The city estimates that 2 million people were at the Blackhawks parade and rally yesterday. Despite reports that the estimate may be a little generous, there is no doubt that what occured on Wacker and Michigan on Friday was spectacular. As a person that attended the parade, I can attest that it was at least 1 million, probably 1.5 million people packed together with little room to move and body temperatures raging, but nobody cared, it was worth it.
The parade led to where Michigan Ave. meets the Chicago River, and a rally took place in which Bobby Hull, Stan Mikita, and Dennis Savard, Hawks greats, were introduced. Eddie O introduced them. GM Bowman, Rocky Wirtz, Mayor Daley, Governor Quinn, and others spoke.
Then, Toews, Kane, Seabrook, Kieth, and Versteeg spoke, making the crowd go wild for the team that just brough them a Stanley Cup. Toews marveled at the number of people in the crowd, Versteeg rapped, Kieth joked about his teeth, and Kane sent a shout out to cab drivers, a reference to last year's offseason incident between him and a Buffalo taxi driver.
At Wrigley, the Crosstown Classic kicked off, but the Hawks were on the minds of the fans at that game, as Cubs and Sox fans joined together and cheered throughout the National Anthem, a Blackhawks tradition.
The Hawks have really made a difference in this city. It was so nice to see everyone so happy as they celebrated downtown on Friday. Thanks again, Blackhawks, let's do it again next year.
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