Chicago Radio Spotlight: Kipper McGee

This week's Chicago Radio Spotlight interview is with former WLS Program Director Kipper McGee. If you'd like to read it, the entire interview is here.

Don Cardwell's No Hitter

On this day in 1960, newly acquired Cubs pitcher Don Cardwell made his Cubs debut a memorable one: he pitched a no-hitter.

Len & Bob interviewed Don about that game on their blog a few years ago.

Cardwell passed away last year at the age of 72.

Going to Wrigley

I'm going to the Cubs game today. If you're there too, stop by section 228, row 2, seats 5 & 6 (my regular seats) and say hello.

Does a Bear in the Woods?

Contributed by "KK"...

Cubs release Dizzy Dean

He was one of the most popular players in Major League history, and then one of the most popular announcers. Dizzy Dean was one of a kind.

On this day in 1941, the Cubs released Ol' Diz, officially ending his playing career.

Read about his last stand; the 1938 World Series.

Joke for a Thursday morning

Contributed by "DS"...



A student of proctology is in the morgue one day after classes, getting a little practice in before the final exams. He goes over to a table where a body is lying face down. He uncovers the sheet over the body, and to his surprise he finds a cork in the corpse's rectum. Figuring that this is fairly unusual, he pulls the cork out, and to his surprise, the rectum starts singing, "Hey Chicago what do you say... the Cubs are gonna..."

The student is amazed, and places the cork back in the backside. The music stops. Totally freaked out, the student calls the Medical Examiner over to the corpse. "Look at this, this is really something," the student tells the examiner as he pulls the cork back out again. "Hey Chicago what do you say... the Cubs are gonna..."

So what? " the Medical Examiner replies, obviously unimpressed with the students discovery. "But isn't that the most amazing thing you've ever seen?" asked the student. Are you kidding?" replied the Examiner, "I've heard hundreds of a-holes sing that stupid song."

The American Mustache Institute interviews Fergie

The interview is here.

Harry, Skip & Chip

On this date in 1991, Harry, Skip and Chip Caray made history when three generations of Carays broadcast a game together. Tom Glavine and the Braves beat the Cubs 5-3.

Crowd sings Hey Jude

I kept waiting for McCartney to show up. He was probably in the neighborhood somewhere...



If Chicago did this, what would we all sing together?

E-mails, we get e-mails...

From "RP" regarding my post "CBS to wield knife"

"Here it comes: NewsRadio on the cheap. Remember when All-News WMAQ used to record their 1am and 2am hours, then just replay them for the 3am and 4am hours? Maybe WBBM will also subscribe to the Channel 2/5/9/32 pool for tape. Or just cover everything by phone. How about weekend infomercials, like at KFWB?"

Anything can happen as long as these mega-corporations stay in the radio business.

Hank Borowy

He was the star pitcher on the 1945 Cubs, arguably the player most responsible for getting them to the World Series. (Unfortunately, he was also the loser of Game 7. Read all about that story here.)

Hank Borowy was born on this day in 1916.

E-mail, we get e-mails...

AS writes...



"People magazine is running a "Leno Looks Back" article in the May 18 issue (Kirstie Alley on the cover), with Leno commenting on the highlights of his late night show. There is a photo of the Dancing Itos under "1995" and it says the following:

"'The Dancing Itos....it was my idea,' Leno says of the routine prompted by O.J. Simpson's 'ridiculous trial- everybody was preening for the cameras. But Judge Ito still drops me notes. He's a very nice man.'"

Okay, is there something in the back of his mind that still prompts him, 14 years later, to comment on who's idea the whole thing was?"

If you're not familiar with the story and my (and John Landecker's) involvement in it, the whole story is here.

Ryan Freel

From this morning's Tribune. Looks like the newest Cub (Ryan Freel) will make things a little more interesting in the Cubs dugout...

"The newest Cub also addressed rumors that he has an imaginary friend named "Farney." In a 2006 interview with the Dayton Daily News, Freel said: "He's a little guy who lives in my head who talks to me and I talk to him. That little midget in my head said, 'That was a great catch, Ryan.' I said, 'Hey, Farney, I don't know if that was you who really caught the ball, but that was pretty good if it was.'"

Father Knows Nothing

I just posted this week's "Father Knows Nothing" column. It's about my mom (on Mother's Day). I call it "Hildegard."

This week in...

1929

The Cubs are in the midst of a pennant winning season.

*While the Cubs unwind on the train from Boston to Chicago after a grueling 19-game roadtrip (they won 11), the first Academy Awards are held. "Wings" wins for best picture, Janet Gayner wins for best actress and the best actor award goes to Emil Jennings.

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1969

The Cubs are in the midst of one of their most memorable seasons.

*On the same day the Cubs are rained out at Wrigley Field against the San Francisco Giants (featuring Willie Mays, Juan Marichal & Willie McCovey), the first color photos of Earth are transmitted from space by Apollo 10, and the Turtles play at the White House. Singer Mark Volman falls off the stage 5 times.


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1984

The Cubs are hoping to make the playoffs for the first time since World War 2.

*Jody Davis hits a 3-run pinch hit homer in the ninth inning to beat the Astros at the Astrodome on the same day that South African prisoner Nelson Mandela is permitted to see his wife for the first time in 22 years.


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1989

The Boys of Zimmer are taking Chicago by storm.

*While Mitch Williams is blowing a save at Wrigley Field during a 4-3 loss to the Giants at Wrigley Field, President George H.W. Bush is ordering troops into Panama.