Quantcast

The DNAinfo archives brought to you by WNYC.
Read the press release here.

'Buy McNally's And Knock It Down' Goal of GoFundMe Campaign

By Howard Ludwig | October 25, 2016 12:54pm
 McNally's in Morgan Park has a long history of taunting fans of the Chicago Cubs. The bar at 11136 S. Western Ave. has stayed true to form during the North Side ball club's playoff run.
McNally's in Morgan Park has a long history of taunting fans of the Chicago Cubs. The bar at 11136 S. Western Ave. has stayed true to form during the North Side ball club's playoff run.
View Full Caption
DNAinfo/Howard A. Ludwig

MORGAN PARK — A GoFundMe fundraising campaign was launched Monday in an effort to "Buy McNally's and Knock It Down."

The campaign is asking for $749,000, which is the full asking price for the bar at 11136 S. Western Ave in Morgan Park. After being posted online for 21 hours, $100 had been raised by five contributors.

"Come together as Cubs fans to buy South Side troll bar McNally's so we can knock it to the ground," is all the creator of the campaign had to say about the effort on the GoFundMe site.

The campaign was launched by The Heckler, a satirical sports site operated by Brad Zibung, a River North Cub fan. An email to The Heckler was not returned.

"On the first day we officially own the bar, we will have a bulldozer ready to go so we can knock [McNally's] down once and for all. There are millions of Cubs fans out there so even a few dollars from all of us will help make things right," an article on The Heckler's website states.

Rich Fitzgerald, a real estate agent handling the sale for Fitzgerald Real Estate, said the owner of McNally's has asked those associated with the tavern not talk to the media about the bar's famed anti-Cub leanings.

Indeed, McNally's has a long history of poking fun at the Chicago Cubs and the team's history of losing. A pair of signs posted Monday morning indicated that the person responsible for the marquee hoped the losing continues.

"Fun Starts Now. Go Indians" reads the sign facing southbound traffic on Western Avenue. Northbound traffic is treated to the message, "2016 Cub Curse: Jobu." This is a reference to the 1989 movie "Major League," which features a fictional Cleveland Indians team that wins the American League crown.

The South Side bar that also features a Cubs "L" flag behind the bar went up for sale earlier this month. The owners have operated McNally's since 1989 and are simply ready to retire, Fitzgerald said Oct. 13.

The timing of the sale and the success of the North Side ball club is purely coincidental, he said.

Besides celebrating the Cubs' shortcomings, McNally's marquee is also used to announce newborn babies, local couples getting married and retirements. Neighborhood sports teams and area fundraisers are also frequently showcased on the bar's sign.

For more neighborhood news, listen to DNAinfo Radio here.