Sun-Times Chicago Sports Coverage

Sports

Cubs

Cubs' Jameson Taillon matches Mets' Luis Severino in fierce pitching battle: 'I love pitching in New York'

The Cubs scratched out a 3-1 victory, thanks to Christopher Morel’s two-run home run in the ninth inning.

By Maddie Lee

Crime

FBI seeking suspect in Skokie bank robbery

Crime

Man killed after Belmont Cragin shooting

Movies and TV

After exciting premiere, Hulu thriller 'The Veil' bogs down over six episodes

White Sox

White Sox' mental performance coach helps players find balance, strive for consistency

From our columnists

Southern California quarterback Caleb Williams reacts while leaving the field after the Trojans’ 38-20 loss to UCLA.

Bears

Bears QB Caleb Williams is said to be 'generational.' Then again, who isn't?

In 2024 in sports, everybody who’s anybody is being called “generational” by somebody. The overuse of the term is rampant and comical.

By Steve Greenberg

Bears

Bears fans embrace rare feeling of euphoria as Caleb Williams arrives

Have the years of quarterback frustration been worth this moment? We’re about to find out.

By Scoop Jackson

White Sox

Morale? Not a problem, White Sox GM Chris Getz says as worst season ever continues

So the Sox have that going for them, which is, you know, something.

By Steve Greenberg

Bears

Caleb Williams: Right guy, right place, right time

The Bears have been here before in their search for a quarterback — Jay Cutler, Mitch Trubisky, Justin Fields — and have found only disappointment. But Williams not only is a cut above as a prospect, the Bears are set up for him to succeed where others failed.

By Mark Potash

Bears

A chance to wipe out 75 years of Bears quarterback futility with one simple announcement

If presumed No. 1 pick Caleb Williams is as good as advertised, Chicago won’t know what to do with itself.

By Rick Morrissey

Bears

Caleb Williams sure looks to be Bears’ guy – a true talent available at just the right time

It would be beyond shocking to this city if the Bears’ future had any other path than following Williams as a trailblazer.

By Rick Telander

Renderings of the proposed new Bears stadium

Columnists

Bears have designs on the lakefront, as Mayor Johnson plays the wrong position of cheerleader-in-chief

The city is willing to put private interests ahead of public benefit and cheer on a wrongheaded effort to build a massive domed stadium — that would be perfect for Arlington Heights — on Chicago’s lakefront.

By Lee Bey

Columnists

Bears, White Sox want stadium deals, so how about a cut of the action?

In exchange for billions of dollars in public money, the public deserves an ownership stake in the franchises.

By David Roeder

Rendering of a proposed new White Sox ballpark at The 78.

Sports

Chicago stadiums, arenas and real estate make for a playground for the wealthy

We all love sports teams, but regular people don’t own the buildings or the land they frolic upon. We just pay homage to the teams — and to the power-laden who own them.

By Rick Telander

Cubs

Former Cub Don Kessinger watching with pride as grandson Grae arrives with Astros at Wrigley Field

“We’re kind of living through Grae right now,” Kessinger told the Sun-Times. “I’m more excited and nervous watching him play than I was when I broke in.”

By Steve Greenberg

White Sox

Tim Anderson on his rise and fall with the White Sox and trying to 'get back to the player I used to be'

Anderson talked smack, flipped bats and became the coolest thing about a Sox team seemingly headed for great things. Then it all went “poof.” In town with the Marlins, he discussed it on Thursday.

By Steve Greenberg

Top sports headlines

How Hayden Wesneski is syncing up his delivery, providing silver lining for short-handed Cubs

Bears' roster has stacked up beautifully. Your move, Matt Eberflus.

Tommy Pham is quickly adapting to White Sox' clubhouse

Teresa Weatherspoon feels 'buy-in' from her players on first day of training camp

Candace Parker announces retirement after 16 seasons, three WNBA championships

White Sox complete sweep behind Erick Fedde's 'gutsy' performance

College basketball transfer portal chock full of area players

Teresa Weatherspoon's tenure officially begins Sunday with start of training camp

High school sports

Homewood-Flossmoor's Bryce Heard (2) lines up a three during the Vikings' IHSA Class 4A state championship victory.

Highlights and observations from RecruitLook, the first major high school basketball event of the spring

By Joe Henricksen

Bulls

Could Bulls guard Zach LaVine's return hinder Coby White's progress?

White took on a huge jump in minutes this season, catapulting himself into second place for Most Improved Player. But if the Bulls can’t move off the LaVine max contract, will White continue to exceed his current ceiling?

By Joe Cowley

Bears

Polling Place: Best night ever? How you voted on Bears' drafting of Caleb Williams and Rome Odunze

Bears fans haven’t been this high on life since Devin Hester was running that opening kickoff back in the Super Bowl.

By Steve Greenberg

Sports Saturday

Bet on it: Handicapper John Murges isn’t letting Parkinson’s keep him down

The Chicago native and veteran sports bettor supplies selections to members of his handicapping service. At some point in 2022, Murges lost his sense of smell. Afternoon fatigue became commonplace.

By Rob Miech

Chicago Fire

While Fire honor past, their present needs work

Before their game Saturday night at Soldier Field against Atlanta United, the Fire will induct former goalkeeper Zach Thornton into the Ring of Fire, then try to recover from a 4-0 loss to Real Salt Lake.

By Brian Sandalow

Diamond DeShields, Lexie Brown and Azurá Stevens dance after a parade and as they head to a rally at Pritzker Pavilion to celebrate the Chicago Sky’s WNBA Championship title.

Chicago Sky and WNBA

Diamond DeShields' homecoming with the Sky comes with a sweet sense of 'relief'

After spending two seasons outside of Chicago, DeShields is back on a one-year deal with the franchise that drafted her third overall in 2018.

By Annie Costabile

High School Baseball

Lane senior pitcher Amaan Khan among few prep players invited to MLB draft league this summer

“It’s a huge steppingstone to get seen this early in front of the MLB scouts,” Khan said. “That would be a great opportunity to showcase my skills at that level against some of the best competition.”

By Mike Clark

Blackhawks

Blackhawks' players now understand how rebuilds work, but they're growing impatient

Seth Jones, Nick Foligno and the Hawks’ other veterans are eager — perhaps overly so — for the team to take a massive step forward next season. Realistically, even as general manager Kyle Davidson begins the building-up stage, that probably won’t happen.

By Ben Pope

Outdoors

Chicago outdoors: From pileated woodpeckers to eastern milksnakes

Photos of pileated woodpeckers in the Palos area and an eastern milksnake found at Lemont Quarries are among the notes from around Chicago outdoors and beyond.

By Dale Bowman

White Sox

Chris Flexen deals as White Sox snap seven-game losing streak

White Sox starter Chris Flexen delivered the best start of his season, throwing five scoreless innings, three walks and two strikeouts in Friday’s 9-4 win over the Rays.

By Kyle Williams

Cubs

Cubs visit Fenway Park for the first time since 2017: 'Awesome, historic'

Notes: Lefty Justin Steele threw in an extended spring training game Friday.

By Maddie Lee

Cubs

How Cubs' Shota Imanaga helped steady a rotation tested by injuries

Imanaga held the Red Sox to one run through 6 1/3 innings in the Cubs’ 7-1 win Friday.

By Maddie Lee

Yale offensive lineman Kiran Amegadjie speaks during a press conference at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Saturday, March 2, 2024.

Bears

Bears draft local product Yale OT Kiran Amegadjie with 'starter potential' in 3rd round

Amegadjie played for Hinsdale Central High School before heading to Yale.

By Jason Lieser

Bears

'Why duck?' New Bears QB Caleb Williams elevates expectations rather than tempering them

In every possible way, Williams feels like a breath of fresh air for a franchise that desperately needs it. This is a different type of quarterback and a compelling personality.

By Jason Lieser

Bears

Ryan Poles on Bears' QB history: 'Those days are over'

Even Caleb Williams was asking Poles why the Bears have had such a hard time developing a quality quarterback. But the Bears’ GM has responded by not only getting Williams, but a solid supporting cast that should put him in a position to succeed.

By Mark Potash

White Sox

Player development falls at the feet of White Sox manager Pedro Grifol

When asked how he felt the players were developing, Chris Getz said, “I look forward to seeing better performances from our players.”

By Kyle Williams

Bears Stadium

Bears stadium costs? Add another $1.2 billion

The Bears put the figure at $4.7 billion. But a state official says the tally to taxpayers goes even higher when you include the cost of refinancing existing debt.

By Fran Spielman and Mitchell Armentrout

Chicago Cubs' broadcaster Harry Caray sings "Take Me Out To The Ballgame" during the seventh inning stretch at Chicago's Wrigley Field in 1989.

Columnists

Why did Harry Caray always say ‘Holy Cow?’ It could be linked to a 1930s flying bovine. No bull!

In 1930, a 15-year-old Harry Caray was living in St. Louis when the city hosted an aircraft exhibition honoring aviator Charles Lindbergh. “The ‘first ever’ cow to fly in an airplane was introduced at the exhibition,” said Grant DePorter, Harry Caray restaurants manager. “She became the most famous cow in the world at the time and is still listed among the most famous bovines along with Mrs. O’Leary’s cow and ‘Elsie the cow.’”

By Michael Sneed

Bears

Once grounded, Bears WR Rome Odunze ready to soar with Caleb Williams

Months before Rome Odunze ever shared an airplane ride with new Bears teammate Caleb Williams, he was forced into a two-day road trip.

By Patrick Finley

Bears

Bears QB Caleb Williams arrives at Halas Hall embracing enormous expectations

“What’s there to duck?” he responded when asked about the pressure he’ll be under in Chicago.

By Jason Lieser

White Sox

White Sox selecting contract of Tommy Pham

The veteran outfielder will join the White Sox for their game against the Rays on Friday night.

By Daryl Van Schouwen

Bears

Bears get all A's for Caleb Williams-Rome Odunze draft

It remains to be seen if Williams and Odunze will be as good as advertised, but draft analysts were virtually unanimous about the Bears’ draft: They took advantage of a tremendous opportunity. “There was only one rational path for the Bears to take, and they took it,”

By Mark Potash

Bears

New Bears QB Caleb Williams sets draft-night sales record for Fanatics

Caleb Williams is No.1 in more ways than, well, one.

By Patrick Finley

Outdoors

Reaching into the art of Matt Mullady's outdoors experiences

Matt Mullady is known as a Kankakee River expert and former guide, but he has a very important artistic side, too.

By Dale Bowman

Bears

After drafting Caleb Williams, GM 'done talking about' Bears' spotty QB history

Hours after Williams said he asked the Bears for reasons why the team had a well-worn history of quarterback struggles, GM Ryan Poles said that “we’ve got to stop going back all the time.”

By Patrick Finley

Top draft prospects stand on stage during the first round of the NFL football draft.

NFL

2024 NFL Draft first-round results: Full list of top 32 selections

Here’s where all the year’s top rookies are heading for the upcoming NFL season.

By Sun-Times staff

Bears

Bears GM Ryan Poles corrects errors, fixes WR room with Rome Odunze pick at No. 9

The position has been a headache for Poles, but now he has stacked DJ Moore, Keenan Allen and Odunze for incoming quarterback Caleb Williams.

By Jason Lieser

NFL

J.J. McCarthy, former Nazareth QB, selected by Vikings in 1st round of 2024 NFL Draft

McCarthy, who went to Nazareth Academy in La Grange Park before starring at Michigan, will now play for the Bears’ rivals in Minnesota.

By Patrick Finley

Bears

Bears draft Washington WR Rome Odunze at No. 9 to pair with QB Caleb Williams

They’ll go into Williams’ rookie season with DJ Moore, Keenan Allen and Odunze at wide receiver.

By Jason Lieser

Bears

He's No. 1: Caleb Williams era to get started right away

The Bears tried an ill-fated apprenticeship plan with Mitch Trubisky in 2017 (behind Mike Glennon) and Justin Fields in 2021 (behind Andy Dalton). But the 2024 Bears are set up for Williams as the Week 1 starter.

By Mark Potash

Bears

Bears' Caleb Williams has one thing on his mind: Winning the Super Bowl

“My last goal is immortality,” Williams said two hours after the Bears made him their first-ever No. 1 overall pick at quarterback. “The only way to reach that is winning championships.’'

By Patrick Finley