Cohen: The chilling story of Eddie Waitkus
From Rich Cohen at Sports Illustrated on September 13, 2017:
Eddie Waitkus was a standout in the National League. He’d broken in as a rookie with the Cubs in 1941 and—after missing three years while serving as an Army corporal in the Pacific and earning four Bronze Stars in World War II—had developed into a dangerous hitter and a fan favorite with the postwar Cubbies. He batted over .300 in 1946 and was an All-Star in ’48. Along the way he took on the trappings of a celebrity. He wore finely tailored suits and beautiful shoes. He was well-read, sophisticated. He was probably happy with his afternoon performance—he’d scored twice, and his team won 9–2; no matter the uniform, he always got a warm reception at Wrigley Field.
He knocked on the door. The woman was wearing a silky robe.
Waitkus walked past her into the room.
“What’s it all about?” he asked.
“I have a surprise for you,” she said, then went to the closet.
Read the full article here: https://www.si.com/mlb/2017/09/13/eddie-waikus-stalker-chicago-cubs-story-curse-rich-cohen-excerpt
Related links:
- Read the SABR biography of Eddie Waitkus, by C. Paul Rogers III
- “Eddie Waitkus and ‘The Natural’: What is Assumption? What is Fact?,” by Rob Edelman (The National Pastime, 2013)
- “The Show Girl and the Shortstop: The Strange Saga of Violet Popovich and Her Shooting of Cub Billy Jurges,” by Jack Bales (Baseball Research Journal, Fall 2016)
Originally published: September 14, 2017. Last Updated: September 14, 2017.