching really well. I think that’s the best matchup for them.”

Cairo is sticking to the one day at a time approach.

“Today, we go about our business,” he said.

Tomorrow is Cleveland, which has won six in a row. The youngest team in the majors was considered the third or fourth best team in the division entering the season.

“Those kids, they know how to play the game,” Cairo said. “They play good defense, they pitch, they put the barrel on the ball. They don’t strike out that much so they’re going to be a pain in the butt. They play the game the right way. That’s what we’ve been doing.

“And look at the results,” Cairo said. “We’ve just to keep doing what we’re doing. We cannot be worried about how they’ve played or what did they do. We’ve got to worry about how we play the game.”

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Alex Leatherwood will miss some time with a non-football injury related to a serious illness.

Alex Leatherwood was a waiver claim and signed to the 53-man roster a little over a week ago and has been placed on the non-football injury list.  Leatherwood is reportedly suffering from mononucleosis and will miss the next four games.

Leatherwood is developing as the backup swing offensive tackle between the left and right side.  Schofield was with the Bears throughout training camp and the preseason before he was cut.  This was an easy move to make for Ryan Poles.  Bring in someone familiar with the system who will provide a veteran presence.

Leatherwood is a former first-round pick with loads of untapped potential the Bears hope to maximize.  Leatherwood missing four games likely won’t have much of an effect on the Bears game against the Packers.

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The Bears are reworking some of their depth at offensive line ahead of the upcoming game at the Packers, and the biggest news is that Alex Leatherwood will be shelved for at least the next four games. Coach Matt Eberflus said he has an illness, and going on the Non-Football Illness list means the soonest he is eligible to play is Week 6 against the Commanders.

Leatherwood is a compelling prospect for the Bears because he was the No. 17 overall pick of the 2021 draft out of Alabama. He fell out of favor with the Raiders after starting at right guard as a rookie, and they waived him at the roster deadline last month.

“We feel great about where he is and him coming back,” Eberflus said.

To fill Leatherwood’s spot, the Bears brought back guard Michael Schofield. Schofield was a late addition before training camp opened and presumed to be a strong candidate to start at right guard, but fell behind converted tackle Teven Jenkins.

With center Lucas Patrick still working back from a broken thumb on his right hand, the Bears started Jenkins at right guard in their opener against the 49ers and Sam Mustipher at center.

Patrick, who had his hand fully wrapped in a cast to form a club, played nearly half the snaps in a rotation with Jenkins. Eberflus named him a captain for this week — he’s facing his former team — but gave no timetable for when he could be considered at center.

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The Chicago Bulls are enter another season in which they hope to take a step forward. We take a look at the ideal starting five

With pre-season just a few weeks away, the Chicago Bulls organization plan to better last season’s first round playoff ouster against the Milwaukee Bucks and compete for continued relevance in the league.

They did re-sign All-Star wing Zach LaVine to a max contract, then they signed Andre Drummond and Goran Dragic, and the team is hoping to reach an extension with center Nikola Vučević.

The Chicago Bulls are hinging their 2022-23 hopes on better injury luck and the further development of their younger players and it is fair to wonder whether the strategy will pay off in an Eastern Conference that saw several teams improve their rosters.

That said, there are still enough talent on the roster to make another playoff push. The strength of the potential starting roster appears to somewhat have the capability to rally the team in an unpredictable East, hence this piece takes a cursory look at the potential starting lineup.

Point Guard: Alex Caruso

With Lonzo Ball’s recovery from knee surgery not happening anytime soon, the Bulls could turn to either veteran guard Alex Caruso, second-year incumbent Ayo Dosunmu, or Coby White. Veteran, Goran Dragic could also be in the mix for the back court role.

With his adaptability with other star players, Caru-Show should be on track to crack the starting lineup. Last year, the former Texas A&M Aggie produced positive net ratings when sharing the floor with DeMar DeRozan, Zach LaVine and Nikola Vučević, with much of that value coming via his pestering defense.

Shooting Guard: Zach Lavine

No brainer. Zach LaVine is coming off of a season where he averaged 24.4 points per game on 60.5 percent true shooting, and is one of the league’s best offensive players. This earned him his second straight All-Star appearance last February and a $215.2 million max contract in July.

Despite not being one of the best passers of the ball, he makes up for the flaw by opening up the reads the extra attention sent his way.

Considered to be one of the worst wing defenders in the league, he has improved over the last couple of seasons. Still, he is a liability on this end of the floor and head coach Billy Donovan will have to help him out, a task that becomes harder without Lonzo Ball.

Small Forward: DeMar DeRozan

Like LaVine, DeMar DeRozan’s place in the starting lineup is assured. The 13-year veteran is a few weeks removed from his best season as a pro, setting career highs in points per game (27.9), making his fifth All-Star team, and being a Darkhorse MVP candidate for most of the year.

Some fans and analysts questioned the Chicago Bulls decision to sign DeRozan, but the applause after every game-winner and every pump-fake that sent DeRozan to the free throw line drowned out those critiques. Now, these same folks will question whether he can replicate that success.

Can DeRozan shoot 49 percent from mid-range again? Will he make 51 percent of his shots from between 10-16 feet again? We won’t know these answers until the season starts, but even if his production dips, he’s good enough around the rim (67 percent between 0-3 feet) to split the difference.

Power Forward: Patrick Williams

We have seen snapshots of what Patrick Williams can do, most notably a 35-point game in the season finale against the Minnesota Timberwolves — but those glimpses also come with far too many moments when he passes up quality looks on offense.

Now in his third season, he has become a Schrodinger’s Cat-esque player for the Chicago Bulls. Because he only appeared in 17 games last year thanks to a wrist injury, so much of what he offers remains in the “potential” folder.

With DeRozan and LaVine on the roster, no one expects Williams to turn into the primary option on offense, but the Chicago Bulls hope that Williams at least becomes a less-timid shooter, especially with the lack of spacing this team has, while his defense continues to develop.

Center: Nikola Vučevic

In hindsight, sending multiple first-round picks (one of which turned into Franz Wagner) and Wendell Carter for Nikola Vučević doesn’t look like the best deal.

To be fair, the Montenegrin-Belgian did not have a terrible season; he averaged a double-double (17.6 PPG, 11.0 RPG) and EPM was pretty bullish on his offense and defense, but his subpar ability to get to the foul line (10.5 free throw attempt percentage) and his lack of defensive versatility bring about the feeling of buyers remorse among the fanbase.

Of course, none of this will matter if Vučević shoots better than 31.4 percent from 3 and increases his effectiveness as a screener. It would also make his already-good pairings with LaVine and DeRozan (both pick-and-roll tandems average 1.13 PPP) even better.

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From one good hitter to another, Andrew Vaughn is impressed by what Eloy Jimenez can do, and what he’s doing lately. And envious.

“He’s a freakish hitter,” Vaughn said. “His bat to ball skills are impressive. A phenomenal hitter, and you have the strength he does, he’s going to hit the ball out of the ballpark.”

There are the 423-foot shots to left center like the one against Rockies righty Chad Kuhl in a 4-2 win Tuesday. And there are opposite field pokes, “like the one he hit in Oakland against the lefty [A.J. Puk],” Vaughn said. “[Bleep], he just flipped one out to right field.”

The latter sparked a five-run rally in the ninth inning, perhaps the Sox’ biggest win of the year.

With the Sox trying to chase down AL Central leading Cleveland in the final 20 games, Jimenez entered Wednesday’s afternoon game against the Rockies batting .500/.516/1.000 with four home runs, 12 RBI and seven runs during a seven-game hitting streak.

Since the All-Star break he is hitting .366/.436/.610 with 11 homers, 32 RBI and a 1.046 OPS in 48 games.

“It almost seems effortless,” Vaughn said. “He has effortless power. He can hit the ball to right field as far as some left-handers can pull the ball. It’s special to see him locked in.”

Jimenez in his post-surgery condition after tearing his hamstring in April is now a full-time designated hitter, a spot he doesn’t like but is adapting to.

“I need to find a way to be there for my team,” Jimenez said. “Whatever it takes to keep my focus on what I need to do, and try to do my job. I still don’t like it but that’s my job. It is what it is.”

Jimenez and hitting coach Frank Menechino agree: the hot streak is primarily the result of swinging at strikes and chasing less.

“I know I have power to just hit on the barrel and the ball is going to be out,” Jimenez said. “I just try to be a hitter first and then become a power hitter.”

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A recent report states that Trea Turner and Carlos Rodon are interested in signing with the Chicago Cubs this offseason.

The end of the regular season is almost here, so naturally, fans will be intrigued by potential off-season signings. Thankfully, it seems as though some premier players may be interested in signing with the Chicago Cubs.

According to David Kaplan, SS Trea Turner and SP Carlos Rodon are interested in signing with the Cubs. There have been rumors that the Cubs have been interested in signing a top shortstop for a while now. It seems increasingly likely that Turner could be that guy. Carlos Rodon has an opt-out this offseason from his 2-year contract with San Francisco. If the Cubs can lure Rodon away from the Giants, he could help round out a blossoming rotation in Chicago.

The Cubs are poised to have an interesting free agency period. This free agent class is filled with potential targets. Trea Turner would be an exciting addition to the Cubs. The thought of a premier shortstop coming to the Cubs is interesting due to the emergence of Nico Hoerner. It remains unclear how the Cubs would handle this potential situation.

Despite the Cubs’ record, the team’s starters have had one of the best ERAs in baseball since the All-star break. Rodon would be a strong addition to this rotation that has shown great promise. What a potential rotation would look like remains somewhat unclear. Some surefire pieces in the rotation seem to be Justin Steele, Marcus Stroman, and Keegan Thompson. The Cubs have had starts from over a dozen starting pitchers in 2022. Having some consistency on the mound will be huge for next season.

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Marissa Lynn Ford has been named the new executive director of The League of Chicago Theatres effective next month, it was announced Wednesday.

Ford succeeds Deb Clapp, who exited the post earlier this summer after 14 years at the helm of the Chicago theater service organization.

Ford arrives at the League from her most recent post as associate managing director of the Goodman Theatre, where she spearheaded IDEAA (Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, Access, Anti-Racism) initiatives, among other duties.

According to a statement from the League’s search committee, which selected Ford from a field of national candidates, “Marissa’s deep experience in Chicago theater, her distinguished work at the Goodman for the past eight years and her passion for Chicago theater made her the top choice from a field of excellent and well-qualified candidates.”

In a separate statement, Ford expressed her desire to “uplift Chicago theater in a new way” in conjunction with the League’s board of directors and staff.

“What excites me about working with the League of Chicago Theatres is the opportunity to help share the stories of many voices across the Chicago community,” she said.

A Chicago native, Ford is a graduate of Drake University, with degrees in business administration, international business, and theater acting.

Established in 1979, the League of Chicago Theatres is an umbrella alliance of more than 200 Chicago-area theaters, which works to support, promote and advocate for Chicago’s live theater industry.

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Residents living near Douglass Park in Little Village and Lawndale are bracing for a noisy weekend from Riot Fest — one they expect to be filled with parking headaches.

“Last week, we started to see the trucks entering with so many things,” said Irais Flores, a nearby resident who is also part of a Little Village community center. “It gives you anxiety and stress because you say, let’s see how it goes getting parking.”

She was among a group of community leaders who gathered at the park Tuesday in a last-ditch effort to get the three-day music festival to leave their neighborhood park. On Wednesday they plan to present a letter signed by more than 30 organizations and local leaders to the Chicago Park District, demanding that Douglass Park no longer be used to host large, for-profit festivals.

As residents spoke about their concerns, crews placed black mesh fabric along a fence installed for the festival, scheduled to start Friday. A large stage could be seen from California Avenue. Most of the southern part of the park, from California Avenue to Albany Avenue, and from Ogden Avenue to 19th Street, was fenced off Tuesday morning.

A playground and a field along Albany Avenue remained outside the festival’s perimeter Tuesday as a few people jogged and played soccer in the area.

The push to end large festivals at Douglass Park gained momentum this summer as residents questioned whether a neighborhood park should be used for such large private events. Edith Tovar, who lives in the area, said there are also questions about how the festivals affect the environment.

“We do see this as a form of environmental racism,” Tovar said, pointing out that Riot Fest is the third large music festival this summer that has resulted in Douglass Park being fenced off.

In August, Riot Fest issued a statement after a contentious meeting between a contractor and community members, stating that it wanted to “remain a positive asset to the community.”

“We have been in Douglass Park since 2015, and we consider it our home,” the statement read, adding that the festival was going to take feedback from residents and implement suggestions when possible.

Elvia Rodriguez Ochoa, from the organization Friends of the Parks, said the city should instead find a permanent venue to host large music festivals. The pandemic has shown how important public parks are for residents’ physical and mental health, she said.

“These kinds of concerts are actually detrimental to the health of these communities in which they land in,” Rodriguez Ochoa said.

Denise Ferguson, a local resident, described Douglass Park as a “slice of heaven in Lawndale” that is surrounded by health institutions. She said it’s one of the reasons she and others have pushed for years for Riot Fest and other music festivals to leave the park.

“This lack of regard for the health of Black and Latinx people living near the quiet zone corridor is a direct violation of the city of Chicago’s own public health ‘Healthy Chicago’ mandates,” she said, referring to the city’s five-year plan to improve health equity.

The group plans to attend Wednesday’s public hearing for the Chicago Park District’s Board of Commissioners as it continues to push to get rid of Riot Fest. They also plan to host their own festival Saturday, dubbed “The People’s Music Fest,” near Cermak Road and Marshall Boulevard.

“Douglass Park is a valued and important resource to our communities that should not be fenced off for a quarter of the summer for for-profit mega concerts,” Tovar said.

Elvia Malag?n’s reporting on social justice and income inequality is made possible by a grant from The Chicago Community Trust.

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