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Published: June 26th 2005
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I visited Chicago for the first time over Memorial Day Weekend. My main purpose for visiting the city was to see the U.S. play England in an international soccer friendly but I also saw a lot of the sites. The skyscrapers were amazing I have never seen anything quite like it (I was too young to remember my trip to NYC). Upon my return I had to write a story about my trip for my Writing Across the Media class. The story really sums up the sights and sounds of my time in Chicago.
CHICAGO - The voices that rose above the screeching of metal of the L train had a distinct accent to them. The words that carried across the tracks were “cheers” and “mate”. Closing your eyes, you would have thought you were riding the London Tube.
“Do you know if there are any pubs near the stadium?” yet another man with a British accent inquired of his traveling companion. Standing next to him, a tall chap with a large tattoo of the English Shield covered half his calf. He sported a pair of Adidas trainers and a Liverpool red soccer jersey.
There was, however no announcement
to “please mind the gap,” nor was this the Piccadilly Line speeding through downtown London. This was the CTA Blue Line transporting visitors, natives and stragglers from Chicago O’Hare Airport to downtown Chicago. Only this time, the majority of the travelers were a distinct breed known across the world as British football fanatics.
The beer was flowing, the bars were packed and the St. George’s Cross was displayed with pride as the British fans flew, drove and staggered their way into Chicago for the U.S. vs. England international soccer friendly Memorial Day weekend.
With an announced attendance of 47,637, the immense number of English flags flying throughout Soldiers Field indicated that the majority of the crowd was not on hand to support the underdog American squad. Rather, many Brits and Americans descended upon Chicago to get a glimpse of one of the world’s most distinguished soccer teams, the England National Football Team.
More impressive than England’s 2-1 victory was the exuberant support for the visiting squad. Flags throughout the stadium proudly heralded locations such as Leicester, Birmingham and Wigan.
As fans walked to the stadium, they encountered a large English flag that hung on the steps of
the Field Museum. The flag declared, “Born in England. Live in England. Die in England.”
“It looks like we’re in England,” said Tom Flannigan, a Chicago native who proudly wore a U.S. jersey.
Among those who mingled on the concord were fans wearing flags and middle-aged men donning crazy wigs. Americans, amused by the amount of passion displayed, took pictures, not just of the game itself but also with the eccentric British fans. Clearly, the game took a backseat to the partying, drinking and celebrating of the world’s most popular sport.
With England giving a tutorial on how to party off the field and dominate on, it should not have come as a shock to see a large number of Americans donning England jerseys. With so many Americans sporting Wayne Rooney and David Beckham jerseys, it was difficult to separate the British from the Yanks. Lloyd Hughes, a Tottenham Hotspur fan from Cardiff, Wales, did not find the number of Americans jumping on the bandwagon surprising.
“I don’t see a problem with it. It’s a rare opportunity for Americans to see world class players in action in the flesh,” Hughes remarked. “Seeing so many people wear
their England shirts, it added to a great atmosphere inside the stadium.”
Allison Jarzyna, a teenager from Minneapolis, was one of the many Americans supporting the English side. Jarzyna, who wore a Beckham jersey, came to the game with her father, who wore a Newcastle United jersey.
“I knew players like Beckham weren’t coming, but I’ll be supporting England,” Jarzyna said.
Jarzyna never played soccer but closely follows the English Premiership (England’s top soccer division) and came to the game to see many of the players she had previously only seen on television play live.
“It’s exciting. I saw Manchester United last year when they came over to play, but this is different,” Jarzyna explained.
Indeed, for many American soccer fans, it was difficult not to be in awe of players only previously seen dominating play in arguably one of the world’s most prestigious sporting leagues.
Not everyone cared about who the competition was though. Sam’s Army, a supporter’s fan club, -- in full force behind the north side goal -- showed the English squad no mercy with their songs and chants ranging from the simple U-S-A, U-S-A, to chanting the name Malcolm Glazer, (the controversial Tampa Bay Buccaneers owner who took over Manchester United).
Obviously, the small contingent of die-hard U.S. soccer fans did not care who the competition was.
“I hope we win so we can rub it in their faces,” said Mark Ditzler, a volunteer at the Chicago Art Institute. He encountered many of the British visitors at the museum’s gift shop and did not find the numerous English supporters amusing.
Whether inside the stadium, walking on the Magnificent Mile, or drinking at a pub (oops, bar), the British were everywhere and they had one goal in mind: to drink, have fun and watch their team come away with a victory.
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