NT_061418

46 | June 14, 2018 | The Northbrook tower SPORTS
northbrooktower.com
Shots of the Year
Looking back at some of the best photos from the school year
Glenbrook’s Lauren Abraham makes a save against a
Latin player Feb. 23, in Northbrook.
Glenbrook North’s Mason Rose (13) fights for the ball
against Evanston in the sectional title Oct. 28.
Glenbrook North’s Jimmy Karfis evades a Elk Grove
player Sept. 8. 22nd Century Media File Photos
KIPNIS
From Page 50
time to keep working, to
get better.
Kipnis batted .384 and
finished with 16 home
runs, 71 RBI and 27 steals
in his senior season. The
National Collegiate Baseball
Writers Association,
Baseball America and
Collegiate Baseball each
named him the PAC-10
Conference Player of the
Year.
The Indians drafted him
in the second round in the
2009 draft, 63rd overall.
While many people
helped him along the way,
Kipnis realized the importance
GBN had on helping
him remain focused on
what his goals were after
he left Northbrook.
“It’s a fantastic high
school and it’s renown
high school in the country,”
Kipnis said. “But it
does prepare you very well
for life after high school,
whether it’s college or
work, it holds yourself to
a high standard and I think
that’s why it has such a
fond name that it does.”
Coming together
The infielder made his
Indians debut July 22,
2011, and proceeded to
have a successful career
with two All-Star appearances,
but nothing could
top the emotions he felt
when the Indians and Cubs
met in 2016.
Growing up as a baseball
fan, Kipnis had a fondness
for both the Cubs and
White Sox, and sometimes
even the St. Louis Cardinals.
Playing in Chicago
wasn’t abnormal — the Indians
played the White Sox
numerous times each season
because the two teams
are in the same division.
The Cubs-Indians
matchup was different.
“It was very emotional
for me; it was nuts to
have that postseason run
and your first World Series
and here comes the
Cubs you’ve known your
entire life,” Kipnis said.
“They’re the lovable losers
and you know how long
it’s been for them too. To
growing up watching them
on WGN, I’m the one who
has to keep their streak going,
but that was the goal.”
There was never a doubt
who his friends and family
would support. Some
old high school friends
remained loyal to their
home team, but Kipnis got
the support any ballplayer
hoped he could get from
those close to him.
Kipnis played in all
seven games of the World
Series. He batted .290 and
drove in four runs, hitting
two home runs, but the Indians
couldn’t hold on to
their 3-1 series lead.
He still remembered the
bright Wrigley Field lights
contrasted against the night
sky and the other emotions
anyone involved with that
series felt. Looking back,
Kipnis realized the significance
of those few weeks.
“I think that was the
culmination of everything
at one point,” Kipnis said.
“The emotions that were
going through, playing in
your first World Series,
playing to win for your
organization, your friends
and your family who are
rooting for you.
“Growing up and watching
the Cubs knowing that
this could be the year they
break their streak and I’m
the one who’s trying to
stop it, just very emotional
time. I like to think I gave
it everything I had. I won’t
hold my head too low
when I think about that. It
was a fun ride and it was
an honor to be a part of it,
I really wish it would’ve
turned out differently.”
Giving back
Kipnis realized he can
impact not only his own
future.
GBN holds a special
place in his heart, since
it helped him realize his
dreams. The school provided
him with the work
ethic to remain focused,
which is why it made
sense to give back to the
baseball team.
The Indian has donated
bats and gloves to the
Spartans baseball team for
a number of years, giving
back to a group that helped
him get his start.
“You learn that it’s what
you want to do because it
paves the way for another
guy to follow in your footsteps,”
Kipnis siad. “You
want to give them every
opportunity you can to go
through what you did because
it’s a blast to get to
this part. It’s also a way
to show you appreciation
and give thanks to certain
stepping stones of your
journey and Glenbrook
North was a big one, so if
I can give it back whether
it’s the equipment for the
baseball team or what have
you, I’d like to do it.”
That was just one of the
ways Kipnis left an impact
in the Glenbrook North
and Northbrook community
and is why he is considered
to be a favorite to
be inducted into the initial
class of the Glenbrook
North Athletics Hall of
Fame. Athletic director
John Catalano planned on
announcing a class in the
spring, but the school has
yet to announce one.
Whenever the presumptive
will come, Kipnis
would appreciate the honor.
“It would be awesome,”
Kipnis said. “I look very
fondly back on Glenbrook
North. It’s a big part of me
growing up. I still hold a
lot of relationships that I
developed there. There are
some pretty good athletes
that have come through
there that I’m friends with.
It would be a cool honor to
be a part of that.”
Staying focused
Kipnis made his way up
the Wrigley Field stairs
before he returned to the
team’s clubhouse to prepare
for stretching before
the Indians finished
a quick two-game series
with the Cubs.
“Any time I get to come
home it’s good because the
people I get to see,” Kipnis
said.
His family made it easy
on him whenever he came
home and visited him at
the ballpark or near where
his hotel is; traveling up to
Northbrook and down for
a game was too difficult
at time. That’s why Kipnis
hadn’t been on the GBN
campus for a while, but
he still held the values the
school provided him more
than a decade ago.
Anchors from a MLB
Network show spoke on
the clubhouse television
about what the Indians
needed to do to become
better in the American
League Central Division
despite their first-place
lead. Players looked up
at the monitor from timeto-time,
but when Kipnis
came back in, he didn’t
glance up.
There wasn’t time to focus
on the present.