Blair R. Kipnis
Brennan Burtker LLC associate Blair R. Kipnis spent this morning hunkered down in the firm’s downtown offices, paperwork on desk and Cleveland Indians jersey on back.
“I’m sure the razzing will start this afternoon,” Kipnis said.
If the image of a Kipnis in an Indians jersey seems somehow familiar, that’s because the Chicago attorney is the brother of Cleveland second baseman Jason Kipnis.
The Northbrook native is facing off against the Chicago Cubs in Game 3 of the World Series tonight at Wrigley Field.
“I think I’ve chewed through my fingernails twice through already,” Blair Kipnis said. “But it’s fun. Despite all the nervousness, that’s something you have to keep in mind.”
Despite some World Series media flurry pegging Jason as growing up ride-or-die Cubs, Blair Kipnis said that was truer of the other Kipnis siblings.
“Jason was more of a Chicago fan. He was for the Cubs, the White Sox, he even cheered for the Cardinals a bit,” Blair Kipnis said.
The family’s Cubs ties run deep. An obstetrician uncle delivered one of Ryne Sandberg’s children, which led to autographs and memorabilia a-plenty for the Kipnis clan.
The family’s athletic nature helped, too.
“We all grew up playing a million sports when we were younger but had to narrow it down when we got to high school and pick one,” Blair Kipnis said.
Sister Amanda played Division I softball for the University of Maryland. Blair and brother Todd played baseball through high school at Glenbrook North.
But Jason went all the way, debuting with the Indians in 2011 after two seasons in their farm system.
And now he’s in the World Series.
J. Michael Heaton, a partner at O’Keefe Lyons & Hynes LLC, who is married to a cousin to the Kipnises’, said prepping for the game takes tact in Chicago.
“You’ve just got to be careful what you wear,” he said, laughing before clarifying he was kidding.
“The guys I’ve met in Chicago, the Cubs fans, are very reasonable. They’ll understand family comes first,” Heaton said.
Longtime family friend Justin Weiner, who has known Jason Kipnis since they played travel baseball together at age 9, said the whole Kipnis family is putting the Cubs aside for one series.
“For them to cheer for anyone other than the Indians is crazy. For any of us to cheer for anyone other than the Indians is crazy,” Weiner said.
Blair has gone to all the games, driving back from northeast Ohio through the night with his fiancee and his father to arrive back in Chicago at 4 a.m. Thursday before a full day of work at the firm. With the next two games at Wrigley, Blair is relieved his next trip takes him no farther than 1060 W. Addison St.
But it’s not without some nerves for the family.
In what Jason called a “freak accident” on Twitter, he sprained his ankle in a post-ALCS victory hug with teammate Francisco Lindor. Blair said his brother’s not back at 100 percent yet.
Yet.
“He’s going out there, he’s working through it with the medical team,” he said.
As for the Series, Blair Kipnis is calling it for Cleveland in seven.
Weiner said everyone who knows Jason wants the Indians to take it in 2016.
“The Cubs can win next year,” Weiner said.