“They came in waves from the neighborhood. Opening Day—springtime, anything’s possible; we’ll beat the Yankees this year, no doubt. Go ahead, take the afternoon off, close the shop early, play hooky. Across the street from Comiskey Park, they packed McCuddy’s saloon. They talked about this year’s good mix of speed and power; how Pierce will win twenty again; how the Yankees won’t win four pennants in a row. They can’t, they all agreed. McCuddy’s after all, was the perfect place for dreams, for fantasy. Baseball lore says Elizabeth “Toots” McCuddy would serve Babe Ruth a beer or two between innings when the Yankees visited Comiskey Park during Prohibition. It’s true, ask anyone.”