In 1964 the Cubs were middling through yet another season and wanted to make a splash in the trade market. As a result, they decided to make a move. On June 15 of that year, the Cubs sent Lou Brock over to the St. Louis Cardinals along with Jack Spring and Paul Toth. In exchange, the North Siders got Bobby Shantz, Doug Clemons-and Ernie Broglio. Broglio was coming off of an 18-win season in 1963, and looked like a safe bet that would help make the Cubs competitive. Brock was 3 months into his 3rd full major league season, and so far seemed to be somewhat lackluster. He only hit for .260 in his first two seasons, and Cubs management wanted to try something new. And something new they did. When they traded Brock for Broglio, the immediate impression was that the Cubs had suckered the Cardinals into giving up one of their best pitchers in exchange for a middling young player who wasn't going to live up to his potential. Boy were they wrong.
Lou Brock caught fire upon arriving in St. Louis, effectively plugging the hole left by Stan Musial's retirement at the end of the '63 season. After being at the .500 mark at the time of the trade, the Cardinals gelled around their new player and won the 1964 pennant, going on to win the World Series for a final recorded of 93-69. The Cubs on the other hand, didn't get nearly as much out of Broglio as they would have liked. Broglio, after compiling a 70-55 record in St. Louis over the past 5 seasons, promptly went flat in Chicago, only going 4-7 after the trade. Ultimately, Brock won one more Series with the Cardinals in 1967, played another successful 15 years after the trade, and was voted a first-ballot Hall of Famer in 1985. Ernie Broglio retired from baseball barely 2 years after the trade, and only went 7-19 for the Cubs.
In the 50 years since the trade, the deal has been largely reviled as not only the worst trade in Cubs history, but one of(if not the) worst deals in the history of baseball. And while that may look true on the surface, it actually isn't. Not by a long-long-long shot. The ACTUAL worst trade in Cubs history wouldn't happen for another 24 years. On December 5, 1988, the Cubs traded away Drew Hall, Rafael Palmeiro, and JAMIE FREAKIN' MOYER. True, the Cubs got 6 players back, and without the trade the Boys of Zimmer(not Summer) may not have rocked it in '89. But seriously, we gave up 250 pitching wins(and the future Hall of Famer who threw them) and 544 home runs(yeah, Palmeiro got busted for juicing, but those homers still would've helped) all for 1 good season and a first-round playoff exit? We were had, and we were had badly. So on this 50th Anniversary of Brock-for-Broglio, just remember the legacy of that deal, and the true worst deal ever.
Sunday, June 15, 2014
Thursday, June 12, 2014
Wells Street University
If you happen to find yourself up in the Old Town neighborhood this summer, this is a little bit about what used to be there...
In the 1960s, the focus on Hippie Culture in America stereotypically was the infamous Height-Ashbury district of San Francisco(with Scott MacKenzie as its unofficial ambassador). But the Midwest was not bereft of counter-culture enclaves. In fact, one of the more infamous hippie(not Richie) havens was on the Near North Side right by Second City. Welcome to Wells Street University.
Chicago's Old Town neighborhood had its roots in the 1830s, as one of the pioneering areas of the city. St. Michael's Church(as well as the Water Tower and Pumping Station) was one of only 7 buildings in the city to survive the Great Chicago Fire. By the 1960s, the neighborhood had been emptied of its old affluent residents as a consequence of white flight, leaving many homes and business vacant and cheap to rent. And rent them they did. The hippies, that is. As a consequence, boutique stores, head shops, and other establishments(including a strip club called The Crystal Pistol) started springing up in the area like wildfire. As far as the wide range of shops goes, one of the contributors to PBS' Remembering Chicago: The Boomer Years had this to say: "There were little old shops...it was charming and wonderful. We were used to Marshall Fields." These shops would be places where all kinds of folks would come to hang out, so say other contributors: "It was a place of learning about people." "I used to jokingly call it Wells Street University." "It was what we would call avant garde." "[Sometimes] you took a girl on a date just to walk up and down Wells Street." Being Ground Zero of Chicago's counter-culture, this may also have been the place where Abbie Hoffman and his compatriots planned out their soon-to-be infamous protest of the 1968 Democratic National Convention.
Nowadays, the individualistic youth of Chicago make their homes and their marks(for the most part) on other neighborhoods such as Lakeview, Wicker Park, and Bucktown. But Old Town's legacy still endures. The Second City opened up here in 1959, and has been supplying America with comedy legends for 55 years. Old Town also had its fair share of folk musicians, featuring early performances by people such Jose Feliciano, Bob Gibson, and Steve Goodman. Additionally, the Old Town School of Folk Music opened in 1957 and is still in operation today. In a sign of its enduring legacy, the group actually just performed at the Printer's Row Lit Fest this past weekend.
In the 1960s, the focus on Hippie Culture in America stereotypically was the infamous Height-Ashbury district of San Francisco(with Scott MacKenzie as its unofficial ambassador). But the Midwest was not bereft of counter-culture enclaves. In fact, one of the more infamous hippie(not Richie) havens was on the Near North Side right by Second City. Welcome to Wells Street University.
Chicago's Old Town neighborhood had its roots in the 1830s, as one of the pioneering areas of the city. St. Michael's Church(as well as the Water Tower and Pumping Station) was one of only 7 buildings in the city to survive the Great Chicago Fire. By the 1960s, the neighborhood had been emptied of its old affluent residents as a consequence of white flight, leaving many homes and business vacant and cheap to rent. And rent them they did. The hippies, that is. As a consequence, boutique stores, head shops, and other establishments(including a strip club called The Crystal Pistol) started springing up in the area like wildfire. As far as the wide range of shops goes, one of the contributors to PBS' Remembering Chicago: The Boomer Years had this to say: "There were little old shops...it was charming and wonderful. We were used to Marshall Fields." These shops would be places where all kinds of folks would come to hang out, so say other contributors: "It was a place of learning about people." "I used to jokingly call it Wells Street University." "It was what we would call avant garde." "[Sometimes] you took a girl on a date just to walk up and down Wells Street." Being Ground Zero of Chicago's counter-culture, this may also have been the place where Abbie Hoffman and his compatriots planned out their soon-to-be infamous protest of the 1968 Democratic National Convention.
Nowadays, the individualistic youth of Chicago make their homes and their marks(for the most part) on other neighborhoods such as Lakeview, Wicker Park, and Bucktown. But Old Town's legacy still endures. The Second City opened up here in 1959, and has been supplying America with comedy legends for 55 years. Old Town also had its fair share of folk musicians, featuring early performances by people such Jose Feliciano, Bob Gibson, and Steve Goodman. Additionally, the Old Town School of Folk Music opened in 1957 and is still in operation today. In a sign of its enduring legacy, the group actually just performed at the Printer's Row Lit Fest this past weekend.
30 years of books. YAY!
So lets say that Star Trek isn't your thing. And let's say that you don't like ribs(who are you?). And let's say that you're not into the whole marijuana thing. Well fear not, because there was still something going on in Chicago over the weekend that you could've enjoyed. The Printer's Row Lit Fest went down this past weekend in the South Loop, and this year we saw a commemoration of the 30th Anniversary of the first Lit Fest. Originally put together 30 years ago as a book fair and drawing in 6,500 people, the Lit Fest has grown to draw 150,000 people this past weekend. As part of the 30th Anniversary celebration, there was a chat with an old MTV personality, members of Second City performed a reading adapted from The Breakfast Club, and there was a performance from the Old Town School of Folk Music. But the weekend wasn't solely devoted to living in the past. No, this was a time to celebrate the readers and writers of 2014.
One of those so honored was Stuart Dybek, winner of the 2014 Harold Washington Literary Award. Dybek has quite the history with Printer's Row, even going back to that very first festival where he won the Nelson Algren Short Story Award. This time, Dybek was honored for two of his new collections of writing, which were inspired by Chicago. "It happened so naturally," Dybek stated. "It wasn't an aesthetic decision of 'I will write about Chicago.' A lot of the stories happened here. When I drive through a lot of the neighborhoods, less (now), but still, back in the olden days when people didn't have air conditioning during the summers, they sat out with bottles of beer and they told stories. The great lesson is that you don't have to leave Oak Park and go to Paris to find something to write about."
Stuart Dybek wasn't the only person being honored though, as James Patterson received the Chicago Tribune Young Adult Literary Award. Patterson has a long and prolific writing history, but has most recently taken a turn as a young adult writer and philanthropist, pledging to donate 28,000 books to the Chicago Public School system. While Patterson was giving his presentation, he gave words of encouragement to the young aspiring writers there, while ending with this piece of wisdom: "I am aware that I write for a large audience, but when I write, I pretend there is one person sitting across from me and I don't want them to get up until I finish." To close out the festival, Marlo Thomas(yes, that girl) gave a talk about her new book and was very accommodating towards the audience.
One of those so honored was Stuart Dybek, winner of the 2014 Harold Washington Literary Award. Dybek has quite the history with Printer's Row, even going back to that very first festival where he won the Nelson Algren Short Story Award. This time, Dybek was honored for two of his new collections of writing, which were inspired by Chicago. "It happened so naturally," Dybek stated. "It wasn't an aesthetic decision of 'I will write about Chicago.' A lot of the stories happened here. When I drive through a lot of the neighborhoods, less (now), but still, back in the olden days when people didn't have air conditioning during the summers, they sat out with bottles of beer and they told stories. The great lesson is that you don't have to leave Oak Park and go to Paris to find something to write about."
Stuart Dybek wasn't the only person being honored though, as James Patterson received the Chicago Tribune Young Adult Literary Award. Patterson has a long and prolific writing history, but has most recently taken a turn as a young adult writer and philanthropist, pledging to donate 28,000 books to the Chicago Public School system. While Patterson was giving his presentation, he gave words of encouragement to the young aspiring writers there, while ending with this piece of wisdom: "I am aware that I write for a large audience, but when I write, I pretend there is one person sitting across from me and I don't want them to get up until I finish." To close out the festival, Marlo Thomas(yes, that girl) gave a talk about her new book and was very accommodating towards the audience.
Wednesday, June 11, 2014
High Times at Navy Pier
This past weekend, there was a gathering at Navy Pier unlike anything seen before. Marijuana enthusiasts descended upon the Pier for the first ever Cannabis Conference, designed to give guidance to the newly legalized medical marijuana programs in Illinois. Some of the attendees included local officials, pot advocates, marijuana experts, as well as folks giving advice on how to cook with marijuana. Speaking more about the intent of the event, Dan Linn of Illinois NORML(an organization that advocates for the legalization of marijuana) said that “This event offers a way for people to learn more about our new medical cannabis law and the changing political landscape. There is widespread support for medical cannabis and there is growing support for legalizing cannabis entirely. This event helps to legitimize the industry and this movement and remove the stigma from people who support ending the prohibition on this plant.”
Of course, the movement is attracting more than just pro-marijuana advocates. It has also set in motion a new potential economic boom that some are calling the Green Rush. From those who supply marijuana plant supplements, to pot paraphernalia, to those who are wanting to invest in cannabis, even to makers of LED lights(used to grow the plants), businessmen are flocking to Illinois' new cannabis culture like ants on a log. This rush to cash in on legal weed is best explained by Matt Johnson, one of the entrepreneurs in attendance. "Because the power to grow and distribute pot will be in the hands of relatively few people, that could mean a big payday [for] vendors landing contracts". Johnson went on to praise the organizers of the event for having a more business-oriented theme to it, as opposed to events like this in Colorado(where recreational use of marijuana is already legal) that mostly attract those interested in getting their hands on high-grade cannabis. “This is one of the better crowds. Usually there are a lot of potheads. Here there are a lot of business-oriented people,” Johnson said.
Of course, the movement is attracting more than just pro-marijuana advocates. It has also set in motion a new potential economic boom that some are calling the Green Rush. From those who supply marijuana plant supplements, to pot paraphernalia, to those who are wanting to invest in cannabis, even to makers of LED lights(used to grow the plants), businessmen are flocking to Illinois' new cannabis culture like ants on a log. This rush to cash in on legal weed is best explained by Matt Johnson, one of the entrepreneurs in attendance. "Because the power to grow and distribute pot will be in the hands of relatively few people, that could mean a big payday [for] vendors landing contracts". Johnson went on to praise the organizers of the event for having a more business-oriented theme to it, as opposed to events like this in Colorado(where recreational use of marijuana is already legal) that mostly attract those interested in getting their hands on high-grade cannabis. “This is one of the better crowds. Usually there are a lot of potheads. Here there are a lot of business-oriented people,” Johnson said.
A Good Ribbing
Needless to say, there were more things going on this past weekend than a big nerdfest up in Rosemont. One of those other things that went down was in the Lincoln Center neighborhood, and was called Ribfest. Entering its 15th year, the fest stretches for 2 blocks and always manages to bring in the crowds. This year was no exception. The action started off on Friday with Ribmania V, the fest's annual rib-eating contest(yes, there is such a thing). The previous night an amateur competition had been held, with members of the public getting a chance to prove their rib-eating mettle. The contestants even included a United States Congressman. At the end of the amateur competition, Sean Nichols was declared the winner and moved on to face the professional eaters(once again, yes there is such a thing) in the main competition. For the main heat, Miki Sudo took the crown by chowing down 4.8 pounds of ribs in 8 minutes, an effort which she won $2,000 for.
But a celebration of gluttony wasn't all that Ribfest had to offer, far from it. The fest also offered a Kid's Square, which gave the younger attendees a chance to enjoy inflatables, minigolf, dancing, games, stories, plays, and music. For the older attendees, there were things to do as well, such as two separate music stages pumping out tunes almost as fast they could be played. Some of the more inventive band names were Two Ton Jack, Goldford, Fort Frances, Warm Ones, Big Paraid, and of course, The X Ambassadors. But when people come out for Ribfest, they're expecting ribs. And the fest did not disappoint, with 15 different Rib vendors present and selling at the festival. Eateries such as Wrigley BBQ, Uncle Bub's BBQ, The Piggery, and(of course) Robinson's #1 Ribs kept the crowd well fed. Ribfest 2014 was a success, and keep your eyes peeled for mention of some of these restaurants in an entry next month...
But a celebration of gluttony wasn't all that Ribfest had to offer, far from it. The fest also offered a Kid's Square, which gave the younger attendees a chance to enjoy inflatables, minigolf, dancing, games, stories, plays, and music. For the older attendees, there were things to do as well, such as two separate music stages pumping out tunes almost as fast they could be played. Some of the more inventive band names were Two Ton Jack, Goldford, Fort Frances, Warm Ones, Big Paraid, and of course, The X Ambassadors. But when people come out for Ribfest, they're expecting ribs. And the fest did not disappoint, with 15 different Rib vendors present and selling at the festival. Eateries such as Wrigley BBQ, Uncle Bub's BBQ, The Piggery, and(of course) Robinson's #1 Ribs kept the crowd well fed. Ribfest 2014 was a success, and keep your eyes peeled for mention of some of these restaurants in an entry next month...
Monday, June 9, 2014
Chi-Trek Day 3: The Big Finish
For third day in a row, Star Trek fans of all kinds streamed into Rosemont's Westin O'Hare hotel for Creation Entertainment's Official Star Trek Convention. Day 3's action got started off right away, as the theater presentations started off with Jeri Ryan giving a talk about her experiences portraying the Borg Seven of Nine on Star Trek: Voyager. After that, there was another presentation by John Tenuto, this time giving some background on the collectibles/toys associated with Star Trek: Voyager(including a special edition Seven of Nine action figure that was only available overseas). After another music video(the convention had actually solicited submissions for videos from the public pre-convention, and those submissions had been used to plug gaps in the schedule as well as in pre-scheduled music video blocks), the MC sat down onstage and began leading a discussion on the relative merits(or lack thereof) of all 12 Star Trek movies.
While that was going on, Jeri Ryan was giving out autographs downstairs. One of the folks in line to get autographs was a little girl all dressed up as Seven of Nine. Needless to say, Ms. Ryan was very impressed with the girl's effort. After the autographs were done, action picked back up in the main theater with Gene Roddenberry's personal blooper reels. How these were acquired is a story in itself. Creation has been doing shows since 1971, including several Star Trek shows. While Roddenberry was still alive(he died in 1991) he gave his blooper reels from the old Star Trek as a personal gift to Creation. And so, these are still shown at conventions.
After the bloopers, Robert Beltran took to the stage. Beltran played Chakotay on Star Trek Voyager. After fielding several questions from the audience, Beltran yielded the stage to Suzie Plakson. Plakson had portrayed Worf's(a Klingon character on Star Trek) lover in a few episodes of the series. As she was onstage, she was transformed into her character live onstage by makeup artist John Paladin. After that, the stage was cleared for the final time as the weekend's last guest joined us. Nichelle Nichols closed out the convention with a reminiscence of her 50+ years in show business and her many experiences with NASA, among other topics. After Ms. Nichols left the stage, there were some more autographs, and then the 2014 Official Star Trek Chicago Convention came to an end. Creation will be coming back to Chicago in 2015, and who knows what they'll offer then?
While that was going on, Jeri Ryan was giving out autographs downstairs. One of the folks in line to get autographs was a little girl all dressed up as Seven of Nine. Needless to say, Ms. Ryan was very impressed with the girl's effort. After the autographs were done, action picked back up in the main theater with Gene Roddenberry's personal blooper reels. How these were acquired is a story in itself. Creation has been doing shows since 1971, including several Star Trek shows. While Roddenberry was still alive(he died in 1991) he gave his blooper reels from the old Star Trek as a personal gift to Creation. And so, these are still shown at conventions.
After the bloopers, Robert Beltran took to the stage. Beltran played Chakotay on Star Trek Voyager. After fielding several questions from the audience, Beltran yielded the stage to Suzie Plakson. Plakson had portrayed Worf's(a Klingon character on Star Trek) lover in a few episodes of the series. As she was onstage, she was transformed into her character live onstage by makeup artist John Paladin. After that, the stage was cleared for the final time as the weekend's last guest joined us. Nichelle Nichols closed out the convention with a reminiscence of her 50+ years in show business and her many experiences with NASA, among other topics. After Ms. Nichols left the stage, there were some more autographs, and then the 2014 Official Star Trek Chicago Convention came to an end. Creation will be coming back to Chicago in 2015, and who knows what they'll offer then?
Sunday, June 8, 2014
Chi-Trek Day 2: The Captains Onstage
On the second day of Creation's Chicago Convention, the crowds came out in force for the main event. But before the day's main spectacle, there were other events going on. Starting off the day were two representatives from the Ferengi, Rom and Nog, who starred on Deep Space Nine. After that was the second auction of the weekend, which saw the selling of a fully signed photo from the original cast for $1,200.
After that, I stepped out to the lobby for a second where I ran into a guy who is currently working on a documentary about Susan Oliver, one of the first guest-stars to appear on Star Trek(she was an Orion slave girl in the first pilot). In addition to Star Trek, she had numerous other guest appearances in a 30+ year career, ranging from The Andy Griffith Show to M.A.S.H. to Magnum P.I. and so many shows in between. More information about the movie can be found here. Right after that(and with an impeccable sense of timing), John Tenuto returned to give the 2nd part of his talk on the production of The Cage, the first Star Trek pilot which Susan Oliver was a part of, which was produced 50 years ago this year. After showing some more slides and providing some enlightening anecdotes, the stage was cleared and reset for the main event of the day.
All of a sudden, William Shatner took the stage. He would spen the next 40 or so minutes answering guest questions and regaling the crowd with tales. Then, as he was in mid-sentence Kate Mulgrew walks out from behind the curtain and the crowd went wild. After everybody calmed down, the two captains settled into a comfortable pattern of answering questions, telling stories, and swapping barbs for the next half hour or so until Shatner had to move on, leaving Mulgrew to do the final half hour by herself. After Mulgrew left the stage to thunderous applause, John Tenuto came back up to do a presentation about Star Trek in Newspapers and how it has been portrayed in them throughout the years. After that, some filler was provided by running a montage of fan-produced music videos for a few minutes before the costume contest. This involved attendees coming down the aisle of the theatre all dressed up in their garb and getting judged on how good it was. The top prize ended up being shared by a kid dressed up as the original transporter panel and a Klingon/Borg duo. Finally, Kate and William signed autographs, and then that wrapped up Saturday.
After that, I stepped out to the lobby for a second where I ran into a guy who is currently working on a documentary about Susan Oliver, one of the first guest-stars to appear on Star Trek(she was an Orion slave girl in the first pilot). In addition to Star Trek, she had numerous other guest appearances in a 30+ year career, ranging from The Andy Griffith Show to M.A.S.H. to Magnum P.I. and so many shows in between. More information about the movie can be found here. Right after that(and with an impeccable sense of timing), John Tenuto returned to give the 2nd part of his talk on the production of The Cage, the first Star Trek pilot which Susan Oliver was a part of, which was produced 50 years ago this year. After showing some more slides and providing some enlightening anecdotes, the stage was cleared and reset for the main event of the day.
All of a sudden, William Shatner took the stage. He would spen the next 40 or so minutes answering guest questions and regaling the crowd with tales. Then, as he was in mid-sentence Kate Mulgrew walks out from behind the curtain and the crowd went wild. After everybody calmed down, the two captains settled into a comfortable pattern of answering questions, telling stories, and swapping barbs for the next half hour or so until Shatner had to move on, leaving Mulgrew to do the final half hour by herself. After Mulgrew left the stage to thunderous applause, John Tenuto came back up to do a presentation about Star Trek in Newspapers and how it has been portrayed in them throughout the years. After that, some filler was provided by running a montage of fan-produced music videos for a few minutes before the costume contest. This involved attendees coming down the aisle of the theatre all dressed up in their garb and getting judged on how good it was. The top prize ended up being shared by a kid dressed up as the original transporter panel and a Klingon/Borg duo. Finally, Kate and William signed autographs, and then that wrapped up Saturday.
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