The Cubs’ historical struggles, while monumental in their own context, pale in comparison to the battle women have fought against sexism.
Photographer Andie Giafaglione has worked to shatter gender barriers since taking a job with the Cubs in the late ’90s. Few women worked in the field at the time.
Her work, currently on display at the GMan (formerly the Gingerman) Tavern in Lakeview at least through the Cubs’ playoff run, is a collection of photos taken between 1996 and 1999.
In those days, women commonly did not enter locker rooms of pro sports teams. The 43-year-old Philadelphia native described working alongside grizzled veteran photographers who held suspicions.
” ‘Who’s this 20-something girl? Why does she want to shoot sports?’ ” said Giafaglione, who has lived on Chicago’s North Side for 23 years. “It took a while but I won them over, and they realized that this girl is for real. She’s not here to meet a husband, she really wants to shoot baseball.”
Fortunately for Giafaglione and others who have followed in her figurative footsteps, hard work and dedication have changed minds and attitudes over time.
“When they saw I was there shooting in the rain, and I was there to get dirty, [they understood] I was there for real. I also listened a lot, stood next to these guys and felt honored to be in their space. I always looked at it as I’m the new kid, shut your mouth and listen to these guys.
“They’ve seen it all and done it all, and you’d be a fool not to learn something from these guys. I think that attitude helped legitimize my being there, and they saw that I wasn’t there to try and strike up some relationship with the ballplayers; I was there to work.”
In addition to hard work, there was a ton of fun. Amid the mundane moments of the 300-plus games Giafaglione shot, she was sprayed with champagne in the Cubs’ 1998 playoff-clinching celebration.
Among her other favorite moments:
“Kerry Wood in his rookie season with the 20-strikeout game, the home run chase, the [1998] wild card game, the miserable 1999 season, Harry Caray dying. There were all these stories and I had to look through my collection and put my perspective together [for the current exhibit].”
Of all the milestones she witnessed, Ryne Sandberg’s retirement party at Harry Caray’s restaurant stood out as well. It was a chance to see “Ryno” the person instead of just the ballplayer persona seen in interviews.
“Getting to see the quiet Ryne Sandberg telling jokes and practically roasting other players was pretty amazing,” Giafaglione said.
Another unforgettable gig was Harry Caray’s wake, an event the lifelong baseball fan described as a veritable “who’s who of Chicago.”
“Same with Jack Brickhouse, he also had died, shortly after Harry Caray,” she said. “So this huge chunk of the grand old history of the Cubs, and broadcasting, left with these two major broadcasters.”
Just as Giafaglione helped revolutionize attitudes toward women in sports media, this Cubs team has redefined expectations. The usual sense of impending doom has given way to tremendous optimism.
“This is the most consistent team I have seen in my 25 years of watching these guys,” said Giagfaglione, who also has worked as an LED scoreboard operator at Wrigley Field. “They find ways to win, which speaks volumes about these young guys who seem to have no fear and don’t really think about ‘Wow, we’re really doing it, and this is really happening.’ It’s like they have blinders on and just do it.”
The Cubs’ MLB-leading 103 wins this season included many improbable comebacks, and they’ll begin the postseason Friday as the consensus favorite to win it all.
Giafaglione sees the secret to the Cubs’ success starting at the top.
“Joe Maddon is somehow the Cubs whisperer. He’s found what those guys need. He’s like the cool dad,” she said. “He lets them do what they want, but they get results.”
Paul M. Banks is a RedEye contributor. @paulmbanks
