By Rick Kaempfer
In This Weeks Historical Events
Jul 31st, 2023
2 Comments
6411 Views
August 2, 1923 President Warren G. Harding dies unexpectedly. He wasn’t from Chicago, but Chicago nevertheless played an important role in the his presidency. For one thing, in 1920 he was nominated by Republican party leaders in a smoke filled Chicago hotel room; Suite 4046 on the 13th floor o...
By Rick Kaempfer
In Today's Cub Birthday
Jul 27th, 2023
0 Comments
5628 Views
~Leo Durocher 1905–1991 (Cubs manager 1965-1972) How did people really feel about Leo Durocher? A quote from Jack Brickhouse: “In the early days Leo was an SOB, but a sharp SOB. By the time he finished in Chicago he was just an old SOB.” Suffice it to say, Leo was not beloved. When he was [&hel...
By Rick Kaempfer
In Today's Cub Birthday
Jul 25th, 2023
0 Comments
3049 Views
~Steve Goodman (Cubs fan 1948-1984) Steve Goodman was born on the north side of Chicago. His family later relocated to the northwestern suburbs (Steve attended Maine East in Park Ridge), so it was only natural that Goodman became a Cubs fan. His music career began the same year his beloved Cubs had o...
By Rick Kaempfer
In Today's Cub Birthday
Jul 17th, 2023
1 Comment
4366 Views
~Don Kessinger 1942– (Cubs 1964-1975) Kessinger had a brilliant career with the Cubs, holding down the starting shortstop position for over a decade during the Cubs resurgence of the late 60s/early 70s. Kessinger was an All-Star five years in a row (68-72) and a two-time Gold Glover. He and Gle...
By Rick Kaempfer
In Today's Cub Birthday
Jul 7th, 2023
0 Comments
3373 Views
~Billy Herman 1909–1992 (Cubs 1931-1941) He was named William Jennings Bryan Herman after the famed orator, and this Billy had an incredible big league career. He was a 10-time All-Star in 15 big league seasons (and his first two years, the All-Star game hadn’t been invented yet). He was consid...
By Rick Kaempfer
In Today's Cub Birthday
Jun 29th, 2023
0 Comments
3272 Views
~John Boccabella 1941– (Cubs 1963-1968) Boccabella was considered one of the brightest prospects in the Cubs organization. He was so highly touted that Cubs manager Leo Durocher couldn’t wait to play him at first base and send Ernie Banks out to pasture. In the only season Boccabella got over 2...
By Rick Kaempfer
In Today's Cub Birthday
Jun 20th, 2023
0 Comments
3935 Views
~Wayland Dean 1902–1930 (Cubs 1927) Wayland Dean was one of those tragic stories that pepper baseball history. He was deeply troubled; a chronic alcoholic who suffered from depression. But he had a live fastball and made his way up to the majors in 1924 with the New York Giants. The Giants unde...
By Rick Kaempfer
In Today's Cub Birthday
Jun 11th, 2023
0 Comments
4958 Views
~Charlie Hollocher 1896–1940 (Cubs 1918-1924) Charlie’s life was a series of very high highs and very low lows. He was one of the greatest hitters on the Cubs in his seven seasons in the big leagues. He led the 1918 team to the pennant, and led the league in hits. In 1922, he only struck [&hell...
By Rick Kaempfer
In This Week in 1945
Jun 7th, 2023
1 Comment
5746 Views
This week (June 7-13) during the last year the Cubs went to the World Series (before 2016)… World War II *The Franck Committee recommends against a surprise nuclear bombing of Japan. The committee was led by Manhattan Project scientist, Nobel Prize winning physicist James Franck (photo). His co...
By Rick Kaempfer
In Wrigley Field Memories
Feb 9th, 2020
1 Comment
22303 Views
As the nation gathers around the television this weekend to watch the Academy Awards, Just One Bad Century features some of the Cubs connections to Hollywood over the years. BEFORE HOLLYWOOD Essanay Studios 1907-1917 Not many people realize that Chicago was once the movie capitol of the world. That t...
The Pothole Store | Eckhartz Press | Rick Kaempfer's Blog | Illinois Entertainer
Site construction by WorkSite, LLC