Who Bought the First Ford Mustang?-- Part 4: What Was It Like in the Spring 1964?

The world was far different, and seemingly more quaint, in the spring of 1964.

As Gail Brown drove away from Johnson Ford, she could press the button on the car's AM-only radio to WLS 890 to hear the Beatles snare the top two songs with "Can't Buy Me Love" and "Twist and Shout.  The Fab Four also had "Do You Want to Know a Secret" at No. 5  and "She Loves You" at No. 8. 

Remember, we were in the depths of Beatlemania at the time.

If she switched to 720 she could hear WGN-Radio's Cubs broadcast with Jack Quinlan and Lou Boudreau.  She could hear the play-by-play of right fielder Lou Brock who was starting his third season for the Cubs (and before that disastrous trade to the Cardinals).

Tooling around Chicago she would pass many corner newstands selling  four daily newspapers (for ten cents each).  

Do you remember the four newspapers?

Morning:  Tribune and Sun-Times.  Evening: American and Daily News.

--Cooter

A Chicago Christmas-- Part 4: 'Suzy Snowflake'

If you grew up in Chicago back in the 50s and 60s, you definitely can remember hearing and seeing this song on the TV.  It wouldn't be Christmas without her.

Suzy Sbowflake is a happy snowflake who sings and dances the joys of wintertime and taps on window panes across Chicago every holiday season.

Suzy first appeared in a song made famous by Rosemary Clooney in 1951.  WGN-TV has screened the stop-motion animated short "Suzy Snowflake" every holiday season since 1953.

Go to YouTube and check it out.

--CootFlake

(N)opening Day-- Part 4: Now for You Cub Fans, the Chicago White Stockings & WGN

Cubs Season Openers:

APRIL 25, 1876--  The Cubs were then known as the Chicago White Stockings and were one of he eight charter members of the National League.  In their first game, they defeated host Louisville Grays 4-0 behind pitcher/manager Al Spalding.  They went on to finish 52-14 and won the league by six games and hit a league-best .337.

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APRIL 14, 1925--  Quinn Ryan called the first game for WGN radio, beginning a 90-year relationship.  Cubs score six runs in the 7th capped by Gabby Hartnett's three-run homer.  The game lasted just 1 hour and 38 minutes.

Well. that to has changed as WGN is not televising any Cub games this year as per owner Ricketts.

--RoadCub

Then, There Was Roberto Pena of the Chicago Cubs

Mr. Hazle certainly made an impression with the Milwaukee Braves when he first came to the major leagues, but I remember a player named Roberto Pena from the Dominican Republic who made his major league debut with the Chicago Cubs and made quite the impression in 1965.  I watched it all on the Cubs TV station, WGN, which has it last games being televised this season.

At the time I was just getting interested in baseball.  Had Roberto Pena continued his career hitting like that I might well have become a Cubs fan instead of White Sox.

In his first game with the Cubs, the season opener, Mr. Pena hit a home run off Bob Gibson and went 3 for 6 scoring two runs and three RBI.  In his second game, he hit 1 for 3 with another home run off Curt Simmons, scored two runs and one RBI and went 1 for 4 in the third with one RBI..

And that was his season highlight for the Cubs  as in 51 games and 170 at bats, he got 37 hits, batted .218 and hit no more home runs.  He was sent to the minors part way through the season.  In 1966, he played just six games for the Cubs and after that played one year each in Philadelphia, San Diego and Oakland and two years with Milwaukee.

His career stats:  587 games, 1907 At Bats, 174 hits, Batting Average .239 AL and .248 in NL, and 13 Home Runs.

Another Fast Start That Fizzled.  --Cooter

Best Four Chicago Sports Broadcasters-- Part 5: Lloyd Pettit

My heart wants to put Pat Foley here, but my head says even Foley would defer to Pettit.  He called Blackhawk games on WGN-TV from 1961 to '75., in addition to Cubs and White Sox games.

By all accounts, he was an outstanding broadcaster, and he had a big influence on Foley.

Pettit's trademark "A shot and a goal!" was akin to Brickhouse's "Hey, Hey!" and Caray's "Holy Cow!"  In fact, it became part of the lyrics to "Here Come the Hawks."  Some say his best work was calling Hawk home games on the radio, where he painted a picture in the minds of listeners and stirred their emotions with the tone of his voice.

I remember listening to him call Hawks games on the radio and could see the action just as if it was on TV.

"A Shot and a GOAL!!"  --Cooter

Chicago's Best Four Sportscasters-- Part 2: Jack Brickhouse

Continued from August 10, 2018.

He doesn't get nearly the credit he deserves.  The "Hey, Hey" signs on the Wrigley Field foul poles and his bust in front of the Tribune Tower don't do him justice.

The man deserves his own wing in a museum for all the broadcasting he did.

For WGN-TV he called Cubs games from 1948 -- when Channel 9 went on the air -- to 1981, and White Sox games from 1948 to 1967.  He called Bulls games from 1966 to 1973.  He was also the voice of the Chicago Bears on WGN Radio from 1953 to 1977.

In addition, he called boxing, wrestling and college sports.

Brickhouse was a pioneer in every way.

He's my pick for best announcer.

Hey!  Hey!  --Cooter

Looking Back: DeKalb County, Il., 50 Years Ago: 2nd Annual Sycamore Pumpkin Festival

OCTOBER 23, 1963

Sycamore's second annual Halloween Pumpkin Festival, sponsored by the Sycamore Lions Club, will be rewarded with an appearance  on a TV show, and in color, too.

Two of the children whose pumpkin exhibits are deemed worthy will be chosen Sunday evening, Oct. 27, to appear on the Top O' the Morning WGN-TV program in color on Monday morning, Oct. 28.  (Color TV a big deal back then.  OK, kids, get to carving those pumpkins!!  They still have the Pumpkin Festival in Sycamore.)

The Sycamore Halloween Pumpkin Festival will begin with a parade made up entirely different from that for the high school homecoming.  There will be few, if any, floats, but there may be some nerve-shattering costumes designed to scare the wits out of the timid or bring tummy-wobbling laughter.

(The parade is now probably the highlight of the festival and one of the biggest in northern Illinois.  It is held on the Sunday, the last day.)

Like, Boo!!  --DaCoot

No More Cubs on WGN

That is going to seem strange next year not to see the Cubs on either WGN Radio or TV.  I think old Jack Brickhouse would be turning over in his grave at this one.  No more "Hey, Hey, Hey!!"  And that goes for Harry Carey and "It Might be, it Could Be, It Is!  Home Run!!"

In 2015, Cub games move to CBS radio stations, including WBBM-AM (780).  The Cubs have also opted out of their WGN TV contract, looking to hit the jack-pot with regional TV broadcasts.

The Cubs pushed it, but WGN didn't fight it as they had been losing money on the Cubs for years as the team puts really inferior product on the field.

But, to me, it just isn't going to be the same.

Cubs, No WGN, What Next?  The Sox Start Pulling in the Fans?  --Cooter