Autograph Tales:Paul Splittorff and Buck Martinez

It was a very cold night either early or late in the 1973 or 1974 season. The Kansas City Royals were in Chicago for a game against the White Sox.  I think it rained a bit before or during the game.  I have tried researching the exact date and I think it was either 10/1/74 or 10/2/74.
My dad took my friend Tom Skalski and me to the game and we were sitting by the Sox dugout.  At some point before the game started (or was it during a rain delay?), we went to the concourse and ran into Paul Splittorff and Buck Martinez, two of the Royals.  They were in full uniform, but I am not sure what they were doing.  It certainly wasn't an organized autograph session.  I swear, they were just getting food at the concession stand.  I did get autographs on a scorecard I still have somewhere.
Looking back, it was very odd to see the players in that area, although at the time, I don't think we thought about that.  Why would they be there?  It still boggles my mind.
The White Sox won the game and Sox centerfielder Ken Henderson made a great catch at some point.  The attendance was horrible (less than 5,000 at either game).
The wins allowed the Sox to finish at 80-80 for 4th place.  It was a forgettable season, but that game remains one of my favorite (and earliest) memories of baseball.

Johngy and the Hammer

Here it is. This is a photo 20+ years in the making. This is Tom Skalski and me in Wrigley Field recently.
Tom was a great friend from my youth. We went to grade school and high school together. We went to different colleges, but still lived in the same area and kept in contact. I moved to the north side in November of 1990 and had only seen Tom once since then. We ran into each other at a Hawks game at the old Chicago Stadium.
We reconnected last year and finally got together for the Cubs game. We laughed a lot, discussing old times. It really was a great time, just like old times! Tom wore one of his 100+ jerseys and gave me a Cubs hat from Polish Heritage Night.
I don't know what the future holds, but I do know that it won't be 20 years before I see Tom again. Maybe a football game. Maybe just a lunch. It doesn't really matter. For friends, the setting is merely the logistical component in getting together.

Tom Skalski and me in Wrigley Field in Chicago-August 2010.

Bear Down Sunday #6

The Chicago Bears, who are 4-1 and in first place, are facing the Seattle Seahawks, who are 2-2.  I can't predict the Bears at all this season and this game will be no different.
Today, I am going old school with this post.  Maybe I am going old school buddy with this post.
In 1980, the Seattle Seahawks were still relatively new to the NFL.  They finished at 4-12.  Three of my favorite Seahawks were Jim Zorn (QB), Steve Largent (WR) and Dan Doornink (FB).  Largent was just beginning his Hall of Fame career.  Zorn was in the middle of an underrated career.  Doornink was pretty early in his solid career.
The Bears finished 1980 at 7-9.  Walter Payton was the offense.  Dan Hampton and Mike Singletary were at the beginning of the HOF careers.
Meanwhile on the far south side of Chicago, Tom Skalski and I were struggling our way through our first year at Mt. Carmel high school.  Tom and I always fooled around with artwork.  In grade school, we often drew covers for our book reports.  It was more for our amusement than for the grade.
I don't remember what prompted it, but Tom gave me a drawing he made of my favorite Seahawks.  Recently while reorganizing my closets (and boxes of stuff), i came across the picture.  It has held up well for being 30 years old.
It brought back a lot of good memories.  I thought about my friendship with Tom (with whom I recently reconnected).  I also thought about my youthful interest in football.  The Bears were terrible, but I loved them regardless.  I loved seeing my favorites return year after year (there was no free agency back then).  
Isn't it cool how one simple drawing could produce many great emotions thirty years later?  I probably like it more now than I did then.
As the teams face each other today, I'll be thinking of Zorn, Largent, Doornink, Tom Skalski, my youth, my Bears and who knows what else.  It's all good.

Seattle Seahawks artwork by Tom Skalski (c) 1980

Bear Down Sunday #6

The Chicago Bears are 3-2 after a Sunday night loss to the Atlanta Falcons. Today, the Bears face the Cincinnati Bengals, who stand at 4-2. Last I heard, my old friends Tom Skalski and Ed Mann would be attending this game (although not together).
Speaking of Tom, back in the old days, one of our mutual favorites was linebacker Bill Bergey of the Philadelphia Eagles. Bergey spent the first 5 years (out of 12) of his career with the Cincinnati Bengals. Tom probably blocks out the Bengals years, much like he would block out Franco Harris's time with the Seahawks.
Anyway, when I met Bergey at the Ultimate Collectors Show, I mentioned how Tom would have loved to meet him. Bergey laughed and thanked me (us) for remembering him, despite him not being a flashy star. I told him that we always loved the true tough guys like him and he laughed some more.
It was cool meeting Bergey and I am sure Tom would have loved to talk a bit of football with him as well.

Bill Bergey and me in Oaks, PA-October 2009.

The Original MC Hammer

A while ago, I wrote a piece about meeting Stanley Burrell in his pre-MC Hammer days. I have also written about a great old friend, Tom Skalski. I was with Tom, when I met Burrell. Tom read that piece and reminded me of an obvious point that I completely missed.
Back when we were at Mt. Carmel High School, Tom was nicknamed 'The Hammer'. This would be before Burrell started using the Hammer moniker.
Could it be mere coincidence? Burrell meets us at a baseball game. He hears that the Hammer is going to Mt. Carmel (aka MC). Then, just a short time later, Burrell starts calling himself MC Hammer.
I think it is a clearcut case of Moniker Infringement. Clearly, Tom Skalski is the original MC Hammer! I think Skalski has a case against Burrell. I was witness to the whole series of events unfolding. I even have old Geometry books with Skalski's trademark Hammer drawn (in his attempts to get me to crack up in Mr. Gorches' class). The proof is all there.
Tom, if you need me buddy...I am there!

Tom "MC Hammer" Skalski (left-ish with wristbands) in Mt. Carmel gym in Chicago, IL-Spring 1983.

A Bunch of Losers

The NBA basketball season starts today. Who knows what kind of season my Chicago Bulls will have? They have been very inconsistent over the last few years.
One team who was consistent was the Losers. They...we were consistently bad. The Losers were my intramural basketball team during my senior year at Mt. Carmel. I was the starting off-guard (accent on off), although I am not really sure we had positions, except for Tom 'Hammer' Skalski. He was definitely our big man in the middle (and our enforcer, a role he gladly filled).
Other Losers included Dave 'Mooner' Plonczynski, Greg 'Ness' Nessinger, Keith Urbon, Mike Szotek, John Fleszewski, Jim 'Fish' Fisher, Todd Kruk and Ed Mann. We had a great time and even won 1 game. Each Loser will have his time to shine here, but for today, Tom Skalski gets his turn.

Dave Plonczynski, an opponent (in blue) and Tom Skalski in Mt. Carmel gym in Chicago, IL-Spring 1983.