Chicago Radio Spotlight: Pat Hughes

This week's Chicago Radio Spotlight is a special one for me, for obvious reasons. This week I spoke with Chicago Cubs radio play-by-play man Pat Hughes.

You can read the interview here.

The Empire Strikes Back

It was 30 years ago today.

Some of the stars recall that big day.

Bobby Howry?

You can't be serious. He was released by Arizona. When the Diamondbacks were in town, the Cubs lit him up. When he pitched for the Cubs, the whole league lit him up.

And yet, the Cubs just signed Bobby Howry.

Chuck Klein

He's a Hall-of-Famer, and he played on one pennant winner for the Cubs, but he was never as good for the Cubs as he had been in Philadelphia.

On this day in 1936, the Cubs traded him back to the Phillies.

So ended the Cubs career of the Hoosier Hammerer.

Ivy

Meet the newest member of the Kaempfer family. She moved in with us today. Her name is Ivy...

Jimmy Stewart

He was born the year the Cubs last won the World Series, which means he would be 102 years old today. He was also one of the easiest all-time mystery guests on What's My Line...

Babe says bye-bye to Chicago

It happened on this day in 1935, exactly 75 years ago.

E-mails, we get e-mails

MB sent this link to me: Hank Jones, Versatile Jazz Pianist, is Dead at 91

Why did he send the link?

Because Hank Jones played the piano for Marilyn Monroe at JFK's birthday party (video below). Who would have thought that the musician would be the one to live the long full life, while the politician and the actress would both die young.

Big Z coming back to the rotation

I must say, this is not exactly a surprise. Carlos Zambrano will be returning to the starting rotation after he pitches in middle relief a few times.

I still think it was worth a shot, but it didn't work out.

Happy Birthday Mr. President

It happened this week in 1962 at his 45th birthday party. Reminds me a lot of my 45th birthday party...



Marilyn died less than three months later. JFK died 18 months later.

If they were still alive, Marilyn would be 84, and JFK would be 93.

Happy birthday to a great mustache

The Cub attached to this great mustache turns 54 years old today. Happy birthday Luis Salazar.

Looking on the bright side

I've been following the story about the Euro's decline, and while I know this is probably bad for the world's economy, I can't help but consider how this could selfishly benefit me.

If it keeps going down, I may actually be able to afford to take my kids there. I don't want them to be the first generation of Kaempfers to never step foot in the Fatherland.

It would help alleviate my guilt that I never taught them German.*



*That's right, Germans feel guilt too. At least this one does. It's one of my two emotions. (The other one is worry.)

Ryno

Something remarkable happened to Ryne Sandberg on this day in 1990.

He made an error.

That ended a streak of 123 consecutive games played at 2B without making one, a Major League record at the time. (It was recently broken by Luis Castillo of the Mets)

The World Cup

I don't know if I've mentioned it on the blog yet, but I'm going to the World Cup in South Africa at the end of June. I'm starting to get very excited about this adventure (I'm going with my brother, sister, and cousin).

This is the official song of the World Cup. Not bad at all...

Here come the Hawks

What a hockey game yesterday afternoon. This Blackhawks team is the most exciting Chicago hockey team since the days of Bobby Hull and Tony Esposito.

And I still love this song. I don't care if it sounds like a WCFL jingle from the 1960s. I loved those jingles. 

23-22

On this day in 1979, the Cubs played the Phillies in the ultimate slugfest. The final score was 23-22. Fox 32's Dane Placko was there...

Father Knows Nothing

I just posted my latest "Father Knows Nothing" column at NWI Parent. This week's is called "Can money buy love?"

You can read it here.