FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

“Liam Ford, Chicago journalist, has unearthed an ancient Chicago formula in the story of Soldier Field: the lords of the political machine seizing upon grand public works projects to perpetuate their control of the city, and co-opting the reformers in the process. Thoroughly researched and well-written, Soldier Field: A Stadium and Its City will be fascinating reading for anyone interested in the real history of the Chicago machine.”
John Kass, columnist, Chicago Tribune

“Wrigley Field and Comiskey Park may attract more attention, but neither has hosted as many historic events as Soldier Field. Ford’s Soldier Field reveals how Chicago’s iconic amphitheatre is more than a football field; it serves as a unique portal into Chicago’s social, political, and cultural history.”
Timothy J. Gilfoyle, professor of history at Loyola University Chicago and the author of Millennium Park

Soldier Field
A Stadium and Its City

Liam T. A. Ford

As fall beckons with changing leaves and shortening days, one thing is certain: NFL football is back, and Chicagoans everywhere are packing their coolers and grills for a trip to Soldier Field. For decades, the stadium’s signature columns provided an iconic backdrop for the Chicago Bears, but few realize that it has been much more than that. Soldier Field: A Stadium and Its City explores how this amphitheater evolved from a public war memorial into a majestic arena that helped define Chicago.

Chicago Tribune staff writer Liam T. A. Ford led the reporting on the stadium’s 2003 renovation—and simultaneously found himself unearthing a dramatic history. As he tells it, the tale of Soldier Field truly is the story of Chicago, filled with political intrigue and civic pride. Designed by Holabird and Roche, Soldier Field arose through a serendipitous combination of local tax dollars, City Beautiful boosterism, and the machinations of Mayor “Big Bill” Thompson. The result was a stadium that stood at the center of Chicago’s political, cultural, and sporting life for nearly sixty years, long before the arrival of Walter Payton and William “the Refrigerator” Perry.

Ford describes it all in the voice of a seasoned reporter: the high school football games, track and field contests, rodeos, and even NASCAR races. Photographs, including many from the Chicago Park District’s extensive collections, capture remarkable scenes of the swelling crowds at ethnic festivals, Catholic masses, and political rallies. This book will remind readers that Soldier Field hosted such luminaries as Billy Graham and Martin Luther King Jr., Judy Garland and Johnny Cash—as well as the Grateful Dead’s final show.

Now part of the city’s bid for the 2016 Olympic Games, Chicago’s stadium on the lake continues to make dramatic history. Soldier Field captures this history in the making and will captivate armchair historians and sports fans alike.

Liam T. A. Ford a fifth-generation Chicagoan, returned home after a stint at the Advertiser in Montgomery, Alabama, and joined the City News Bureau, eventually becoming its lead City Hall reporter. Since 1998 he has covered housing, politics, regional development, and the Chicago Park District for the Chicago Tribune. This is his first book.

 

Liam T. A. Ford is available for interviews. For more information, please contact Lindsay Dawson at (773) 702-0890 or ldawson@press.uchicago.edu

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