‘The Twins – A journey of a lifetime’ tells the real-life story of Chicagoland twin brothers and authors, Tony, and Carl Ruzicka. Their lives were influenced through their acquaintances with Chicago sports Celebrities. The journey begins, at age 11, with the twins noticing a picture of a Chicago Bears football player in their local newspaper. The twins have been told that their experiences resemble those of the fictional Forrest Gump!
- How better to explain experiencing the Chicago Bears 1963 Championship on the sidelines with the legendary George Halas and Mike Ditka, being the first to congratulate Gayle Sayers after each of his record-tying six touchdowns in 1965, or seeing the dominant performances of Dick Butkus up close and personal?
- How better to explain the twins’ shared friendships with legendary Chicago Blackhawks hockey players Bobby Hull, Stan Mikita and Chico Maki?
- How better to explain the twins’ connection to numerous famous moments in Chicago Cubs lore or their lifelong friendship with legendary Chicago Cubs equipment manager Yosh Kawano and the resulting experiences?
The twins’ Forrest Gump -like lives also led them to attend Yale University. Where they rubbed shoulders with Erich Segal, author of “Love Story”; Don Schollander, Olympic swimmer; and Frank Shorter, Olympic marathon champion and ignitor of the running boom still in existence today. The twins’ lifelong friendship with Frank led them to assist in professionalizing the sport of running, becoming founders of the Chicago Marathon, and creating running for charity.
The Twins Journey is also a recollection of an era when neighborhoods seemed to have true meaning, Children found fun in schoolyard games, and professional athletes lived in modest homes and had secondary jobs to sustain themselves. This serendipitous journey is described by their friendships and resultant paths taken.
The book will appeal to those of the baby boomer generation, millennials, and youngsters.
For many years Tony and Carl Ruzicka, having told various stories of their experiences to friends and acquaintances, have heard, “You two should write a book.” Now that they are recently retired and, in the spring, were subject to “stay at home” orders resulting from the coronavirus pandemic. They felt that it was a good time to write about their experiences. The authors present well-researched material.
I believe “The Twins” will be of interest to anyone interested in sports. Especially those familiar with Chicago sports teams; baby boomers reflecting on their youth; and youngsters who seek inspiration to follow their dreams.
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