Chet Tribute

Great night in Arlington Heights last night. Jim O'Donnell did a great job moderating a tribute to Chet with Cheryl Raye-Stout and Dan Jiggets. I met former Chicago Bull Dave Corzine and his buddy George. We had a long chat about the Steve & Garry days (both were big fans). Then we had to take the comedy picture of me with the 7 footer. (Thanks to Glen Stout for the photos)

RIP Jim Bouton

He passed away yesterday at the age of 80.

His book "Ball Four" remains one of the best baseball books ever written.

Chet Tribute

It was only last summer that Chet Coppock appeared at Eddie's in Arlington Heights (http://eddiesofarlington.com/) to promote his new Eckhartz Press book. I invited a bunch of his former producers to join us--and it really made Chet's day. We had no way of knowing it would be the last time any of those guys saw Chet. (He passed away in April). Tonight the Arlington Heights library is hosting another event about Chet at Eddie's. This time it's a tribute to him, and a discussion of his memorable life. The discussion will be led by Daily Herald columnist Jim O'Donnell, and panelists include his former producer Cheryl Raye Stout and former Chicago Bear (and broadcaster) Dan Jiggetts. I will be there too. I've contributed a few of Chet's last book as prizes, along with my Cubs book "everycubever". We'll have both of those books there for sale too, if anyone is interested. Looking forward to paying tribute to the Big Bohunk. We still miss him.

Terri Hemmert

From Robert Feder's column this morning...

Terri Hemmert signed off as midday personality at WXRT 93.1-FM Tuesday with the sincerity and class she’s brought to the Entercom adult album alternative station for 45 years. Saying her goal still was to meet every member of the ’XRT family, she added: “And if you listen to this radio station, you are part of the family.” Hemmert’s last three songs: The Beatles’ “The Long and Winding Road,” “Golden Slumbers/Carry That Weight” and “In My Life.” The Radio Hall of Famer will continue to host her Sunday morning “Breakfast with The Beatles” program and fill in for other on-air hosts throughout the year. Effective today, WXRT’s new Monday-through-Friday lineup will be: Lin Brehmer and Mary Dixon from 5:30 to 10 a.m.; Richard Milne from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.; Marty Lennartz from 2:30 to 7 p.m.; Ryan Arnold from 7 p.m. to midnight; and Emma Mac from midnight to 5:30 a.m. (An earlier announcement by the station misstated the start date.)

Here's a strange sidenote about Terri. Despite the fact that I was in Chicago radio for 20+ years, and have been writing about it since the early 90s, and desptite the fact that my Radio Producer's Handbook was used as a textbook at Columbia College (where she teaches), and despite my love for the Beatles (and attendance at Beatles Fest), and despite the fact that I have dozens of mutual friends with her, I have never met Terri Hemmert. I e-mailed her once asking for an interview and she never responded. I always figured I'd run into her one day and ask her in person. That day never happened. Odd. I am a fan, though. I've been listening to her since the summer of 1982 when I first discovered WXRT.

RIP Rip Torn

I'm going to have a salty dog in his honor tonight. He was one of my favs...

How a Real President Responds

Proud to rep America’s best team! Congrats @USWNT and thanks for being such a strong inspiration for women and girls—and everybody—all across the country. pic.twitter.com/9Gp6UTZhEE

— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) July 10, 2019

Never Trumpers

I think there are only about a dozen or so of these Never Trump Republicans who speak out, but every time they do, it's music to my ears. Every word of this is true...

“The reason a lot of Republicans haven’t read the Mueller report isn’t because they aren’t illiterate, it’s because they don’t want to read what’s in there. They don’t want to see the truth” @Peter_Wehner w/ @NicolleDWallace pic.twitter.com/flI9m3UZNG

— Deadline White House (@DeadlineWH) July 9, 2019

Moon Over Mt. Prospect

Snapped this spooky pic last night...

The Stones Troll Trump

From Rolling Stone magazine...

On Sunday night, Mick Jagger paused his band’s show at Massachusetts’ Gillette Stadium to take in the perfect New England summer evening. He said he hoped everyone had a great July 4th weekend — and added that the Fourth had always been a “touchy holiday for us Brits.” “In fact, the President made a very good point in his speech the other night,” Jagger deadpanned. “He said, ‘If only the British had held on to the airports, the whole thing might have gone differently for us.’”

How to Look at Immigration

This is a beautifully written piece by former George W. Bush speechwriter Michael Gerson in today's Washington Post. It examines the slightly twisted way our president and his followers look at immigration and offers a much more hopeful and *American* view of the issue going forward.

Janet Sutherland Takes on Washington

It was a big day yesterday for Eckhartz Press author Janet Sutherland-Madden. This is how she described it on her Facebook page last night...

We spent part of the day meeting with Illinois Congressman Sean Casten thanking him for signing Ellie's law. I called Congressman Casten right after my mom died at the request of the Brain Aneurysm Foundation and asked him to sign HR 1648. This is an important bill especially for those who traveled to DC lobbied, worked really hard asking Congress for research and awareness were seeking for passage of Ellie’s Law. Ellie's Law is a bill that seeks federal funding for brain aneurysm research. It is named in honor of Ellie Helton, a 14-year-old Apex, NC teenager, who died on July 16, 2014 as a result of a brain aneurysm. The bill, HR 1648, provides $5 million each fiscal year, for five years, to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) to conduct or support further comprehensive research on brain aneurysms, studying a broader patient population diversified by age, sex, and race.Congressman Casten did sign the bill!!! We met with him this morning to thank him for supporting the bill and asked him to support another awareness resolution. We are quite honored to be able to meet with Congressman Casten and hit him with a lot of items on our brain aneurysm "list" which he was open to. I also gave him a copy of my book 🙂 (photograph(copyright 2019, Lee Balgemann)

Minutia Men, Episode 140

EP140 – Rick and Dave discuss sexy dad bods, flatulence that smells like roses, keeping beer away from Nazis, Cubs in big historical moments, Rick’s brush with Elliot Gould, and they interview Starsky, Paul Michael Glaser.

Listen to it here.

Q&A with "I Cu Copper" author Deb Tokarz

Eckhartz Press is excited to announce the release of our latest book I Cu Copper by Deb Tokarz. Although I Cu Copper is largely about a personal struggle with depression and its stigma, it is simultaneously about a 15-year excursion to find an elusive cause that could secretly be harming many women. With the help of her journal entries, Deb recounts each battle with a visceral urgency and effortlessly blends it with the discovery of the science behind it. I Cu Copper is more than one woman’s journey. It could hold the key to the cause of many women’s (and some men’s) depression, anxiety and fatigue.

We recently caught up with Deb and asked her a few questions about this exciting new book…

EP: I’d venture to guess that most people have never even heard of copper toxicity. Can you give us a layman’s explanation of what it is?

Deb: Copper toxicity also referred to as copper overload is an inability eliminate excess copper from the body. This is not the same as Wilson’s disease which is a rare genetic disorder that shows up in the bodies tissues. The copper I’m talking about is unbound and floats freely in the body as a free radical disrupting the reproductive, nervous and glandular systems with devastating effects on mental health. The reason most people are unaware of it is because traditional doctors don’t test copper levels in the blood. If a patient complains of fatigue and mood like symptoms it is common practice for traditional doctors to dispense antidepressants instead.

EP: Your book is a very personal journey dealing with this condition. What were some of the biggest hurdles you faced?

Deb: What happens when a heavy metal like copper roams freely is it leads to high amounts of oxidative stress and attacks the nervous systems causing the body to go into a constant fight or flight state making it difficult to calm down. So one of my biggest hurdles was dealing with constant high anxiety. Then as excess copper disrupted my adrenal glands and neurotransmitters depression ensued. The catch 22 for me was I had never been a depressed person nor anxious so I knew there was something causing these behavioral changes and that’s why I kept searching for answers.

Another awful hurdle was dealing with the regret, guilt and shame after I imploded and loss a pregnancy I wanted. This was an unfortunate trauma that came out of fear from the anxiety and not understanding the depressive behavior. At times I thought I was going crazy and was afraid for and of myself.

I spent 8 years on antidepressants never getting better because antidepressants actually worsen anxiety in high copper individuals. Estrogen dominant women like myself retain copper whether it be the body producing it normally or from external sources like birth control pills, prenatal vitamins, some daily vitamins or hormone replacement drugs. So all along I had an intolerance to estrogen causing my distress. As I explained every symptom to doctors, not one of them linked it to hormonal change nor did they do any tests. So the biggest hurdle of all was getting doctors to hear me.

EP: What made you decide to write a book about it?

Deb: The reason I wrote a book is to create an awareness about copper toxicity to prevent other women from suffering unnecessarily.

Also with 16M adults in the US affected by depression and some 40 million by anxiety I knew I wasn’t alone. It was important for me to make sure others suffering don’t feel alone either. So I am very open about my personal moments and talking about what it feels like to have and hide behind depression. My goal is to spread hope that healing is possible and draw out others to talk rather than hide. It has been very liberating for me to finally talk about what I went through and I feel this is how change and proper treatment will happen.

I believe my book is only the tip of the iceberg because copper is getting more attention as environmental triggers are prevalent in tap and well water, copper pipes, pesticides, plastics, dry cleaning chemicals and some household and personal care products. Not to mention the popularity of plant-based diets which are high in copper. I was a vegetarian for years and thought I was eating a “healthy” diet not realizing I was adding copper rich foods that were causing brain fog and low concentration.

EP: If any readers of your book find themselves wondering if they are suffering through the same condition, what would you recommend they do?

Deb: It is highly likely that women will find themselves with similar symptoms because 35% of women test as estrogen dominant. This not to say that men cannot have copper toxicity as well. It is just more prevalent in women because of the relationship to estrogen.

I recommend getting tested. Again, most traditional doctors will not test but there are labs that will. Finding a doctor who is open to using nutritional supplementation and is willing to treat the cause rather than the symptom is key.

I am creating a resource on my website at debtokarz.com about how to navigate the process of finding practitioners who use molecular medicine and treat with nutritional supplementation.

World Cup Champs!

Best of the best. ✨#OneNationOneTeam pic.twitter.com/RbwptyrVcv

— U.S. Soccer WNT (@USWNT) July 7, 2019

And this is how you celebrate! Congrats to the USWNT. They were so much to watch!

My Team twerks postgame #USWNT pic.twitter.com/5BBv6EJZ5E

— Reese Waters (@reesewaters) July 7, 2019

And this is how you react to a crowd shot on Fox News...

here's better quality pic.twitter.com/pecoFWGjMg

— Sara Pearl (@skenigsberg) July 7, 2019

Barry Butler does it again

Light Up the Sky, Chicago. Tonight is the Night! Happy Independence Day. #news #fireworks #chicago pic.twitter.com/tKXZ6QPqZV

— Barry Butler (@barrybutler9) July 4, 2019

Cubs All-Star Game Trivia

While researching my book "everycubever" (https://eckhartzpress.com/shop/everycubever/), I did a deep dive into all-star game history to see which Cub did what.

In all, 27 Cubs outfielders have played in the all-star game, but only six of them have started more than one. Frank Demaree in the 30s (twice), Bill Nicholson in the 40s (twice), Hank Sauer in the 50s (twice), Billy Williams in the 60s (twice), Andre Dawson in the 80s/90s, and Sammy Sosa in the 90s/00s. Andre started four times, and Sammy started five.

Happy birthday America

This sums it up perfectly for me...

Cubs All-Star Game Trivia

While researching my book "everycubever" (https://eckhartzpress.com/shop/everycubever/), I did a deep dive into all-star game history to see which Cub did what.

There have been 89 All-Star games, but only three Cubs have stolen a base in an All-Star game. Starlin Castro has the all-time Cubs record with two. Derrek Lee (2007) and Ryne Sandberg (1984) are the other two, and they both only did it once.

Cubs All-Star Game Trivia

While researching my book "everycubever" (https://eckhartzpress.com/shop/everycubever/), I did a deep dive into all-star game history to see which Cub did what. Here is one of the strangest things I discovered. No Cub has ever hit more than one homer in all-star game history. Bryant and Contreras have a chance to become the first. Here are all nine all-star game homers by Cubs...

George Altman (1961) vs. Mike Fornieles
Ernie Banks (1960) vs. Bill Monbouquette
Kris Bryant (2016) vs. Chris Sale
Willson Contreras (2018) vs. Blake Snell
Andre Dawson (1991) vs. Roger Clemens
Augie Galan (1936) vs. Schoolboy Rowe
Hank Sauer (1952) vs. Bob Lemon
Alfonso Soriano (2007) vs. JJ Putz
Billy Williams (1964) vs. John Wyatt

Disco Demolition

This month's Illinois Entertainer is out and features my interview with Steve Dahl about the infamous Disco Demolition.

Read it here.

What has destroyed America?

One answer: Fox News. I firmly believe it. Here's a great example...

From 2018 but newly relevant. Watch Fox News’ “evolution” on North Korea. pic.twitter.com/weiAxqsY7z

— shauna (@goldengateblond) June 30, 2019

Second Base

The Cubs have been struggling at second base all year, but wouldn't you know it? Both second baseman on the American League all-star team this year are former Cubs.

Debate Ratings

I wasn't among the viewers, but you might have been. More than 18 million tuned in to watch the Democratic debates on Thursday.

Politico has the details.

Cubs All-Star Game Trivia

While researching my book "everycubever" (https://eckhartzpress.com/shop/everycubever/), I did a deep dive into all-star game history to see which Cub did what. Here is one of the strangest things I discovered. There have been 89 all-star games, and 33 Cubs all-star pitchers.

Care to guess how many of them started the game?

The answer is one.

Claude Passeau started the 1946 All-Star Game. He also lost the game.


Here's the list of Cubs all-star pitchers...

Jake Arrieta (2016)
Curt Davis (1936)
Wade Davis (2017)
Ryan Dempster (2008)
Dick Ellsworth (1964)
Don Elston (1959)
Larry French (1940)
Larry Jackson (1963)
Fergie Jenkins (1967, 1971, 1972)
Sam Jones (1955)
Bill Lee (1938, 1939)
Dutch Leonard (1951)
Jon Lester (2016, 2018)
Jon Lieber (2001)
Ted Lilly (2009)
Greg Maddux (1988, 1992)
Carlos Marmol (2008)
Randy Myers (1994, 1995)
*Claude Passeau (1941, 1942, 1943, 1945, 1946)
Mark Prior (2003)
Rick Reuschel (1977)
Bob Rush (1950, 1952)
Jeff Samardzija (2014)
Johnny Schmitz (1946, 1948)
Lee Smith (1983, 1987)
Rick Sutcliffe (1987, 1989)
Bruce Sutter (1977, 1978, 1979, 1980)
Steve Trachsel (1996)
Lon Warneke (1933, 1934, 1936)
Kerry Wood (2003, 2008)
Travis Wood (2013)
Hank Wyse (1945)
Carlos Zambrano (2004, 2006, 2008)

MInutia Men, Episode 139

EP139: Rick and Dave discuss strange foods, bathroom emergencies, horns growing on kids, John Dillinger/Cub fan, Rick’s brush with Jack Brickhouse, and they interview radio legend John Records Landecker.

Listen to it here.

Un-eating

No idea why this is funny, but it is...

Reverse video of people eating #Summerfest food. Just because. pic.twitter.com/169EfInMEB

— Mike De Sisti (@mdesisti) June 28, 2019

Rick and Garry

Thanks again to Garry Meier for having me on his WLS show this week. If you missed it, they have posted the podcast.

You can listen to it here.

Miracle

Thanks again to the producers, cast, crew and publicity team at "Miracle" the Cubs musical. They invited me to come on stage last night and sing "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" which was a big thrill. Everyone was very nice, and the show was tremendous. I must admit...during the second act I got a little verklempt. (I could relive that Cubs winning the World Series moment every second of my life). A note to the writer of the play: We brought along a friend from Germany who didn't know anything about the Cubs, and he was moved by the writing. I guess that makes it a universal message, right?

Everyone Loves Minutia Men

We've recorded two new episodes featuring interviews with John Records Landecker and Paul Michael Glaser (Starsky) which will be dropping soon. In the meantime, a quick look at our most recent reviews...

Love the interviews
★★★★★ in Apple Podcasts by rt34527382 from United States of America on June 25, 2019
I’m a huge fan of the way Rick and Dave interview guests. Not the typical stupid questions you’re used to. For instance they asked The Mooch if he ever got business cards when he worked in the White House. Really funny.

Perfect for a car ride
★★★★★ in Apple Podcasts by salmonbros from United States of America on June 25, 2019
My football coach turned my team on to this podcast. We listen while we drive to road games. I love it. Really fun. I haven’t heard of a lot of these guests, but the interviews are great.

Your New Favorite Talk Show!
★★★★★ in Apple Podcasts by Crime Culture Podcast from United States of America on June 14, 2019
Rick and Dave are engaging and hilarious as they discuss everything and anything - health tips, wacky foods and drinks, top trends, and viral news pieces being just a few hot topics! They even conduct interviews with a variety of “who’s who” in pop culture! If you’ve been looking for a good morning talk show on your drive to work, or just want a little something to take the edge off, the Minutia Men are here to entertain!

My new morning show
★★★★★ in Apple Podcasts by The Oddball Aussie from Australia on June 4, 2019
This show is quickly becoming my new morning drive show, started with recent episodes but now I find myself going through the back catalogue. Two podcasters who are great to listen to and will keep you entertained the whole way through.

Decompress with a couple of funny cynics
★★★★☆ in Apple Podcasts by oldyellow65432 from United States of America on May 30, 2019
Rick and Dave are a couple of cynical goofs who will entertain you for an hour or so. Give em a try on your commute.

Wow, very well done
★★★★★ in Apple Podcasts by ob530 from United States of America on May 30, 2019
Great hosts, great content, great guests. Very funny and topical and dare I say, wonderfully cynical.

Stones in Chicago

Took my bride to the Stones show last night at Soldier Field. Loved Ronnie Wood (below)! The show was tremendous. The walk into and out of Soldier Field was not. What a traffic cluster.

Got home at 1:00am.

July 17

The summer blockbuster schedule has been released. Pencil in July 17th.

That's the day Robert Mueller will testify in OPEN session of Congress. Don't call me, I will be busy that day. And if you haven't read the report (and you haven't), I urge you to watch.

You will not feel the same way after you see him explain what's in it...you know, like he should have been allowed to do immediately.

The new press secretary

Her name is Stephanie Grisham, and she had been Melania's spokesperson.

Now lets see if she does any press briefings...you know, like they have in actual democracies.

It's been nearly 100 days since the last one.

Miracle

Got plans for Thursday night? If not, consider joining me for the Cubs musical Miracle at the Royal George Theater. The details are below...

A special offer for fans of everycubever this Thursday Night!

Come to see Miracle this Thursday night! Cub Trivia begins at 7PM; a performance of Miracle begins at 7:30pm and Rick Kaempfer will lead us all in the 7th Inning Stretch right before the second act begins!

Special offer for fans of Eckhartz Press and everycubever
Use promo code: SuperG
to receive $10 off the full ticket price.

Call Group Theater Tix at 312-423-6612

Terri Hemmert reduces role

I saw someone on Twitter refer to Terri as a pair of warm socks--something really comforting about hearing her on the radio. I don't know how Terri would feel about that description, but I knew exactly what that Tweeter meant. Robert Feder has the details...

Terri Hemmert, the Radio Hall of Famer who’s been the heart and soul of WXRT 93.1-FM for 45 years, says she is cutting back her workload at the Entercom adult album alternative station but will “continue to be proud of being part of the XRT family.”

Hemmert, 71, told colleagues in an email today that she plans to step down from her Monday-through-Friday midday shift in a few weeks and switch to “a schedule with much more flexibility.”

“After 45 years at WXRT, I’m going to figure out how to turn the record over and see what plays on the other side,” she wrote. “My doctor will be thrilled I’ll be getting eight hours of sleep a night. After all these years.”

Hemmert said she will continue to host her long-running “Breakfast with The Beatles” program on Sunday mornings and will fill in throughout the year for other on-air personalities when they’re on vacation.

Drew Horowitz Retiring

He was one of the main executives that put Eric and Kathy on the map at the Mix, and he also rose to the top of his profession in the corporate ranks. Drew Horowitz is stepping down at Hubbard. Per the RAMP Newsletter...

RAMP has confirmed that Hubbard Radio President & Chief Operating Officer Drew Horowitz will be retiring at the end of the year, closing the book on a four-decade radio career. Hubbard Chair & CEO Ginny Morris broke the news to the employees in an email that read, in part, "Drew came to Hubbard Radio as a part of our transformational acquisition of four Bonneville markets in 2011. Since that time, Drew has been instrumental in helping us further grow the company as we added clusters in Phoenix and Seattle, bolstered our cluster in St. Louis and most recently, acquired our operations in West Palm Beach." Morris added, "Like me, I know that each of you has appreciated working with and getting to know Drew both professionally and personally. And... I absolutely know that each of us has learned a great deal from Drew and not just about radio, business and leadership. I know that Drew has touched and helped many of us personally as well as professionally."

Drew tried to hire me to produce the pre-cursor to Eric and Kathy, and I turned him down. I stayed with Landecker instead. I never regretted that decision.

Chum

This seems like a good waste of time to me...isolating Liza's "Chums" in the song "Cabaret"

cabaret but its just when liza says "chum" pic.twitter.com/7ZC8RMuYcm

— erin (r) bowles (@erinrbowles) June 23, 2019

Reunion

Had a great time on WLS this morning with @GarryMeierShow talking about my book "everycubever". It had been a long time since we saw each other...of course we worked together every day for five years or so back in the late 80s/early 90s.

At the Ballpark

Had a good time yesterday despite the result.

Cubs author day in the bleachers...Donald G Evans and George Rawlinson (Cubbie Blues), Randy Richardson (Cubsessions), and me (Everycubever)

Ray Davies

Today is Ray Davies' birthday. He's 75 years old. Yikes.

I love the Kinks, and this is my favorite Kinks song. Spinning it today in honor of Ray.

Trump to appear on Meet the Press

I'm not quite sure who is advising President Trump to step outside his conservative media bubble, but he'll be doing it again this weekend--appearing on Meet the Press for the first time since he was elected.

The ABC interview he did last week got him a week's worth of bad headlines. This is likely to do the same. He's not used to being asked legitimate questions with follow ups that poke through his BS. It makes him angry.

Cub Book Night

Had a great time last night in Naperville. It was a Cubs book club night. A bunch of friends gathered to watch the Cubs game on TV, and invited me to come out with a few boxes of "EveryCubEver" and sign/sell them. Great fun. Met some entertaining people. Lots of fun Cubs stories flying around. If you'd like me to come out to your pad for a similar bash, let me know. I'm always willing.

A Good Summary

When the Mueller report came out, I was in the midst of a self-imposed vacation from cable news (I gave it up for Lent). Because of this, I didn't watch any of the coverage. Instead, I read the report. It's out there. It took me about two full weeks to read it, but my mind was blown.

I now know immediately if a person who is talking about the report has read it or not. To read it, is to know with total certainty that our president is guilty of everything. Trump may not be able to be indicted because he's currently the president (and that's in the report too), and there may not be enough proof of a criminal conspiracy with Russia (the only thing he was officially cleared of), but there is without a doubt proof of collusion. Tons of it. And at least a half dozen crimes (crimes!) that the president committed covering it up--or attempting to cover it up.

This sums it up pretty well...

Exclusive: De Niro, @robreiner, @SophiaBush, @StephenKing, @jvn, and more are cutting through the Trump administration’s lies about the Mueller report pic.twitter.com/VpJhIGBbv0

— NowThis (@nowthisnews) June 20, 2019

Missed this anniversary yesterday

35 years ago today, with the 3rd overall pick, the Bulls drafted a 6’6" guard from UNC 🐐 pic.twitter.com/YlSJkN0QhG

— Chicago Bulls (@chicagobulls) June 19, 2019

ECE is everywhere

If you walk into a Chicagoland non-literary establishment and you think you see "EveryCubEver" for sale there--you aren't imagining things. We like selling it in places that don't normally sell books--like Finom Coffee (4200 W. Irving Park Rd) and the famous Smoque BBQ (3800 N. Pulaski). If you'd like to sell it at your place of business, drop my co-publisher Dave a line (david@eckhartzpress.com).


It's even on the south side...

Little League

One of my great joys of parenthood was watching my son Sean play baseball. He was a scrappy player who liked to get his uniform dirty, and was a menace on the basepaths (he stole home seven times). Unfortunately, the other players got too big--and Sean couldn't catch up to their fastballs anymore. (You can't steal first).

So, I miss watching him play (he hung up his spikes freshman year of high school), but I absolutely do NOT miss some of the parents at Little League games. More than once I would turn around to remind them something like "these are nine year olds" or something similar to that. Dads and Moms. Screaming at their own kids. Screaming at the other kids. And worst of all, screaming at the parents on the other team. There were several times it felt like we were one step away from a ridiculous confrontation.

Like this, for instance...

A brawl broke out at a children's baseball game near Denver. pic.twitter.com/QfJ1ltnQmn

— USA TODAY (@USATODAY) June 19, 2019

For the record, you get this in all sports, but it seems worse in baseball for some reason. It never quite reached levels like this at the hundreds of youth soccer games I've attended and coached.

Marc Vernon

Nice mention today in Robert Feder's column about my old college friend (WPGU) Marc Vernon, now once again of colleague of mine at the Radio Misfits Podcast Network...

Former Chicago radio host Marc Vernon has launched “The Car Guys Report,” a weekly podcast on all things automotive, for Radio Misfits Podcast Network. His co-host is Lou Costabile, whose YouTube channel “My Car Story with Lou” has more than 56,000 followers. “The ability to run free-form without the rigidity of corporate radio has been very enjoyable, and being able to talk about my lifelong passion of cars is a dream come true,” Vernon said. In December he ended a 12-year run at Hubbard Radio classic rock WDRV 97.1-FM when his job was eliminated.

Kevin Robinson

My former program director at WJMK is back in the radio news. From this morning's RAMP Newsletter...

It's a corporate homecoming for veteran programmer/consultant Kevin Robinson, founder of Robinson Media, who has rejoined Audience Development Group as Senior Partner. Robinson previously served as a partner with Audience Development Group from 2006 to 2008. Robinson's extensive programming experience includes success in Chicago, St. Louis, Buffalo, NY and Lansing, MI. He also served as VP of Hot AC Programming for CBS Radio, overseeing 15 stations, and he consulted Westwood One.

Tim Moore, Managing Partner of Audience Development Group, remarked, "I can't envision a better fit as a colleague or a friend. We've kept in touch with Kevin throughout the past decade and have monitored his record-setting success. His programming skills across multiple formats make him a quintessential fit for our firm, but that's just the beginning. Kevin brings intelligence, character, collaboration, and a lot of excitement whenever he engages a challenge. He's one of the most cerebral media minds I've known, and we're extremely happy he's a member of our team."

Robinson said, "Audience Development Group has set the industry standard for custom cluster strategic and tactical success. Tim Moore is known throughout our industry, operating with impeccable character and tremendous integrity. It's with great pride to carry the Audience Development Group name into my clients as they know they are receiving the best custom services in America." Robinson is based in Indianapolis and can be reached at 314-882-2148 or Kevin@RobinsonMedia.fm.

Cubs/Sox

This is a few years old but I still enjoy the Cubs/Sox banter as we head into another Cubs-Sox series...

Happy birthday Sir Paul

Today is his 77th birthday. Amazing. The single greatest songwriter of my lifetime has contributed an untold number of great songs, but if I had to pick one as his greatest, this is my choice. (Ask me next week and it could be something else). This is a perfect song.

Patti Vasquez

The host of the 10pm--1am show on WGN Radio, Patti Vasquez, has been fired by WGN Radio. According to Robert Feder it was over the inadvertant airing of an F-bomb. Should be interesting to see what they do with that time slot. The leading candidate is probably Pete McMurray, but we'll have to wait and see.

And no, they haven't called Minutia Men.

Trump Ratings

He's still very popular with his base, but the President has really hit the skids with everyone else. The blockbuster ABC interview that produced dozens of front page stories was a ratings bomb.

60% of America is absolutely sick of this guy. It's not Trump Derangement Syndrome. It's Trump Fatigue.

Fathers Day with EveryCubEver

Thanks to all the moms and kids who bought EveryCubEver for the dads of Chicagoland. A few of them sent pictures of Dad holding a copy of the book. (If you missed Fathers Day, remember Dad has a birthday--and isn't mom a Cubs fan too?)

I Had An Upset Stomach

That moment when the author gets his first copy of his new book is one of our favorites. Here's Tom Latourette (with his brother Bill) and Eckhartz Press co-publisher David Stern with Tom's latest book "I had an upset stomach", available very soon via Eckhartz Press.

Dad

My dad Eckhard would have been 84 years old today. Dad has been gone for 30 years, and I still think about him all the time.

I even named my company after him, so now his name (or a version of it) is on more than 50 different books. (Eckhartz is a combination of my dad's name, and Dave Stern's dad Fritz). Truth is, because Dad's name is on every one of our books, it forces me to be very picky about who we publish. They have to live up to a very high standard in my mind. There is no one I respected more than my dad.

The DJ's DJ

This piece was published last week in Radio Ink. The author of the piece is radio's best friend, Art Vuolo. This is an excerpt. If you want to read the whole thing, click here...

When your middle name really is Records, you know you were destined to be on the radio. Back in the ’90s, radio talent coach Dan O’Day proclaimed that “more young guys were influenced to become radio DJs by John Records Landecker than anyone else in the business.”

John Landecker’s home town is Ann Arbor, Michigan, and it was in 1966 when I first met him at a small station, WOIA 102.9 FM, on a dirt road across from a dairy farm located just outside the famed college town. He said, “Local talk show host Ted Heusel hired me at a staggering $1.15 per hour.” He joined Tom O’Brien, who did a Saturday morning show called The Music Shop. John did the news from an adjacent studio with cardboard egg cartons on the walls for “proper acoustics.” Even at the age of 16, Landecker had “the pipes.” That was “Only the Beginning,” a song later made famous by the rock group Chicago.

John Records Landecker is best known for his many years at Chicago’s legendary 50,000-watt monster WLS AM 890, where his nighttime show blasted out the hits over nearly 40 states, and made him a radio god to millions of young people across the country. It was at WLS that he created one of the first interactive phone features on Top 40 radio, known as “Boogie-Check.”

His middle name was his mother’s last name — Marjorie Records — from Indiana. Ironically, today John lives in Michigan City, Indiana. John said, “I’ve told the story about my name so many times that in 2015 I authored a book entitled Records Truly is My Middle Name. So, don’t put quotation marks on Records.”

Prior to landing in the Windy City, John paid his dues working at a handful of Michigan stations like WTRX/Flint, WERX/Grand Rapids (where his daughter Tracy was born), and later, while a student at Michigan State, he became the “John Records Landecker Radio Leviathon“ on Lansing’s 1320/WILS. As a promo, WILS put Landecker’s draft card — with Records as his middle name — on the back of a music survey. He was just one semester from graduating from MSU when a tempting job offer came from Philadelphia’s iconic WIBG Radio 99. Surprise!

When he got to WIBG he was given the name Scott Walker. After a few months, the station was sold to Buckley who fired the PD, Paul Drew. As he left, Drew asked him: “What do you want to do?” John said, ”I want to go back on the air as John Records Landecker.” Drew said, ”You’ll never be a success using that name.” Sometimes the PD is wrong. While at WIBG, Landecker’s second daughter, Amy, was born. Today, John’s eldest daughter Tracy is the lead singer of an LA punk band called The Walker Brigade, and Amy is an actress in LA with an ever-growing list of credits to her name. It was while John was at WIBG that his on-air work caught the attention of WLS, and that’s when his star really began to shine.

After an incredible run at The Big 89 from 1972 through 1981, he was lured away to do mornings in Toronto at CFTR 680 AM, for more money and a new challenge. Then it was back to Chicago, with stops at The Loop, WCKG, and again at WLS. In 1989, The Big 89 flipped to talk, so Landecker went to Cleveland for mornings on Power 108. After that it was a third return to Chicago and a 10-year run doing mornings on WJMK 104.3 FM, while teamed with Catherine Johns — two johns…no waiting! When his contract was not renewed, John did some talk radio at WGN with PD Mary June Rose, and at WLS with PD Kipper McGee, followed by afternoons on The True Oldies Channel and nights on 94.7 WLS-FM. In 2007 and 2008, McGee orchestrated a Music Radio 89 throwback called the WLS Rewind on Memorial Day, and John recalls, “I was there for both of them. Truly a fun time. What an amazing event!”

Not enjoying what radio had become, John quit in 2015. He said, “that’s quit, not retired.

Of course, the full John Landecker story is in his book "Records Truly Is My Middle Name" which is one of the crown jewels of the Eckhartz Press catalogue.

Pick up your copy today.

Good in Chicago

New video series produced by Tony Lossano. Check it out...

OJ is on Twitter

Just what we needed. The unfiltered ramblings of America's favorite acquited killer. In his first video post he said he's got some "getting even" to do.

The saddest thing about this story is that he got a half million followers in one day.

I'm starting to wonder if America is the greatest country in the world or not. The evidence seems to be mounting in the wrong direction these past few years.

No More Gender Stereotypes?

This doesn't seem like a real story, but it is. The New York Times reports that England has banned "gender stereotypes" in advertisements. No more dumb dads. No more fixation on hot women.

Hmmm. On the one hand, that sounds like a very forward thinking way of approaching things. On the other hand, I wrote a book called "Father Knows Nothing."

I'm torn.