Safe Spaces After Sunset? Chicago’s Summer Still Bleeds

Now He Wants Chicago Teens IN the Gym

The first week of July was anything but peaceful here in Chicago. Once again, we made national news after 82 people were shot, 14 murdered, and five mass shootings. 

However, the mainstream media forgot about a program that Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson had set up on May 27th of this year. It was titled Summer Sports Series to Provide Safe Spaces During Holiday Weekends.

In a press release, they wrote: The "Late Night Ball" summer series kicked off Memorial Day weekend and will continue Father's Day, Independence Day, and Labor Day weekends. Programs run from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. at select locations citywide, serving residents over 18 in communities most impacted by violence. 

"This is an amazing collaboration of both public and private sectors to support safe spaces for youth and adults in our city," said Mayor Brandon Johnson. 

Midnight basketball programs began in 1986 by G. Van Standifer, then the town manager of Glenarden, Maryland. He aimed to provide a safe, constructive activity for young men during high-crime hours, specifically between 10:00 p.m. and 2:00 a.m. The program was designed to keep young men off the streets and avoid potential crime involvement. It eventually expanded to 50 cities under the name Midnight Basketball League. The league still exists, but it is not in Illinois. According to their website, they are in nine states, with the nearest one in Kalamazoo, Michigan.

Statistics from previous years show that Father's Day can be a particularly violent weekend in Chicago. According to FOX 32, in 2020, 104 were shot on Father's Day weekend. That number went down to 72 shot in 2024. This past Father's Day weekend, 15 people were shot, three fatally. So, the question is: Did "Late Night Ball" help decrease these numbers? No, don't fool yourself.

We have one more holiday weekend left to play ball at midnight—Labor Day weekend. Hopefully, this one won't be marred by violence.