When a Sports Columnist Gets Stuck

The period right after the Super Bowl is a tough patch for Chicago sports writers.

A Lull in Local Sports

• No Bulls in the NBA All-Star Game
• NHL on a break for winter events
• Cubs and White Sox still in Arizona warming up

With no big local stories or national drama to chew on, the usual routine is a quiet, slow week.

"In the Wake of the News"

The Tribune’s long-running column “In the Wake of the News” has filled those quiet spots for over a century.

Ring Lardner's Unique Style

• Wrote from the train or the press box
• Mixed jokes, poems, and invented games
• Made up a fictional score when a World Series game was rained out in 1917
• Wrote a rambling letter to a friend named Harvey in 1919
• Complained about a stuck typewriter key
• Drifted into thoughts about the game’s outcome
• Mused on the safety of riding a taxi in St. Louis or playing outfield against “Shoeless” Joe Jackson

Lardner’s style was unpolished—grammar and punctuation took a back seat to humor and imagination.

He turned the act of reporting into a playful narrative, letting readers feel the frustration of a stuck key or the chill of a late-night train ride.

Lessons for Today’s Writers

• When the headlines are empty, fill the space with personality and wit.
• A sports column doesn’t have to be a straight recap; it can be a slice of life, a joke, or a personal anecdote that connects with fans.
• If the press box feels too quiet, ask yourself what a classic columnist would do—and answer with your own voice.