Harry Caray died on February 18, 1998. Almost immediately, there was a statue erected in his honor outside of Wrigley Field(shortly thereafter[upon his death], Jack Brickhouse was memorialized in the Friendly Confines as well), as well as memorial patches included on the 1998 Cubs uniforms. However, as the first anniversary of his passing approached, there were mumblings of an event to be held in tribute to the man. During his time in Chicago, he had gained a reputation as quite a party animal, being awarded titles varying from "The Mayor of Rush Street" to simply "The Bud Man". That, along with his claim that he had consumed over 300,000 alcoholic beverages in his lifetime(including 75,000 Budweisers[quick aside: In my opinion, Budweiser is the most over-hyped beer of all time. If you are to believe their ad campaigns, Bud tastes like the nectar of the gods, only better. But you know what? It doesn't. I've had many beers that were worse, and many beers that were better. Budweiser is simply middle-of-the-road. Okay, rant over]), made the idea of having a toast to his memory the logical choice. So in February of 1999, 100 people were led in a toast by Harry's widow, Dutchie. The toast quickly spread, first to cover the entire nation, and then beyond. The 2003 Toast became truly worldwide, featuring at least one toast in every single time zone.
Of course, most Cubs fans remember 2003 as the year that this happened. While Bartman did indeed Catch Hell for this, he didn't actually catch the ball. Somebody else did, and promptly put it up for auction. At the auction, the ball was snapped up for the tidy sum of $113,800 by Grant DePorter(the owner of Harry Caray's Restaurant Group). Then, in what was probably the most literal case of 'blowing (up) money' ever witnessed, the 2004 toast featured the ball being destroyed by an Oscar-winning effects expert. Of course, prior to its destruction the ball did receive a final meal(no record exists on whether the ball was granted its one phone call or last rites). The Ball made one last appearance as part of the 2005 Toast, where the blown-up remnants were cooked and made a part of a spaghetti sauce consumed at the Toast.
2007 marked the 99-Year anniversary of 1908. To celebrate this, Harry Caray's was offering 99 Cent Budweisers that night. The next year when the calendar hit an even 100, the 2008 Toast featured a 100-Gallon mug of beer-the world's biggest. In 2010, the new Harry Caray's Tavern opened on Navy Pier(which also includes a small museum of Chicago sports memorabilia), so the Worldwide HQ was moved from the Wrigleyville location to Navy Pier. The next year the toast served as a tribute to both Caray and the recently deceased Ron Santo.
The 2012 Toast witnessed a major milestone, as 2012 marked the year that the Five-Millionth person raised a Bud to Harry. The 2013 Toast occurred on February 28, featuring the traditional toast, but also a fireworks display afterwards, as well as this shattering performance. Rest assured, the Toast to Harry Caray will be going on for many more years to come.
Thursday, February 28, 2013
Wednesday, February 27, 2013
Day 58: The Classy Station
When Chicago's El system was first being constructed in the late 19th Century, there were multiple companies undertaking the building of the stations. In 1895, the City Council let the Northwestern Elevated Railroad spearhead construction of all stations on what is now known as Wells Street. Later that same year, construction on the new Wells stations commenced, and on October 3, 1897, the Quincy elevated station was opened up for business.
The Quincy station was designed by A.M. Hedley in a Neoclassical style with some Palladian influences. The station itself was appointed with many fine materials, making it one of the more ornate station houses in the system. Once the CTA took things over, there were some changes made in the 60s and 70s. Chief amongst those were aesthetic changes to Quincy, including replacement of the incandescent lights with fluorescent lights, as well as putting in aids to the Ticket Agents, a program which had been rolled out at the Roosevelt Station.
One of the plans that the CTA had in the late 70s was to replace the Loop elevated with a series of subways. That plan fell through, but one side-effect was that the elevated stations weren't maintained while their demise was being planned. So, upon the notification of the El's eligibility for the National Register of Historic Places, there was a deal struck that would let the El be enshrined in the register while the CTA would only have to restore one station. The station chosen to be restored to 1890s style was the Quincy station.(one of the other stations that was redone in this time period was the Clark/Lake Station) First off, the station was closed down and all of the many layers of paint that was on the station were chipped off, revealing what was thought to be the original bottom layer(i.e. the FIRST, original color) However, it was discovered during the repainting that the original bottom layer was actually just a coat of primer, so the station was being repainted in the wrong color. The light fixtures were restored, and the enamel signs were installed(albeit with a more retro look than the originals). The interior of the station house was just as well attended to as the rest of the facility.
The project was undertaken in November of 1985 and was supposed to be completed in 4 months. Instead, the whole thing took 2 and a half years to get done, and the new station didn't open up until February of 1988. The Quincy project was the cheapest restoration of any of the loop stations, mainly because the Quincy station didn't have any elevators or escalators to install, which cut down on the price a bit. The Quincy station is within walking distance of Union Station, so next time you're in that area, you can swing by and know how historic this station really is now.
The Quincy station was designed by A.M. Hedley in a Neoclassical style with some Palladian influences. The station itself was appointed with many fine materials, making it one of the more ornate station houses in the system. Once the CTA took things over, there were some changes made in the 60s and 70s. Chief amongst those were aesthetic changes to Quincy, including replacement of the incandescent lights with fluorescent lights, as well as putting in aids to the Ticket Agents, a program which had been rolled out at the Roosevelt Station.
One of the plans that the CTA had in the late 70s was to replace the Loop elevated with a series of subways. That plan fell through, but one side-effect was that the elevated stations weren't maintained while their demise was being planned. So, upon the notification of the El's eligibility for the National Register of Historic Places, there was a deal struck that would let the El be enshrined in the register while the CTA would only have to restore one station. The station chosen to be restored to 1890s style was the Quincy station.(one of the other stations that was redone in this time period was the Clark/Lake Station) First off, the station was closed down and all of the many layers of paint that was on the station were chipped off, revealing what was thought to be the original bottom layer(i.e. the FIRST, original color) However, it was discovered during the repainting that the original bottom layer was actually just a coat of primer, so the station was being repainted in the wrong color. The light fixtures were restored, and the enamel signs were installed(albeit with a more retro look than the originals). The interior of the station house was just as well attended to as the rest of the facility.
The project was undertaken in November of 1985 and was supposed to be completed in 4 months. Instead, the whole thing took 2 and a half years to get done, and the new station didn't open up until February of 1988. The Quincy project was the cheapest restoration of any of the loop stations, mainly because the Quincy station didn't have any elevators or escalators to install, which cut down on the price a bit. The Quincy station is within walking distance of Union Station, so next time you're in that area, you can swing by and know how historic this station really is now.
Tuesday, February 26, 2013
Day 57: The Midway
If you've been keeping up with this blog, by now you know the story about how Paul Cornell found the area south of the city lacking in the 1850s and decided to petition the state to create a park there. You know about the South Park Commission, and how it was created in 1869 to administer the more than 1,000 acres that were set aside. You even know that there were two separate parks carved out of the land, Washington Park and Jackson Park. But here's something you don't know. There's a third park in the mix.
When the land was partitioned, Washington Park was on the western side of the plot, while Jackson Park was bordering the lake. Connecting those two parks was a mile-long strip of land that today is known as the Midway Plaisance. Originally Frederick Law Olmstead desired for the park to serve as part of a chain of lakes, which would allow people to boat all the way from Washington Park, through the Midway, and all the way through Jackson Park straight into the lake. To accomplish this feat, Olmstead wanted to have a canal running through the Plaisance, thus a trench was dug through the park. Even though the canal idea fell through, the trench remained, though it has never been filled in with water to this day.
After the initial design phase, the 1893 World's Fair came to town, and the Midway became the main thoroughfare of the Fair, introducing the westernized version of the belly dance, among other things. Also located on the Midway was the original Ferris Wheel, which made it's debut at the Fair. In another legacy, the term midway became colloquially used as a term for the main area of games and amusements in a fair(due in no small part to the flurry of activity witnessed by the Plaisance).
When the Fair ended, the Plaisance was restored to its former setting. By 1926, the University of Chicago had absorbed the Midway, and ever since then has been the de facto authority in charge. During that period of time, the U of C Maroons football team was playing in Stagg Field, just across the way from the Plaisance. Because of this, the team was called the Monsters of the Midway in deference to the park. To this day, the park remains an open-access green area. And as for those trenches that Olmstead tried to put in? Well, they now exist as soccer fields and other sporting areas. So yes, 144 years after it was first formed, the South Park Commission's mission is going stronger than ever.
When the land was partitioned, Washington Park was on the western side of the plot, while Jackson Park was bordering the lake. Connecting those two parks was a mile-long strip of land that today is known as the Midway Plaisance. Originally Frederick Law Olmstead desired for the park to serve as part of a chain of lakes, which would allow people to boat all the way from Washington Park, through the Midway, and all the way through Jackson Park straight into the lake. To accomplish this feat, Olmstead wanted to have a canal running through the Plaisance, thus a trench was dug through the park. Even though the canal idea fell through, the trench remained, though it has never been filled in with water to this day.
After the initial design phase, the 1893 World's Fair came to town, and the Midway became the main thoroughfare of the Fair, introducing the westernized version of the belly dance, among other things. Also located on the Midway was the original Ferris Wheel, which made it's debut at the Fair. In another legacy, the term midway became colloquially used as a term for the main area of games and amusements in a fair(due in no small part to the flurry of activity witnessed by the Plaisance).
When the Fair ended, the Plaisance was restored to its former setting. By 1926, the University of Chicago had absorbed the Midway, and ever since then has been the de facto authority in charge. During that period of time, the U of C Maroons football team was playing in Stagg Field, just across the way from the Plaisance. Because of this, the team was called the Monsters of the Midway in deference to the park. To this day, the park remains an open-access green area. And as for those trenches that Olmstead tried to put in? Well, they now exist as soccer fields and other sporting areas. So yes, 144 years after it was first formed, the South Park Commission's mission is going stronger than ever.
Day 35: A Tribute to the Tribune
In 1847, the Chicago Tribune first hit newsstands in the city of Chicago. 76 years later, the paper was looking for a more permanent home. The paper held a design competition, where it solicited ideas for "the most beautiful and distinctive office building in the world" from many, many different sources. In all, 260 different designs were submitted, of which a Gothic Revival design by John Mead Howells and Raymond Hood of New York was selected the winner.
The Gothic design was considered an established design method by this time, having first been used in New York's Woolworth Building in 1913. Regardless of it's perceived historicism, the design was selected. The sculputres and decorations on the outside of the building were carved by Rene Paul Chambellan, an American artist who was a frequent collaborator of Hood's(in fact, Chambellan had worked on the American Radiator Building and Rockefeller Center with Hood in New York City). Among the many images on the building, there is one of Robin Hood(to symbolize Hood), and one of a howling dog(to symbolize Howells). One other addition by Chambellan was the inclusion of a frog amongst the gargoyles, in deference to his French ancestry.
One of the most well-known traits of the building is the exterior decoration. While the building was being built, the head of the Tribune sent out correspondents to all corners of the world to bring back artifacts suitable to be embedded in the lower levels of the building. Some of the places represented on the exterior of the building include:
The Gothic design was considered an established design method by this time, having first been used in New York's Woolworth Building in 1913. Regardless of it's perceived historicism, the design was selected. The sculputres and decorations on the outside of the building were carved by Rene Paul Chambellan, an American artist who was a frequent collaborator of Hood's(in fact, Chambellan had worked on the American Radiator Building and Rockefeller Center with Hood in New York City). Among the many images on the building, there is one of Robin Hood(to symbolize Hood), and one of a howling dog(to symbolize Howells). One other addition by Chambellan was the inclusion of a frog amongst the gargoyles, in deference to his French ancestry.
One of the most well-known traits of the building is the exterior decoration. While the building was being built, the head of the Tribune sent out correspondents to all corners of the world to bring back artifacts suitable to be embedded in the lower levels of the building. Some of the places represented on the exterior of the building include:
- The Taj Mahal
- Notre Dame Cathedral
- Lincoln's Tomb
- The Great Pyramid
- The Berlin Wall
- The Alamo
- The Parthenon
- Independence Hall
- The Great Wall of China
- And in a more recent entry, a piece of steel from the World Trade Center.
Monday, February 25, 2013
Day 56: The Perfect 10
On December 5, 2011, a long-overdue judgement was handed down by the Veterans Committee of the Baseball Hall of Fame. Ron Santo was to be inducted into the 2012 Hall of Fame class. This was an honor which was long overdue, and unfortunately it came one year too late...
Ronald Edward Santo was born in Seattle, Washington on February 25, 1940. Growing up, he always showed a passion for baseball, and the Chicago Cubs in particular. He was signed as a free agent by the team in 1959, before making his debut the next season. He would go on to have an above average career, leading the NL in assists seven times.
Three of Santo's most infamous moments came in the 1969 season. The first occurrence came on June 22, 1969 after a Cubs victory. It was during his exuberant celebration of the moment that he ran down the third base line and clicked his heels three times. It was a tradition that he would continue all the way up until the team started their historic collapse in September of that year. The next moment came on July 8 of that year, when a young center fielder named Don Young made two critical errors that cost the team a game against the Mets. After the game, Santo harshly criticized Young, so much so that it made the papers, bringing considerable criticism to Santo, who apologized the next day. The final moment of his 1969 season would come in September, where he was playing at Wrigley Field in a game against the Mets. As Santo was in the on-deck circle, a black cat ran past him. Many people considered this a jinx on the team, who indeed would soon take a nose-dive in the standings.
After the collapse of '69 was complete, the team would go on to have another close-call in 1970, but to avail. After the 1973 season, the Cubs had a deal lined up to send Santo to the Angels. However, Santo did not want to leave Chicago, so he took advantage of a new clause in the Collective Bargaining Agreement(in fact, he was the first one to do so) allowing players who've been in the majors for 10 years, and the last 5 with the same team to veto any trade. Ultimately, Santo was sent to the White Sox, where he played one final year before retiring after the 1974 season.
16 years after retiring, Santo rejoined the Cubs family as part of the WGN Cubs Radio team. He joined with Pat Hughes to make the Pat and Ron show, though he also would work with Harry Caray, Thom Brennaman, Bob Brenley, and Steve Stone(who he was traded to the Sox for back in '73). Santo's calling card was his passion, which made its presence especially known on September 23, 1998, when Santo was calling a game in which Brant Brown made a crucial error. Santo's reaction was so distraught that afterwards Jim Riggleman(the manager of the Cubs) had to console Santo in the clubhouse. Another important facet of Santo was the fact that he was a diabetic. He played through the grand majority of his career suffering from type 1 diabetes. He finally revealed his condition on August 28, 1971, as part of "Ron Santo Day". Ultimately the disease would cost him both of his legs, one is 2001, and the other one a year later. He was quite active in the fundraising efforts of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, even being named their Person of the Year for 2002.
Ron Santo passed away at 12:40 AM on December 3, 2010 due to complications from bladder cancer. He was memorialized and remembered all over Chicago, and his funeral was held at Holy Name Cathedral on December 10(in a slightly related story, this occasion provided the catalyst for Kerry Wood to return to the team). Santo's ashes were spread over Wrigley Field. On August 10, 2011, Santo was memorialized with a statue outside of the ball park, just 4 months before he would be voted into the Hall of Fame. On July 22, 2012, Ron Santo was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. During that day's Cubs game, the team ran out to the field and clicked their heels in honor of Santo. Ron Santo stands as one of the all-time greats to ever put on a Cubs uniform, and his legacy is enduring.
Ronald Edward Santo was born in Seattle, Washington on February 25, 1940. Growing up, he always showed a passion for baseball, and the Chicago Cubs in particular. He was signed as a free agent by the team in 1959, before making his debut the next season. He would go on to have an above average career, leading the NL in assists seven times.
Three of Santo's most infamous moments came in the 1969 season. The first occurrence came on June 22, 1969 after a Cubs victory. It was during his exuberant celebration of the moment that he ran down the third base line and clicked his heels three times. It was a tradition that he would continue all the way up until the team started their historic collapse in September of that year. The next moment came on July 8 of that year, when a young center fielder named Don Young made two critical errors that cost the team a game against the Mets. After the game, Santo harshly criticized Young, so much so that it made the papers, bringing considerable criticism to Santo, who apologized the next day. The final moment of his 1969 season would come in September, where he was playing at Wrigley Field in a game against the Mets. As Santo was in the on-deck circle, a black cat ran past him. Many people considered this a jinx on the team, who indeed would soon take a nose-dive in the standings.
After the collapse of '69 was complete, the team would go on to have another close-call in 1970, but to avail. After the 1973 season, the Cubs had a deal lined up to send Santo to the Angels. However, Santo did not want to leave Chicago, so he took advantage of a new clause in the Collective Bargaining Agreement(in fact, he was the first one to do so) allowing players who've been in the majors for 10 years, and the last 5 with the same team to veto any trade. Ultimately, Santo was sent to the White Sox, where he played one final year before retiring after the 1974 season.
16 years after retiring, Santo rejoined the Cubs family as part of the WGN Cubs Radio team. He joined with Pat Hughes to make the Pat and Ron show, though he also would work with Harry Caray, Thom Brennaman, Bob Brenley, and Steve Stone(who he was traded to the Sox for back in '73). Santo's calling card was his passion, which made its presence especially known on September 23, 1998, when Santo was calling a game in which Brant Brown made a crucial error. Santo's reaction was so distraught that afterwards Jim Riggleman(the manager of the Cubs) had to console Santo in the clubhouse. Another important facet of Santo was the fact that he was a diabetic. He played through the grand majority of his career suffering from type 1 diabetes. He finally revealed his condition on August 28, 1971, as part of "Ron Santo Day". Ultimately the disease would cost him both of his legs, one is 2001, and the other one a year later. He was quite active in the fundraising efforts of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, even being named their Person of the Year for 2002.
Ron Santo passed away at 12:40 AM on December 3, 2010 due to complications from bladder cancer. He was memorialized and remembered all over Chicago, and his funeral was held at Holy Name Cathedral on December 10(in a slightly related story, this occasion provided the catalyst for Kerry Wood to return to the team). Santo's ashes were spread over Wrigley Field. On August 10, 2011, Santo was memorialized with a statue outside of the ball park, just 4 months before he would be voted into the Hall of Fame. On July 22, 2012, Ron Santo was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. During that day's Cubs game, the team ran out to the field and clicked their heels in honor of Santo. Ron Santo stands as one of the all-time greats to ever put on a Cubs uniform, and his legacy is enduring.
Sunday, February 24, 2013
Day 55: The Remnants of The Fair
When Paul Cornell successfully won approval for the formation of the South Park Commission in 1869, approval was given to put in a 1,000 acre park. When it was first constructed, the Park was known collectively as merely South Park. However, in 1880 the commission wanted the public to suggest new names for the park. The westernmost park was renamed Washington Park in honor of out first President. The park bordering the lake, which had originally been known as Lake Park, was renamed Jackson Park in deference to Andrew Jackson.
10 years after that, the city was awarded the right to host the 1893 World's Fair, and the Fair needed a venue. Soon afterward, Jackson Park was selected as the venue for the Fair, and work was quickly begun to ready it for the affair. Daniel Burnham assisted with the design of the fairgrounds, producing the now-famous "White City". Some of the features of the fair were the Osaka Garden(which was an authentic Japanese strolling garden), Daniel French's The Republic, a replica of a Viking ship, and a full-scale replica of Christoper Columbus' flagship Santa Maria.
When the fair closed on November 1, 1893, the area was turned back into a park, including a public golf course, which was the first one of its kind to be opened west of the Allegheny Mountains(the course opened in 1899). The Republic had been claimed by a fire in 1896, so a replica sculpture(at half the size of the original) was unveiled in 1918. During World War II, vandals came through the park and damaged the Japanese Garden. The Park District waited for many decades after the war to have it repaired before the Japanese city of Osaka finally stepped in and provided for the restoration project, and now the Island featuring the garden is known as one of the 150 great places in Illinois(at least according to the American Institute of Architects) With the advent of the Cold War, came the advent of ultra-preparedness in this country, which brought the installation of a surface-to-air missile batter at the park.
Nowadays, the park is a hot destination in the Summer months, as one of Chicago's many beaches is located within the boundaries of the park. Not just that, but the park also features two walking trails and two basketball courts. Additionally, the Park is an outdoorsman's paradise, featuring ample birdwatching opportunities with more than 24 species of bird(including feral Monk parakeets, descended from pet birds that went on the loose in the '60s), and a healthy fishing locale in the park's lagoons.
10 years after that, the city was awarded the right to host the 1893 World's Fair, and the Fair needed a venue. Soon afterward, Jackson Park was selected as the venue for the Fair, and work was quickly begun to ready it for the affair. Daniel Burnham assisted with the design of the fairgrounds, producing the now-famous "White City". Some of the features of the fair were the Osaka Garden(which was an authentic Japanese strolling garden), Daniel French's The Republic, a replica of a Viking ship, and a full-scale replica of Christoper Columbus' flagship Santa Maria.
When the fair closed on November 1, 1893, the area was turned back into a park, including a public golf course, which was the first one of its kind to be opened west of the Allegheny Mountains(the course opened in 1899). The Republic had been claimed by a fire in 1896, so a replica sculpture(at half the size of the original) was unveiled in 1918. During World War II, vandals came through the park and damaged the Japanese Garden. The Park District waited for many decades after the war to have it repaired before the Japanese city of Osaka finally stepped in and provided for the restoration project, and now the Island featuring the garden is known as one of the 150 great places in Illinois(at least according to the American Institute of Architects) With the advent of the Cold War, came the advent of ultra-preparedness in this country, which brought the installation of a surface-to-air missile batter at the park.
Nowadays, the park is a hot destination in the Summer months, as one of Chicago's many beaches is located within the boundaries of the park. Not just that, but the park also features two walking trails and two basketball courts. Additionally, the Park is an outdoorsman's paradise, featuring ample birdwatching opportunities with more than 24 species of bird(including feral Monk parakeets, descended from pet birds that went on the loose in the '60s), and a healthy fishing locale in the park's lagoons.
Saturday, February 23, 2013
Day 54: Chicago's #1 Gorilla
In 1930, Chicago was descending into the throes of the Great Depression along with the rest of the country. Aside from the antics of the mayor, one other event caught the attention of the populace like no other. That event was the arrival of an orphaned gorilla from West Africa at the Lincoln Park Zoo. The animal had been acquired in Cameroon by a Presbyterian missionary and was sold to the Zoo for $3,500. His name was Bushman, and he was the first Lowland Gorilla to be displayed west of the Potomac.
The acquisition immediately proved to be beneficial to the Zoo, which had been established in 1868 from two swans donated by Central Park in New York City. The zoo went from being a cramped, urban zoo to being one of the top-flight institutions for gorilla breeding. Bushman immediately became a huge hit with the city. Not just that, but he became a star. He would appear in newsreels, in addition to catching the fancy of the Marine Corps and the nation's zoo directors. While he was on exhibit he would be known to throw things(usually his dung) from his cage at any nearby photographers. It was said that Bushman had a better throw than any pitcher on the Cubs or the White Sox.
The love that the city had for Bushman was so great that in June of 1950, he was thought to be dying, so 120,000 people came to see him in a single day. 4 months later, seemingly better, he broke out of his cage and traipsed about the kitchen and corridors for about 3 hours until he was scared back into his cage by a garter snake. Bushman finally did die on January 1, 1951, and mourners filed past his empty cage for several weeks. After his death, Bushman's body was preserved and sent to the Field Museum, where he continues to stand today as a remembrance of the most popular primate in Chicago's history.
The acquisition immediately proved to be beneficial to the Zoo, which had been established in 1868 from two swans donated by Central Park in New York City. The zoo went from being a cramped, urban zoo to being one of the top-flight institutions for gorilla breeding. Bushman immediately became a huge hit with the city. Not just that, but he became a star. He would appear in newsreels, in addition to catching the fancy of the Marine Corps and the nation's zoo directors. While he was on exhibit he would be known to throw things(usually his dung) from his cage at any nearby photographers. It was said that Bushman had a better throw than any pitcher on the Cubs or the White Sox.
The love that the city had for Bushman was so great that in June of 1950, he was thought to be dying, so 120,000 people came to see him in a single day. 4 months later, seemingly better, he broke out of his cage and traipsed about the kitchen and corridors for about 3 hours until he was scared back into his cage by a garter snake. Bushman finally did die on January 1, 1951, and mourners filed past his empty cage for several weeks. After his death, Bushman's body was preserved and sent to the Field Museum, where he continues to stand today as a remembrance of the most popular primate in Chicago's history.
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