Idol Worship

People on the South Side of Chicago had an appreciation of greatness, a longstanding loyalty to our favorites. We loved ourselves some champions, be they religious, political, or sports related. We were proud of our heroes, both near and far. 

Many Polish families showed their national pride by displaying a statue of the Infant of Prague.  Shrouded in a plastic sleeve, the infant could be found on the back of the television set, watching the neighborhood through the living room picture window.

Irish neighbors tended to display their loyalties with a wall display of the Chicago Trinity;  Pope Paul VI,  President John F. Kennedy and Mayor Richard J. Daley (God rest his soul). All were Catholic heroes in my neighborhood.

And plenty of people displayed a statue of the Virgin Mary in a half bathtub shrine on their front lawns. I don't know if this was a religious gesture, or just something old people did. 

During a political election, everybody on the south side put up posters  at their houses for the Democratic Party. That's just how it was. A poster for the reelection of Mayor Richard J. Daley (God rest his soul) in your front window was a way of saying,"Hey City! I like having my trash picked up! Rock on!"

Religious and political loyalties were nothing compared to the rigamarole and fanfare associated with sports loyalties on the South Side. Much like your father telling you how he would like you to vote in each political election, fathers often passed on team loyalties to their kids. 

Sometimes these loyalties were related to location, like living on the south side and being a White Sox fan. The Sox were the south side team, and the Cubs belonged to the north side. Those who crossed the lines and rooted for the other team were generally made fun of and at times kicked out of neighborhood bars.

At times, loyalties were related to school affiliation, like being fans of Notre Dame's "Fighting Irish" because:

1.) They were Irish

2.) They were fighting, or

3.) It was nearby and maybe someone you   work with had a kid that went there.

Team loyalties could be determined by grudges, sometimes held for many years. 

Grandpa Tolley still hates the Chicago Bears because of a grudge he's held for many years. When asked why he hates the Bears so much, Grandpa explained:

"In 1959 George Hallas finagled the Chicago Cardinals out of Chicago, to St. Louis. Prior to that the Bears were the north side team and played their games in Wrigley Field. The Cardinals were the south side team and played their games in Cominsky Park. Being a south side kid I was a Cardinal fan. (See? Location.) 

I said then I would never root for the Bears. I had some friends from Wisconsin who were Packer fans so I started rooting for the Pack. The first few years were uneventful but then came the championships and the first two Super bowls. Then we fell on hard times until Bret Farve and now Arron Rogers.---"

I myself became a big fan of Terry Bradshaw and the Pittsburgh Steelers. But who wasn't a fan in the '70 s? Terry was hot and so were the Steelers. One year for my birthday, Grandma Tolley got me a pair of old lady underoos customized with Terry Bradshaw's name. Such was my team support. I know he's now the balding, goofy sports commentator, but remember that, As Rome fell, so too will David Freese.

But when it all came down to it, we were all fans of the south side family. Everybody's front door had stickers supporting little league teams, school pride, parish affiliation, and sometimes a flag for family members in the service.  We all bought raffle tickets and chocolate bars (Worlds Finest) from our neighbors and coworkers. Girl Scout cookies, school plays, band concerts, dance recitals, pinewood derbys...all had supporters and all received neighborhood encouragement.

No matter what your allegiances, we all played for the same team. Everyone was an MVP and we helped everyone win whatever it was they were up against. We were our own biggest fans. And we were champions.

Miss America

In  1969, My parents bought a new car at the Hollingshead Oldsmobile dealership at 54th and Western, on the south side of Chicago. Grandma Tolley says that she left the other kids at Grandma Pasek's house, and she and Grandpa only took me with them to the car dealership.  Being alone with my parents on an outing was memorable enough for a 5 year old kid with siblings, but even more memorable was the fact that Miss America was scheduled to make an appearance at the dealership the next day. Since I couldn't be there for it, I got to to sit on her throne. MISS AMERICA'S THRONE! I can still feel the crunchy red velvet of the chair; I felt so big while looking down at everybody smiling up at me from below.

The throne was neat, but the best part about it was that it was Miss Americas throne! Miss America was every little girls idol back then...and she was a big deal. She was so pretty and talented, and real! Not a Disney princess, but someone from a hometown in the USA. Every little girl had the dream that she could be one of us. We all wanted to be as glamorous as Miss America, and for a second  I was. 

So, in order to finish my story, I thought it might be fun to find out what happened to my Miss America. So I called her, Mrs. Judith (Ford) Nash, Miss America, 1969.

That's right, through the wonders of the interweb I was able to contact Mr. America, Jim Nash, who graciously encouraged me to call his wife  at home. 

My goodness, I was so nervous! You would have thought that I was that little girl again talking to her idol. And I guess I was. A sweet woman, Judi was very kind listening to my little story. She also filled me in a little about her life.

She told me that a lot of hard work and long hours came with the job of Miss America. Oldsmobile was a sponsor of the pageant, and every year the winner made appearances at many car dealerships throughout her reign. Judi also spent a month in Viet Nam entertaining our troops. I knew that she was a world class trampolinist, and that's what helped her win the title of Miss America, but while on the road, she performed in singing and dancing numbers, with a solo acrobatic dance. She didn't think of herself as a pinup girl, but more as someone bringing a bit of home to the guys. In fact, over the years, several GIs have warmed her heart by calling to let her know how much they appreciated her efforts.

The contestants at that time did not have an official platform or cause that they were working on, like the women today. Judi said that her unofficial platform was promoting women's athletics. Back in 1969, women in sports were considered "manly," and with her athletic prowess on the trampoline, she was in a unique position to tell people otherwise. Later, she became a physical education teacher and coach, as well as serving on the Presidents Council for Physical Fitness and Sports under both Presidents Nixon and Ford. 

When all was said and done, Miss America came back home to Illinois. She keeps up with old friends at their local hangouts. Loves her husband, her family and her life.

Every little girl's dream come true.