More Ryno Talk

Thanks to Chicagoist and Cubhub for also posting my YouTube video of my recollections about that game 25 years ago today.

Status of Cubs sale

Don't know if Sam Zell is doing this to put pressure on the Ricketts family, but there's a new bidder (actually one of the previous bidders, re-entering the negotiations.)

All of the details are here in Crain's.

E-mails, we get e-mails

From "MB"



"Great post on the Samdberg game. I had no idea McGee hit for the cycle that day! Those were unbelievable Cardinals teams. I was there too-SRO on 1st base side most of the game with my sister & dad. We jockeyed for empty seats with a bunch of sailors from Great Lakes, who looked as if they just arrived at the ballpark from the set of a 1950's Jerry Lewis Navy movie. It's almost hard to believe how effortless it was to go to a Cubs game then. Saturday afternoon; national TV game; Leon Durham's Sports Illustrated cover had just been published; "hey, let's drive in to the city without tix and go to the Cubs game!" Do people still do that? I think Cubs season attendance peaked at just over 2.1M in 1984. It was less than 1.5M the prior year. Now 3M+"

25 years ago today...

...Ryne Sandberg became a national celebrity. I was there. It was my favorite day ever at Wrigley Field.

A funny observation...

Fewer dads staying home

According to this article, I'm becoming an endangered species.

Here's an excerpt...

"Thirty-one percent of working dads would leave their jobs if their spouses or significant others earned enough money to comfortably support the entire family. Although that's a sizable percentage, it's a slight drop from last year's 37 percent and a significant drop from 2005's 49 percent."

69% would rather work? And they say that Germans have a ridiculous work ethic.

Super Barack

John Dillinger

John Herbert Dillinger was born on this day in 1902.

Sure, he was a notorious bank robber, but he was also something else: A fan of the Chicago Cubs.

He attended his last Cubs game just a few weeks before he was gunned down outside the Biograph Theater; exactly one month after his 32nd birthday.

(The movie about his life, starring Johnny Depp, opens on July 1)

Father Knows Nothing

I just posted my latest Father Knows Nothing column at NWI Parent. It's about my latest Father-Son outing to Wrigley Field. I call it "A day at the ballgame"

And by the way, dads, Happy Father's Day to one and all.

Hottest day in Chicago history

It was on this date in 1953. The official temperature was 104 degrees, and the Cubs actually played a day game at Wrigley Field. Incredibly, 17,000+ fans came out to smolder in the steamy hot ballpark and watch the Cubs lose 5-3 to the Brooklyn Dodgers.

Hank Sauer hit a homer, but two errors by shortstop Roy Smalley cost the Cubs the ballgame.

Joe Garagiola started at catcher for the Cubs and caught all nine innings.

E-mails, we get e-mails...

"DE" writes...



"There’s an uncanny resemblance between you and Mr. Ricketts – sure you not holding out on us, and you’re really the heir to the TD Ameritrade Holding Corp Fortune?










Love your site, I check it out every day. Keep up the great work."

If I am related, they are holding out on me. I'll have to send them a letter.

No-No!

The Cubs were in Brooklyn on this day 57 years ago. They faced a pitcher named Carl Erksine...and he no-hit them. The game took 1 hour and 48 minutes, and only 7700 fans were on hand to witness it.

The Vendor-Client relationship in real life situations

Will Ricketts ever buy the Cubs?

It's looking like it might not happen now.

Read this CNBC article about the sale. It doesn't take too much reading between the lines to sense potential trouble here.

Ozzie mows Wrigley

Click on this link to see a picture of the T-shirt Ozzie Guillen thought was so funny before yesterday's game. It's a borderline racist shirt that says "Ozzie Mows Wrigley."


Look, Cub fans, should we really be taunting at this point? (This isn't the 1930s)

Our team stinks. We're a game below .500. And guess what? Ozzie's team really did mow Wrigley yesterday. They beat us 4-1.

Harvey Walken

The man who trademarked the phrase "Any team can have a bad century" passed away yesterday. His name was Harvey Walken, and I traded e-mails with his office several times last year while I was developing my site Just One Bad Century. Read his obituary at the link. He lived a very interesting life. (Among other things, he was once one of the owners of the Pittsburgh Pirates).

My correspondence with him began when we posted that famous quote "Any team can have a bad century" on our website, but we attributed it to Jack Brickhouse. Mr. Walken's office notified us to let us know that Harvey actually owned the copyright to that, and that we needed to attribute it to him. If you click on the asterisk next to the quote on our home page now, you'll read the whole story.

Mr. Walken was kind enough to send me an autographed copy of his book "Here's Lookin' At Me Kid," which includes lots of great quotes from a very colorful man (the introduction was written by Phil Rosenthal). His autograph reads: "Rick, thanks for your work on MY behalf! Any team have can have a bad century. Let's hope it's only one. Go Cubs! Harvey"

Happy Birthday Bridget

My lovely wife Bridget is celebrating a birthday today. I don't know how she does it, but she remains four years younger than me.

A few years ago she wrote a column for this blog.

Last year on our 17th anniversary, I wrote 17 things about her.

This year the boys and I are taking her to her favorite restaurant for dinner. Check that. We're taking her to her favorite restaurant that has menu items the boys will actually eat.

This week in...

1929

The Cubs are in the midst of a pennant winning season.

*On the same day that Phillies pitcher Ray Benge (who led the league in home runs allowed and had an ERA of 6.29) strikes out 13 Cubs to win at Wrigley Field, Otto E. Funk finishes a marathon walk that took him from New York to San Francisco (4165 miles).

********************
1969

The Cubs are in the midst of one of their most memorable seasons.

*While the Cubs are splitting a double header at Crosley Field to the Reds (they lose the opener 7-6 on a Bobby Tolan single in the bottom of the ninth, and win the second game 5-4 on a Paul Popovich home run), Hee Haw is debuting on CBS-TV.


********************
1984

The Cubs are hoping to make the playoffs for the first time since World War 2.

*They lose a game 5-2 to the Phillies in the afternoon thanks to a big day from former Cub Ivan DeJesus, but manage to get out of the ballpark in time to watch the big Thomas Hearns-Roberto Duran fight that night. Hearns knocks him out.


********************
1989

The Boys of Zimmer are taking Chicago by storm.

*Doc Gooden shuts out the Cubs 2-0 at Shea Stadium (in a rain-shortened game), but the big story in the news that night is Zsa Zsa Gabor's arrest for slapping a policeman in Beverly Hills.

Sammy finally outed

On the eve of the Cubs/Sox series, some fodder for Sox fans.

According to this article, Sammy Sosa's name was indeed on the list of players that failed steroid tests in 2003. That's the same list A-Rod's name appeared.

Can't say I'm surprised, but somehow, believe it or not, I'm still disappointed.

By the way, can somebody please go check on my friend Dave Stern (if you know him)? This news has been out for almost an hour and a half and I haven't gotten a gloating phone call yet.

Thanks Elliott Harris!

Elliott Harris put another picture of our Just One Bad Century girl (holding his book) on the Chicago Sun Times website today.

I know he's promoting his book signing, but it's still a nice gesture. By the way, Ernie Banks will also be on hand at Elliott's book signing today, along with co-authors Grant DePorter & Mark Vancil from 5-7 at Harry Caray's Italian Steakhouse, 33 W. Kinzie.

Rules for flying the "W" flag

The Tribune has the rules of etiquette regarding the "W" flag. Cross your fingers that we'll get a chance to fly it at least twice over the next three days. The Cubs play the White Sox.

Why you need to keep the kids busy

If you don't, they'll come up with stupid things to do, like this...


Invisible Rope Prank II - Watch more Funny Videos

Casey & Harry

Exactly 100 years ago today this dramatic reading of "Casey at the Bat" was recorded. (June 16, 1909). The actor reciting the poem is Dewolf Hopper (photo), who was hugely popular for doing this on the Vaudeville circuit.

I'd call it ridiculous overacting...I actually laughed out loud a few times.



84 years later (June 16, 1993) another famous orator had a melt down when the good folks at Cracker Jacks wanted to celebrate their 100th anniversary. His name was Harry Caray.

Television Faces

The latest issue of Shore Magazine is now out.

It features an article I wrote called "Television Faces." There are interviews/profiles of local television newscasters like Chicago's Mark Suppelsa, Mark Giangreco, Dane Placko, Kristyn Hartman, & Bob Sirott, along with Grand Rapids anchor Juliet Dragos, South Bend anchors Maureen & Terry McFadden, and Merrillville's Lindsay Grome.

The article also features great pictures taken by Shore Magazine photographer Natalie Battaglia.

Read the whole thing here.

100 Best Movie Lines in 200 Seconds

Love this...

Today in Cubs history

A few memorable events happened on this day (JUNE 15) in Cubs history.




In 1916, the pitcher who starred for the 1910 World Series Cubs died. His name was King Cole.

In 1942 Cubs pitcher Hi Bithorn finally couldn't take another second of Leo Durocher's taunting from the opposing dugout. So he threw a pitch into the dugout, trying to hit Leo.

In 1951 the Cubs made one of their worst trades ever. They traded stud pitcher Johnny Schmitz and star outfielder/infielder Andy Pafko (probably the most popular Cub) to the Brooklyn Dodgers for for Bruce Edwards, Joe Hatten, Gene Hermanski and Eddie Miksis.

In 1964 they made another trade, acquiring a pitcher named Ernie Broglio. I'm still not emotionally prepared to talk about it.

In 1997, the Cubs played their first inter-league game against the Chicago White Sox. They won the game 8-3.

Billy & Champ

He is 71 years old today. One of the all-time great Cubs players, and one of my all-time favorites. I can't tell you how many times I tried to do the spit and swing in my backyard. For me, that probably started in 1969.





Champ Summers is also 63 years old today. They called him Champ, although he never was one. Happy birthday, Champ.

Let there be lights!

On this day in 1948, the Detroit Tigers erected lights at their stadium, leaving only one major league team without lights. It would only be 40 more years before that team, the Cubs, followed suit. (Photo)

How did that work out for the Cubs?

Father Knows Nothing

I just posted my latest "Father Knows Nothing" column at NWI Parent. It's my review of the film, "Up".

Joe Carter

On this day in 1984, the Cubs traded away their top prospect, Joe Carter, along with a few others (like Mel Hall) for Rick Suttcliffe.

I'll never begrudge the Cubs that trade because it brought them their first division title in 39 years and within a few outs of the 1984 World Series.

On the other hand, don't you ever wonder what it would have looked like to see this guy in the same outfield with Andrew Dawson (who arrived in Chicago just a few years later)?

Chicago Radio Spotlight

I'm not going to be doing Chicago Radio Spotlight the rest of this summer. With all three boys at home, it's really difficult to conduct professional interviews.

I'm still going to be doing this blog, Just One Bad Century, and Father Knows Nothing (in addition to working on two book projects), so it's not like I'm just throwing in the towel. But something's gotta give.

Chicago Radio Spotlight will return at the end of August.

Coining a term?

My son Johnny left for school this morning (last day) and didn't realize until he hit the sidewalk that he forgot to put on his shoes.

He came back inside slapping his head.

"Sorry Dad," he said, "I think I just had a junior moment."

Larry French

He was a pitcher for the Cubs, so it only seemed natural that he buy a bear cub as a pet, right? Larry French did it on this day in 1938.

It didn't turn out so well.

Public Enemies

Awesome story in the latest issue of Shore Magazine. It's an insider's account into the making of the Johnny Depp movie "Public Enemies" (about John Dillinger...filmed in and around this area). The writer of the piece, Don Ascher, has a part in the movie. Lots of great behind the scenes pictures too.

Read the whole story here.

Charlie Hollicher

He was born on this day in 1896 and went on to star for the 1918 pennant winning Chicago Cubs as a rookie, but the Charlie Hollicher story doesn't end well.


Read all about his tragic life here.

Mr. Ed & Herman Munster try out for Leo Durocher

Here's Mr. Ed's tryout...Sandy Koufax pitches to him.



Here's Herman Munster's tryout...



Despite their obvious talent, neither of them lasted in the Big Leagues.

Charlie Grimm & Frankie Frisch

On this day in 1949 Charlie Grimm resigned as manager of the Cubs because he couldn't take the losing anymore. He wasn't living up to his nickname Jolly Cholly, he was living up his last name...and inspiring this portrait by Norman Rockwell.

The job was given to Hall of Famer Frankie Frisch. He had no idea what he was getting into.

E-mails, we get e-mails

"JE" writes...



"Rick, I am in Hong Kong, completely jet lagged and up at 4am....so what's a gal to do.....surf the web and catch up on my favorite sites since I was in the air flying for the last 24 hours. So, after pulling up the Loop to listen online, I grab yours and both of them came up in Chinese. The Loop had enough graphics that are still in English that I could navigate it.....yours, on the other hand....a little more problematic. Thought you might like to see what your site looks like over here."

Click on the picture below to enlarge it...

Roy Smalley

Roy Smalley is 83 years old today. He played shortstop for the Cubs during some of their darkest days. His brother-in-law Gene Mauch was one of his teammates. His son Roy also played in the big leagues for the Texas Rangers, Minnesota Twins, New York Yankees, and the Chicago White Sox.

Toy Story 3

It's about time. My kids are going to be excited when this comes out next summer. Here's the first trailer...

E-mails, we get e-mails

"RP," a father of three grown boys, responds to my latest Father Knows Nothing column...


"Yes, you will miss it when the boys are gone. Because you've been so involved in their growing up, you'll feel it even more than the average dad. Every now and then, something will remind you of some little incident that happened when the kids were small, and you'll have a wistful little tug at your heart. Remember them well, for these days will never come again."

Wise advice.

Sammy's 2000th

He hit it on this day in 2003. He currently stands at 2408 hits. Has he ever officially retired, by the way? The rumor is that announcement is coming this week.

Dave Benson

My old Loop buddy Dave Benson, recently let go by KFOG in San Francisco, has landed a new gig in Seattle at KMTT. From this morning's Radio Online...

Dave Benson heads to Entercom's AAA KMTT-FM (103.7 The Mountain)/Seattle as Program Director. Most recently, he served as PD of Cumulus' AAA KFOG-FM/San Francisco and nine years with the company. He had also overseen co-owned Classic Rock KSAN-FM (100.7 The Bone). Before joining KFOG in June, 2000, Benson served as PD of KBCO-FM/Denver.

"Every radio format, like every business, has its leaders -- the two or three who are the best at what they do," said Entercom/Seattle OM Dave Richards. "In Triple A radio, Dave Benson is that person."

Dave Richards once worked in Chicago too. John Fisher, another long-time Chicagoan, is the afternoon guy at that station.

I've previously interviewed both Benson & Fisher at Chicago Radio Spotlight.

Father Knows Nothing

I just posted my latest Father Knows Nothing column at NWI Parent. This one is about my loud children. I call it "Loud." You can read it here.

Chicago Radio Spotlight: Greg Easterling

This week's Chicago Radio Spotlight shines on Greg Easterling, the overnight host at WDRV, The Drive. Greg has had a long and interesting career in Chicago radio. Read the entire interview here.

Bonus Friday video

Leo Durocher on the Judy Garland show. Judy is not a baseball fan.

NWI Parent

The latest issue is out and includes my "Family Room" essay on the back page. This one is called "Summer Camp Blues". It's about my mixed emotions about sending Tommy & Johnny to summer camp this year.

It's also an homage to Allan Sherman's "Hello Muddah, Hello Fadduh."

Funniest ad you'll never see on TV

Old Jews Telling Jokes

This made me laugh...

52 years ago today

If you'd like to hear audio play by play from this day in 1957, click here.

Sandy Koufax is pitching for the Brooklyn Dodgers. Dick Drott is pitching for the Cubs. Guess who won?

Actually, Koufax didn't have his A-game that day. Ernie Banks hit a 3-run home run off him in the 6th. On the other hand, he did win the game (7-5) and struck out 12.

More $everance news

$everance is now also available as an e-book. You can read a great big chunk of it if you click here.

E-mail, we get e-mails...

I think that Cubs loss last night really affected people, judging by my bulging e-mail box. Here's one from "AS."


I want to rant, too. May I? Thanks so much.

You know what? You’re right.

And as I look at the top of the standings and see my childhood favorite sitting there, it’s like even MORE taunting from Beelzebub (who looks a great deal like Bud Selig in my dreams).

I grew up in Wisconsin . I rooted for the Milwaukee Brewers in the AL and the Chicago Cubs in the NL. Everything was nice. It was almost perfect. Well, with the exception of the number of championships I actually saw, which was ONE. The 1982 AL pennant. I actually went to see a World Series game! I don’t remember a lot of it, but I know that I was there (enjoying a great deal of Old Style). I think I have a stub somewhere to prove it. Back in 1982, it didn’t cost half a year’s salary to get a ticket and the Wisconsin drinking age was 18. SCORE!

Then, in 1984, I moved to the “other side” of Lake Michigan to continue school. Without the internet, Brewers news was scarce. It’s so much easier to follow your out-of-town favorites, now. Anyway, I had cable (and thus WGN), so I got to see my NL team. Driving to Chicago for a game wasn’t so bad. I could glance at the standings and see that the Brewers were in the midst of years of basement dwelling suckitude, so they NEVER appeared on national television broadcasts. Once Paul Molitor (my all time favorite player) and Robin Yount left town, I could barely name anyone on the roster.

When Bud Selig got the bright-assed idea to move the Brewers to the National League and into the Cubs’ division, I was faced with a Sophie’s Choice. Pick one, dummy. Bud says you have to. I think lots of southern Wisconsin baseball fans were faced with the same dilemma. It wasn’t difficult to hate the White Sox when the Brewers were in the AL . They’re the WHITE SOX, for chrissakes. They wore ugly uniforms, played in a crappy stadium, and their fans came to Milwaukee and threw beer and peanuts at the locals. My first live baseball game was a Brewers/Sox doubleheader with a two hour rain delay tossed in. I was in sixth grade. I’ve never seen so many drunks in one place in my life. There was even a fight on the field. The Sox wore those hideous, untucked, beer league softball uniforms. I came home after nine hours at the ballpark, reeking of beer and repeating many new colorful phrases that I had learned, thanks to the Sox and Brewers fans screaming at each other. My parents were so pleased.

I didn’t buy this whole “we wanted to establish a rivalry with the Cubs” bullspit that Bud Selig was dishing out when he moved the Brewers, either. What makes more sense? Putting Milwaukee in the AL Central with the Sox, Detroit , Minnesota and Cleveland , or sticking them with the Cubs, St. Louis , Houston , Cincy and Pittsburgh ? The AL Central actually resembles the NFC North (then Central) where there are long time, established, bitter football rivalries between folks in the SAME STATES, Bud. What a doorknob you are.

So, anyway….I didn’t make an immediate choice, but logistic came into play. I moved away from Wisconsin (a move I still question to this day). Which team does my local sports guy talk about now? Cubs. Which team can I see on TV? Cubs. Which team did my little boy (who was born in South Bend ) like and ask to see? Cubs. Which team have I seen in person the past 20 years? Cubs. A natural progression. I had chosen the Cubs without consciously doing so. However, I can never root against the Brewers. When the Cubs play them, I root FOR the Cubs, but never really against the Brewers. I can’t yell at the TV and call them colorful names. I just sit there, watch the game and cheer when the Cubs do something right. It’s weird. I LIKE to hate the opposing team. I like to call their star players “pansy asses,” and the like.

Now, the Brewers are sitting in first place and the Cubs are blowing no hitters and five run leads. I’m in HELL. The Brewers are waving at me, taunting me, saying, “You never stopped being a Packers fan after you left, did you?” Football is different. They play once a week and you can see just about any team you want at any time. There was never a lack of coverage. It was easier to stick with them, even in the Lindy Infante era. Plus, being around Chicago Bears fans in 1985 was OBNOXIOUS, especially to someone who had just left Wisconsin . It kind of cemented my Bear hate for eternity. Plus, my ex was a Bears fan. ‘Nuff said, there.

Sorry to ramble, but I’m pissed. I made a SACRIFICE for these guys! I CHOSE THEM over my other baseball love, and what have I gotten since? Heartache. Steve Garvey and Bartman balls. Sammy Sosa, corked bats and steroid accusations. LaTroy Hawkins, Corey Patterson, Bob Howry and now Kevin Gregg. Dusty Flippin’ Baker. What did I do to deserve this? Oh, and did I mention my spurned team is in FIRST FREAKING PLACE?

Sigh.

$everance

There is an on-going discussion about the state of the media (specifically as it relates to my book $everance) on the ENC Press page at Facebook. If you're on Facebook, and you've read $everance and would like to participate, click here.

By the way, this week is the two-year anniversary of $everance's release. If you'd like a $everance refresher course...

My original interview with John Records Landecker is here.

The first three chapters of the $everance audio book is here.

The $everance radio commercial is here.

And a sample chapter of $everance is here.

It's still available for purchase too. You can get it here for a very reasonable price.

The Crying Cub shirt

Sold a bunch of these last night. It really does help you recover from a loss like that monstrosity on Tuesday...

Get one and see for yourself.

The Cubs...

...are dead to me.

Did you see that game?

Wow, does it suck to be a Cubs fan.

I mean, seriously, every now and then a mirror is held up and I see what it is that I have become.

I see that blue and red Lucifer looking back at me,laughing at me, and saying "you think you will ever experience happiness watching one of my games? HA HA HA HA HA HA! NEVER! You will NEVER have happiness rooting for me and I've dug into your soul and made sure you will NEVER be able to root for a different team. HA HA HA HA HA HA!"

"Think you're safe with a five run lead in the eighth during a no hitter? HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA! Right now I'm whispering in Kevin Gregg's ear saying 'Channel your inner Mel Rojas/Latroy Hawkins/Dave Smith/Doug Jones/Terry Adams/Kyle Farnsworth and throw the one thing the fastball hitter won't expect in the bottom of the ninth...a fastball right down the middle.

Whoops? Did he hit out of the ballpark?

Oh, sorry, my bad. HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA!"

Tomorrow I'm going to add up the number of hours I've spent watching this team, figure out how many years of my life I've lost, put a monetary value on it, and send them a bill.

Mary Poppins on Acid

I thought this was pretty cool. You may or may not agree...

Thanks!

I must admit, I was a little surprised when I saw this on the site meter this morning because I haven't checked it in a long time. There have now been more than 200,000 readers of my blogs this year.

Thank you for checking 'em out.

It makes me feel like I'm not just a guy sitting in a basement cranking this stuff out (although that's exactly what I am).