Ball hockey

In an attempt to rebrand the Chicago Blackhawks and get us to actually watch "cold steel on ice" after banning couch potatoes for years from the game, the hockey club has decided to play an outdoor game on Jan. 1, 2009 at Wrigley Field. Ball hockey! What's this about?

The National Hockey League has given the team the go-ahead to play the Detroit Redwings outdoors. Similar games have been held at other venues and supposedly drawn pretty good crowds. The Hound's uncle still tells tales about his uncle taking him to Blackhawks games when the hated Wings would play in the old Chicago Stadium. That's when the old timers would heat pennies and heave them on the ice or throw out a dead rabbit or two. Or at least that's what The Hound's uncle says.

The Wirtz family, owners of the Blackhawks, date back to the Mundelein area, where their relatives were farmers about the turn of the century. The property is still there around Route 83 and Peterson Road. However, they won't get The Hound to freeze a tail on Jan. 1.

While some purists may scorn the attempt to play hockey in Wrigley Field, The Hound has been told the Chicago Bears used Wrigley Field to play football (hence the Cubbie Bear lounge at Clark and Addison), while the Chicago Sting soccer club played there in the early 1980s.

Still, The Hound's New Year's resolution will be not to sit outdoors at a hockey game. Unless free tickets are involved.