Wearing a Blackhawks sweater, some playoff scruff and a grin, Ken Brown strolled down an avenue of popular bars in Old Town during Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final, hopping to the next pub between periods before watching the Hawks dramatically finish off the Lightning.
Brown acknowledged he is a rarity, yet part of a quickly growing demographic among Hawks followers.
"I have two other black friends into hockey and the rest are like, 'Hockey? What?'" said Brown, 40, an African-American who is a die-hard Hawks fan. "There are not that many into the sport. But there's been more recognition since the Blackhawks have been winning and with a couple (African-American) guys on our team.