EveryCubEver '22

 It's here! The brand new 2022 edition of my book "EveryCubEver" is now available at Eckhartz Press. There are over 100 new and/or updated entries (geez, the Cubs had a lot of new players this year). It's the perfect Christmas gift for the Cub fan in your family. We have a few new endorsements too...

“From the immortals to the footnotes, they’re all here. Every player has a story. An enduring fascination for any baseball fan with the curiosity to ask, hey, who were those guys?”

--Lin Brehmer, WXRT Radio

“Amazing. That’s the only word for EVERY CUB EVER. Amazing. For bar bets, crazy stories, pull-out lists (every Cub born in Hawaii

or every Cub to serve in the military) and playing “Six Degrees of Fergie Jenkins”, it’s a die-hard’s must-have. Its immersive Cubness bound to please both the casual fan and the red-eyed obsessive, not to mention the ghosts of all the Colts, Orphans and White Stockings who can be found whizzing around the warning track, rustling the ivy.”

---James Finn Garner, NY Times Best Selling Author, Politically Correct Bedtime Stories

Get your copy now!

Grammy's

Two Beatles are reunited in the 2022 Grammy Award nominees list:

Best Rock Song:
Paul McCartney - “Find My Way”

Best Rock Album:
Paul McCartney - “McCartney III”

Best Arrangement:
Cody Fry - “Eleanor Rigby”

Best Boxed Package:
George Harrison - “All Things Must Pass” pic.twitter.com/ZeEls06o7N

— The Beatles (@BeatlesEarth) November 23, 2021

Here's the full list of nominees from the big 4 categories...

• Record Of The Year: "I Still Have Faith In You, ABBA; "Freedom," Jon Batiste; "I Get A Kick Out Of You," Tony Bennett & Lady Gaga; "Peaches," Justin Bieber f/Daniel Caesar & Givēon; "Right On Time," Brandi Carlile; "Kiss Me More," Doja Cat f/SZA; "Happier Than Ever," Billie Eilish; "MONTERO (Call Me By Your Name," Lil Nas X; "Drivers License," Olivia Rodrigo; "Leave The Door Open, "Silk Sonic.

• Album Of The Year: We Are, Jon Batiste; Love For Sale, Tony Bennett & Lady Gaga; Justice (Triple Chucks Deluxe), Justin Bieber; Planet Her (Deluxe), Doja Cat; Happier Than Ever, Billie Eilish; Back Of My Mind, H.E.R.; MONTERO, Lil Nas X; Sour, Olivia Rodrigo; Evermore, Taylor Swift; Donda, Kanye West.

• Song Of The Year: "Bad Habits," Ed Sheeran; "A Beautiful Noise," Alicia Keys & Brandi Carlile; "Drivers License," Olivia Rodrigo; "Fight For You," H.E.R.; "Happier Than Ever," Billie Eilish; "Kiss Me More," Doja Cat Feat. SZA; "Leave The Door Open," Silk Sonic; "MONTERO (Call Me By Your Name)," Lil Nas X;  "Peaches," Justin Bieber f/Daniel Caesar & Givēon; Right On Time," Brandi Carlile.

• Best New Artist: Arooj Aftab, Jimmie Allen, Baby Keem, FINNEAS, Glass Animals, Japanese Breakfast, The Kid LAROI, Arlo Parks, Olivia Rodrigo, Saweetie. 

RIP Doug Jones

Former Big League Reliever Doug Jones Has Passed Away from COVID Complications - https://t.co/V71zbCxq2V pic.twitter.com/nhcgiti0a1

— Bleacher Nation (@BleacherNation) November 22, 2021

Time to Become a Basketball Fan Again

Top of the morning ☀️ pic.twitter.com/fubQc5GQXJ

— Chicago Bulls (@chicagobulls) November 22, 2021

Fox News Contributors Quit

Jonah Goldberg and Stephen Hayes used to be widely respected conservative pundits. They quit over the weekend because of the network's dangerous "documentary" about January 6th.. In the special Tucker Carlson says the violence of January 6th was a false flag operation, which is obviously untrue, and was reported as it were on one of America's top cable networks. It's the lowest point ever for a network that has had many low points. I applaud Goldberg and Hayes for their principled stance.

RIP Mick Rock

So sad to hear this news. Dave and I interviewed Mick just a few years ago. He had incredible stories. https://t.co/7Lo0BqoANo https://t.co/D9Q0i6nXQO

— Rick Kaempfer (@RickKaempfer) November 19, 2021

Randy's Book Launch

 A few photos from last night's Randy Merkin book signing. Thanks to everyone who came out. Randy had a great time and was very humbled by the huge turnout...

Les Mann

Born OTD in 1882, Les Mann (Cubs 1916-1919). In retirement he convinced the 1936 Olympics in Berlin to add baseball as an exhibition event, and brought two teams over to play in Nazi Germany. They drew a larger crowd in Berlin than had ever attended a WS game in US. #everyCubever pic.twitter.com/DF7mUhTxgF

— Rick Kaempfer (@RickKaempfer) November 18, 2021

Book Launch!

 Life is slowly returning to normal for us at Eckhartz Press. Tonight we're even having a book launch party...our first one in two years. Randy Merkin and his book "Behind the Glass: Stories from a Sports Radio Producer" are the stars. Come out and see him, meet him, buy his book, and get it autographed tonight November 18, at the Claim Company in Northbrook (776 Skokie Blvd.) Drop by any time 6:30 - 8:30 pm. Dave and I will be there too. We hope to see you there!

Don't Travel Like a Local

 Eckhartz Press author Brent Petersen (Truffle Hunt) has a great website, in case you haven't checked it out before. It's called Destination Eat Drink (He has a podcast with the same name on the Radio Misfits Podcast Network). Today's piece is a great one. Here's a short excerpt pointing out that the conventional tourism adage is wrong...you should NOT travel like a local...

Locals get up early every morning and go to a job they hate. Locals are worried about their kids’ school. Locals are eating leftovers for dinner in front of the TV. Locals are paying bills

Meanwhile, tourists are sleeping in at their luxurious hotel. Tourists turned on their “out of office” automatic email reply. Tourists left the kids with grandma. Tourists are eating at gourmet restaurants every night. Tourists put everything on the credit card that they won’t worry about paying until they get home.

Locals don’t go to vineyards for wine tastings or to the top of the Eifel Tower. They’re too busy getting crushed on the subway during their commute.

Locals don’t visit a museum and then have a leisurely lunch at a cafe while people watching. They scarf down a sandwich at their desk between depressingly soul-sucking meetings.

Locals don’t take a sunset cruise complete with hors d’oeuvres and cocktails. They’re answering after-hours emails and desperately trying to get the kids ready for bed.

Lisa Dent

 Happy for Lisa Dent. She was named the new afternoon voice at WGN Radio, according to today's Robert Feder column. Steve Bertrand stays aboard as newsman. Anna Devlantas loses her show, but will remain on the staff as a reporter.

The new WGN lineup is...

6 to 10 a.m. Bob Sirott
10 a.m. to 2 p.m. John Williams (including the Wintrust Business Lunch at noon)
2 to 6 p.m. Lisa Dent and Steve Bertrand
6 to 7 p.m. WGN Radio’s Money Matters (airing early 2022)
7 to 10 p.m. John Records Landecker

Of course, I have previously interviewed Lisa. When we spoke in 2016, she was the morning co-host at US-99.

Minutia Men Celebrity Interview

 This week's Minutia Men Celebrity Interview is with actor Dan Butler, ("Bulldog" on Frasier). He's in town for the play "When Harry Met Rehab" https://radiomisfits.com/mmci87/

Another New Eckhartz Press Book

Lots of good news for us at Eckhartz Press these days. Our latest book (not even released yet) has already been optioned for a movie. From Robert Feder's column this morning...

A new book about the late Chicago White Sox legend Dick Allen has just been optioned for a documentary film. Chili Dog MVP: Dick Allen, The 1972 White Sox and a Transforming Chicago, soon to be published by Chicago-based Eckhartz Press, was written by John Owens and Dr. David Fletcher and edited by veteran sportswriter, baseball historian and author George Castle. (Here is the link to order.) “We look back at this unique time in Chicago history, when the arrival of a controversial slugger lifted the Sox out of a daunting hole and united a fractious fan base during a time when Chicago was going through tremendous changes,” said Owens, a longtime producer and president of the Chicago/Midwest chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. Allen, who missed induction to Cooperstown by one vote in 2014, is on the 10-person National Baseball Hall of Fame’s Golden Days Era Committee ballot. Andy Billman, the former ESPN producer who directed episodes of the “30 For 30” series, optioned the book and will be with Allen’s family in Orlando for the Hall of Fame vote December 5. A portion of the book’s proceeds will be donated to Gilda’s Club Chicago. 

Jim Baumann on WGN Radio

Eckhartz Press author (Grammar Moses) Jim Baumann appeared on WGN Radio the other night to discuss his book. You can listen to the interview here.

The True Middle America

NEW: The #2020Census #CenterOfPopulation is near Hartville, a town of about 600 people in central southern Missouri.

The #CenterOfPop is calculated every 10 years and helps quantify how fast and in what direction the population is moving.

Learn more: https://t.co/MKjoqqUX8e pic.twitter.com/V3wtGRu1ut

— U.S. Census Bureau (@uscensusbureau) November 16, 2021

30 years ago today

 

Every Cub Ever Sale

 For the next two weeks we have a sale (while supplies last) of my EveryCubEver book (2021 edition) at Eckhartz Press. It's 50% off until the end of the month. The new 2022 version (at full price) will be coming out in December. Click here to order.

Janet Sutherland-Madden

Janet is, of course, an Eckhartz Press author.

Every Love Boat Guest Star Ever

This is tremendous https://t.co/PEOlhoh1Kh

— Rick Kaempfer (@RickKaempfer) November 10, 2021

Brian Williams leaves MSNBC

 Sorry to hear about this. I thought Williams did the best show on MSNBC.