Chicago Radio Spotlight: Marty Lennartz

I just posted my latest Chicago Radio Spotlight interview. This week I talked to WXRT's jack-of-all-trades, Marty Lennartz.

You can read it here.

Ringo

I just got the June issue of Shore Magazine in the mail. It's the music issue, and contains a back page essay I wrote about my brush with a Beatle.

If you're interested, you can read it here.

JFK

Tomorrow is the anniversary of John F. Kennedy's birth. I think of JFK every time I drive to a Cubs game.

Read about the Kennedy-Cubs symmetry here.

Congress won't pursue perjury case against Sammy Sosa

It's not because they don't think he lied to Congress.

It's mainly because the five-year statute of limitations has expired.

Papa Bear

He retired as the Bears coach on this day in 1968 after 48 years as their head coach. He finished under .500 only six times, and he won six championships during those years. And though he was nicknamed Papa Bear, he was anything but warm and cuddly. I love this video...

Art Linkletter

He passed away yesterday in Los Angeles at 97. He is survived by his wife of 74 years.

Punky Brewster

On this day in 1986 the final Punky Brewster episode aired. I've only seen one episode of that show. Watch part of it, and see if you can guess why...

BP

The Stones on Shindig!

It's was 45 years ago tonight. They were no Lee DeWyze ratings-wise, but they did OK for themselves...



Also on that show, by the way: Jackie DeShannon, Sonny & Cher and Jimmy Rodgers.

100 years ago

Exactly 100 years ago today, Cubs pitcher Orval Overall threw a one hitter against the Phillies. The only hit came off the bat of Sherrie McGee.

The Cubs were in first place, on their way to their fourth World Series of the past five years.

Overall would sit out the next two seasons in a contract dispute.

A truly mixed marriage

Don't think I've ever seen this before...

Keith Moon

On this day in 1978, Keith Moon played with the Who for the very last time. He died just a few months later. The Who has never been the same.

This video features an isolated Keith Moon drum track...

Fergie's 3000th

On this day in 1982, Fergie Jenkins struck out the 3000th batter of his career (Gary Templeton of the San Diego Padres). He was in his second tour with the Cubs at the time, in the second to last season of his Major League career.

Have you read his book yet? It's a good read...

Music

Music is different things to different people. To you it may be an opera or a symphony. To someone else it might be rock and roll or jazz.

To me it's the sound of Tony LaRussa and Albert Pujols feuding.

It's like Mozart is conducting.

Catalina Island

I just finished reading another good baseball book for those of you that share my love of Cubs history.

It's an Arcadia Publishing book called "Chicago Cubs: Baseball on Catalina Island" and it chronicles the era the Cubs had spring training there. The words by author Jim Vitti are informative, but it's the photographs that really caught my eye.

Look closely at the first one below. That's Stan Hack taking a swing, but that's not the most interesting part of the picture. See that guy bending over, checking the levels on his recording device? That's a Cubs radio announcer from Iowa named Ronald Reagan (in 1936). That same spring he took advantage of the Cubs spring training location (near Hollywood) to make a screen test. The rest, as they say, is history.

The second photo is from one of the first seasons at Catalina. That's Hall of Famer Grover Cleveland Alexander on the beach with teammates Bill Killefer and Speed Martin.

(These are republished with permission from the publisher.)

Cool stuff. Check it out here if you're interested.

Tommy Chong

Tommy Chong is 72 years old today. Here is he is accompanying Cheech's protest song about Mexican-Americans. I was a big fan at one time, but it somehow doesn't really stand the test of time, does it?

Let there be lights!

It was seventy five years ago today--the very first night game in Major League history.

The game was played on May 24, 1935, with the Cincinnati Reds defeating the Philadelphia Phillies 2-1 at Cincinnati's Crosley Field.

By the late 40s every team but one had lights.

I guess I don't need to tell you which one that was.

The Tribune Tower

On this day in 1924, the Tribune company broke ground for the building of the iconic Tribune Tower.

Read all about that story here.

Father Knows Nothing

I just posted my latest Father Knows Nothing column at NWI Parent. This one is called "And Puppy Makes Six." I think you guess what it's about.

You can read it here.