Jay Cohen

Stan Mikita, the hockey great who helped the Chicago Blackhawks to the 1961 Stanley Cup title while becoming one of the franchise’s most revered figures, died Tuesday. He was 78. Mikita’s family announced his death in a statement released by the team. No further details were provided, but the Hall of Famer had been in poor health after being diagnosed with a brain disorder called Lewy body dementia. “He was surrounded by his loving family whom he fiercely loved,” the family

A year after their historic World Series run, the Cubs are back in the playoffs for the third straight season. For some Chicago toddlers, with names like Addison, Clark and Wrigley, this is all they have ever known — an almost unfathomable notion for generations of Cubs fans. But unlike last year, when the Cubs’ run to their first championship since 1908 captivated the country, they are just another playoff team this time around. Cody Bellinger and the Los Angeles Dodgers rolled to a major league-high 104 wins. Cleveland and Houston also won 100-plus games, and the Nationals have Bryce Harper back for the best-of-five NL Division Series against Chicago, starting Friday in Washington.

Tom Ricketts was walking back to the owners’ meetings Wednesday when he was stopped by a few people on the street, eager to congratulate him on the Chicago Cubs’ World Series title.