Catalina Cubs
Mass adoration for a team that hasn't won in over a hundred years...what?...a century...what?...the adorable, lovable losers...da Cubbies...people coming out everywhere...proudly wearing their Cub gear...I remember when Cris and I went to spring training in the desert...Cactus League...and by no means at all, the greatest amount of fans in the area...were them dudes from Chicago...or, those wearing the stuff...
Did you know?...they used to do their spring training on the tiny little island off the coast of LA?...Catalina...what?...here's your history lesson for the day...this dude William Wrigley, Jr...yup, that one...he who made a spearmint on the chewing gum for the USA and, frankly, everywhere...was part owner of da Cubbies, purchased in gulp...1916!...he then took over majority ownership shortly thereafter...
Wrigley had a pad in Pasadena...you know, where they have the infamous "Rose Parade"...duh...found this beat up and dilapidated island called Catalina...bought it...redid it and moved his team there in 1921...what?...Avalon...yesseree bob, that's where they did their learning of the game, Cub's style...until 1951!...they took some time off for the damned World War II...as the military said they needed it...but as soon as the war was over, back went da Cubbies...
Just part of the allure of this team...my old friend Shink, is the first I knew of that had this passion for these perennial losers...in fact, forever, I thought they had won their fair share of titles...you see, being from the PNW, you mostly fantasize about big league play...you didn't get to see them live unless you traveled far and wide...mine?...I liked Rocco Colavito...and was originally a Cleve fan...hmmm, they didn't win much either...
Many years after, we happened on a game in Oakland...and lo and behold...the 1st base coach of the team playing, the Detroit Tigers...was Colavito...I digress...this is about da Cubbies, Horse...so now...how did game 2 of the World Series go?...
A resounding W for the visitors...still at a horrific pace...over 4 hours...the Cleveland pitcher took forever to deliver his throws...anyway, da Cubbies got it...and now the set goes to Chicago...for the next 3...one game at a time kids...one game at a time...(you happy now, Shink?)
Elsewhere...
You think that the Prez race is over?...nope...tightening up...hmmm, reminds me of the song..."Tighten Up"...hi every body, I'm Archie Bell and the Drells, from Houston Texas...one of my favs...circa 1968...anyway...the polls have the Prez contest closer and closer....Halloween and skeletons seem to dominate the airwaves and the webnet for these two candidates...right?...
Shown down here are all the Lake Show games...the new HC Luke Walton...has put a faster pace to their strategy...but oh my, some of the worst D I have ever seen...layups abound...but...they did beat the Beard and the Rockets...any win....you know the rest...
The one thing about living in a high rise...once you have kids...like little ones...it's not the place to raise 'em...so off you go to the 'burbs...seeing that happen a bit around here...we laugh, as this is one step closer to the home...not so funny, I think...well, it's a great life right now...
You see the story about the killing off of all wildlife on the planet?...sad...kind of goes full circle...as on Catalina Island there are buffalo free roaming...brought over and multiplied...as most of the Island is now parkland...this, no, THIS is great stuff...
"26 miles across the sea, Santa Catalina is a-waitin for me, Santa Catalina, the island of romance, Romance, romance, romance..." the Four Preps...1957...
Did you know?...they used to do their spring training on the tiny little island off the coast of LA?...Catalina...what?...here's your history lesson for the day...this dude William Wrigley, Jr...yup, that one...he who made a spearmint on the chewing gum for the USA and, frankly, everywhere...was part owner of da Cubbies, purchased in gulp...1916!...he then took over majority ownership shortly thereafter...Wrigley had a pad in Pasadena...you know, where they have the infamous "Rose Parade"...duh...found this beat up and dilapidated island called Catalina...bought it...redid it and moved his team there in 1921...what?...Avalon...yesseree bob, that's where they did their learning of the game, Cub's style...until 1951!...they took some time off for the damned World War II...as the military said they needed it...but as soon as the war was over, back went da Cubbies...
Just part of the allure of this team...my old friend Shink, is the first I knew of that had this passion for these perennial losers...in fact, forever, I thought they had won their fair share of titles...you see, being from the PNW, you mostly fantasize about big league play...you didn't get to see them live unless you traveled far and wide...mine?...I liked Rocco Colavito...and was originally a Cleve fan...hmmm, they didn't win much either...
Many years after, we happened on a game in Oakland...and lo and behold...the 1st base coach of the team playing, the Detroit Tigers...was Colavito...I digress...this is about da Cubbies, Horse...so now...how did game 2 of the World Series go?...
A resounding W for the visitors...still at a horrific pace...over 4 hours...the Cleveland pitcher took forever to deliver his throws...anyway, da Cubbies got it...and now the set goes to Chicago...for the next 3...one game at a time kids...one game at a time...(you happy now, Shink?)
Elsewhere...
You think that the Prez race is over?...nope...tightening up...hmmm, reminds me of the song..."Tighten Up"...hi every body, I'm Archie Bell and the Drells, from Houston Texas...one of my favs...circa 1968...anyway...the polls have the Prez contest closer and closer....Halloween and skeletons seem to dominate the airwaves and the webnet for these two candidates...right?...
Shown down here are all the Lake Show games...the new HC Luke Walton...has put a faster pace to their strategy...but oh my, some of the worst D I have ever seen...layups abound...but...they did beat the Beard and the Rockets...any win....you know the rest...
The one thing about living in a high rise...once you have kids...like little ones...it's not the place to raise 'em...so off you go to the 'burbs...seeing that happen a bit around here...we laugh, as this is one step closer to the home...not so funny, I think...well, it's a great life right now...
You see the story about the killing off of all wildlife on the planet?...sad...kind of goes full circle...as on Catalina Island there are buffalo free roaming...brought over and multiplied...as most of the Island is now parkland...this, no, THIS is great stuff...
"26 miles across the sea, Santa Catalina is a-waitin for me, Santa Catalina, the island of romance, Romance, romance, romance..." the Four Preps...1957...
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