58 years is enough!

[Knox The Hatter]

Let's see...
The last time Wrigley Field hosted a World Series-

* the President of the United States was former Missouri Democratic Senator Harry S. Truman, who attained the office in April of that year upon the death of Franklin Roosevelt. Nine presidents ago.

* A new Chevy cost around $1,100...that is, if one could be obtained. The nation's economy hadn't converted to a peacetime one, yet, and the factories were just getting the car tooling ready to go. Unfortunately, car prices would zoom through the roof shortly thereafter.

* Most working class stiffs could expect a salary of approximately $40-$60 a week, but this would rise with post-war inflation.

* The Interstate Highway System was well off into the future, although portions of the Pennsylvania Turnpike were already in operation. In Chicago, of course, morning traffic jams on the Stevenson were far off into the future as well.

* There were no suburban subdivisions as of yet, although Mr. Levitt was just getting started with his first one on Long Island.

* The big hit sounds on the radio in the summer that had just ended included the Andrews Sisters with "Rum and Coca Cola".

* Occupied Germany lay in complete ruins, however, the employees of one renowned German company looked at the rubble of their factories in Stuttgart, sighed, and said, "Ha! Watch US". Within eighteen months, Daimler-Benz AG had brand new 1.7 liter Mercedes-Benzes leaving said factory.

* Humphrey Bogart, Danny Kaye, Bette Davis, and Jimmy Stewart were Big Box Office.

* The Chicago Tribune, under the aegis of McCormick/Patterson axis, was still the most powerful GOP organ in the United States.

* Richard Daley was still an up and coming young Democratic hopeful...

and in Wrigley Field, the Chicago Cubs, then in the Indian Summer of their tenure as one of the premier competitive clubs in the National League, got set to play in the World Series, their pre-war stars having just removed their military uniforms, as was the case with their opponents, the Detroit Tigers.

That they haven't appeared since is nothing short of a crime, really. However, the reality is that they're two games away from doing so once again. May it happen.

 

[venray]

Here's to the World Series between the Sox and the Cubs!

Damned to all curses!

Ray

 

[amk714]

A Cubs-Sox WS would be so cool! One team would be rid of a curse, and the other one would...oh well, one out of two ain't bad. 😛

 

[Knox The Hatter]

There is only...

ONE

more left to win, and it's World Series time on the North Side. They might get to Zambrano, but then Prior's waiting in the wings.
I'm having a lotta fun with this. My own prima-donna wimp team hasn't been in it for so long...it's nice going through the emotional ups and downs again.
Go Cubbies.

 

[amk714]

The Cubs are almost sure to win now. As for the Red Sox-Yankees series, I want Boston to win, but it would also be nice to see Chicago kick NY's ass. 😀

 

[Knox The Hatter]

Actually, I've been remiss, I should've added this one to the thread starter:
In October of 1945, the man who would literally be the icon for the Chicago Cubs in the second half of the twentieth century was merely a fourteen year old boy growing up in Dallas. Even though Branch Rickey's paving the way for Jackie Robinson's debut was only eighteen months later, I'm sure that this young man's dreams of playing in the Majors could only have been hazy, and possibly quite mad.
I'm also certain that the the ceremonial first pitch at any Series game in Wrigley Field would be thrown by the now seventy two year old Ernie Banks. That certainly would be a sight to behold. There aren't many people who have waited longer than Ernie Banks...

 

[natural tickler]

Cubs win! Cubs win!

😀

don't worry, Knox. The Cubs will win. Bank on it. I don't see anybody dominating our pitching staff, and the scary part is they're only gonna get better. a more consistent offense, and you have a dynasty on your hands. the date: October 14, 2003 the place: Wrigley Field. The reason: celebrating a trip to the World Series. And Knox, who knows, there might be a good number of bleacher bum victims for you to tickle😉

 

[giantfan121262]

I watch much to my chagrin the eight run eigth inning.

Don't worry, Wood will shut them down and they will break the curse of the billy goat.

I have to admit I will have a hard time with this. I would pull for the Yanks (yes, the Yanks will win tomorrow) being from the NY area, but, as a baseball fan, how could you not root for a team that hasn't won a world series in almost a century?

 

[Darkknight]

Come on!!

DAMN IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Stupid fan! How can you not move out of the way in your own ballpark to let Moises make the catch?!?!?

I am going to bed in deep frustration.
I will regain my hope when I wake up.

Enough of this curse.

DK

p.s.- YOU STUPID IDIOT FAN!!!! Argh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[natural tickler]

I say we find this idiot fan, and let all the female lers' of this forum tickle him till he dies!!! I was a few blocks away from Wrigley Field, and i forgot my sniper's rifle for cases such as this.


Now that i"m calm, i am pretty sure Kerry Wood will dominate once again and we all will be eating prime Marlin tonight

 

[Darkknight]

Game's about to start....

Come on Kerry, let's bring some long time fans some happiness.

Here's to a win tonight boys (and Chi-town gals).

Go Cubs!

Logging off and anticipating my childhood baseball fan dreams to come true...

DK

 

[the_Baron]

knox, baby, what happened? this is the first let down of the campaign. lets hope the sox (rhymes with knox) will finish the thugs from the bronx.

 

[natural tickler]

No, Baron, the Yankees must win so that the Sox fans can stay in misery just like the Cubbies (well, at least for one more year!!)

 

[Deleted member 2452]

the ball was out of play!

what i find idiotic is all the anger directed toward a fan who only stood up, and tried to catch a ball that was right at him!!!
how about all the other fans that also tried to catch the ball, do we hang them too?

in todays sports section of the daily herald there is a picture of the sceen. alou had no chance to catch the ball. if you want to lay blame, instead of giving credit to the marlins, blame sosa, and company for not getting enough runs, and for making errors!

as it's all over now, and the flubs have chocked once again, i'd like to gongradulate the marlins on a good job, they won.
steve

 

[natural tickler]

sorry to disappoint again, but...

Steve, you obviously didn't look at the replays good enough. if you look again, look at the timing of Alou's jump, and look where the glove is, and where the hand gets in the way. The catch could have easily been made had that idiot stayed out the way. I hope the Marlins paid that asshole good enough to keep a city depressed for about 4 months. For his sake it better have been worth it

 

[Darkknight]

Move from the past Steve.
This Cub team is not like the others. You'll see and when you do, please find a different bandwagon to jump on.
The wheels fell off mine this season, too much weight from all the "new" fans.

DK

 

[Deleted member 2452]

ok, a little explanation.

i was rooting for the flubs. not cause i love them, and my life rises and sets in sammy sosa's ass. but i was pulling for them to win. why? because my long suffering father deserves a break brfore he dies. my father is gravely ill, and how much it ment to him, for the cubs to win ,made me hope for a cub victory over the marlins.

don't worry darknight, i won't be jumping on any band wagon. i had enough of the cubs after they let mark grace go. i'm a sox fan, if any. i was a diamond back fan for a while, but now that grace has retired, there's not connection. sides, there's no need to worry, the cubs are going to loose big next year, that's their pattern. this team is no different, they rolled over and played dead when it counted.

n.t. get a copy of the pic from the daily herald. it was shot from along the wall, and gives an amazing view of the action. i too saw re-play, after re-play, and i still think he was too far away to make the catch. the guy has received so many death threates that even mayor daley in chicago has told the media it's their fault, and that if anything happens to the guy they are to blame for publishing his name, address, and place of employeement.

geez, it's a freaking kids game, being ruined by a bunch of cry-baby millionaire players. so let's have some perspective!

steve

 

[natural tickler]

well said, Steve. you're right it's a kid's game, but can you blame us for being passionate and emotional? geez, it's been 95 years since joyful bliss was in Wrigleyville. so pardon us if we're a little ticked off. Besides, if that guy has to leave because he can't take the heat, well, he's not much of a man is he? just my 2 cents

 

[giantfan121262]

remember Jeffrey Maier??

This situation is no different than in 1996 when Jeffrey Maier reached over the right field wall to catch a ball that Tony Torasco was waiting to make the play on.

the only difference is that Jeffrey Maier was a hero cuz it gave the Yanks two runs and tied the score in a game the Yanks would eventually win. The ump blew the call because after seeing the replay ten times over, it was clear that he reached over the wall to catch the ball. He was getting the same publicity and media exposure but obviously in a different light. Steve Bartman is villified because it prolonged the at bat and.... well... you saw the rest. I think the media and announcers completely blew this out of proportion. Hell, the guy is living in exile as we speak.

If he needs to move, I'm sure he would be welcome in Miami.

Steve, BTW, on a more somber note. My thoughts go out to your father. My father has been dead since 1993 and I still miss him tremendously, to this day. I was extremely close with him and this will be a void which will be with me for the rest of my life. If you need to speak, the door is open.

 

[Deleted member 2452]

thank you giantfan, i'll send you a p.m.

the guy was sitting in his seat.the ball came right to him. of course he's going to try to ccatch it. a dozen others also tried!
and all were/are life long cub fans.

the guy has been offered to stay at a hotel chain for 3 months down in florida. if i were him, i'd take it.

yes n.t. i can understand. i was a cub fan till mark grace left. some of my family are BIG cub fans, my in-laws are fanatics! they are season ticket holders! so yes i do sympathsize. i do think we need to put the whole thing in perspective though, i mean hell not one of the cubs is even from the chicago area! no home town loyalties there.
steve

 

[natural tickler]

very true Steve, and also hoping your father pulls through. However giantfan, this situation is a little different. This one play snowballed into a momentum situation ofr the Marlins. I could see if we were in miami, but for God's sake this was a home game!! The rules at home is simple: stay the hell out the way until you are for sure the player can't catch it. that's all we're saying

 

[giantfan121262]

you are absolutely right N T. The rules at home for the home team is get the fuck out of the way and give him a chance.

I was talking about the media coverage and how all blown out of proportion it got.

Your point is very well taken and thanks for bringing it to light