Tom Dobrez is the “Forrest Gump of Chicago sports.”
Grab your seat next to a super fan who stopped at nothing to get into his generation's premier Chicago sports events.
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This is your chance to experience the city's most memorable sports moments, from the two Bears’ Super Bowls, the White Sox pennant clincher in Anaheim and their World Series winner in Houston to the Blackhawks Game 7 disappointment in 1971 and the traumatic overtime win in Philadelphia for their first of three Cups. But it’s not just title thrills, you are also there for the dozens of ‘almosts’ that cloud the Second City’s grand sports tradition.
But more than a sports story, ROOT, ROOT, ROOT FOR THE HOME TEAMS draws from the personal experiences of a faithful fan. It's a loving tale of a father who raised his children to understand what sports teach us about family and what success in life looks like. It turns out there is more to sports than who wins and loses
Come along as he chases Muhammad Ali’s Rolls Royce through his suburban hometown, plays Pop-A-Shot with Scottie Pippen, shoots 18 holes of golf with Toni Kukoc, and gets a champagne shower from Mark Buehrle.
Dobrez grew up a sports nut whose heart was broken by Bobby Hull’s departure and the endless years of Chicago teams coming up short year after year. He experiences heartbreak and redemption. He losses his father on the eve of the Blackhawks’ Stanley Cup championship. Finds peace while celebrating the memory of his brother at a Bears' game and deals with the challenge of passing on his loyalty to his children despite his shortcomings as a youth sports coach.
Faced with these and other moral dilemmas of parenting and growing up a Croatian in Chicago’s south suburbs, Dobrez weaves a raconteur’s skill of storytelling with life lessons all gained from watching sports.
Who is Tom Dobrez?
I was born to love Chicago sports. My journey brought me frustrations and jubilation. I was fortunate to see the White Sox clinch a pennant, the Bears win a Super Bowl and the Blackhawks take home the Stanley Cup.
Those are just some of the highlights of my sports moments.
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I remember them dearly. What I remember more is the lessons I took home from each stadium. This book skims the surface of all the human emotions that sports touch in all of us.
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I hope you enjoy reading it.
In The Press
I thought this was pretty good.
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