Geese enjoy thaw at Marquette Park

By Kathy Headley

Your correspondent in Chicago Lawn and Marquette Manor

6610 S. Francisco • (773) 776-7778

What a nice surprise the weather was last Saturday, wasn’t it? It was a perfect day to take a walk around the lagoon at Marquette Park. No ducks in sight yet, but several geese were content to brave the partially thawed lagoon and enjoy the sunshine.

What are the chances last Saturday’s beautiful weather will repeat itself this Saturday, March 12, for this season’s first event by the Chicago Area Runners Association at Marquette Park? The 5K or 1-Mile Run/Walk (labeled Go Run Marquette Park) kicks off at 9 a.m. at Kedzie Avenue and Mann Drive, just west of the running track.

This is the first of weekly Saturday morning runs/walks and is open to long-time runners/walkers, newcomers and families as well. Pre-registration is required online at cararuns.org. Upon registration you will receive your confirmation number and updates from the Chicago Area Runners Association on events. I hope to see you there.

Kathy Headley

Don’t forget the Sand Ridge Nature Center is hosting Nature Play Days now until May 25 at the Dan Ryan Woods Visitor Center. Stories, art and exploration will be offered and of course the chance to connect with nature. For more information contact Jessica.Becker@cookcountyil.gov.

Stations of the Cross continue at St. Thomas More Church, 2825 W. 81^st St., every Friday during Lent after the noon Mass.

The Bogan High School Class of 1976 is holding a reunion on Friday, April 29, at 7 p.m. at Georgios Banquets, 8800 W. 159^th St., Orland Park. Only a small number of tickets remain at $65. If you are a member of the class and wish to purchase tickets or for more information, go to the FB page labeled Unofficial Bogan Reunion. Tickets at the door will be $85.

The Augustinian Friars of the St. Rita of Cascia Shrine Chapel, 7740 S. Western, are presenting A Festival of Peace 2022 on Friday, March 25. Events run throughout the afternoon and evening beginning with a noon Mass for the Solemnity of the Annunciation. The SRHS Fathers’ Club will offer hospitality with a bistro of food and drink from 5 to 11:30 p.m. For a schedule of events, which will include prayers, food, music and even Ping Pong, go to stritashrinechicago.com.

Last week in Bob Bong’s Comings and Goings column, we read that Jim Parker, owner of the Illinois Billiard Club, now in Willow Springs, just might be thinking of retiring. The club, which began right here on 71^st Street just off Artesian, was a familiar place to many St. Rita High School alumni, as that is where the St. Rita Billiards Club held their practices and events. As a matter of fact, growing up on 65^th and Francisco, Jim Parker is a graduate of both St. Rita Grammar School and High School.

What some of you may not know is that The Illinois Billiard Club brought Hollywood to our neighborhood. A national live tournament was held here at the club, promoting the movie Baltimore Bullet. Director Martin Scorsese followed, bringing Paul Newman and Tom Cruise to IBC to learn the sport and film parts of The Color of Money. During its reign on 71^st Street, IBC was named number one out of 150 “Best of the Best” by Chicago Magazine.

When we left 1992 last week, I wondered if you remembered the longtime businessman who passed away at this time 30 years ago. His barbershop was at 3312 W. 63^rd St,mand his son’s photo shop was right next door for decades. Steve T. knew that, of course, I was talking about Peter Herbert and his son Joe.

Now let’s go a little east to 63^rd and Kedzie. As I’m sure many of you remember, by this time in 1992, the buildings on the southeast corner which included the Marquette Theater, had been razed. In March of that year, front loaders were digging large holes in the ground to take soil samples, which was necessary for the redevelopment plan for that corner. Do you remember which business was going up there? I really liked this place. We stopped there a lot.

While new development was going on here in 1992, another new development was breaking ground at 87^th and Kedzie at the same time. Remember any of the businesses going in there?