Chicago prepares for winter cold, but last night my thoughts were on baseball. Veteran sports writer Bruce Miles hosted a discussion on The Franchise: Chicago Cubs: A Curated History of the North Siders, a book he co-wrote with fellow media member Jesse Rogers.

Released last year, The Franchise made my Great Reads 2023 list. Containing many stories I didn’t know and putting new twists on a few I did, this book sheds light on some of the greatest topics in the storied history of the Cubs. It contains interesting interviews and fascinating photographs, mainly from the 1960s to the present, which coincides with my lifespan.  I interviewed Miles about his book earlier this year.

At the discussion, Miles elaborated on stories from the book and shared a few that didn’t make the book. Just hearing names like Ryne Sandberg, Kerry Wood, Ben Zobrist and several others warmed my heart as snow flurries whirled outside. Miles also added humor with some very good impressions, most notably Lou Piniella. He fielded questions about the book, his decades covering sports and the current Cubs team.

Before the event, I caught up with Miles. A longtime admirer of Miles’ work, I had the pleasure of sharing a press box with Miles when we both covered Athletes Unlimited softball. It was a thrill to sit beside someone I admired for so long, and Miles could not have been nicer or more helpful.

On the way home, I stopped at nearby DiMaggio Cafe to pick up a few cannoli. An admitted cannoli elitist, I rank DiMaggio’s as one of the best. The secret to a great cannoli is the ricotta cheese filling, and DiMaggio gets its cheese from Wisconsin.

— John Wroblewski, online writer