Hearing that wrestling promoter Lolo McGrath was moving to Chicago was one of the more quietly exciting moments of the past few years. With their former copromoter Billy Dixon, McGrath put on shows that avoided the “Pride section at Target” vibes that plague so many queer-focused wrestling shows (which are usually bankrolled by straight promoters […]
Category: Sports & Recreation
Best neighborhood wrestling show
From 20th-century wrestling promoter Fred Kohler to former WWE Champion CM “Chick Magnet” Punk, Chicago is a town steeped in professional wrestling history. We’ve got it all. Chicago boasts a historically strong wrestling scene (including groundbreaking independent women’s professional wrestling promotion SHIMMER), we’re a constant tour spot for larger companies, and there’s a strong lucha […]
2022 Sports & Recreation poll winners
The people, places, and things voted Chicago’s best—and runners-up: professional women’s sports team, professional men’s sports team, sports facility, athlete, sports TV or radio announcer, lake swimming spot, canoe or kayak rentals, neighborhood park, dog park, and more
Best of Chicago 2022: Sports & Recreation
Best of Chicago 2022 is presented by
Best sports ticket rep
I attended lots of Sky games last year, mostly because the 2021 WNBA champs are awesome and the arena vibe is groovy, but also because ticket rep Michael Amato is so tenacious. After I bought cheap seats for a single game, I was slightly taken aback when a rep reached out immediately, then genuinely surprised […]
Best workout for unathletic queers
Indoor rock climbing has seen a huge surge in popularity in the last few years. It’s everywhere in places like California and Colorado, where white, wealthy, outdoorsy, granola people reign supreme, but it’s gaining popularity here in Chicago, too, especially after its appearance in the (delayed) 2020 Summer Olympics and because of its year-round accessibility […]
Best DIY mobile skate park
Last July I wrote a Reader cover story, “Welcome to the skate park,” about OnWord, “a local skate crew that welcomes skaters of all ages and all abilities, prioritizing women, trans, nonbinary, and gender-nonconforming people, and anyone else who identifies as LGBTQ+.” As a queer beginner skater, I fit their target demographic, but even as […]
Best hidden beach and nature hike
When it comes to Chicago beaches, finding a little patch of sand to call your own among the crowds is tricky. So if you prefer a more chill experience, head to the South Shore Beach and nature sanctuary tucked right behind the South Shore Cultural Center at 7059 S. South Shore. This four-season hidden spot […]
Best racket sports enthusiast
For college tennis player Chris Clark, the COVID-19 pandemic became an unexpected reset that helped him bring his master’s of business administration back to the court. After stints at Gatorade, Wilson Sporting Goods, and the Kraft Heinz Co., he found himself out of a sports start-up job, with his love of racket sports “staring me […]
Best sports team with unwavering support from queer Chicago
Before the Chicago Sky made it anywhere near the Women’s National Basketball Association finals against the Phoenix Mercury in 2021, you could find droves of queer women sitting in the spacious stands of the Wintrust Arena supporting Chicago’s home team. With two-time WNBA MVP Candace Parker, who is from Naperville, returning to Chicago to join […]
Best homage to White Sox pitcher Carlos Rodón and his April no-hitter
White Sox pitcher Carlos Rodón threw a no-hitter against Cleveland on a Wednesday night in April. Within a couple hours of that victory, Chicago artist Mike Noren tweeted a hand-drawn homage to the grand achievement under the handle Gummy Arts—that’s the name Noren uses for his sprawling oeuvre of homemade trading cards that feature lovingly […]
Best tribute to my favorite team, from Van Lier to DeRozan
It’s an hour or so before game time, and I’m up in the nosebleed section, waiting for my beloved Bulls to start playing, and wondering what, oh what, to write about for the Best of Chicago issue. And all of a sudden it hits me—right there in front of my face. Up on the huge, […]
Sports & Recreation poll winners
The people, places, and things voted Chicago’s best—and runners-up: professional women’s sports team, professional men’s sports team, sports facility, athlete, sports TV or radio announcer, lake swimming spot, canoe or kayak rentals, neighborhood park, dog park, and more
Best of Chicago 2021 final ballot
Winners were announced in the March 3, 2022 special issue: Best of Chicago 2021 chicagoreader.com/best.