The Cubbies

[SuBWaYCH]

uh-huh.

[SteveBailey]

The next summer after Ernie hit #500 our Beach Park Little League was supposed to have an after season outing to go see the Cubs, but for some reason went to see the Brewers. No problem.

I played in that league. I remember my last coach, his name was Mr. Toughe.  Not sure of the spelling but pronounced Too-E. We were undefeated our last year and then beat the league allstars... that was great. Rox, did you know Mike and Mark Maze? They lived up by you,  played baseball too and were about your age.

[Rich46yo]

I dont think Ive ever seen a ball player with 1/2 the class of Ernie Banks. I thank God I was able to see him play so often. Back then it was very rare for Wrigley to sell out. I remember bleacher seats being like $1.75 and always available. Thats when we had the real bleacher bums, not this sorry exuse for bleacher bums that we have today.

The original bleacher bums were, well, bums! They were like "the dude" in "The Big Lebowski" movie. They were lazy, "refused to work and miss Cub games", drank to much, smoked to much weed in the stands, dressed like Bums, and generally contributed nothing to society. But they were a riot to sit with and Loved Cubs baseball. None of them would take a job that interfered with the baseball season. By the 7'th inning they were so stoned they'd be dancing on the top of the wall in LF, remember there was no fence back then to catch you if you fell. And as ignorant and uneducated as those bums were they respected the game and never threw crap on the field. Not like these drunken yuppie screwballs of today.

We used to ask permission of the players and threw balls at them in pre-game with pens to get autographs. They would throw them back up after signing them. It was nothing to see Ernie Banks spend 1/2 hour signing autographs for kids on the sideline. Ernie was my childhood hero.

Many times I'd watch a day game at Wrigley and when the old man came home we'd go catch the Sox at Comiskey for a night game. Back then a working guy could afford to take his kids to a lot of games. But now??? $50 for bleacher seats? What kind of drugs are they on?

It was a hell of a time to be a ballfan in this town during the '60s and '70s. Neither team won it all but still it was a hell of a time.

[SteveBailey]

I dont think Ive ever seen a ball player with 1/2 the class of Ernie Banks.

Let's play two!

[midnight Target]

My mom was a die hard Cub fan. She grew up on the North Side of Chicago in the Italian hood and could name the infield for every year from 35 to 55 with ease. She was dieing of cancer in late September 1984 when the Cubs made the playoffs. The last time I saw her smile was when I told her the Cubs were winning. She passed away a coupe of days later.

[SteveBailey]

My mom was a die hard Cub fan. She grew up on the North Side of Chicago in the Italian hood and could name the infield for every year from 35 to 55 with ease. She was dieing of cancer in late September 1984 when the Cubs made the playoffs. The last time I saw her smile was when I told her the Cubs were winning. She passed away a coupe of days later.

See, even the angels above are cubs fans.

[zoozoo]

i hate baseball

[Rich46yo]

i hate baseball

Thanks for sharing zoozoo. Really, your timing is impeccable.

[SIK1]

i hate baseball

Desperaterly trying to build your post count, huh.

[wrongwayric]

Barring a lot of injuries they are looking pretty darn good so far. Not sure if they are good enough to go all the way but it's early in the season and anything can happen. I'm a cubs fan first and brewers second. Hate the smelly sox.

[kotrenin]

Took my kids to their first Cubs game last Saturday, they had a blast.                            Notice there is no ambulance, that's because it can't get back in the firehouse before, during, and 
My daughter loves singing "Take me Out to the Ball Game" and "Go Cubs Go".                   after a Cubs game (too many people wandering the street.)  Ambo 6 sucks during game day can't make                                                                                                                                                                                                 a meal, too busy picking up inebriated Cub fans.

               

We had good seats.                                                                                              I don't know why there are so many Ronny "Woo-Woo" haters, I've got two pre-schoolers, he's nothing.
               
                                                                                                                       

[ROX]

I played in that league. I remember my last coach, his name was Mr. Toughe.  Not sure of the spelling but pronounced Too-E. We were undefeated our last year and then beat the league allstars... that was great. Rox, did you know Mike and Mark Maze? They lived up by you,  played baseball too and were about your age.

OMG!

Mr. Toughy lived on North Bonnie Brook about 6 blocks from Green Bay Road and was one of the Beach Park baseball league "big whigs".  I remember after 3rd grade we had moved to Waukegan from Beach Park and my mom driving us to Mr. Toughy's house to ask permission if I could play that year.  He said OK.  Good guy.

Mike & Mark Mays got into more trouble than any two kids I ever knew.  They lived over near the airport near me.  They went to East and I lost track of them after that.

Maybe it's just a "Waukegan" thing, but the Mays brothers were the masters of "Hoogieing".  Hoogieing was when in the winter the roads were covered with packed snow...the Mays brothers would grab on to the back bumper of the school bus, using their shoes as "skis", would hang on and ski along behind the bus.  It was totally dangerous and stupid, but I must have seen tham do it dozens of times.  Gotta remember the bus was going like 25 to 35 mph at times. 

Can you even Imagine that now?

BTW:  kot...GREAT pics!  Cute kids too!

I miss Greektown...ya just can't get a decent gyro in Arkansas.  Every time I go to visit my mom back in Waukegan the first stop is GoJo's restaraunt on Green Bay Road for a gyro plate...next day it's Hillery's Ribs on Lewis Avenue...the next day its off to Leno's Subs.  Man I miss those places.

Hillery's has the best BBQ on the planet, bar none and Leno's make's Subway look like a giant booger.

If I had the recipies from those 3 places I'd be a millionaire.




ROX