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Join us for an evening with Chicago author Chris Serb as he discusses his recent book Eckie: Walter Eckersall and the Rise of Chicago Sports (2025). Eckersall was an on-field football superstar whose athletics, sports journalism, and advocacy for Black athletes, long before Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier, all set the stage for impacting the relationship between sport and society that we see today.

$25; $20 members.

This program is part of CHM’s US at 250: Civic Action in Chicago efforts. Serb’s talk will include discussions of the ways Eckersall and sports generally can serve as vehicles for social change.

 

Football player, Walter Eckersall standing, on an athletic field Football player Walter Eckersall standing on an athletic field, c. 1901. SDN-000362, Chicago Daily News collection, CHM
University of Chicago football player Eckersall, cradling a ball in his left arm, running around a downed opponent at Marshall Field University of Chicago football player Walter Eckersall, cradling a ball in his left arm, running around a downed opponent at Marshall Field (renamed Stagg Field), Chicago, 1906. SDN-004921, Chicago Daily News collection, CHM
Football player Walter Eckersall holding his leg in the air after kicking a football, standing on the field at Marshall Field Walter Eckersall, a football player, holding his leg in the air after kicking a football, standing on the field at Marshall Field (renamed Stagg Field) at the University of Chicago, 1905. SDN-050591, Chicago Daily News collection, CHM

About the Author

Chris Serb Public Photo
Chris Serb

A lifelong Chicagoan, Chris Serb holds a bachelor’s degree in English from the College of the Holy Cross, a master’s in journalism from Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism, and an MBA from Northwestern’s Kellogg School of Management. Chris is currently a Deputy District Chief on the Chicago Fire Department, where he has earned several department, city, and state commendations over his 25-plus year career.

In addition to writing newspaper and magazine articles, Serb has published several books including War Football: World War I and the Birth of the NFL, Eckie: Walter Eckersall and the Rise of Chicago Sports, and Sam’s Boys: The History of Chicago’s Leone Beach and Legendary Lifeguard Same Leone.

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