Who would have thought in mid-September we in Chicago would still be watching baseball? ESPN Magazine did not think anyone would be interested in baseball at this late point in the year, so opted to put Jeremy Shockey of the New Orleans Saints on the cover. The other choice was a photo that accompanies the article “Why Chicago Baseball Rules” appearing on page 50 in the Sept. 22, 2008, issue. The page features a full-page photo of Nick Swisher and Geo Soto.

This inside information about the article which contains “102 cool facts you need to know about Chicago baseball” comes from Western Springs resident Chris Zurowski. One of the editors of ESPN is his childhood friend Ed McGregor. As Zurowski explains, the two men have kept in touch through high school and college and the years after school.

“Ed grew up in Burr Ridge, me in Western Springs and ever since we were kids, we would hang out together,” Zurowski said.

McGregor attended University of Illinois where he interned for the Chicago Cubs. Subsequent to that, he became editor of the “Vine Lines,” the Cubs newsletter. McGregeor ended up in New York and was working for another sports publication for a few years. In 2002, McGregor joined ESPN.

“Through all the moves, we still called one another,” Zurowski said. “Ed is my daughter’s godfather.”

Zurowski received a call from his buddy in July telling him that he was compiling an article for the magazine all about Chicago baseball. Zurowski, having been a rabid White Sox fan since he was five years old, was happy to comply. He submitted seven pages of fun facts to McGregor, many little-known items about the teams and Chicago baseball.

“Ed whittled it down, checked on some sources and told me that the article was going to be in the magazine.”

Until Zurowski saw the piece, however, he had no idea how extensive it would be.

In 2004, McGregor called Zurowski and was looking for a good quote from Ozzie Guillen when he was hired as the manager of the White Sox. A brick engraved with “Zurowski Sox Fans for over 100 Years” is proudly on display at the family business, Minuteman Press in Countryside. In 2005, McGregor again called his friend and indicated that there was a special promotion going on at Sox Park and Chris was to round up his parents, his mother-in-law and any other senior members of his family. They hired a bus and took the troupe down to the ball park. The group participated in the “Seniors Walk the Base Paths” where they were met by retired Sox Minnie Minoso, Billy Pierce and Bill Merton.

“So far, there have been three items in ESPN about the Sox and I had something to do with each one.”

Zurowski is listed as one of the contributors of the current article.

As for his friend, Zurowski says, “There is no one who has the passion for sports writing that Ed has. He’s a great guy. He’s living his dream.”