ARMOUR SQUARE — Despite the rain, 21 intrepid DNAinfo Chicago readers are cheering on the White Sox against the Detroit Tigers Tuesday at U.S. Cellular Field. Former cab driver and artist Dmitry Samorov is sketching, too! Here are the social media highlights.
When we asked our Twitter followers if they wanted to meet at U.S Cellular Field to watch the White Sox take on the Detroit Tigers, Samarov chimed in right away.
"They had one of the worst records in baseball last year and have a bunch of new players that no one knows yet. Expectations are pretty low but that's not necessarily a bad thing," said Samarov, a Sox fan, artist and Beverly resident, who said the Sox could surprise us all.
So we decided to make it happen, and Samarov offered to help.
Born in Moscow, Russia, Samarov moved to Boston when he was 7 and saw his first baseball game on a school field trip. Originally a Boston Red Sox fan, Samarov became a White Sox fan after he moved to Chicago to study at the School of the Art Institute.
"One of my favorite things about baseball is that it allows for all sorts of characters. It's often almost more of an absurdist play than a sport," Samarov said.
Samarov has drawn philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre as a White Sox manager, and has penned a portrait of Paul Konerko, the team's first basemen and captain.
Samarov's White Sox illustrations and commentary, including a recount of this season's home opener game, appear frequently in The Classical, a sports magazine offering long-form articles that the 43-year-old artist said is "for people that like sports who aren't a------s."
Samarov said his favorite White Sox player is pitcher Chris Sale, whom he described as "one of the best pitchers in the majors, plus he's such an odd stick-figure-looking being."
During the April 29 outing, Samarov, a former cab driver and author of a critically acclaimed book called "Hack," will be sketching live scenes using a ballpoint pen on paper.
At the end of the evening, Samarov will be giving away his sketches to DNA-IRL ticket holders.
DNAinfo Chicago's Bridgeport reporter Casey Cora will be joining Samarov and readers too.
As with our previous DNA-IRL outings, readers can follow along on Twitter, using hashtag #DNAIRL.
Scheduled for April 29, our DNA-IRL group will be sitting in Sections 154, 155 or 156, and anyone who buys a patio party package is welcome to pre-party 90-minutes before the game, at 5:40 p.m., and up to 30 minutes into the game, until 7:40 p.m.
Located near the right-center field warning track, the patio is a good spot for watching batting practice.
The all-you-can-eat pre-game catered buffet includes barbecue ribs, cajun and fried chicken, hot dogs, hamburgers, coleslaw, potato and macaroni salads. There will also be unlimited Miller beer and Pepsi products during the pre-game patio party.
Tickets, which have been significantly discounted for the DNA-IRL group outing, are $29 per person for a seat only or $55 per person for a seat and patio party package.
