On June 3, 2008, the startup Cougars battled the experienced Chicken Shack for the first time. Over the next 15 years, this rivalry gave rise to a treasure trove of memories.
To fully appreciate the tale of the Cougars and Shack, you must understand our origin folklore.
Soon after our family moved to Wilmette in the summer of 2006, I heard loud cheers and the thud of the ball hitting the bat across the street at Howard Park. When I laid eyes on the 16-inch softball action, I immediately knew I wanted to play. The league suggested I hang out at the park and talk with neighbors to express interest in joining a team. So I did. Nobody signed me up. In 2008, when I was sulking about another softball season on the sidelines, Julie encouraged me to start my own team.
All of that is true.
But just like every single blog, there is always some embellishment.
Over the next few years, we took several beatings from our neighborhood rival. As a result, the Cougars origin story began to shift for motivational purposes. By about our fourth season, the storyline evolved: it was solely and specifically the Shackers that rejected me.
All of that is true-ish with emphasis on the “ish.”
That myth was the fuel that kept our engine running all these years.
The annual clashes between the Cougars and Chicken Shack became a tradition marked on our calendars. There was an intensity to each game that transformed a cheerful playground into a spirited battleground.
On game nights when we faced each other on the dirt, the park radiated with electric energy, intensified by the unwavering enthusiasm from both of our fervent fan bases.
While there were other outstanding teams over the years, Chicken Shack stood as the towering giant at the park because they were our peers, our neighbors, and our friends. The Cougars were always the relentless underdogs and we continually strived to prove our mettle.
For five demanding regular seasons, Shack's dominance loomed large. Over that span, the Cougars repeatedly had dirt kicked in our faces: we were winless at 0-7 and outscored by a tally of 90-49. However, Shack's unyielding streak only drove our determination. When we finally embraced victory over Shack in the 2012 playoffs, it became a triumph etched in Cougar history.
It was a pivotal moment that underscored Shack's role as our formidable opponent. They weren't just adversaries; they were our catalyst for growth. Shack pushed us to ascend to new heights and transformed a simple softball game into an epic narrative of rivalry and unity.
While the memories transcend statistics, let’s look at some of the stats.
Our rivalry spanned 28 games over 15 years. Shack came out ahead with 20 wins to the 8 Cougar victories.
Over the same timespan, the Cougars faced Chicken Shack 5 times in the playoffs. The Cougars eliminated the Shack in 3 of those matchups.
Ultimately, it wasn't just about the wins and losses. It was about the journey, the memories, and the bonds forged on the diamond.
I will forever be grateful for all the Shackers and especially their leader, Jim O’Brien. While we fought against each other for a few hours each year, OB and I had many other shared experiences when we were on the same side.
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| We would meet at home plate before each game... |
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| ...and embrace after each game. |
We shared the challenge of navigating team leadership, which extends beyond the physicality of the game. We would discuss the intricacies of strategy, interpersonal dynamics, and the challenge of setting a winning lineup each week. We each strived for victory while grappling with the shared complexities of captaining a team.
Let’s remember that when we walk across the dirt, grass, and cobblestone street to our postgame celebrations on Spencer Avenue, it is OB that designed and built that backyard beauty. O’Brien went yard, and we are the weekly winners.
After each of our matchups, no matter which side of the win-loss column, it would take a couple weeks for the dust to settle and for our emotions to flow through us. Then OB and I would see each other at the field to recap and catch up.
Our last game against Shack was June 14, 2022. Two weeks later Jim and I saw each other during warmups on the lower fields, and we recapped and caught up. We had different opponents that night, so we discussed the scouting reports. As our chat ended, we embraced for our usual hug and said some of the same things we always said: we were grateful for each other, for the game, and to be healthy enough to play this gladiator sport of ours. As our games began on the upper fields, it was less than an hour later that we were each knocked out of our respective games. OB, on Field 2, sustained a concussion on a play at the plate, while I, on Field 1, ruptured a hamstring making a play at shortstop. Our careers as we once knew them essentially ended on that night. Old age, bodily injury, and lengthy recovery times contributed to this. Our bodies made the decisions for us because our minds would not. (And we wrongly ignored the longstanding advice of Lisa and Julie to play with a little less enthusiasm and to stop throwing our bodies around the field.)
At the end of 2022, team Chicken Shack officially hung up their spikes, marking the end of our rivalry.
It was a collaborative journey, a shared pursuit of excellence, where Chicken Shack and the Cougars, in our tireless quest for greatness, wove an enduring legacy.
As the inevitable march of time propels us forward, nostalgia becomes our cherished companion.
Carry this blog in your pocket and you can always experience these glory days.
Long live Chicken Shack. Long live the Cougars. Long live Chicagoland’s glorious sport of 16-inch softball.
Cougars vs Chicken Shack History
Game 1
Tuesday June 3,
2008
Howard Park Hitmen
12
Cougars 2
Cougars Hitmen
Highlights
https://bit.ly/CougarShack1_060308
Cougars lose our
inaugural game vs Shack. Shack pulls the Wheel Play on us with Li’l Rads
and Bobi on the bases. JOx ran over the catcher and Hogs and Trouter
collided with Trouter almost breaking his finger. Fort with our only two
RBIs on a double that scored Trouter and Martini. Bobi wrote the email
recap because Rads was not at the game and it was the pre-blog era. Ever
since that historic night, the Cougars have run the Wheel Play every season
against new opponents.
Game 2
Tuesday July 14, 2009
Howard Park Hitmen 14
Cougars 4
Friendship Frenzy
https://bit.ly/CougarShack2_071409
Cougars go down
14-4. The blog was one big diversion from the slaughter loss. No
highlights. Lots of neighborhood discussion about all the Hitmen/Cougars
ties off the field. Big dual impromptu postgame at the original Fort on
Highland.
Game 3
Tuesday July 20, 2010
Chicken Shack 17
Cougars 13
Hoosier Daddy
https://bit.ly/CougarShack3_072010
High scoring affair and
the Cougars jumped out to a lead but could not close it out. Last game we
played Hitmen before they rebranded to Chicken Shack. Stabber, Bobi, JOx,
Philthy, and Diamond Dave were key to the game. Rads out again and Diddy
wrote the blog. Philthy hosting the postgame and Cougars joined with
Hitmen and Tappers.
Game 4
Tuesday May 10, 2011
Chicken Shack 10
Cougars 8
Why Did the Cougars
Cross the Road
https://bit.ly/CougarShack4_051011
Name change for Shack as
the league is split into an A and B division. Cougars and Shack in B
division. Lost our closest game only two run differential. It was
our third game of the season and Boom was 9-9 over that span. Lots of
fans and another impromptu dual postgame at Diamond Dave’s front
porch.
Game 5
Tuesday July 12, 2011
Chicken Shack 13
Cougars 3
CTRL + Z
https://bit.ly/CougarShack5_071211
Five inning
slaughter. Must have been a tough game because the blog is short on
details. Lots of postgame pics from the Fortier backyard, which really
tell the true story. Take a peek because those youngsters are adults
now. Chickens can’t fly but time sure does.
Game 6
Tuesday April 24, 2012
Chicken Shack 13
Cougars 11
Blues Brothers
https://bit.ly/CougarShack6_042412
Extra inning loss to
Shack. In the extra frame, Shack dropped four runs on us in the top of
the eighth to take a 13-9 lead. The Cougars followed with a rally
in the bottom of the eighth led by a Stabber two-run homer for a 13-11 score.
Stabber, Fort, and JD with top-notch defense. The shorter the blog, the
harder I took the loss.
Game 7
Tuesday July 10, 2012
Chicken Shack 11
Cougars 8
Achy Breaky
https://bit.ly/CougarShack7_071012
Cougars lose for the 7th
straight time. No game details and a short blog. Must have been a
tough loss. Flandog hosted a dual postgame with the Shackers.
Game 8
Tuesday August 7, 2012
Cougars 6
Chicken Shack 1
Time Well Spent
https://bit.ly/CougarShack8_080712
A huge night - we
finally beat Shack - in the playoffs no less! The whole team played well
under the playoff pressure. Lots of detail and excitement. Also, it
was the end of year blog because we lost to Timeless in the next game.
Game 9
Tuesday May 28, 2013
Chicken Shack 13
Cougars 1
Not A Pretty Picture
https://bit.ly/CougarShack9_052813
Cougars lost 13-1.
Even after a tough game and a long postgame, I would get up in the morning and
run. It was a good way to help work out my frustration and recalibrate my
mind.
Game 10
Tuesday July 23, 2013
Chicken Shack 5
Cougars 0
Shacker Hacker
https://bit.ly/CougarShack10_072313
We lost 5-0 but this
blog remains one of my favorites because I wrote it from the Shack
perspective. I remember making Charley take my picture in front of Shack
in the early morning before I dropped him off at summer camp. Lots of
game and postgame pics by Philthy from the Fort.
Game 11
Tuesday July 8, 2014
Chicken Shack 10
Cougars 3
Good Luck, Goodbye
https://bit.ly/CougarShack11_070814
Lost 10-3. Luckily
it was a doubleheader and we beat the next opponent.
Game 12
Tuesday July 15, 2014
Cougars 10
Chicken Shack 3
Cookie Monsters of the
Midway
https://bit.ly/CougarShack12_071514
After losing the first
game of a DH to another foe, Cougars beat Shack in nightcap 10-3. Presch
big in the game. JD wrote the blog.
Game 13
Tuesday May 18, 2015
Chicken Shack 13
Cougars 3
All Poetry. No
Motion.
https://bit.ly/CougarShack13_051815
Cougars lose 13-3.
You know it was a tough loss when I start writing poems. The highlight is
a blog picture with a bunch of our kids, including three tikes who are the youngest
three Cougars today.
Game 14
Tuesday July 14, 2015
Cougars 8
Chicken Shack 4
The Cougars Circus is on
the Air
https://bit.ly/CougarShack14_071415
Doubleheader and the
Cougars lose the first game to Valley Lodge and then came back to beat Shack in
the nightcap. All the Cougars played well to win in an action packed
game. OB with a headfirst slide to second base and Flandog’s shin that landed
him in the hospital. Lots of detail in the blog. This game marked
the first ever live stream and video.
Game 15
Tuesday July 28, 2015
Cougars 8
Chicken Shack 7
Truly A Masterpiece
https://bit.ly/CougarShack15_072815
Cougars win back to back
Shack games and another playoff victory! One of the most exciting and
pressure packed games ever in our history. Diamond Dave was the hero of
the night. Technical difficulties so no video but a very detailed blog
and lots of awesome pics. One of my favorite games and blogs of
all-time. This is a game I will always cherish.
Game 16
Tuesday June 28, 2016
Cougars 10
Chicken Shack 7
Smashing Bollocks
https://bit.ly/CougarShack16_062816
Three in a row over
Shack! The Cougars were brilliant in victory and there were several close
calls that went for the Cougars. Tons of pictures and the video as well.
Game 17
Tuesday July 19, 2016
Chicken Shack 13
Cougars 2
#NeverShack
https://bit.ly/CougarShack17_071916
Cougars go down hard
13-2 with Shack scoring 12 in the first three innings.
Game 18
Tuesday August 16, 2016
Chicken Shack 10
Cougars 4
A Cut Above the Rest
https://bit.ly/CougarShack18_081616
Season ending blog as we
lost to Shack 10-4 in the second round of the playoffs.
Game 19
Tuesday August 1, 2017
Chicken Shack 11
Cougars 1
Get ‘Em By The Tale
https://bit.ly/CougarShack19_080117
Cougars down hard
11-1. Tough loss and what I call a diversionary blog.
Game 20
Tuesday August 8, 2017
Chicken Shack 12
Cougars 1
Playoff Picture
https://bit.ly/CougarShack20_080817
Slaughtered by Shack the
following week in the last regular season game.
Game 21
Tuesday August 15, 2017
Chicken Shack 11
Cougars 6
Decade of Friendship
https://bit.ly/CougarShack21_081517
Played Shack for the
third week in a row and lost to them in the second round of the playoffs.
Season ending blog celebrating our 10th year.
Game 22
Tuesday May 29, 2018
Chicken Shack 9
Cougars 8
Running Around in
Circles
https://bit.ly/CougarShack22_052918
Shack wins a close one
9-8. We won the opening game of the season against Miller Time and then
lost our next five games.
Game 23
Tuesday April 23, 2019
Chicken Shack 12
Cougars 8
Writing Wrongs
https://bit.ly/CougarShack23_042319
Doubleheader to open the
season. Lost to Tito’s and then lost to Shack 12-8. Tough games but lots
of winning pictures.
Game 24
Tuesday June 4, 2019
Chicken Shack 11
Cougars 1
Fighting Words
https://bit.ly/CougarShack24_060419
Cougars slaughtered by
Shack 11-1. It was a doubleheader and we beat Tito’s in extra innings
with a game ending double play by CRads and JD.
Game 25
Tuesday April 27, 2021
Cougars 14
Chicken Shack 13
The Surivalry
https://bit.ly/CougarShack25_042721
Cougars with the come
from behind victory in a highly spirited game. The Cougars had only one
other inning come-from-behind victory in our history. It was six years
prior...against Shack. This one was a walk off winner for the Cougars.
CRads with a homer to tie it up in the sixth inning. Shack took a two-run
lead in the top of the seventh. In the bottom of the frame, JD and
Crawdaddy had triples and Ev and Kev were crucial to knocking them in for the
winner.
Game 26
Tuesday June 29, 2021
Chicken Shack 7
Cougars 6
Nemesis Excellence
https://bit.ly/CougarShack26_062921
Shack walked us off
7-6. Tough loss with some lessons learned.
Game 27
Tuesday July 27, 2021
Cougars 7
Chicken Shack 6
Going the Distance
https://bit.ly/CougarShack27_072721
This was an exciting
victory over Shack in the first round of the playoffs. One of the most
intense games we ever played against Shack or in my life! CRads with the
game tying homer in the bottom of the sixth inning. Ev, Fort, and JD combined
to score the go-ahead run. Cougars with lockdown defense to close it out.
Game 28
Tuesday June 14, 2022
Cougars 7
Chicken Shack 2
A Night for the Ages
https://bit.ly/CougarShack28_061422
Cougars win 7-2 in our
last game ever vs Shack. All the Cougars were big in the victory.
Lots of excitement and a very memorable postgame at the Fort.
