Monday, October 19, 2009

Open Post - 10/19 through 10/25

58 comments:

Life's Too Short said...

If there are baseball gods, then the justice they mete out is both severe and long lasting — eighty eight years to be exact. Just ask the Chicago White Sox. Having fielded competitive teams in the first two decades of the 20th Century, the 1919 team intentionally lost the World Series in the infamous "Black Sox" scandal.

Charles Comiskey was both father and midwife to the White Sox franchise. A former player and manager, Comiskey purchased the minor league team in Sioux City, Iowa which he moved to St. Paul, Minnesota in 1895. When the National League (the only major league at the time) contracted by four teams in 1899, Comiskey moved the Saints to the South Side in 1900 where they played a final Minor League season in the Western League. An agreement with the Chicago National League franchise forbids his team the use of the name "Chicago", so the "White Stockings", a nickname used previously by the team that would become the Cubs, were born. Working actively with Ban Johnson, they successfully established the rival American League in 1901 and the moniker "White Stockings" would evolve into the condensed version "White Sox" a few years later.

The White Stockings first game was an 8-2 win over Cleveland on April 24, 1901. They wound up with the junior circuit's best record that first year at 83-53 but with the World Series not yet conceived, there was no post-season play.

The White Sox next reached the top in 1906, with a team dubbed the "Hitless Wonders" for their paltry batting average of .230. No regular hit higher than .279 and no one came close to shortstop George Davis' team-leading eighty runs batted in. What carried the day for this team was a wondrous pitching staff whose names may be forgotten by modern day fans, but were very familiar to hitters of their era. Frank Owen (22-13, 2.33), Nick Altrock (20-13, 2.06), Doc White (18-6, 1.52 to lead the league) and Ed Walsh (17-13, 1.88) combined for a team ERA of 2.13, led the Sox on a nineteen game win streak in August (eight of the wins by shutout), and overall, won twenty-nine one-run games.

The Sox won the pennant by three games and then upset their cross-town rival Cubs in the only all-Chicago World Series ever played. The Cubs had pillaged their way to one-hundred sixteen wins that year (a record that still stands) but averaged only 1.5 runs per game against Sox pitching.

After some lean years, Comiskey went on a spending spree that netted him two of the game's top hitters — "Shoeless" Joe Jackson from Cleveland and Eddie Collins from Philadelphia — and one of the game's best pitchers in Boston's Eddie Cicotte. Blending with home grown talent, the Sox won one-hundred games in 1917 (the only Sox team to reach the century win mark) and dispatched the New York Giants in six games to win their second world title. No one at the time would have believed this would be their last championship in the 20th Century.

The players who formed the solid core of the 1917 champions also formed the rotten core for the 1919 Black Sox. They won the pennant by three games over Cleveland but lost to an underdog Cincinnati Reds team in the World Series. Suspicions about how the Sox played simmered during the Series, but the lid didn't blow until the following August, when Eddie Cicotte admitted what the players had done, implicating himself, Jackson, fellow pitcher Lefty Williams, Chick Gandil, Swede Risberg, Buck Weaver, Oscar "Happy" Felsch, and utility infielder Fred Mc Mullin. When these other players also confessed, they were immediately suspended by Comiskey, and the Sox team, in first place on August 31, collapsed to second place. It should be noted that the 1920 team still managed to win ninety-six games and had four twenty game winners in Williams, Cicotte, Red Faber and Dickie Kerr.

Life's Too Short said...

The Black Sox were tried in Chicago and acquitted of all charges in 1921. This was not good enough for newly appointed Baseball Commissioner Kenesaw Mountain Landis, who despite the jury's verdict used the players' earlier confessions to ban them from major league baseball for life.

The pall of the Black Sox scandal hung over the franchise long after the participants departed. The Sox played dismal, second division baseball over the next three decades, becoming Chicago's second team behind the Cubs. The best they could offer was the chance to see Hall of Fame players such as Luke Appling, one of the great hitting shortstops of all time, and pitcher Ted Lyons.

Bill Veeck took the reins of ownership in 1959, transforming the Sox from the "no-no" team of 1919 to the "go-go" team of 1959. Using a dynamic running game (Luis Aparicio and MVP Nellie Fox were the instigators), stellar defense and a great pitching staff led by thirty-nine year old Early Wynn (22-10, 3.16), the Sox ended a forty year pennant drought, the longest seen in either league. They lost the World Series to the Los Angeles Dodgers in six games.

During the 1970's and 1980's, the White Sox brought Chicago some entertaining, if not always successful teams. They finally added power, known in 1977 as "The South Side Hitmen", to a lineup that for most of the century relied on contact hitters. The dearth of power and run producers in ChiSox history is evident in the fact that no White Sox outfielder in the 20th Century was elected to the Hall of Fame — a unique distinction for the franchise.

It was a trio of heavy hitters: Greg Luzinski, Carlton Fisk and Ron Kittle, all of whom hit at least twenty-five homers, that helped manager Tony LaRussa lead the Sox to the 1983 American League West title. The Sox also won back-to-back division titles in 1993-94 behind Frank Thomas (seventy-nine home runs in those two years) and Jack McDowell.

The baseball gods seemed to be angry at the White Sox stained legacy of 1919. They denied the team a World Championship for eighty-eight years, the longest drought in the American League — then the year of redemption arrived. The drought was over. Echoing the sentiments in Boston during the previous season's climax, generations of fans from all walks of life erupted in a jubilant celebration across the Windy City's south side after a 2005 World Championship. It was a win for the ages and the nineteenth four-game sweep in World Series history that gave the franchise its first World Championship title since 1917.

Life's Too Short said...

The Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team based in Chicago, Illinois. The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since 1991, the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans. The White Sox are one of two major league clubs based in Chicago, the other being the Chicago Cubs of the National League. The White Sox last won the World Series in 2005.

One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Chicago team was established as a major league baseball club in 1901. The club was originally called the Chicago White Stockings, after the nickname abandoned by the Cubs, and the name was soon shortened to Chicago White Sox. At this time, the team played their home games at South Side Park. In 1910, the team moved into historic Comiskey Park, which they would inhabit for more than eight decades.

The Chicago White Sox are most prominently nicknamed "the South Siders", differentiating them from the North Side Chicago Cubs. Other nicknames include "the Pale Hose", "the ChiSox", a combination of "Chicago" and "Sox" (as opposed to the BoSox), "the Go-Go Sox", a reference to 1959 AL champions, who got that nickname; "the Good Guys", a reference to the team's one-time motto "Good guys wear black", coined by Ken "Hawk" Harrelson; and "the Black Sox," the name attributed to the scandal-tainted 1919 team. Most fans refer to the team as simply "the Sox". The Spanish language media sometimes refer to the team as Medias Blancas for "White Stockings."

Life's Too Short said...

The White Sox won the A.L. Central Division Championship with 89 victories after concluding the regular season by beating three different teams on consecutive days.
10.5M fans attended White Sox games at U.S. Cellular Field since 2005.
2.6M fans attended White Sox games annually from 2005-2007.
An average of 32,360 fans per game attended White Sox games since 2005.
The White Sox sold 500,000 more tickets than the Chicago Bears, Blackhawks and Bulls COMBINED.
Nearly 32M fans attended games at U.S. Cellular Field and watched White Sox games on television.
In 2008, the White Sox led the Major Leagues in home runs with 234, and have lead the Major Leagues since 2000 with 1,970 home runs.
The White Sox enjoyed a 55% increase in television ratings from 2007.
The White Sox attracted over 34 million visitors to whitesox.com in 2008.
The White Sox have the 4th highest payroll in Major League Baseball for the 2008 season.
A Sports Illustrated poll measuring fans' satisfaction in March of 2008 ranked the White Sox #8 among all 30 Major League Baseball teams, ahead of such teams at the Cubs, Giants, Yankees, Red Sox, Dodgers and Mets.
In November 2008 when USA Today's Sports Weekly ranked the performance of the 30 Major League Baseball franchises over the 2004-2008 season in nine categories, the White Sox came out #6 overall.

Anonymous said...

Chuck, check out www.southwestobserver.com for a whole bunch of other news. Entertainment, activities, etc.

Or talk to someone at Mt. Greenwood Park. Plenty of activites there.

Anonymous said...

Fear not--That was lil Rich Daley, the emperor has no clothes--

Life's Too Short said...

Here is a two fer:

Monroe Park at 106th and Maplewood is where all the kids are hanging out now ... and here is the funny part, a ton of the kids who hung out at MG park are now hanging there. I have first hand knowledge of this and will get into details on the goings on there later. Nice Job by the 022nd District Park Car Officers Walker and Wrobel last night.
and of course ...

1913 - The Giants and White Sox, fortified with other players, start their world tour in Cincinnati. After a 31-game tour to Seattle, they will head for the Philippines, Australia, China and Japan

Keith Foulke was born on Thursday, October 19, 1972, in Ellsworth AFB, South Dakota and wasthe White Sox closer from 1997 - 2002

168 Days to Opening Day !!!!

M.A. said...

Chuck,
Go to the Bapa website: www.bapa.org and the 19th ward website: www.19thwarddemocrats.com and register for their email updates they are filled with things to do and places to go. Pick up the Beverly Review for local event and news info. Check out www.beverlymorganpark.net for restaurant and local news and info. Watch out for CWWW's, Chubby Wifflebat Weilding White kids!
Welcome to the neighborhood!

Anonymous said...

Was this a weird Halloween Prank? Do they have a silver balloon in their backyard?

Anonymous said...

Chuck C,
That is probably the funniest thing I have heard in a long time!
Are you sure it wasnt some short chubby guys that hang out at TR"S?

Anonymous said...

Chuck,
You can sign your kids up for Learn to Skate at Southwest Ice Arena in Crestwood. Hockey is a fun sport and you meet a lot of nice parents. My kids have been skating for over 6 years and the winters fly by because we are always on the go. A new session should be starting soon. Your son is the perfect age to learn to ice skate. It's hard to learn when they are 10 or 11 years old.

inandaround60655 said...

*** Please remember never to list names, phone numbers or addresses of private citizens. If you do, your comment will not be posted.****

SC Football Fan said...

Hey are they still angry with the QM coach and his water bottles?

Anonymous said...

AAh to be young again and be able to run around naked..

Anonymous said...

SC Football Fan said...
Hey are they still angry with the QM coach and his water bottles?

October 19, 2009 10:37 PM


Don't think so - What's going on with all the drama with SC football?

Life's Too Short said...

: In connection with Chicago hosting the World's Fair Chicago Tribune editor Arch Ward proposed setting up a Major League "Game of the Century" involving the best player of each league facing each other. Baseball's owners were reluctant at first, but Ward was able to persuade the owners and the game was held on July 6th at Comiskey Park. The American League was managed by legendary manger Connie Mack, while John McGraw who was so excited about the All-Star concept that he agreed to come out of retirement just to manage the game headed the National League up. The AL would win the game 4-2 as Babe Ruth hit the game's lone Home Run. The game drew so much attention that owners who were once reluctant decide to make it an annual event and the All-Star Game was born. However, it was not a stellar year for the White Sox, who finished in 6th place with a record of 67-83.

167 Days to Opening Day !!!!

Concerned said...

Did anyone read the front page of the Tribune this morning about the neighbors who patrol to protect their neighborhood? Why can't we get this together for Mt. Greenwood Park? Now is the time.

Anonymous said...

How about that new golf course at the ag school? I walked my dogs by there this morning. It's beautiful. Those kids were working on it for the past two summers. I've never golfed before, but I might try it now.

60s St Denis Grad said...

With all the hoopla about the Olympics, I re-read a really good book recently. If you want an excellent read with a lot of history about Chicago, get "Devil in the White City."

The location Daley picked for the Olympics was on some of the same grounds that the 1893 World's Fair was held.

The book covers how a mass murderer operated during the World's Fair, but it's also about the people who created the World's Fair while facing tremendous challenges.

You'll never look at the Rookery (in the Loop), the Midway (on U of C's campus) or the grounds around the Museum of Science and Industry the same way again.

inandaround60655 said...

Denis grad...I was just talking about that book...I keep meaning to pick it up at the library. I heard it was wonderful..

Another book with Chicago roots that is really good is "The Jungle" by Upton Sinclair. It takes place in Bridgeport and the Back of the Yards. This book is what caused the government to start the Food and Drug Administration.

Anonymous said...

Another good Chicago book:
Cumpulsion. That's the story of Leopold and Loeb - the trial of the century. Two UofC brilliant bad boys kill a teenage for the thrill of it - in 1924. Great read.

Anonymous said...

"Devil in the White City"-- I was at Bookies a few weeks ago and saw this, along with several others based in Chicago. They have an entire shelf dedicated to local stories and local writers. I was there for "Babysitters Club" books for my little ones and didn't indulge myself, but it was quite a selection. And a neighborhood business, to boot!

Anonymous said...

Swine Flu-
I heard yesterday that St. Christina has two confirmed cases and two other likely to be confirmed cases. Here it comes, Mt. Greenwood! Get some chicken soup ready and keep an eye on your little ones.

Anonymous said...

Ok, there is a bulldozer on 111th and Sawyer sitting on rocks. Is this MGLRC way of saying "coming soon"? I know....Mount Greenwood, the part of the city that moves at a snails pace. Maybe Oprah can help us! LOL

Anonymous said...

Ummmm... what are the City's Alderman giving back to help Chicago's budget crisis? 24 unpaid days off? Paycut? Cut expense accounts? No No No No Nothing. Why did we vote for them again?

Anonymous said...

Multi Home Garage Sale
Friday, October 23rd 8am to 4pm
106th block of Trumbull




Hope this is the correct spot on your site for posting Garage Sales

cupcakemom1111 said...

13 confirmed cases of swine flu at Br. Rice...none in hospital

Anonymous said...

Does anyone know what the "Offense involving children" from web site every block is talking about? It says it happened on the 10300 block of albany????

Anonymous said...

Anonymous said...

Does anyone know what the "Offense involving children" from web site every block is talking about? It says it happened on the 10300 block of albany????


Maybe the naked pooping whiffle ball kid worked his way over to Albany.

Anonymous said...

The "offense involving children" was nothing. Don't worry about it.

Anonymous said...

Hey Chuck! I skate. I can help you and your little one learn to skate, too. Yeah, baby!

Anonymous said...

When was the last time the St. Christina football dudes went over and really helped out with the young German across the street? huh?

i can't believe it's taken this long for any of that stuff to come to light - especially when the alderman and all her ag school helpers keep running lights and pushing over the bags.

Seriously is there any decency left? huh?

Anonymous said...

@1:00
What are you talking about? Who are you talking to? German guy? huh? What bags are pushed over? Who from the ag school running lights? Man, you are just too cryptic.

Anonymous said...

I don't understand what 1:00 is talking about. Football dudes not helping a German, alderwoman and ag school helpers going through lights and knocking over bags.
What are you trying to say?

Anonymous said...

It happened off of 110th!!!

Anonymous said...

Flu shots? Swine flu shots? Thoughts, concerns, conspiracy theories?

Anonymous said...

RE: Anonymous said...
Flu shots? Swine flu shots? Thoughts, concerns, conspiracy theories?

October 22, 2009 8:27 PM
*******************************************************
I JUST GOT THIS FROM A FRIEND OF MINE YESTERDAY AND MY DOCTOR SAYS IT'S SOUND ADVICE. EVERYTHING ELSE I'VE BEEN HEARING IS PRETTY MUCH 50/50.....SO WHO KNOWS!

Subject: Swine Flu Prevention

Dr. Vinay Goyal is an MBBS,DRM,DNB (Intensivist and Thyroid
specialist) having clinical experience of over 20 years. He has worked in institutions like Hinduja Hospital, Bombay Hospital, Saifee Hospital, Tata Memorial etc. Presently, he is heading our Nuclear Medicine Department and Thyroid clinic at Riddhivinayak Cardiac and Critical Centre, Malad.

The following message given by him, I feel makes a lot of sense and is important for all to know the only portals of entry are the nostrils and mouth/throat.

In a global epidemic of this nature, it's almost impossible to avoid coming into contact with H1N1 in spite of all precautions. Contact with H1N1 is not so much of a problem as proliferation is.

While you are still healthy and not showing any symptoms of H1N1 infection, in order to prevent proliferation, aggravation of symptoms and development of secondary infections, some very simple steps, not fully highlighted in most official communications, can be practiced (instead of focusing on how to stock N95 or Tamiflu):

1. Frequent hand-washing (well highlighted in all official communications).

2. "Hands-off-the-face" approach. Resist all temptations to touch any part of face (unless you want to eat, bath or slap).

3. *Gargle twice a day with warm salt water (use Listerine if you don't trust salt). *H1N1 takes 2-3 days after initial infection in the throat/ nasal cavity to proliferate and show characteristic symptoms. Simple gargling prevents proliferation. In a way, gargling with salt water has the same effect on a healthy individual that Tamiflu has on an infected one. Don't underestimate this simple, inexpensive and powerful preventative method.

4. Similar to 3 above, *clean your nostrils at least once every day with warm salt water. *Not everybody may be good at Jala Neti or Sutra Neti (very good Yoga asanas to clean nasal cavities), but *blowing the nose hard once a day and swabbing both nostrils with cotton buds dipped in warm salt water is very effective in bringing down viral population.*

5. *Boost your natural immunity with foods that are rich in Vitamin C (Amla and other citrus fruits). *If you have to supplement with Vitamin C tablets, make sure that it also has Zinc to boost absorption.

Anonymous said...

Devil in the White City was a hit oh, about a DECADE AGO! Ever heard of a new novel called THE SCARLET LETTER??? OR WHAT ABOUT JANE ADAMS??? MY GOD! No wonder people think we actually drive our houses to work! Thanks, Willie Lohman, for letting the intellectuals actually know how dull we are down here...

Anonymous said...

My daughter who is in 8th grade at Mt. Greenwood said they all have to apply to Agg School (form which I did sign) in case they were not accepted into the (Catholic) H.S. they tested for. If the Agg School does not accept her and the H.S. does not either...what am I supposed to do? Due to the fact all the Catholic H.S. have their tests on the same day so you have to choose?

Anonymous said...

Please don't be worried about your daughter not getting into the High School of her choice. Enrollment is down in the Catholic schools because of the economy and there has not been waiting lists in quite a few years. As for the Ag school all of Mt. Greenwood students that had a 5 stanine and a C average in 7th grade were admitted last year. Your daughter will do fine. Just enjoy her last year of elementry school

Anonymous said...

Sure hope the alderwomen Rugai allows the snow fence around Mt. Greenwood Park so we have access to the streets. She has stopped it in the past because it cost too much, but put it up during election time because some voters asked for it. Tell her this time, no fence, no vote, EVER AGAIN...

Concerned said...

Anonymous,

I hope your daughter gets into the Ag School and that you put the money you would have spent on tuition in an account for college. The Ag School is a great learning environment. Just go and meet the principal once and you'll want your daughter there.

Anonymous said...

The Catholic tests have never been the same, but who knows about the Ag School ... curious goings on over there.

Boatmen and showmen alike never met a prep test they couldn't pass but then again, look who's talking.

We're all up in each other's swine flu business when we should be talking about real issues man. Then when they get together on the same day its likec theres nobody really paying attention to the real problems of the ward. TRs? I don't tihnk so. Corrigan's yeah maybe but it's never been the same since the test back in 1994.

And you never heard of it? Crazy? I don't think so man.

Anonymous said...

I read dozens of books a year, but somehow never got to Devil in White City. It was on my list, but never got to it. Thanks for the reminder!

MrsShrek said...

To Anonymous,October 23, 2009 11:31 AM

Just how much pot do you smoke?

Anonymous said...

LOL! Mrs Shrek I just read that post and thought the same exact thing! When I got to yours I LMAO!!!!!! You took the words right out of my mouth.

Anonymous said...

There was a very good article about the Ag school on the Huffington Post last month if anyone is interested..

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jane-dwyre-garton/agriculture-high-school-h_b_121427.html

Anonymous said...

Actually that Huffington Post article was in September of 2008 - sorry

Teechur said...

Anonymous said...
Devil in the White City was a hit oh, about a DECADE AGO! Ever heard of a new novel called THE SCARLET LETTER??? OR WHAT ABOUT JANE ADAMS??? MY GOD! No wonder people think we actually drive our houses to work! Thanks, Willie Lohman, for letting the intellectuals actually know how dull we are down here...

October 23, 2009 12:09 AM

The Bible was a hit centuries ago, but guess what? A lot of people still haven't read it.

As for being an intellectual, "The Devil in the White City" was published 5 years ago. If you had a copy of it, you could have looked it up.

A good book is a good book, whether it was published yesterday or 500 years ago. Sorry you are so dull but don't go around showing everyone, it's not good for your self-image.

J.O.B. said...

Bravo teechur, I too was thinking about how shi##y that reply was. Especially due to the fact, that the origanal poster was just trying to share some info about a book he/she just read.

So anonymous- How about you pack up your library, and your expresso maker into your Prius. Go ahead and move up to Andersonville, Lincoln Park, or even Boys town. I will not judge. Plus you would be surrounded by more intelligent, culturally signifigant, free thinking individuals, as yourself. The neanderthals will be just fine without you.

Anonymous said...

Hey, don't pick on the Prius owners! We aren't all snobs. I bought mine as an "up yours" to the oil companies.

Anonymous said...

Hey Prius Owner:

Did you know that lead acid and gel-cell batteries loose 2% of their capacity a month, just a law of physics. Also remember, that after 4.5 years or so the batteries in your hybrid will hold little if any charge and therefore won’t yield the mileage by which you tell the oil companies "up yours".

And now for the punch line, it costs $2,500-$7,000 to replace the batteries in a hybrid so it gets the high gas mileage it was advertised with the year it was sold new. Just a little something the dealer doesn’t tell you when you buy it. What is the payoff for the high gas mileage? Is there one considering the cost.

A little message from those of us that work on your car.


HYDROGEN IS THE ONLY WAY TO GO!

Anonymous said...

So who says you have to read a book when everybody else is reading it? Thanks, Devil in White City guy!

I'll look for it.

And by the way, jerk, Jane Adams was a socialist who built Hull House, a famous Chicago institution. Not an author. Clearly, you are NOT an intellectual or a reader, so don't make fun of other people who are. Glass houses and all that.

Anonymous said...

Hybrids & hull houses - doesnt matter. Who's the devil in the white city now, boys?

Anonymous said...

Hey "HYDROGEN IS THE ONLY WAY TO GO!"

Went to a presentation recently where an Argonne guy was talking about fuel cell technology and how it'll strip the H2 out of H2O and burn the hydrogen and discharge the O into the atmosphere.

When asked "After 100+ years of using fossil fuel, now that we are experiencing shortages, why of all things would you pick water as the fuel source? After all, we CAN live without oil, but without water, all life on earth will perish".

He said we'd deal with that when the time comes.

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the Hybrid battery info. Thats good info to know. Along that line, I have an 8 yr warranty on the battery. Hopefully they will honor it when my battery dies after 4.
I am still getting 47 miles to the gallon in the summer with the air on 2years after purchase. I like that, so my "up yours" is still good so far. The thing they didn't mention when I purchased is that I get approximately 11 miles less per gallon in the winter. 36 mpg is still good, but slightly disappointing.
I keep my cars at least 8 years so unless I have to pay for a new battery I will recoup my extra expense for the hybrid.
When will they make a hybrid minivan? They already have Escalades and Tahoes. Heck, GM doesn't even produce minivans any longer.

Anonymous said...

FYI

Her name is Jane Addams. Spelled with two "d's". She was a social worker not a socialist :)

J.O.B. said...

I think the Tampa cover 2 is wonderful. Go Bears?

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