Steve Goodman

If he were alive today, Steve Goodman would be celebrating his 61st birthday.

The die-hard Cubs fan left us way too soon.

Take me out to the ballgame

I'm taking my youngest son Sean (the biggest Cubs fan in the family) to the Cubs game today. I hope the weather holds up.

I take each of the boys to one game a summer, but Sean looks forward to it the most. He woke me up at 7 this morning with his Cubs shirt and hat on, holding his mitt.

Last year he almost got to express his Cubs love to a national audience. This year, he'll be satisfied to express it to the Cubs themselves.

This week in...

1929

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

*Riggs Stephenson slugs a home run and Sheriff Blake beats the Brooklyn Robins in Wrigley Field on the same day that 60,000 SA and SS troops march in Munich, flexing their Nazi muscles.

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1969

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

*While Fergie Jenkins is striking out 10 Pirates and throwing a two-hitter in Chicago, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young are preparing to perform at the Fillmore East, their first ever concert together.


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1984

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

*The Cubs score eight runs in the eighth inning to beat the Mets 11-4 in New York, but most Chicagoans aren't watching the game. They're watching the opening ceremonies of the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.


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1989

The Boys of Zimmer are taking Chicago by storm.

*On the day that George W. Bush makes his self-proclaimed "biggest mistake ever" (trading Sammy Sosa to the White Sox while he was President of the Texas Rangers), the Cubs beat the Mets 10-3 at Wrigley Field. Greg Maddux gets the win.

Ron Santo & Diabetes

On this date in 1971, Ron Santo admitted that he was a diabetic. In this video he talks about the challenges he faced, including the scariest moment of playing with diabetes...it somehow resulted in a home run.

Bumper Stickers

- I don't suffer from insanity, I enjoy every minute of it.

- Some people are alive only because it's illegal to kill them.

- I used to have a handle on life, but it broke.

- You're just jealous because the voices only talk to me.

- BEER: It's not just for breakfast anymore.

- I got a gun for my wife, best trade I ever made.

- So you're a feminist...Isn't that cute!

- I'm just driving this way to tork you off.

- Keep honking, I'm reloading.

- As long as there are tests, there will be prayer in public schools.

- I took an IQ test and the results were negative.

- Always remember you're unique, just like everyone else.

- Very funny, Scotty. Now beam down my clothes.

Fart wars

I went to college with one of the fart warriors in this piece; Joel Comm. Looks like he has become quite successful.

Watch it here.

Glenn Beckert's Hitting Streak

Today in 1968, Glenn Beckert extended his hitting streak to 27 games.

That hitting streak is among the most cherished Cubs memories of WDRV afternoon host Bobby Skafish. He told us all about it in this exclusive video...

Nirvana meets Ric Astley

This really is incredibly well done...

Reverse Racism

Stephen Colbert has been on fire this week.

Another great piece on Reverse Racism.

The Crab & the Polish Prince

Two important Cubs birthdays today.

The Crab, Johnny Evers, was born on this date in 1881. Find out why they called him the Crab here.

The Polish Prince, Moe Drabowsky, was born on this date in 1935. Read about his worst day in a Cubs uniform here.

Joke for a Monday morning

Contributed by "KK"



Tom, Dick and Harry were in the pub enjoying a few quiet drinks one night, when they decided to get in on the weekly raffle.

They bought five $1 tickets each, seeing it was for charity.

The following week, when the raffle was drawn, they each won a prize.

Tom won the first prize - a whole year's supply of gourmet spaghetti sauce.

Dick was the winner of the second prize - six month's supply of extra-long gourmet spaghetti.

And Harry won the sixth prize - a toilet brush.

When they met in the pub a week later, Harry asked the others how they were enjoying their prizes.

"Great," said Tom. "I love spaghetti."

"So do I," said Dick. "And how's the toilet brush, Harry?"

"Not so good," Harry said, "I reckon I'll go back to paper..."

This week in...

1929

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

*As the Cubs are winning a double-header in Philadelphia behind home runs from Hack Wilson and Cliff Heathcote, the world's first airport hotel opens in Oakland California.



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1969

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

*Bill Hands pitches a shutout in Wrigley Field against Montreal backed by RBI hits from Ron Santo and Ernie Banks just a few hours before Neil Armstrong becomes the first man to walk on the moon.


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1984

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

*Rick Sutcliffe 6-hits the Padres at Wrigley Field on the same day that Walter Mondale wins the 1984 Democratic nomination in San Francisco.



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1989

The Boys of Zimmer are taking Chicago by storm.

*Former President Ronald Reagan (a Cubs fan) takes a turn at the microphone, broadcasting the all-star game. The Cubs are represented in that game by 2B Ryne Sandberg, OF Andre Dawson, SP Rick Sutcliffe, and RP Mitch Williams.

Father Knows Nothing

I just posted my latest Father Knows Nothing column at NWI Parent. It's about our latest camping trip to Wisconsin. I call this one: "Up the River"