• EveryCubEver

    Every Cub Ever (P)

    By Rick Kaempfer
    Jan 14th, 2015
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    Extra entries beginning with the letter P…

    ~Sarah Paretsky 1947 (Cubs fan)
    Paretsky is one of the greatest mystery/detective novelists in American literary history. She is best known for her novels focused on the female protagonist V.I. Warshawski. Washawski, like Paretsky, is a Cubs fan. According to the book “Cubsessions” Sara was depressed for a month after the Leon Durham game in 1984. When the V.I Warshawski movie was being filmed in Wrigley Field seven years later, Sara got a chance to run on the field. “I tell you it was one of the biggest moments of my life. That grass was everything I imagined and even more. It was like velvet.”

    ~William Petersen 1953 (Cubs fan 1953-present)
    He was born in Evanston, Illinois in 1953 and grew up a Cubs fan. The Cubs of his youth were some of the worst teams imaginable, yet Wrigley Field was always one of his favorite destinations. But he didn’t just watch the Cubs there, he also watched the Bears. When he was 9 years old his dad took him to a bar to watch the 1963 Championship game. “Hey! The game was blacked-out in Chicago,” he explained. “We had to watch it somewhere. It’s one of my favorite childhood memories.” After college he performed with the Steppenwolf Theatre Company and was a co-founder of the Remains Theater Ensemble which also included other prominent Chicago actors Gary Cole and Ted Levine. And he attended Cubs games. His big break in the movies came in 1986 in the film “To Live and Die in LA.” He continued working in films (“Manhunter,” “Young Guns II”) and television mini-series like “The Kennedy’s” and “Lonesome Dove,” but he really hit the jackpot in 2000 with his starring role (he was the producer as well) in the mega-hit TV show “CSI.” But even during those heady Hollywood days, he longed for Chicago. “Oh God, I don’t know how long I can stick with this,” he said. “I’d be in Chicago right now if it wasn’t for this show. L.A.’s not my style. Just the other day, I had some friends in from Chicago and we went to see the Cubs beat the Dodgers out here. I was telling them there’s no community here. You can’t walk across the street from the stadium to the bar. I think that’s a microcosm for the whole city.” He still comes back to Chicago at least once a year to sing “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” at Wrigley Field.

    The_Living_Wills_cover-280Petersen also recommends this Eckhartz Press novel, co-written by Just One Bad Century’s editor-in-chief, Rick Kaempfer…

    “…a hell of an old-fashioned read. It brings to life ‘the city of broad shoulders’ and makes me homesick. I want a Billy Goat cheesborger and a shot of whiskey.”
    – William Petersen, Chicago-bred film/TV/stage actor, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation

    ~Jim Piersall 1929 (Cubs coach)
    Jimmy was a two-time all-star and gold glover during his 17 year playing career, but he never played for the Cubs. He was also a great announcer after his playing career, but he never announced for the Cubs. The Cubs did, however, hire him as an outfield coach. He worked for them for several seasons until he they didn’t like his cranky assessment of their star prospect’s outfield play. Turned out that Jimmy was correct.

    ~Jeremy Piven 1965 (Cubs fan 1965-present)
    Jeremy Piven grew up in north suburban Evanston, and he grew up a Cubs fan. After he became a famous actor in Hollywood, he often returned to his home town, and made stops at the north side shrine. He befriended several of the Cubs, including Kerry Wood, and appeared at Wood’s annual charity bowling tournament. But Piven’s most famous Cubs moment occurred when he performed “Take Me Out to the Ball Game” during the seventh-inning stretch at Wrigley Field on Father’s Day, 2006. Piven gave the cue to Chicago Cubs fans by saying, “Let’s hug it out, you little bitches”, a line he made famous as his character Ari Gold on the hit HBO show Entourage. He apologized on WGN-TV, and later claimed it was an accident during an appearance on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. Piven has since claimed, on The Tonight Show with Conan O’Brien, that the Cubs management asked him to say his catch phrase from Entourage, not knowing what it was. He has been invited back to sing “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” since then, so apparently, all is forgiven.

    ~Dane Placko 1961 (Cubs fan 1968-present)
    Placko is an award winning investigative reporter for Fox 32 in Chicago, but he’s also a die-hard Cubs fan. In this video he tells the story of his most memorable day at the ballpark…

    ~Jerry Pritikin 1937 (Cubs fan)
    For many years Jerry Pritikin was a fixture in the Wrigley Field bleachers. He was known as the Bleacher Preacher. Since night games began in 1988, Jerry hasn’t been to Wrigley as often, but he is still a die-hard fan. The story of how he almost went to the World Series in 1945 as an eight year old tortured him for years (video). Unfortunately for Jerry, the joy of winning the World Series in 2016 was short-lived. Jerry was a devoted supporter of Hillary Clinton, who lost the election to Donald Trump only a few days after the Cubs won it all.

    Videos and audio beginning with the letter P…

    Just a few months before Palmeiro was busted using steroids…

    The umpire that stiffed Milt Pappas from his perfect game

    AUDIO: Play by play of Claude Passeau’s 1-hitter in the World Series

    Cubs pitcher Reggie Patterson gives up historic hit

    AUDIO: Pieper announces the 1932 Cubs starting lineup…

    Mark Prior during the Bartman game…

    Rick’s favorite baseball card beginning with the letter P…

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