Deaths of Big MLB Stars Recently: Seaver, Ford, Gibson, Brock, Beckert and Morgan

One thing about baseball today, where players seem to change teams every few years (and of course with all the many teams we now have) I really don't know the names of many of today's stars.  But not so in the past.

Everyone of the names, except Whitey Ford, were players I really knew from the 1960s.  I became interested in baseball about 1963 and Ford was just about done by then.

But, Tom Seaver, Bob Gibson, Lou Brock (so sad that the Cubs traded him) and Joe Morgan were features in my love of baseball back then.  Man, were they good, but they have all died within the past couple months.

Earlier this year, another big-time player from  back then died and that was Al Kaline of the Tigers.  Of interest, I found out his salary in 1959 when he hit .327 and that was $31,000.

Also, one player for the 1960s Cubs that I really liked, Glenn Beckert (1965-1973) died.

These three White Sox players have also died this year:

Ed Farmer (1979-1981)

Jay Johnstone  ((9171-1972)

Claudell Washington (1978-1980)

Childhood Memories.  --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

Chicago Baseball Teams Battling It Out for Last Place

I watched the Sox actually win a game last night.    They are battling it out with the Minnesota Twins for last place in the AL Central.  The Twins are notorious Sox-killers as well, but the Sox broke a 3-3 tie in the tenth to win 6-3.

And, rarity that it is, but the Cubs also won.  It is a rare day when both of our teams win.

The Cubs are deep in last place in the NL Central.

Right now, pretty much the only fun us Chicago baseball fans have is seeing whose team will end the season with the worst (or best) record.

Right now, the Cubs are 63-76 with a .457 winning percentage.  The Sox are 63-75 with a .457 percentage.

Reckon we don't need to worry about the playoffs...Again.

And Adam Dunn, traded from the Sox to the Oakland A's after being paid $54 million over four years to do nothing, hit a home run in his first Athletic at bat.

Go Figure.  --RoadDog

Jackie Robinson West Parade Today

Chicago is holding a much-deserved parade for the city's Little League World Series team that won the U.S. World Series before losing to South Korea in the championship game last Sunday.

We watched them play for most of last week and sure pulled for them.  Not only were we pulling for them, but, we were in bars for most of the games and most folks there were pulling for them as well.  As a matter of fact, there would be a Cubs or Sox game on and everyone would still be watching out Little Leaguers and cheering for them.

One place could only get one station and it was asked that the Cub game be turned off so we could watch the Little Leaguers.

Of course, this may have something to do with Chicago's two last place MLB teams who are going nowhere.

So, Anyway, WAY TO GO JACKIE ROBINSON WEST!!!  --RoadDog

On the Baseball Front: Got 'Dem Old Losing Blues

Chicago is noted for the blues genre of music and ouyr baseball teams are sure living up to the reputation.Sad to hear that the Chicago Cubs are stopping their 90-year involvement with WGN Radio and also their long commitment with WGN TV.  I reckon old Jack Brickhouse is turning over in his grave.

WGN did have a chance to match the CBS radio offer, but chose not to because they have been losing money because of how poor the Cubs have played the last so-many years.

And, speaking of losing, this past Monday night was especially bad with both the Cubs and Sox losing in the 9th inning.  Baltimore Orioles had a walk-off three-run homer to beat the Sox 6-4.  The Cubs went into the 9th tied 1-1, but gave a run, then the opposing team hit a grand slam and they lost 6-1.

And, again speaking of losing, not many cities can claim to have one last-place team, but, not Chicago!  We have TWO, count 'em, TWO LAST PLACE teams.  The good old Cubs and good old Sox.

Crying In My Beer. Got 'Dem Old Chicago Losing Baseball Blues.   --RoadDog

Cub Season Opener Today, But, I Am A Sox Fan

In a little while, I will be adjouring to Margaritaville to watch the Cubs play their season opener at Wrigley Field, which celebrates its 100th anniversary this year. Sure glad I'm not there as the weather is horrible. Temps are in the low 40s, with lots of wind and a cold that goes to your bones.

Now, I am more of a White Sox fan, but always tell folks I root for the Cubs... unless they play the Sox. People say you can't be both a Cub and Sox fan, but I am.

I looked at the Cubs roster and am sad to say that I only recognize seven names.

I do have a Cubs hat, but won't wear it until they get to the World Series, well, now I'll settle for playoffs. I did wear it back a few years ago after my all-time favorite Cub player, Ron Santo, died. He once gave me a ride home from Fremd High School in Palatine and even came in for a cup of coffee with my parents. Was I ever in the ozone that day.

Like I Said, Both a Cub and a Sox Fan. --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

Baseball...Now That I Don't Much Care

Since neither the White Sox or Cubs (or even the Brewers), the three teams I pull for in MLB, made the playoffs (well, they could have made it in reverse, both ending in last place in their respective divisions and in a race to see who could be worse-- the Sox were), I don't much care who wins. Other than the fact that it WON'T BE THE YANKEES!!! As long as they don't make it, that is alright with me.

Actually, I was pulling for the Oakland A's and Pittsburgh Pirates since both rank with the "loser" category, something I can definitely identify with (the Pirates have had twenty straight losing seasons and the A's can't get folks into their park).

I guess now, I'll back the local Midwest teams, Detroit and St. Louis. I actually like the Cardinals (especially when they had baseball's best manager, Tony LaRussa (who also managed the Sox to success back in the 80s) but they are getting too much like the Yankees, winning all the time like that.

Go Tigers and Cardinals. --RoadDog

White Sox 1983, White Sox 2013: What a Difference!

What a difference 30 years makes. Yesterday, the Sox "wrapped up" a 99-game losing season to end their 2013 season. Well, at least Peavey's gone. Other than one game, I don't think they scored more than nine runs in their last ten games. Mighty sad.

Looking back at my 1983 journal, on October 2nd, I wrote "The Sox closed out their season with a victory and won more games than anyone else, 99."

Let's see, 1983, 99 wins and 2013, 99 losses.

As bad as the Sox were this year, at least it wasn't a late season free-fall like last year when the Sox led most of the season, before a late September collapse and that pales even when compared to the 1967 season, when, with five games left in the season, the Sox were in first and playing the two worst teams in the American League, the Washington Senators (now Texas Rangers) and the Kansas City A's (now Oakland A's). All they had to do was win three games to clinch it. They lost all five to finish 4th in the American League.

This killed me for baseball even worse than the better-known '69 Cubs collapse. Just to show it was no fluke, the Sox opened the '68 season with ten straight losses.

Just Saying. --RoadDog

Sox Blow It, Miss Out On 100 Losses

Figures they couldn't even get that right. They had to lose their last four games and could only lose three of them. As such, they couldn't "clinch" that 100-loss season I was hoping for. If you're going to be bad, don't be half-bad, be all-the-way bad and 100 losses pretty well says it for me.

Hey, the Cubs couldn't even reach it either and only lost 96 games, losing out to the Sox by three games.

As bad as they were (and in a season that was expected to be good after being in first place most of the 2012 season), there were two other teams that managed lo lose 100 or 100+ games, Houston (who the Sox played in the 2005 World Series) and Miami.

Glad It's All Over. As Sox Fans Are Fond of Saying (and especially Cub Fans), Wait Until Next Year. ---RoadDog

Two More Days of Chicago Baseball Agony

13-1.

That was the combined score last night of the Sad Sox and and Sad Cubs. The Sox lost 6-1 and Cubs 7-0. The Cubs also got to see a second celebration of a team clinching playoff spots. Last night, the Cardinals won the National League Central and last week, the Pirates clinched a Wild Card spot.

Both teams are at the bottom of their divisions and neither has even a shot at next-to-last place. It is so bad that I am pulling for the Sox to lose the two remaining days to hit that 100-loss mark. Why just be somewhat bad when you can be REALLY BAD. One hundred losses makes it for me.

I did read that the teams with the ten worst records do not have to lose a #1 draft pick if they pick up a premium free agent. And we have bottom ten sewed up.

Well, at least those Yankees are out of the playoffs, so all isn't a total loss.

As They Say, Wait Until Next Year. --RoadDog

Cubbies Beat Up All Over Us

The White Sox finally managed to ovecome horrible baseball and get back up to the .500 mark for the season...that is until we opened the four game intercity series (two at Comiskey Park, don't call it by that other name,and two at Wrigley Field) Monday.

It was a cmplete disaster.  You'd have thought we were playing the best team in baseball, inctead of the sad-sacks playing on the North Side these days.  The only fortunate thing we Sox fans had was the rainout Tuesday (with Cubs winning 2-0).  Other than that, it was 7-0, 9-3 (and that one guy hit three homers!!) and 8-3.

And yesterday was mighty typical.  Things like that happen and you know you're doomed.  The first two Cub runs came with two outs and four straight hits.  The killer was when the Cub pitcher (PITCHER!!??) hit a grand slam.  Then, our best bet was when Marmol relieved and struck out two and got the third batter out in his inning.  I mean, if you can't score ten or twelve runs on Marmol, what's the use?

Oh well, there is a makeup game, hopefully when we've gotten over this Cub whammy thing.

Oh, the Humanity of It.  --RoadDog

Baseball's Hairston Family

While on the subject of Herry Hairston breaking up that perfect game 30 years ago, I suspected that Jerry Hairston Jr, playing for the Dodgers and Scott Hairston playing for the Cubs might be his sons.  They are.  But, I didn't know his father also played in the majors

Sam Hairston spent most of his baseball days in the old Negro League playing for the Birmingham Black Barons and the Indianapolis Clowns before playing for the White Sox in 1951.  Sadly, it was his only year in the majors and he didn't play much, but he broke the color barrier on the White Sox.

This is something I didn't know as I always thought Minnie Minoso was the first black player on the Sox.  This hits home with all the hoopla about that excellent Jackie Robinson movie "42."

The Hairstons three generations of players at the major league level ties them with the Boone and Bell families.

Then, Johnny Hairston, Jerry's brother played three games for the Cubs in that infamous 1969 season at catcher/left field.  Johnny and Jerry were the second generation of black players in the majors.

Quite the Family (And With a SOX CONNECTION).  --RoadDog

Jerry Hairston: The Guy Who Broke Up the Perfect Game All Those Years Ago

Closing out that perfect game for 26 outs that Milt Wilcox of the Detroit Tigers was pitching back 30 years ago, April 15, 1983 with some information on the guy who messed it all up, Jerry Hairston.

I went into his history and then found that he is a member of a Major League Baseball family, with two of his sons playing with the Cubs and Dodgers this year.  And, his father also played one year at the major league level.

Jerry Hairston was born in 1952 and spent 14 years in the majors playing mostly for the Chicago White Sox.  From 1978-1980, he played in the Mexican League, where he met his wife.  His lifetime batting average was .258 and he hit 30 homers, used primarily as a pinch hitter.

His best year was 1983, when he appeared in 101 games, had 126 at bats, 5 home runs and 37 hits for a .294 batting average.

He was pinch hitter excellent for the White Sox and manager Tony LaRussa made great use of that ability in that year when the Sox went to their first post season since the World Series in 1959.

Quite the Pinch Hitter, But WHY Did He Have to Get THAT HIT!!!??  --RoadDog


TOO PUNNY:  What does a clock do when it's hungry?  It goes back four seconds.  (These are getting bad.)

Leading Last? The Trials of Chicago Baseball

Yesterday, we went to Antonio's and Tommy's here in Spring Grove.

While getting out $10 sixteen-inch pizza at Tommy's, we got into a discussion with some of the bartenders.  We all agreed our two Chicago baseball teams were playing mighty poorly, with both occupying last place in their respective Central Divisions.

Chris said our teams were "Leading Last."  Kenny said we were "First in Last."  I think they have it.


1984 CUBS PLAYOFF/WORLD SERIES TICKETS

While at Antonio's (enjoying $1 bottles), we saw Tim looking at a picture frame.  We asked what it was and he showed us a full set of Chicago Cubs (Leading Last this year) 1984 playoff and World Series tickets.

Tony, the owner had bought them from somebody for $100 and had been offered $500 for them.  Cub fans?  Who could figure?

These were box seats and what we really found interesting was the cost.  The box seats for the Playoffs cost $20 (just shy of the cost of a beer these days) and the price of that box seat for the World Series was.............$30. 

You couldn't even get bleacher seats for that price today, even on the rare "Regular" game price days.

Loving My "Leading Last" Teams.  --RoadDog

My Journal Goes to April 15, 1983: The Near-Perfect Game-- Part 2

Chester and I go to our first White Sox game of the season on out 20-ticket game package, and what a game to kick off the season.  Continuing from my journal entry for that day:

"The Sox bats were cold as Milt Wilcox put them down in order through the first six innings.  In the meantime the Togers, especially Lance Parrish and Chet Lemon, were hitting the ball exactly where Sox players weren't.  Greg Walker forgot how many outs there were and threw the ball to the ump who jumped away from it.  Forttunately the runner on third didn't discover the situation until it was too late to score.

Wilcox continued his perfect game through the 7th and 8th and the stands started cheering him.  I will pull for any pitcher, except a Yankee, to throw a no-hitter, even against one of the teams I back.  A standing ovation was in order as he came to the mound in the 9th.

He got the first two batters out, one away from a perfect game.  We were about to see only the 13th perfect game since the beginning of the majors.  But, alas, it was not to be.

LaRussa  sent up the AL's best pinch hitter, Jerry Hairston, and he singled sharply through the center, the first and only Sox baserunner of the game.  To say the least, he was roundly booed and all sorts of expletives were mentioned in the stands.  Wilcox couldn't have had more support had he been in Tiger Stadium.

The next batter grounded out so we had to settle for a one-hitter.  I know that the next time Hairston comes up in a game the Sox have a chance to win he will pop up, foul out or strike out, but no, he couldn't do that tonight.

Had two more beers at Bridgeport Pub and drove home."

That Sure Would Have Been Something.  --RoadDog

My Journal Goes to April 15, 1983: The Near-Perfect Game-- Part 1

I have been keeping a journal since 1978 and really wish I had started it earlier.

Here is my entry for that day which was a Friday..

"Chilly.
Picked up Chester and drove to Chicago, stopping at Gemini on the way for hotdogs.  (Chester and I had purchased Sox 20-game season tickets for 1983 which guaranteed us seats at the All-Star game and any playoff games.  Both of us were huge Sox fans, but the prize was getting to see the All-Star game.  Gemini was a little hotdog stand on Il-134 in Round Lake.  I had forgotten about Chester until I read this. I haven't seen him since about 1985.)

Traffic as usual wasn't moving too well but we still managed to get to Bridgeport in 1 hr. 15 minutes.  We had a drink at Bridgeport Pub and walked the short distance to Comiskey.  (This was before the Cubs got their night games and everything went to parking stickers for locals only around Comiskey and Wrigley.)

Our tickets are between third and home and the only shortcoming I could find was that we couldn't see one side of the scoreboard because of camera equipment.  (This evidently was the first game we used our tickets.)  We weren't uncomfortably cold."

More to Come.  --RoadDog

That Great Near-Perfect Game Thirty Years Ago

Here is what the book "White Sox Journal" had to say about April 15, 1983.

"At Comiskey Park, Milt Wilcox of the Tigers retires the first 26 White Sox batters to face him, but his bid for a perfect game ends when pinch-hitter Jerry Hairston hits a clean single up the middle with two out in the ninth inning.  Wilcox then retired Rudy Law to close out a one-hit, 6-0 victory."

Those people cheering when Hairston got the hit must have been Cub fans.  They didn't know any better.

I found box scores for the game at baseball-almanac.com and baseball-reference.com.  Type in date and teams.

Maddening, Just maddening I Tell You.  --RoadDog

I Was Pulling For You, Milt: Milt Wilcox's Near Perfect Game 30 Years Ago Tonight

This has to be the greatest Major League Baseball event I have ever seen in person.   Thirty years ago today, Detroit Tiger pitcher Milt Wilcox had a perfect game going into the 9th inning against my Chicago White Sox at Comiskey Park.

And I was there.

I have never forgotten that game, but had forgotten the actual date, but knew it was early in the 1983 baseball season.  Last night, while looking through the new book I bought at Five Below in McHenry, Illinois, "White Sox Journal" by John Snyder, a must-have for Sox fans, I happened upon the 1983 season and figured I'd see if they had the date for this near-perfect game.

The book did, and it was today.

Milt Wilcox had a perfect game going into the ninth inning and a 6-run lead.  I had long since quit pulling for my Sox and was 100% behind Wilcox.  One out, two outs and Sox manager Tony LaRussa puts in Jerry Hairston to pinch hit.  He was our best pinch-hitter.  And that is just what he did.  Clean single.  The next player flied out and the Sox got to lose a 6-0 game.

I did not get to see my perfect game.  I didn't even get to see a no-hitter.  All I got was a one-hitter.  Not bad, but I could have had a perfect game.

When Hairston got the single, two people behind me started cheering.  That is the nearest I ever came to getting into a fight at the old ballpark.

Idiots.  --RoadDog

OK, So Wrigley Field Is Not ALL That Magical

From the April 9, 2013, Northwest Herald Musick: Wrigley's blemishes embraced" by Tom Musick.

Everybody likes to talk about Chicago's Wrigley Field being such a great experience, despite the team that plays there.  Tom Musick took a walk around and observed some things that weren't so great.

I'm listing his findings.  He has his reasons, so check out his article.

1.  Urinal troughs for the guys
2.  Poles that block the view
3.  No escalators
4.  Black metal netting below the upper deck (to save you in case a piece of cement falls off.  Now, that's more than a little worrisome.

I might add, the money-grubbing rooftop owners, the offensive prices on everything you might want to buy in and outside the park and horrendous parking prices (especially since you can no longer park on the streets around the park unless you have a resident parking sticker.

Now, Who Sent the Goat Head?  --RoadDog