Celebrating Three Decades
We almost never do this. Or at least we haven’t in years. On the final day of May 2025, about 25 attendees helped us celebrate the 30th anniversary of Sport Literate at Chicago’s Midwest Coast Brewing in Chicago. With our home base now in the middle of Michigan, it was a bit of a homecoming for me, too.
Three new contributors, Lora Keller (left), Nancy Luana (in yellow), and Justin Staley turned out. That’s tall Nick Reading, SL editor, in back. Orange-clad Joellen Lewsader is married to me (the ruggedly balding man in the middle).
New friends, old friends, and seemingly all of us aging a bit, raised a few glasses for this small press’ long run while many kept an eye on the Indiana Pacers beating the New York Knicks in game six of the NBA’s Eastern Conference Finals.
It was wonderful to meet three of our newest contributors… Lora Keller, Nancy Luana, and Justin Staley, all of whom offer work that you can read in our new Table of Contents. Nancy, God bless her, traveled all the way from Georgia for the party. Her first visit to the Windy City even resulted in a travel story with all the planes, Ubers, and El trains. Read it here. Along with a love for baseball, she and I surely share a sense of direction.
Columbia Reunion: Michael Burke (left), William Meiners, and Mark Wukas talked some old-school story workshop.
It was also great to see Chicago friends Rus Bradburd, Michael Burke, and Mark Wukas. All of them SL vets in their own right and terrific writers. Kathleen Cook, my niece and a Chicago teacher now for more than 20 years, could have another career as a party planner. And Mick Meiners gave up good seats at the Pacers game for the Chicago trip.
Thanks to all who made it out and sent well wishes on the 30-year run.
Rus Bradburd (left), Mick Meiners, and Kathleen Guth share the gift of gab.
William Meiners
Sport Literate, Founding Editor