Labor Day Weekend-- Part 3: Research, Boating, Pizza, Beer and NTN

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 4

Sat out FP (Front Porch) for breakfast and coffee as well as reading yesterday's Chicago Tribune.  Must catch up on my newspapers.  On the internet and doing some research on Major League Baseball players in World War II playing for the Great Lakes Training Base baseball players, coached by Hall of Famer Mickey Cochrane.

One of the players was Chet Hajduk who had a "Cup Of Coffee" with the Chicago White Sox in April 1941, who appeared in a major league game exactly one time before being sent to the minors for the rest of the season.  He joined the Navy after the season and played for Great Lakes.

Last week, I wrote about the Navy Day in Dubuque, Iowa, August 23, 1942, where 32 Dubuquers were sworn into the Navy and there was a baseball game between the Great Lakes Naval Training Center and the Navy Pre-Flight School at Iowa City in my Tattooed On Your Soul World War II blog.

While I was researching and doing blog entries, I listened to 'Fessa Hook's Beach Music Top 40 for 1961.  He played some mighty good stuff and should have it for another week.  You can listen to it at beachshag.com.  I'll write the names of some of the songs in the next post.

I went out boating on Fox Lake for awhile and then we met Kevin and Kelly at J's in Ingleside for half price pizza, $1.50 pints and played NTN.  Afterwards, we went to Sunnyside Tavern in Johnsburg.

A Good Day.  --RoadDog

Thanks for the Memories, Ernie!! Mr. Cub

The whole city and area are in sorrow today as we lost a great one yesterday.  Mr. Cub, Ernie Banks, that great of great Chicago Cub, died.

He played for the Cubs from the 50s through the 60s and into the early 70s.  Then spent the rest of his life in Chicago as a Cubs ambassador.  By all accounts he was very approachable, always willing to talk and sign autographs, a real stand-up guy and role model.

I have one Cubs hat (as opposed to about 25 White Sox ones (shows where my allegiance lies.  It is a nice hat which, when I bought it, I said I would wear when the Cubs get to the World series.  I have since changed it to playoffs.  I also wore it when another Cub favorite of mine, Ron Santo, died.

I will be wearing that Cub hat today and for the next week in honor of "Let's Play Two."

"The Cubs Will Shine in Sixty-Nine" and Sure Shone Well for All Those Great Years.   Thanks, Mr. Banks.  --RoadDog

Congrats to Frank "The Big Hurt" Thomas and Greg Maddux

I was definitely happy to see that these two Chicago players made it to the Baseball Hall of Fame in Copperstown, New York on the first ballot. Even though, Maddux no doubt will be going in as an Atlanta Brave, he started his career with the Chicago Cubs. //// And, what can you say about Frank Thomas? He was the "Big Hurt" because of the pain he caused to opposing pitchers. And, he did that during the steroid years when so many of the other home run hitters were using. Frank wasn't. //// Well, At Least This Helps Make Up for the Ron Santo Mess. --RoadDog

Congratulations to Ron Santo

It is about time he got into the Hall of Fame.  Should have been in many years ago.

Unfortunately, he had to die before the voters realized it.

Definitely one of the two Mr. Cubs in my book.

Why, I even wore my Cubs hat for the first time when he died and will have to wear it again in honor of his acceptance at long last.

And, I Don't Take Wearing a Cubs Hat Lightly.  I Had Said I'd never Wear It Until They Finally Get Into the World Series.  --RoadDog

Congrats to Ron Santo

Yesterday was great news for the family and fans of former Chicago Cub third baseman Ron Santo who FINALLY got his much deserved spot at the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York.

Too bad they couldn't have done it while he was still alive as he died just over a year ago.

A player with stats like his should have gone in soon after retirement. And then, he was a Cubs announcer for twenty years.

Talk about a man who bled Cub blue. And I am a White Sox fan. He did play for DaSox his last year, though.

I'll never forget the time he gave a young high school kid, me, a ride home from Fremd High School in Palatine and THEN came in for coffee with my parents. What a guy!!

Way to Go No. 10!! --RoadDog

The Big Hurt By the Numbers-- Part 2

Some more Frank Thomas stats.


8-2-90--- Thomas' debut with the Sox versus the Brewers. Had his first hit the next night and had hits in 45 of his first 60 games.


10------- Seasons with at least 100 walks, 4th all-time behund Barry Bonds, Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig.


0-------- Other players who have hit .300 with at least 20 homers, 100 RBIs, 100 walks and 100 runs in seven consecutive seasons.


138------ Number of games (of 153 played) in 1993 that Thomas reached base at least once.


9.9------- In millions of dollars, Thomas' top salary with the Sox (in 2001-2002). In his final season in 2008, with the Blue Jays, he made $12.5 mullion. ($80,000 for my top.)


97-------- Average number of strikeouts a season.


116------- Average number of walks a season.

A Great One, Belongs in HoF. --RoadDog


STUPID QUESTIONS: If a person owns a piece of land, do they own it all the way down to the center of the earth?

The Big Hurt By the Numbers-- Part 1

A look back at the career of Frank Thomas, one of the best-ever to play for the Chicago White Soxand my second all-time favorite Sox players.

From the August 29, 2010 Chicago Tribune.

The reason why the Tribune ran the article was that the Sox were retiring Frank Thomas' #35 that day. He is one of the all-time great MLB players. Hopefully, he will make it into baseball's Hall of Fame.

He is now the tenth Sox player to have his number retired.


FRANK THOMAS BY THE NUMBERS:

7-- Seventh player taken in the June draft. The Cardinals chose Paul Coleman, Phillie Jeff Jackson and Cubs Earl Cunningham before Thomas. None of them made the majors.

11-- The number of games Thomas played in triple A, all on rehab in 2005. He played one season at Double-A Birmingham in 1990 before promotion to the Big Leagues.

2-- Number of MVP awards won, 1993-1994 and was second and third in voting in 2000 and 1997.

To be Continued. --RoadDog


MAXINE SAYS: Big surprise...even my blood type's negative.

Chicago Cub Ron Santo Dies

All day Friday, WGN ran specials on Santo's life as well as had many people tell their memories of the man.

One I particularly enjoyed was told by 1960s Cub second baseman Glenn Beckert about Santo's first day in the Cub broadcast booth. It was a windy day at Wrigley and right after Santo welcomed listeners to Wrigley Field, he spilled his coffee all over his lap. The next words out of his mouth (and over the airwaves) was "Son of a B____!!" Beckert says he knew Santo was going to be a special one after that.

If Pete Rose was Charlie Hustle, then Ron Santo was Mr. Cub hustle. Then there was his jumping up and clicking his heels after a close Cub victory and always the famous "Oh n-o-o-o-!!" after a dropped ball by the Cubs in an important game.

Just because the Cubs didn't win a pennant or a World series during Santo's tenure at third is no reason for him not to be in the Hall of Fame. After all, Ernie Banks, Billy Williams and Fergie Jenkins are all in it. Maybe some think that three members from a losing team is already too many, but that should not be.

Time for His Rightful Place. --RoadDog