Results tagged ‘ Ron Santo ’
2/27 Toast Harry & Ron on Tuesday
The 13th annual worldwide toast to Harry Caray will be Tuesday at 5:55 p.m. CT with a special tribute to Ron Santo. Leading the toasts at Harry Caray’s restaurant on Kinzie Street in downtown Chicago will be Cubs chairman Tom Ricketts, Ron Santo Jr., former Bears player Richard Dent and Dutchie Caray.
– Carrie Muskat
2/25 Cubs notebook – UPDATED
Here’s the Cubs lineup for Sunday’s Cactus League opener:
RF Fukudome
SS Castro
CF Byrd
3B Ramirez
1B Pena
LF Soriano
C Soto
2B DeWitt
P Zambrano
Manager Mike Quade says Fukudome appears to be favorite to leadoff, even though last year he hit .193 in 181 at-bats in the No. 1 spot in the lineup. He has a career .233 average as the leadoff man. What Quade is looking at is that Fukudome has a career .335 average in the first month of the season. What was Fukudome’s take on leading off?
“I don’t hate it,” he said, smiling.
Quade didn’t lose any sleep over the winter thinking about lineups.
“I might commit suicide if I find myself in the middle of a bunch of trout or redfish someday and all of a sudden I’m thinking who’s my third hole hitter — there’s plenty of time for that,” Quade said.
* Angel Guzman will face hitters on Wednesday with a live BP session. It will be the first time since the 2009 season. He will throw his fourth side session on Sunday. Guzman is coming back from right shoulder surgery.
* The Cubs moved to HoHoKam Park after Friday’s workout. They will practice there Saturday — no intrasquad game — and then kick off games on Sunday.
* Friday was Billy and Shirley Williams’ 51st wedding anniversary, and their granddaughter Nicollete Simpson’s 21st birthday. She starred at Glenbard South, and now is an outfielder on the University of Illinois softball team.
* Friday also would’ve been Ron Santo’s 71st birthday. RIP.
– Carrie Muskat
2/24 Hughes preps for life without Santo
On Sunday, Pat Hughes will begin his 16th season as the radio play by play voice of the Cubs but for the first time, he’ll have a new partner. Hughes begins his first season without popular color man Ron Santo, who died Dec. 3 at the age of 70. Friday would’ve been Santo’s 71st birthday.
“The reality is hitting me this week,” Hughes said.
Former Cub Keith Moreland takes over for Santo in the WGN Radio booth, and makes his debut on Sunday when the team opens Cactus League play against the Athletics. Hughes has worked with Moreland in the past, including two series last year.
“I said, ‘You be yourself and relax,’” Hughes said Wednesday night of his advice to Moreland, who was broadcasting University of Texas baseball and football. “[I told him] ‘I’ll try to make you a star and make you shine.’”
That’s always been one of Hughes’ strongest characteristics on air. He never tried to top Santo and his passion. He’s been a steady voice, letting the emotional Santo show his displeasure or glee at plays on the field.
Santo played for the Cubs from 1960-73, and joined the WGN Radio team in 1990. The Cubs retired his No. 10 in September 2003, and players this year will wear a No. 10 patch on their uniform sleeve in his honor. The 2011 media guide features a montage of Santo highlights from his days as a player and broadcaster.
Hughes has asked fans to be patient with Moreland. No one can replace Santo.
“I really do think we’ll be OK,” Hughes said.
He joked that the pressure really is on Cubs manager Mike Quade and the players.
“The best [Moreland] and I can hope for is a winning team,” Hughes said. “If we’re winning, people will think we’re doing a better job than we are.”
– Carrie Muskat
2/18 Cubs to salute Santo, Mesa
The Cubs will pay tribute to late broadcaster Ron Santo and host a pair of special days at Spring Training games to thank Mesa voters for their support last fall of Proposition 420 to keep the Cubs in the city.
It will be “Ron Santo Day” on March 10 when the Cubs play host to the Indians at HoHoKam Park. Santo passed away Dec. 2, and this will be one of many tributes to the former Cubs third baseman and broadcaster.
Mesa Little Leaguers, campaign supporters and volunteers will receive special pre-game recognition at a pair of games this spring as thanks for their help passing the measure to authorize financing for a new Cubs Spring Training facility in the city. On Feb. 27, the Cubs’ Cactus League opener against the Athletics, it will be “Mesa Little League Day.” The team will host 400 Little Leaguers and their parents, and include young ballplayers in on-field activities prior to the game.
The Cubs also will recognize supporters and volunteers at “Thank You Mesa Day” on March 7 when the Cubs face the Angels.
– Carrie Muskat
2/9 Hughes waits for new radio partner
The first WGN Radio broadcast of a Cubs’ Spring Training game will be Feb. 27, but the wait continues for the station and the team to announce a new broadcaster to succeed Ron Santo. Pat Hughes will begin his 16th season as the Cubs’ play-by-play man, but first without Santo, who died Dec. 3. Keith Moreland and Dave Otto were reportedly the finalists for the job.
“It’s going to be a different atmosphere and call,” Hughes told the Chicago Sun-Times. “I still miss [Santo], and I will every day for the rest of my life. He was a big part of my life and my family’s life.”
WGN Radio officials have stated the obvious — that they will name someone before the first game, which is the Cubs’ Cactus League opener. Hughes does have a message for devoted followers of the Pat and Ron Show.
“Please, please give the new guy a chance and let us grow as a team,” Hughes said. “It’s almost like it will be for new manager Mike Quade. In my mind, it’s the same. Let them have a chance to be themselves. They’ll make mistakes — we all do. But give them a chance.”
– Carrie Muskat
1/15 Remembering Ronnie
The Grand Ballroom at the Hilton Chicago was packed Saturday as Hall of Famers Ernie Banks, Billy Williams and Fergie Jenkins, plus Randy Hundley, Jose Cardenal, Glenn Beckert, and Milt Pappas shared stories about Ron Santo. There were lots of laughs during the hour-long segment, clearly the most popular of all the events at the Cubs Convention. Beckert said when he first joined the Cubs, he was thrilled to learn he would room with Santo on the road. ”About a year later, I found out nobody else on the team wanted to room with him,” Beckert said.
Banks recalled Santo’s competitive spirit, saying “Billy would hit a home run and Ronnie would want to hit a home run.”
“He was like a brother to me,” Banks said. “I always think about him — he’s my friend.”
Santo died Dec. 3 from bladder cancer. He was 70. The Cubs will honor him with a No. 10 patch on their uniforms and also dedicate a bronze statue outside Wrigley Field.
– Carrie Muskat
1/14 Opening night
Kerry Wood received the loudest ovation at Friday’s opening ceremonies at the Cubs Convention at the Hilton Chicago. The right-hander, back after signing a one-year, $1.5 million deal, was introduced last among the current Cubs. The late Ron Santo also was cheered. His playing career and broadcast career were highlighted during the season in review video that was shown in the grand ballroom. Cubs chairman Tom Ricketts said the team would announce Saturday how it plans to celebrate Santo this coming season.
– Carrie Muskat
1/14 Cubs Convention schedule
Are you headed to the Cubs Convention this weekend? Here’s the schedule for Saturday and Sunday seminars at the Hilton Chicago:
Saturday
* The Ricketts Family Forum. Tom, Pete, Laura and Todd Ricketts will answer questions about the Wrigley renovation plans, the state of the team, and the possibility of a Ron Santo statue.
* Meet Cubs Management. It’s your turn to ask GM Jim Hendry and manager Mike Quade questions about player moves. What do they do with all the pitchers? Who will lead off? Greg Maddux was scheduled to attend but he had to cancel because of a family emergency and will not attend the convention.
* Pitching Evolution. New pitching coach Mark Riggins plus Kerry Wood, Andrew Cashner, Randy Wells, Jeff Samardzija, and Sean Marshall will take the podium.
* Future of Cubs Facilities. Team president Crane Kenny and others will discuss Wrigley Field, the Mesa, Ariz., Spring Training project and the Dominican Republic academy.
* For Kids Only. This is always entertaining. Marlon Byrd, Justin Berg, Casey Coleman, Blake DeWitt and Carlos Pena will take questions.
* The “Q Factor:” This will be Quade’s first chance to deal with the fans as the Cubs manager. He’s been prepped this week with questions during the Cubs Caravan.
* Battery Talk: Geovany Soto and Koyie Hill will discuss the relationship with the pitchers along with Carlos Zambrano and Tom Gorzelany.
* On the Road with No. 10: WGN Radio’s Pat Hughes will join Cory Provus, Andy Masur and Judd Sirott to talk about Ron Santo.
* Meet Cubs Business Management: Kenney, marketing chief Wally Hayward and others will discuss plans for Wrigley and beyond.
* Remembering Ronnie: Santo’s former teammates will share stories. Ernie Banks, Billy Williams, Fergie Jenkins, Glenn Beckert, Randy Hundley, Jose Cardenal and Milt Pappas are scheduled to attend.
* Dominican Way of Life: Aramis Ramirez, Carlos Pena and Starlin Castro will discuss baseball in the Dominican Republic.
Sunday
* The 25 Club: Tyler Colvin, Darwin Barney, Scott Maine and James Russell talk about being young Cubs in Chicago.
* Down on the Farm: Player development director Oneri Fleita and scouting director Tim Wilken will discuss the farm system.
– Carrie Muskat
1/12 Cubs radio update
The Cubs and WGN Radio will not announce Ron Santo’s replacement as color analyst at the weekend Cubs Convention. Interviews are currently being conducted and an announcement was expected sometime before Spring Training games begin.
Santo died Dec. 3 at the age of 70. The Cubs will celebrate him during the Convention in a seminar called “Remembering Ronnie,” to be held Saturday at the Hilton Chicago. Hall of Famers Ernie Banks, Billy Williams and Fergie Jenkins plus Glenn Beckert, Randy Hundley, Milt Pappas and Jose Cardenal will share some of stories about their teammate.
Who will take over for Santo? It most likely will not be Mark Grace or Rick Sutcliffe, two fan favorites. Grace is currently an analyst for the Diamondbacks and does work for FOX TV, while Sutcliffe signed a new contract with ESPN. The Cubs and WGN Radio are looking for a former Cubs player to do the job, but they want someone who can commit to the full 162-game schedule.
– Carrie Muskat
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