Chicago Radio Spotlight: Matt Spiegel

Chicago Radio Spotlight is back for another year. This week I interview The Score's Matt Spiegel.

You can read it here.

Neil Young sings Fresh Prince

"BP" sent me this video with the title: "The only funny thing Jimmy Fallon has ever done."

Peter Kaempfer

My little brother is 40 years old today! Here's a picture of him at his favorite place in the whole wide world...Chicago's beautiful Wrigley Field. I'm on the left, he's on the right, and that's our cousin Martina between us. Of course, he was only his 30s then...

John Fogerty

Twenty five years ago today he released this great song: "Centerfield." This video is not from 1985, it's from Soundstage in Chicago in 2007, but it's a great version...

The Who

They released this song on this day, exactly 45 years ago. This is what they looked and sounded like in 1965.

Sights & Sounds

Sights & Sounds returns to JOBC today to begin another year. This week I go into my archives for my oldest video and my oldest audio.

A baseball film from 1898 filmed by Thomas Edison, and a recording of Casey at the Bat performed live on stage in 1909.

Great history is here.

Another great mustache

This great mustache signed with the Cubs on this date in 1998. It belonged to reliever Rod Beck.

Read more about the man they called "The Shooter" here.

Humphrey Bogart

He died on this day in 1957.

One of the things I loved about Bogie is that he loved baseball.

Sarah's favorite founder

I've been trying to put my finger on why it is that I think Sarah Palin is such a lightweight. I think I finally know what it is.

She sounds like a high school student answering an essay question...someone that hasn't read the material, so she just strings words together, hoping to at least get a few points on the answer. See if you agree. Here she is yesterday with Glenn Beck...



This is not a political statement on my part. It's just an observation. I honestly think she doesn't have the slightest idea what she's talking about.

40 years ago today...

Diana Ross and the Supremes performed together for the very last time. It was at the Frontier Hotel in Las Vegas, and it was recorded for the live album called "Farewell."

Here's one of the songs from that last performance...

Ray Kroc

Ray Kroc died on this date in 1984.

He didn't quite live long enough to see the team he owned (the Padres) tear the heart out of the team he loved as a boy (The Cubs).

Read all about his Cubs-love here.

Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds

On this date in 1975 (35 years ago today), Elton John's version of Lucy in the Sky was the #1 song in the country. Here he is on stage with John Lennon performing the song at Madison Square Garden.

More on the NBC mess

Gawker has video up of all the principles discussing the situation last night: Conan, Leno, Jimmy Kimmel, David Letterman, and Craig Ferguson.

This is terrible for NBC, but it's great for comedy.

Speaking of show trials

15 years ago yesterday, the OJ Simpson trial officially began. It lasted until October.

Careers were made during that trial. Just ask Greta Van Sustern. She was unknown before the trial, and a celebrity after it ended--because she covered it daily on CNN. Mark Fuhrman became a celebrity too.

Heck, I must admit, it wasn't bad for me either. During that trial the John Landecker show was cranking out material on a daily basis that shot us to the top of the Chicago radio ratings. Roe Conn is another one that was catapulted into the spotlight.

On the other hand, a guilty man probably got away with murder. I know he's in jail now, but OJ Simpson was actually acquitted.

It's still hard to believe 15 years later.

Trachsel's take on McGwire

Steve Trachsel was the pitcher that served up #62 to McGwire in 1998.

He was interviewed about the McGwire controversy yesterday on ESPN Radio in Chicago and said something that I always suspected: Sammy and McGwire didn't even like each other.

The full story is here.

Even though Trachsel was a decent pitcher, he was never one of my favorites. He was soooooo slooooooooow on the mound. Every game he pitched took forever. But I will never forget the game he pitched in that one-game playoff game to win the wildcard in 1998. Without him, the Cubs wouldn't have won the right to be swept in three straight by the Braves.

You don't just forget something like that.

Another great mustache

This mustache is celebrating a birthday today.

It belongs to former Cub second baseman Mike Tyson, who is 60 years old today.

(More about Mike here)

Cubs hire Greg Maddux

The Cubs hired Greg Maddux as an assistant to Jim Hendry.

According to Hendry, and this is the part I love: "He'll certainly be involved in all aspects of the baseball-operations department."

First assignment in my perfect world: Taking all baseball decisions away from Jim Hendry.

Seriously though, Maddux knows baseball. He's a student of the game. He should be an invaluable resource.

Joe E. Lewis

Joe E. Lewis was born on this date in 1902. Lewis was one of the biggest stars in America in the late 1920s. Then, he picked the wrong guy to mess with in Chicago.

Read all about him and what was going on with the Cubs at the time of his unfortunate Chicago experience here.

McGwire admits it

"I used steroids" says Mark McGwire.

This news is obviously not a shock, but I give McGwire credit for admitting it.

Sammy...your turn.

Another stupid contestant

Andre's #8

I love Andre Dawson as much as any Cubs fan, but when I saw this article it made me wonder if he really should go in the Hall of Fame as a Cub.

The Cubs say they will retire his #8 if he does.

He's definitely a worthy Hall of Famer. He's definitely one of my favorite Cubs. But he only played in Chicago for six seasons. It feels a little odd to retire his number, doesn't it?

Look at those other retired numbers. Ernie was a Cub for 19 seasons. Billy was a Cub for 16 seasons. Ryno was a Cub for 15 seasons. Santo was a Cub for 14 seasons. Fergie was a Cub for 10 seasons. Maddux was a Cub for 10 seasons.

Am I wrong? It doesn't feel right, does it?

William Walker

On this date in 1934, the Chicago Cubs named a seafood salesman as their team president.

Read all about William Walker here.

Father Knows Nothing

I just posted my latest Father Knows Nothing column at NWI Parent. This one is about my little buddy--my seven year old Sean. It's called "My Comrade."

You can read it here.