Saturday, March 13, 2010

Chicago Radio Spotlight: Chuck Buell

This week I talk to Chuck Buell. 

Buell was a rock jock on the Big 89 WLS, in the late 60s and early 70s. He has some great stories about those days.

Read the interview here.

Friday, March 12, 2010

The Walking Wounded

We spent four hours in the emergency room yesterday.

Another broken bone in the Kaempfer house. This time it's Sean. Broken index finger.

He's been very brave about it. His first question to the nurse in the ER was "When can I start playing baseball again? This is important spring training time."

Happy Birthday Johnny Kaempfer



He's 12 today.

I remember the day he was born like it was yesterday.

Johnny Callison

If he were still alive, Johnny Callison would be 69 years old today. He passed away a few years ago (2006).

You remember Johnny don't you? He was a three-time all-star...but sadly, not for the Cubs. When he came to the Cubs in 1970, he was pretty much toast. Good thing we didn't give up one of our best prospects (Oscar Gamble) for him.

Read more about that trade here.

Thursday, March 11, 2010

Pete Gray

The one armed outfielder was born this week 95 years ago. He wasn't on the Chicago Cubs, but what the heck. His story is one of the most remarkable tales in baseball history.

He played one season for the St. Louis Browns (1945), and he hit only .218, but that's better than Aaron Miles, Ryan Freel, Tyler Colvin, and Joey Gathright did for the Cubs in 2009...and it's the same as Geovany Soto's 2009 average.

Watch the newsreel about Pete here.

Wednesday, March 10, 2010

Milton Bradley calls out Lou




Here's the article.










This is the gist of it...
In his latest salvo aimed at the Cubs, Milton Bradley claims he wanted manager Lou Piniella to apologize to him in front of his teammates after Piniella called him a "piece of (expletive)" during a confrontation last June.

Piniella declined, according to Bradley.

"The next day, he called me into his office and wanted to apologize," Bradley told ESPN. "I felt you put me on blast, called me out in front of everybody, you're going to apologize in front of everybody."
I wish Milton the best, but I gotta tell you, I won't miss the needless drama.

The Price is Creepy

Bob Barker loves the ladies...

1910/1935


One hundred years ago this week, the Cubs are preparing for yet another NL Pennant winning season. (Photo: Three Finger Mordecai Brown). Meanwhile, in England, David Niven is born.




Seventy five years ago this week, the Cubs are preparing for yet another NL Pennant winning season. Meanwhile, in Germany, Adolf Hitler announces that the Germans have decided to rearm. (Look away...nothing to worry about here.)

Tuesday, March 09, 2010

Lies we tell our kids

According to Parentdish, a parenting column on AOL, these are the top ten lies we tell our children. (Or at least variations of these ten, personalized for your specific children)...

1. I always paid attention in school.
2. There's no such thing as a favorite child. All of you are my favorites.
3. Sorry, the playground is closed today.
4. Cuddles the Hamster went to live on a nice farm. Yes, the same one where your goldfish went.
5. I have Santa Claus's cell phone number on speed dial. Do you want me to tell him how you're acting?
6. Whoops, the KidzBop CD is in Dad's car and he already left for work.
7. "SpongeBob" isn't on this week. And the DVD player is broken. And the cable is out.
8. Of course I wore to work today the macaroni necklace and bracelet you made me.
9. Daddy is allergic to cats/dogs/birds/reptiles.
10. I never took drugs.

I'm guilty of seven of these, but I prefer not to call them lies. I call them mental health breaks (especially #6,7 & 8).

The ones I never told: #1, 9, & 10.

I could never convince them I always paid attention in school. I can't even pay attention at home. Also, I really am allergic to just about everything--that's not a lie. And as for #10, they've never asked.

The Handsome Men Club

I'm becoming a bigger and bigger Jimmy Kimmel fan. This is funny.

Andre's Blank Contract


It happened on this day in 1987.

Read all about it here.

Andre Dawson practically had to beg the Cubs to sign him.

Monday, March 08, 2010

Joe D.

Joe DiMaggio died on this day in 1999. You've seen him a million different times, but have you seen this?

Spring Training 1946


The boys were home from war, the Cubs were defending NL champs, and everything looked rosy in Spring Training 1946.

Watch the Cubs in action here.

That's the last time you'll ever see them as defending National League champs.

Sunday, March 07, 2010

Father Knows Nothing

I just posted a new Father Knows Nothing column. This one is called "Someone's Knocking on the Door" and it involves a few areas of etiquette that I apparently had failed to discuss with my boys.

You can read it here.