The Moose, Bill Skowron

Bill Skowron started his baseball career with the New York Yankees and played in the majors with the Yanks for 9 seasons.  Moose also played one season each with the Washington Senators, Los Angeles Dodgers and the California Angels.  Most importantly, he played 4 seasons with his hometown Chicago White Sox.
He is rightfully proud of his 6 World Series titles (and 8 appearances) and 8 All-Star games, however only one of those achievements (the 1965 AS game) occurred during his time with the Sox.  Still, Skowron is a diehard Sox fan.  His enthusiasm is hard to ignore.
I met Skowron while I was representing AU Sports at a White Sox convention.  He was almost 70 at the time, but he was lively and animated.  He told great stories and seemed to be having as much fun as the fans around him, myself included.  He gladly posed for pictures and signed baseballs...all for free!  Although he only played here for 4 seasons, just 347 games, he is a White Sox icon.

Moose Skowron and me in Chicago, IL-Late 1990's.

Friendly Encounters

This is a weekly series about friends who have met celebs.

I first met Scott Beatty about 15 years ago at AU Sports.  After several years, Scott went to do some other business and I didn't see him for a few years (except for one random encounter at a July 4th celebration in Evanston a couple years back).  A few months ago, Scott returned to AU.
As many of you know, former AU owner Steve Gold passed away earlier this year., but AU Sports will continue to be the best trading card and memorabilia store.  Scott is running things and Dave Zeman is back.  There is a nice buzz around the store. 
While AU has had several great guests in for autograph signings, Scott ventured away from AU to Naperville to meet WWE Hall of Fame wrestler Joe Laurinaitis, also known as Animal, one-half of the Road Warriors.  Joe is also the father of star linebacker James Laurinaitis of the St. Louis Rams.
Scott went to meet Laurinaitis, get his book signed and see a screening of the Road Warriors dvd.  Laurinaitis was great, according to Scott.  He was eager to pose for photos and to sign additional items (something which is often frowned upon, but is very appreciated by collectors).
Scott was pretty eager to meet Animal, too.  In fact, I am pretty sure he was tempted to don the face paint and make a pitch to form the Road Warriors 2011.  I am sure Scott could hold his own in the ring, but the real question is what ring name would he use?  I am also sure his friends might have a few suggestions.
Scott is a good guy and I know he will do well with AU and longtime AU patrons are happy.  To keep up with the happenings at AU, check out the AU Facebook page or stop in at the store.

Joe Laurinaitis and Scott Beatty in Naperville, IL-April 2011.

Gene Hiser, From Outfielder to Financial Adviser

One of the great things about AU Sports was that sometimes that had obscure players for autograph signings.  One such player was Gene Hiser, who played parts of 4 seasons with the Chicago Cubs after being a first round draft pick of theirs.  The fact that he played for the Cubs immediately made him a desirable guest at AU.
Hiser was in a great mood.  He talked fondly about his time with the Cubs.  I told him about seeing him play in Wichita, while we were there to visit our friend and his teammate Rick Stelmaszek.  Hiser appreciated the enthusiasm of the fans at AU, especially for a career .202 hitter who last had played in the majors about 25 years earlier.
I didn't know it at the time, but his minor league stats show him playing in the White Sox organization late in his career, yet sources claim he only played for the Cubs organization.  Maybe he was loaned to the Sox for some odd reason.  If I ever get the chance, that will be one question I will ask him.
Hiser has owned Barrett and Hiser Financial Management Group for over 20 years.  In 1997, Barrett and Hiser joined GCG Financial.  Maybe I can talk to him there and get some financial advice, too.

Gene Hiser and me in AU Sports in Skokie, IL-Late 1990's.

Bear Down Sunday #13

Nobody really could have predicted that today's matchup would pit two of the NFL's best teams against each other.  The Chicago Bears (9-3) host the New England Patriots (10-2).   This begins a rough four game stretch, as the Bears play for the playoffs.

Last week, against Detroit, the defense was a bit off and the offense clicked.  This week, we will need both, but especially the defense.  Few players epitomized rough defense better than Steve "Mongo" Michael.  Adding a little flair to McMichael's resume for this piece is that he started out with the Patriots, before he starred for the Bears.

When I met Mongo at AU Sports, many people asked him about wrestling.  Maybe they had heard all of the football stories before.  Mongo said that Haku (King Tonga) was probably the toughest man he met in wrestling.  He also said Randy Savage was one of the craziest and Ric Flair really was the same guy on and off camera.  Mongo said without a doubt (and with no disrespect to wrestling) that he (as a football player) would have manhandled basically all of the wrestlers in a legit fight.

We also talked about his new venture as coach of the Chicago Slaughter.  The Slaughter had recently signed Jarrett Payton.  Mongo was happy to have the son of his former teammate, knowing that he would also bring fans.

Mongo is always fun to meet.  He is pretty much what you'd expect.  He was a bit bigger than I'd expected.  While he isn't in playing shape, I still wouldn't like to mess with him.

 Steve McMichael and me in Niles, IL-January 2010.

RIP:Steve Gold

The hobby lost one of the good guys, when Steve Gold recently passed away.  Steve was the owner of AU Sports (gold=AU...get it?), probably the store with the largest inventory of sports card singles.
Many years ago, when I first started working at Lerner Newspapers in Skokie (IL), I discovered that AU Sports was about a mile from the office. Having heard a lot about the legendary store, I had to see it for myself. This started a long love affair.
On my first time there, I had a list of about 20 baseball singles from various years. Mrs. Gold (Steve's mom) got the first one for me and decided I needed to get the rest myself. From then on, I became a regular and one of the many who were allowed to "self-serve".
Mrs. Gold was the wife of Eddie Gold, former columnist for the Chicago Sun-Times. Mr. Gold was seldom around, as his health was already in decline. Mrs. Gold was pure gold though. She would "yell" at people, but it was all done with love and in fun. Sadly, Mrs. Gold passed away several years ago, but I will always cherish the many hours we talked and laughed.
Many times when I had hunkered down for a long session of card-finding, I would end up serving other customers. I have even logged in a few "official" days of work there.
AU recently moved to a better location in Niles (IL). Thanks to diligent workers like Tom and Scott, the store is organized and streamlined. Oh sure, the big wall of cards remains. This wall is an 8 foot by 50 foot wall of singles (and about 3 feet deep) from 1952 to present. How many cards is that? Your guess is as good as mine.
I have gotten many cards for other bloggers at AU Sports. I have spent many hours searching for cards and talking sports with the regulars there. I have met a bunch of sports stars there, too. These memories are priceless (notice, I resisted the golden pun).
Steve will be missed by all.  He was genuinely a nice guy and way too young, only 52.  I owe much of my collection to AU Sports.  I also owe them for many great memories.

AU Sports in Niles, IL-2010.

Bear Down Sunday #2

The Bears stand at 1-0 after (barely) beating the Detroit Lions. Today, the Bears face the Dallas Cowboys, who are 0-1. Today will also be the season debut of the Cowboys offensive lineman Marc Colombo.
The Bears drafted offensive tackle Marc Colombo in the first round of the 2002 draft. After a series of injuries, the Bears gave up on Colombo during the 2005 season. Near the end of the 2005 season, Colombo signed with the Dallas Cowboys. Despite a few more injuries, Colombo has established himself as a solid member of their offensive line.
With Jay Cutler seemingly always under pressure, Colombo might look good wearing the orange and blue again, protecting Cutler a bit. He might also help the running game.
I met Colombo during his tenure with the Bears. He was talkative and friendly to the fans present. For a young player, he seemed very well spoken and composed. By the picture, you can also see, he is one big man.
Hopefully Colombo will not be much of a factor in the game today. The Bears need to get to Romo to have a real chance at winning.

Marc Colombo and me in Skokie, IL-Early 2000's.

A Rookie of the Year

Todd Hollandsworth was the 1996 NL Rookie of the Year. He was the last of five consecutive ROY's for the Los Angeles Dodgers. (This streak coupled with another streak to produce 9 ROY's for the Dodgers in an 18 year period.)
Hollandsworth never developed into a star, but he did play for twelve years in the majors (with eight teams, including the Chicago Cubs). He probably could be considered a journeyman, but somehow he seemed to have a better career than the stats show.
Hollandsworth cited winning the World Series (although he didn't play much in it) with the Florida Marlins and his ROY award as his two highlights. He also said he had a lot of other memorable times, including playing with the Cubs
Hollandsworth is still in the Chicago area, working in the media. I really enjoy his analysis on the Score and hope he gets bigger and more frequent gigs.

Todd Hollandsworth and me in Skokie, IL-Winter 2008.

Quite A Buzz (Capra)

Buzz Capra had an interesting seven year career in the major leagues. He had a career record of 31-37, which isn't bad considering the records of some of his teams.
Recently, I met Capra at AU Sports in Niles (IL). We were all eager to hear some of his stories and he did not disappoint.
He picked up his second career win in a game in which he batted in the only run scored. He allowed only 3 hits in 8 innings before being relieved by Tug McGraw.
In 1974, Capra went 16-8 with a league-leading ERA of 2.28. This earned him a spot on the All-Star team and a 9th place finish in the Cy Young award voting. He also finished in 20th place in the MVP vote.
One other big moment happened in 1974. Hank Aaron hit home run #715 to break Babe Ruth's record. While Braves pitcher Tom House caught the homer in the bullpen, Capra was right next to House. He kids that he raced over and tried to edge out House.
Capra said that time was crazy. Aaron went through a lot and so did his teammates, but it was all worth it when Aaron broke the record. What a thrilling time.

Buzz Capra and me in Niles, IL-March 2010.

Johngy Meets King Kong

Jerry "King Kong" Korab was traded from the Chicago Blackhawks to the Vancouver Canucks after the 1972-73 season. I was too young to have seen him much during his time with the Hawks, but I knew I liked him as a player. The Hawks got Dale Tallon in return for one of the rare trades when 2 of my favorite players were traded for each other.
I was excited about talking to Korab at AU Sports. Hockey players are usually the most respectful and appreciative of all athletes. Blackhawks from my youth have a special place in my heart and mind.
We talked about his time in Chicago and how he didn't want to leave here. Still, it was better for his career, as the Blackhawks suffered through the 70's. At 6'3" and 220 pounds, Korab was one of the toughest players, although he didn't pile up ridiculously high penalty minutes. He said he wasn't really that feared (self-deprecation). While he is older and smaller now, pound for pound, he still looks pretty tough.
It was a thrill meeting Korab. AU Sports hosts many such events. You always have plenty of time to actually talk to each guest of honor at AU. Behind us in the picture is just part of the famous wall of cards at AU Sports.

Jerry Korab and me in Niles, IL-March 2010.

Koyie Hill > Corky Miller + Ramon Castro

Koyie Hill has played parts of seven seasons in the major leagues. He has been with the Chicago Cubs since 2007. Last year, he hit .237, with 2 HR's, 24 RBI's, 26 Runs and 0 stolen bases. That's a decent year for a backup catcher. Of course, Hill played a bit more than a standard backup catcher.
Either way, the bottom line was that his stats were good enough for me to win yet another bet with my nephew Matt. Matt is a White Sox fan (as long as the wind is blowing the right way) and pitted Corky Miller against Hill in a battle of the five offensive categories for the entire 2009 season. Unfortunately for Matt, Miller got injured. Being the benevolent uncle, I allowed him to substitute Ramon Castro, who took over the backup duties.
Even with the Castro-Miller pairing, Matt still lost the bet. Castro-Miller hit .200 with 4 HR's, 17 RBI's, 13 Runs and 0 stolen bases. Translation:Hill took 3 of the 5 categories.
When I met Hill is mid-June of 2009, I told him I had a bet riding on him. He laughed and asked why we would be betting on backup catchers. I told him we have made bets on much sillier subjects. He was a funny guy who said he would do his best for me.
This year, Matt and I have revised the bet to be all Cubs catchers against all White Sox catchers. For the record, I am ahead so far.

Koyie Hill and me in Niles, IL-Summer 2009.

Here Come the Hawks, the Mighty Blackhawks

Has hockey slid that far off of my radar? When did the NHL season start? I just found out the Hawks are 2-2 with 5 points. Does this speak of my interest? Is it the general coverage of the NHL?
I grew up loving the Hawks. Those players from the 70's will always be my favorites (as I have written here several times).
I thought the Hawks were regaining the love of Chicago. Maybe I just missed the coverage, but I do listen a fair amount of time to WSCR (sports radio).
While I am trying to catch up on the state of the current Hawks, I will highlight one of my old favorite Hawks. I met Ivan Boldirev at AU Sports.
My fellow blogger KC (of the newly renamed Hockey Freaks.ca) might try to claim Boldirev as a Flame, but he will always be a Hawk to me. Well, since yesterday was Thanksgiving in Canada, maybe we can share Boldirev. (Fans of the Red Wings should not take this as a sign that we will allow you to claim him as a Wing!).
Anyway, when I met Boldirev, I got the same wave of warm nostalgia that I always get when meeting the Hawks of my youth. I thanked him for the effort on some bad teams. I told him how his was one of my first hockey cards (still have it). He looked great and seemed happy to be surrounded by fans of yesteryear.

Ivan Boldirev and me in Niles, IL-Summer 2009.

Kevin Hickey and AU's Wall of Cards

Kevin Hickey lived a Sox fan's dream. Hickey grew up miles away from Comiskey Park. He was a 16 inch softball player who had a tryout with the Sox and was signed to a contract. He pitched for 3 seasons with the Sox, including their 1983 AL West division champions.
The story did not end there, though. Hickey spent the next 5 seasons in the minors after he was traded to the New York Yankees. He spent time in the minors with the Yankees, the Philadelphia Phillies the White Sox (again), the San Francisco Giants and the Baltimore Orioles. He finally made it back to the majors with the Orioles where he spent his final 3 big league seasons.
When I met Hickey at AU Sports in Skokie (IL), he was a trip. He was funny, goofy, light-hearted and happy to be there. He talked about his Chicago roots, playing for his hometown team and the struggles he faced. All the while, he was just in such a great mood. This was a blast.
I have one bit of Hickey trivia. He played the role of "Schoup" in Major League II.
I also have to point out something in the picture. It is a bit dark, but behind Hickey is the famous wall of cards at AU Sports. This mammoth is about 8 feet tall and maybe 50 feet long, full of baseball card singles (or heaven, as I call it).
I remember times when one of the regulars would pull out a random box from the 70's. We would go card by card and talk trivia or card thoughts, sort of like an oral blog of the cards. Those were great times.

Kevin Hickey at AU Sports in Skokie, IL-early 00's.

The Rick Stelmaszek Saga:Part 13

I have been going to AU Sports in Skokie (IL) for years. They have the largest supply of sports card singles in the country. The best part is that you are allowed behind the counter to find your own cards in the boxes on the wall of cards. I have spent many hours in AU Sports, looking for cards, meeting players or just talking to other collectors. I have also had many great chats with owner Steve Gold or his late mother Audrey (a dear woman).
For years I tried to get Steve to approach the former Chicago Cubs catcher about doing a signing. Well, that day finally occurred several years ago. Of course I had to check it out. Stelmaszek drew a pretty good crowd. He has several key accomplishments that a collector might value.
-Member of the Chicago Cubs
-World Series winner twice as a coach with the Minnesota Twins
-Local Chicagoan
-Longest current tenured coach with one team
Of course, there is also that near-miss with Nolan Ryan's no-hitters. Darn it.
It was fun to witness this. I still remember nervously (even though he was a neighbor) approaching him 30 years ago for his autograph. Wow...time does fly.

Rick Stelmaszek and me at AU Sports in Skokie, IL-early 00's.

Milt Pappas was Almost Perfect

On this day in 1972, Milt Pappas was almost perfect. To this day, he is still very adamant that he should have been perfect.
Up until that day in 1972, he was most famous for being traded (with 2 others) for Frank Robinson. Pappas was a very good pitcher. He won 210 games, 99 in the NL and 110 in the AL.
In midseason of '70, the Chicago Cubs purchased him from the Atlanta Braves. Over the next 3 1/2 seasons, Pappas went 51-44 for the Cubs.
It was his no-hitter on 9/2/72, for which Pappas will always be remembered. Part of the reason is that Pappas will never let anyone forget it.
He doesn't brag about the no-hitter. He gripes about it. More precisely, he continually complains that the umpire (Bruce Froemming) should have given him the 3rd strike for the last out. Pappas even hints that the pitch was outside and therefore a 'ball'. Still, Froemming should have recognized the historic element and called it a 'strike'.
This is pure silliness and detracts from the achievement. I wouldn't want an umpire to hand me the perfect game. At the very least, I wouldn't openly and loudly expect to be given the perfect game.
I was excited to meet Pappas, despite this bit of ugliness. However, I was prepared to defend Froemming if he started complaining about the call. Several other people beat me to it. It seems nobody would have wanted Froemming to make a bad call just to preserve a perfect game. Pappas was polite, friendly and talkative, but he was steadfast in his belief.

Milt Pappas and me in Skokie, IL-mid 90's.

Carlos May Beat the Odds

Carlos May is another of those players who will always be special to me. I grew up on the south side of Chicago and as a White Sox fan. May was a solid performer during my first several years of following the Sox.
My played briefly in 1968, then suffered a possible career-ending injury while in the Marine Reserves in August of '69. A mortar misfired and blew off most of May's right thumb. May worked extremely hard to recover and overcome the obstacle. May came close to winning the Rookie of the Year Award (finishing behind Lou Piniella).
In 1970, he rejoined the Sox and proceeded to have another 6 solid seasons. May's numbers were very good for that period, highlighted by 20 homers and 96 rbi's in 1973. In mid-1976, May was traded to the New York Yankees and finished his mlb career with the California Angels before playing in Japan for 4 seasons.
One interesting piece of trivia regarding May revolves around his number 17. May's birthday was 5/17. Therefore, he literally wore his birthday on his jersey...May 17.
May's brother Lee was an even better player player for a lot of years. The brothers never played on the same team together.
When I met May at AU Sports, we reminisced about his former teammates (and my former favorites), like Pat Kelly, Buddy Bradford, Ken Henderson and Dick Allen. Those are some great memories.

Carlos May and me in Skokie, IL-Early 00's.

Henry Cotto is in Demand

Henry Cotto was a member of the Chicago Cubs 1984 National League East division champions. That accomplishment has earned Cotto a permanent place on the memorabilia circuit. Cotto is desired by Cubs collectors and specifically the 1984 team collectors.
The '84 division title might not seem like much of an accomplishment, but it was their first 1st place finish since 1945. The city was insane. When the Cubs lost to the San Diego Padres and did not advance as expected to the 1984 World Series, the city was in shock. Fortunately, the '85 Bears revived us.
Anyway, Cotto's 1984 season was his rookie year and his only year with the Cubs. He went on to play with the Yankees, Mariners and Marlins, retiring after the 1993 season.
When I met Cotto at AU Sports, I kidded him about him always having a spot on the autograph cicruit. I don't think he even realized it yet. Then last week, at AU Sports, I was talking to a collector who said he was only missing 2 players from the '84 Cubs...Porfi Altamirano and Henry Cotto. Like I said, there will always be a demand for Henry Cotto and every other 1984 member of the Cubs.

Henry Cotto and me at AU Sports in Skokie, IL-late 1990's.

Rich Nye, Animal Guy

Rich Nye was drafted by the Houston Astros in the first mlb amateur draft, but chose to remain in school at UC Berkeley, where he went on to earn a degree in Engineering. While in graduate school, he was drafted by the Chicago Cubs and he realized Engineering was not his passion.
In his first full season after signing with the Cubs, Nye went 13-10 for the '67 Cubs. Nye's future looked bright. Nye would round out the Cubs pitching rotation of Fergie Jenkins, Ken Holtzman, Bill Hands and Joe Niekro.
Unfortunately, injuries hampered Nye's progression. His career ended after the '70 season with the Montral Expos. His mlb totals are 26-31.
Fortunately, Nye decided to go back to school, only this time it was veterinary school. Since then, Nye has become one of the most successful and well-known vets in the Chicago area.

Rich Nye and me at AU Sports in Skokie, IL-late 1990's.

Scott Sanderson Came Home...Again

It took Scott Sanderson a long time to come home, but he evntually made it back to Chicago, successfully pitching on both side of town. Although Sanderson was born in Dearborn (MI), he grew up in Chicago.
After 6 seasons with the Montreal Expos, Sanderson joined the Cubs, where he was a solid pitcher for 6 more seasons. Additionally, Sanderson was part of the rotation for the 1984 division champs.
Sanderson left the Cubs and pitched for 5 seasons with 4 different teams, before returning to Chicago with the White Sox. Sanderson had one very nice season with the Sox, helping them to their division crown in 1994.
Sanderson told a story about being forced to bunt during one stretch in the minors. For a few straight games, regardless of the situation, Sanderson was ordered to bunt, to improve his skills. Now that is old school baseball. Sanderson did learn to bunt quite well and now he laughs about the situation.

Scott Sanderson and me at AU Sports in Skokie, IL-February 2009.

Steve Trout, NIE and an Ad

When I was running the NIE program at Lerner Newspapers, I did whatever I could to promote the program. Since our budget was literally zero, I relied on advertising in our newspapers. Aside from the Lerner Salutes Literacy ad series (mentioned here several times), I also attempted to do as many other NIE-related ads as possible.
One such ad involved former major league pitcher Steve Trout, who had just written a book, Home Plate, about his father (Dizzy Trout) and him and their careers. Trout is a Chicago favorite, having pitched on both sides of town.
I was helping out at AU Sports in Skokie (IL) when Trout was doing a book-signing there. When I approached him about appearing in an ad promoting NIE and also his book, Trout quickly agreed.
Pictures were taken with a disposable camera (remember...zero budget). A few days later, I took a picture of my niece, Laura Fitzpatrick, reading a book. This picture would be presented as happening at the event.







Later that week, I presented all to our Graphics Department. They produced a decent, but uninspired ad, throwing all of the elements together. Had Laurie (the driving force behind the beautification of the NIE ad series) been involved, I am sure the ad would have looked much different. However, with the way things were at Lerner at the time, I was happy with what was produced (meaning I was happy that anything was produced).

Bear Down Sunday #14 (was Thursday)

The Chicago Bears are 8-6 on the year, after beating the New Orleans Saints on Thursday. It wasn't a great game, but the Bears won and it was exciting.
Terry Schmidt was an underrated cornerback for almost a decade for the Bears. Schmidt played 2 seasons with New Orleans before joining the Bears. He retired at the end of the 1984 season, missing the Super Bowl year.
Schmidt was part of one of the hardest hitting secondaries I have ever seen. The Bears secondary of Schmidt, Doug Plank (for whom the famous 46 Defense was named), Gary Fencik (who should be in the Hall of Fame) and Allan Ellis (who made 1 Pro Bowl) was feared by opponents and praised by critics.
I had the pleasure of meeting Schmidt a few years ago. He was quiet and soft-spoken. Sharply dressed, he could have passed for an accountant. However, when we started to talk football, you could certainly see some of that old ferocity start to surface.

Terry Schmidt and me at AU Sports, in Skokie, IL-mid 00's.