Sheffield Avenue is closed on Tuesday to begin setup for the Elton John/Billy Joel concert on Thursday. (BCB photo by David Sameshima)
The AL All-Stars beat the NL All-Stars last night 4-3, their 12th straight win (and 13th in a row without a loss, thanks to Bud's Famous 2002 Tie) and fourth in a row by one run.
The game was reasonably entertaining, close with some good defense, although the lone Cub on the NL roster, Ted Lilly, didn't get anywhere close to actually playing (likely being saved for extra innings, and instead he'll be ready for his next start on Friday).
While all this was going on I went out to Road Ranger Field in Rockford, home of the Frontier League's Riverhawks, to take in their own pre-All-Star festivities. That included a "Legends" game between former Cubs and White Sox, wearing jerseys reading "Northside Legends" and "Southside Legends". Because there weren't enough players available, local media types from Rockford (including the writer of the link above) filled out the rosters.
It's nice to see guys like this who we rooted for years ago -- Keith Moreland, Bob Dernier, Jody Davis among them -- still on the field enjoying the game. Dernier and Willie Wilson, just to cite a couple of examples, still are in pretty good shape and could run the bases and play the field reasonably well. Steve Trout, living up to his "Rainbow" nickname, had to be different -- he was the only man on the field not wearing one of the "legends" jerseys, instead wearing a White Sox shirt, pitching one inning and then getting into a couple of mock arguments with the umpires.
The two men who appeared to enjoy the affair most were Donn Pall, a native of Evergreen Park who played for both the Cubs and White Sox in a ten-year career, and ex-White Sox first baseman Carlos May. Pall had quite a few family members who happened to be seated across the aisle from me, and who loudly cheered him when he got a couple of hits. May, whose promising career got derailed when he lost part of his right thumb in a military training accident, is now 61 years old (he's the only MLB player who wore his birthday -- May 17 -- on his shirt) and was slowed by arthritis. But the joy he felt being on a baseball field and in a uniform again radiated from the smile on his face.
And isn't that what this game is supposed to be about? Sure, as Cubs fans we cheer and want them to win every single day. But let's not forget the fun everyone's supposed to have.
The Legends game was followed by the Frontier League HR derby, dominated in the early rounds by Brad Miller, of the Southern Illinois Miners, who cranked out a ton of homers -- physically, he reminded me of former Los Angeles Dodger Billy Ashley, a man who had tremendous power but never made it because he struck out too much. The derby was finally won by Grant Psomas of the Washington Wild Things (the "Washington" in question is near Pittsburgh).
Speaking of Washington, I'm on the way there. Enjoy the rest of the All-Star break.
0 recs | 111 comments
Al, let us know where you are sitting at Nats stadium
Maybe some of DC people will be able to catch a glimpse of you if we go to a game or two :-)
zevkalman - July 15, 2009
Email me for info.
Al Yellon - July 15, 2009
Al,
did you get some pictures from the Legends game? That would have been really cool to see!
Fonzie2178 - July 15, 2009
I did take a few pix, but...
… they weren’t all that good. The ones from the Rockford paper were better.
Al Yellon - July 15, 2009
Thanks Al,
I’ll go check them out. Have fun in Washington!
Fonzie2178 - July 16, 2009
What is the likelyhood that Wrigley hosts the All-Star game in the next 5 years?
I went down to St. Louis, and although I can’t stand being there (they are ruthless toward Cubs fans), I really admired the All-Star experience. And, of course their new ballpark is fantastic. That was the second time I had been there. It really is a nice facility.
SackMan - July 15, 2009
I've read they would like to host in 2014
for the 100th Anniversary, but major renovations would be in order.
Article Here
Louie - July 15, 2009
Thanks for the link...
I didn’t even consider the 100th anniversary milestone. That would make sense.
SackMan - July 15, 2009
They could probably get those renovations
I’d say the 2012 game would be at Fenway for that centennial, but they did have the game there back in 1999. It hasn’t been at Wrigley for a while and I have to say it would be one heck of a show to have it there in 2014.
Ace Venom - July 15, 2009
WashPost had article today about future ASG venues
Much of it was speculation but I would not count on Wrigley being in mix for at least another 10 years
BeltwayCubsFan - July 15, 2009
It is my understanding..
That the place where they had a mini field was suppose to be a mini wrigleyville type area. With bars and restaurants, but a year and a half ago the developer walked off the job, and there was not a enough time to develop the area in time for the All-Star game. I dont have a source, but this is what my friends from down there had told me.
With that said the new Mike Shannans (now a few years old) is pretty cool.
HIGGY - July 15, 2009
The biggest issue
was that Centene Corp was supposed to move their corporate headquarters there and backed out.
The Cardinals were supposed to build it as part of the agreement for the public financing of the new stadium. But once the new stadium was completed, it was no longer a priority to the Cards organization.
Spartan1979 - July 15, 2009
Basically
The whole project is a huge joke. We were sold on the idea of “Ballpark Village” as part of the deal to finance a new stadium. The owners stalled and got their new stadium and an All-Star game. Thats all they cared about was the profit.
They have priced the average fan out of the game with $8.75 beers, Its not the same and the city is an embarrassment as a result.
Salti Cracker - July 15, 2009
$8.75! I hope that's not for Budweiser!
Shanghai Badger - July 15, 2009
Ballpark Village was the idea
It tanked worse than the Cubs in the NLDS, and who knows what will happen. As for Mike Shannons- I always have a good time there, but it tends to be breeding grounds for dead Cardinal relief pitchers.
nji232 - July 15, 2009
SackMan
I apologize for the way you were treated being a Cub fan. I get embarrassed by our fans and city more often than I am proud.
The sad fact is there is a serious inferiority complex between St. Louis and Chicago. Its funny because the same hostility is there between people in Kansas City and St. Louis. Kansas City hates STL because I assume they are jealous. Same thing with the animosity towards Chicago as a city. Its all about envy.
Salti Cracker - July 15, 2009
FWIW
I have been to 4 Cubs games in St. Louis and I have nothing bad to say about the way that I was treated.
The last two were the end of a series sweep by the Cardinals in 1998. I thought the guy in the scoreboard waving a broom was pretty bush (or Busch, I suppose), and was hoping that Sosa would hit a game-tying HR right off the broom. The fans were fine. One elderly lady said “Sweep!” to me on the way out, but in a non-confrontational way that made me laugh.
I enjoy bantering with Cards fans, but I know others here have had bad experiences.
Shanghai Badger - July 15, 2009
I went to a game this season between the Cards and Brewers
Wore a Mizzou shirt. Somebody in my section saw me checking the Cubs score on my phone and I heard about it non stop for 3 hours.
I felt it was a bit over the top especially since the Cubs weren’t playing there.
nji232 - July 15, 2009
Yeah, that's a bit much.
How about the clown who posted here last year that he was at Z’s no-hitter, saw Brewer fans watching them lose to the Phillies, pointed to the TV and laughed? The guy was proud of it, too.
As HIGGY says below, you get every kind of fan in every fan base.
Shanghai Badger - July 15, 2009
Oh I know the same crap happens at Wrigley too
I can understand if you are playing that team, but man oh man just leave the innocent fan alone. That goes for all ballparks. The reason I even bother telling that story is that somehow St Louis thinks they are “above” that.
Ask Ted Lilly and the President of the United States how classy Cardinal fans are.
nji232 - July 15, 2009
I understand
what you are saying. Those same type of fans annoy me as well. There are some in the Cardinal Nation who treat the franchise as dogma. If you dare say anything negative then you are not a “true fan.” Its stupid and annoying at times, but we are not all like that.
I would hope that Lilly would take the boo’s as a compliment. He seemed to be smiling. As far as the President getting some boos, what can I say… tickets ranged from $200-$2500. Not exactly working, middle class prices. I could not afford to go to the game.
Salti Cracker - July 15, 2009
They annoy us all.
I am also one of those who had a bad experience with Cardinals fans at a game once.
In July 2006, at Wrigley, I went to the fourth game of the four-game sweep there. When the game ended (Cubs won), I found chewing gum stuffed on a bag I had brought into the ballpark.
Worse yet, my cousin’s wife reported chewing gum went flying by her head when the game ended. I also heard (when the Cardinals did something bad that day) some words which I can not re-post here.
Vermont Cubs Fan - July 15, 2009
there are plenty of cubs fans like that too :/
jesus christos - July 16, 2009
I laughed when Lilly got booed. Looked like he did, too.
Shanghai Badger - July 16, 2009
I would think very little chance
Many new ballparks (along with Dodger Stadium which hasn’t hosted since the 80s, I think and Anaheim, next year) have yet to host. (The Cubs hosted in 1990) it’s going to be a while.
San Diego Smooth Jazz Man - July 15, 2009
The Angels...
…hosted it in 1989. I agree that Dodger Stadium should host it soon, since it’s still a jewel, but the All-Star game doesn’t have to be, and shouldn’t be, an endless parade for all the new parks. Pittsburgh hosted in both 1994 (at Three Rivers) and 2006 (at PNC), so if there’s precedent for twice in 12 years, the Cubs can have it back in 24 years.
I suppose Cincinnati (1988) should have it soon as well. Maybe they can have 2013 and Wrigley can still have 2014.
gauchodirk - July 15, 2009
It's kind of stupid that they're making the All-Star game count for home field advantage
But… they don’t rotate the venues every year for AL – NL parks.
SackMan - July 15, 2009
I agree
They were on a regular alternating schedule (AL in odd, NL in even) until 2007 when San Francisco got it, the year after Pittsburgh. I can’t remember the exact reason – it might have been so Yankee Stadium could have it in its last year, but MLB usually doesn’t have that much foresight. But, now that the NL has it in odd years, another skip of the rotation would have to occur, and MLB might not want to do that again for the Cubs.
gauchodirk - July 15, 2009
SF was "promised" an All-Star Game...
when they built Pac Bell, and they were supposedly set to have the 2006 game. But since their initial batch of 7 year PSL contracts were expiring after 2006, they agreed to host 2007, letting Pittsburgh host 2006 (even though they had just hosted in 1994.) So struggling Pittsburgh gets a boost to their Season Ticket base, and SF gets a high renewal rate for their PSL contracts for 2007-13.
Whether or not the closing of Yankee Stadium was part of the behind-the-scenes dealing to have SF in 2007 and NYY in 2008—I’ve never seen that in print, but that makes a hell of a lot of sense.
bison - July 15, 2009
1980 for the Dodgers, FYI
San Diego Smooth Jazz Man - July 15, 2009
It seems like
the All Star games now seem to be about showing off the shiny new ballparks (with Yankee Stadium being the exception and Fenway in 99).
AndHart120 - July 15, 2009
Bud Selig
said in a tv interview that Wrigley Field will host the game in 2014, its 100th anniversary.
Clark Addison - July 15, 2009
It's Happening!?!?!?!?!?!?
lexmarklover - July 15, 2009
Is that true?
That would be great if it was.
Ace Venom - July 15, 2009
I watched a little of it
never been a big fan of watching the ASG. I was upset at St Louis fans for booing Lilly, then cheering Prince Fielder. In the past I have said that St Louis fans are not so bad and are quiet intelligent about baseball, but that was wrong IMHO.
Oh well, so be it. I am sure Blou will blame the fans booing on steroids somehow
Cubbie-Tim - July 15, 2009
As I mentioned above... the St. Louis fans are ruthless toward anything Cubs related.
I’ve been down there twice now, and yesterday, just to make my life easier, I didn’t wear anything Cubs related. White Sox fans think they hate the Cubs… LOL. Nothin like St. Louis.
SackMan - July 15, 2009
Yea...
If you spend any time down in STL you will realize how silly some of them are. They are like all other fan bases, some good fans, some great fans, so stupid fans, some moronic fans.
HIGGY - July 15, 2009
Hopefully
You do not judge all of us by the vocal minority
Salti Cracker - July 15, 2009
Not at all...
Actually going to SLU for 4 years, i have a lot of Cardinal fan friends.
To be honest busting Cardinal fans is fun, Brewer fans are annoying.
HIGGY - July 15, 2009
Every team has them...
… and i can attest to the fact that the bleachers during a game vs. a rival at Wrigley probably contain the world’s highest d-bag to reasonable person ratio.
AndrewJStone - July 15, 2009
SLU
I also went to SLU. So I can understand where you are coming from. You are brave to be a Cub fan and go to such a dangerous university!
Salti Cracker - July 15, 2009
Yeah
Pujols never would have gotten booed during All Star introductions at Wrigley (sarcasm).
gocubsgo22 - July 16, 2009
I liked the fact that the Prez wore his white sox jacket
Not a white sox fan, but it showed he wasn’t trying to be “neutral” or anything. I’m sure if one of us became a president, we’d be proud to show off a Cubs jacket.
zevkalman - July 15, 2009
Yes, that was awesome
Obama strikes as someone who will excel at anything he would do.
cubsnlinux - July 15, 2009
He needs some work on his first pitch efforts though
Props to him if he was trying to throw a 12-6 curve ball, but I fear that lob was his “fast” ball…
ballhawk - July 15, 2009
He's off the Roids!
had to beat Blou to it.
KaliCub - July 15, 2009
George W. Bush
He was great at throwing the ceremonial first pitch. Obama could get some lessons from W on that. Beyond that, I will refrain from comparing the two on this baseball blog.
memphiscub - July 15, 2009
Except for maybe throwing a baseball
Reminded me of my little sister.
DamonBerryhillsMitt - July 15, 2009
If he didnt lob it
I bet it would have been over the plate. Maybe he didnt wanna throw it harder and risk an embarrassing wild pitch lol
AndHart120 - July 15, 2009
true dat.
cubsnlinux - July 15, 2009
Pardon?
daver - July 15, 2009
or injury to Pujols
from the velocity of the Obama Fastball
Cubbie-Tim - July 15, 2009
what do you want him to do? Throw a 94 MPH cutter?
cubsnlinux - July 15, 2009
I don't care what he does
Just was making an observation. He has admitted that he has never really played organized ball, and I think that was kind of obvious. That’s all…
DamonBerryhillsMitt - July 15, 2009
Have you seen him try to roll a bowling ball?
Atrocious. And that’s all I’m going to say about that lol
BigJohnAZ - July 15, 2009
he'd kick your ass at basketball though
Apparently he’s really good
berselius - July 15, 2009
I'd cream him in hockey
BigJohnAZ - July 15, 2009
I'd prolly
take him at Ping Pong.
DamonBerryhillsMitt - July 15, 2009
i am a black belt
at chinese checkers
Cubbie-Tim - July 15, 2009
There's a game that I
never learned. If you are taking on apprentices, maybe you can be my sensei.
DamonBerryhillsMitt - July 15, 2009
jenga, jenga
KaliCub - July 15, 2009
Cutter?
Nah – 4 seamer try and get to 96 MPH.
HIGGY - July 15, 2009
I liked it, too.
He’s an honest fan who supports his team – seemed pretty knowledgable (and remarkably relaxed) in the booth, too.
daver - July 15, 2009
I heard a lot boo'ing for the Prez,
although I don’t see much about it today. Was it becasue he was wearing the Sox jacket, or was it a political statement?
BatCubFan - July 15, 2009
Maybe a little of both - but probably more politics.
daver - July 15, 2009
My initial thought was for the jacket
McCain beat Obama by a grand total of 3903 votes in Missouri, so it’s not like the state is overwhelmingly red, plus Obama won the counties immediately surrounding St. Louis, even those in Illinois, so who knows?.
gauchodirk - July 15, 2009
Might also have something to do with
Obama’s proposed defense budget cuts which figure to hit Boeing and St. Louis hard. Thousands may lose their jobs.
Goodie1969 - July 15, 2009
The paper...
said this morning that when Bush was on the big screen you could not hear him speaking because people were cheering very loud for him.
But like Joe Morgan and Joe Buck said 1.5 million times, STL fans dont boo.
HIGGY - July 15, 2009
Yeah, that wasn't booing
It was just the wind going through some gap in the stadium
berselius - July 15, 2009
Apparently they didn't watch opening day
When the STL fans booed their rookie closer off the mound.
dr stabbingworth - July 15, 2009
Also
Best fans, indeed
berselius - July 15, 2009
Didn't Wrigley have the
“Pujols mows my lawn” shirts first?
Allie - July 15, 2009
No
This was the first reported instance.
chilango2 - July 15, 2009
These kind of shirts are tacky and embarrassing.
We have some that are equally shameful though. I have however seen some that are in good clean fun. Like I’ve seen a Cardinal fan wearing a blue shirt with a white L on it. That was one anti-Cubs shirt that I actually thought was sort of funny.
katie casey - July 15, 2009
That's fine
The Zambrano one is just racist.
Ace Venom - July 15, 2009
yep
it really crosses the line
katie casey - July 15, 2009
Capitalism at work
This weekend, I saw the exact same shirt with “Pujols” substituted for “Zambrano”. This tells me that the exact same person or entity made both shirts, and is selling them to fans on both sides of the aisle. Yes, it is a racist and disgusting display of ignorance, and the people who buy and wear these shirts are poor excuses for human beings, but someone is laughing all the way to the bank because fans of BOTH teams are idiots enough to buy his racist rags.
This whole “who has better fans” thing really irks me. I’m a Cardinals fan, born and raised in northern Illinois, and I’ve lived in Chicago for the better part of 14 years. I currently live in Lakeview. Some Cubs fans are very nice people, some have a good amount of knowledge of the game. However, nearly every time I attend games at Wrigley – and I go to every Cardinals game I can, and I am not an obnoxious fan of me team – someone is nasty to me, or tells me to go back to St. Louis, etc., etc. I’m sure the reverse holds true in St. Louis, although I don’t usually go down there for series with the Cubs. Idiotic, obnoxious, drunken, racist, moronic fans can be found on both sides of the aisle, just as there are good people too. Can’t we just leave it at that??
ChiTown CardFan - July 15, 2009
I've seen them for Ozzie as well.
Just ignorant.
If you really wanna be a dick about it, consider that even though they don’t wear your teams colors, they are talented enough at their craft that they get compensated in a manner that would probably allow them use a small portion of their yearly salary to buy where ever you work, move you to a personal assistant position, and make YOU mow THEIR lawn.
I don’t care if its Z, Pujols, Ozzie or anybody else. So dumb.
AndrewJStone - July 15, 2009
It should also be noted...
… that one of the things you learn in the first week of any intro to marketing class is that if you’re the market leader, then you don’t mention No. 2 or your competition. It makes you look as if you’re afraid/worried about them.
If you really think your team is “better”, ignore the other teams and put on a shirt with a cubs logo.
AndrewJStone - July 15, 2009
Agreed
Well put AJS
Salti Cracker - July 15, 2009
Yep
I love the way Gullien diffused it by wearing one. To me, he’s thumbing his nose at the people who made the shirt in the first place.
Shanghai Badger - July 15, 2009
That's easily the funniest baseball thing I've seen this year
berselius - July 15, 2009
i personally dont care about the lawn shirt, what i want is a “I buy my weed from Soto” shirt
jesus christos - July 15, 2009
yeah the whole Horry Kow
thing wasn’t racist or ignorant at all …
/end sarcasm.
junkhorse - July 15, 2009
It was
and we rose holy hell about it here.
Allie - July 15, 2009
Plenty of that crap in Chicago, too
Shanghai Badger - July 15, 2009
Anybody who thinks St. Louis fans are the best
is a St. Louis fan. Last night, they showed the world their crassness and ignorance.
chilango2 - July 15, 2009
I agree....
Only St Louis fans (and occasionally ESPN) think they are the best fans.
But remember – they dont boo.
HIGGY - July 15, 2009
ESPN says that because it "plays in Peoria."
As biased as that network is, they couldn’t easily get away by proclaiming New Englanders/Red Sox fans the best. That’s when the rest of the country finally tunes out forever.
chilango2 - July 15, 2009
you must mean ...
junkhorse - July 15, 2009
How very true.
I went to college in Red Sox country, and if my teams (Cubs, Packers, Bulls) lost, I’d hear about it for days on end.
Vermont Cubs Fan - July 15, 2009
I always refer to Cards fans as
the self-proclaimed “Best Fans in Baseball”
Spartan1979 - July 15, 2009
I must say
The last series when the Cubs were here I sat next to a Cubs fan and enjoyed talking with him much more than the typical Cardinal fan.
We sat there and joked about whose team sucked more and how much we both hated Aaron MIles. He even bought me a beer. Not Old Style though. Cheers to that guy!
Salti Cracker - July 15, 2009
And which team did you decide sucked more ?
Doggie Stalker - July 15, 2009
For that night
It was the Cubs. 2-1 game where neither team really looked like they wanted to win. Carpenter looked unhittable and Dempster matched him for the most part.
I still think the Cubs have more talent, but so far it has not been realized.
http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/boxscore?gid=290520124
Salti Cracker - July 15, 2009
Best fans
FWIW, the origin is a Sports Illustrated survey 6 years ago of the players. See question 11.
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/si_online/news/2003/07/01/survey/
Two thirds of the players with 10 years chose Cardinal fans as best.
cliff - July 15, 2009
That same poll
Has Dusty Baker as the best manager…
Salti Cracker - July 15, 2009
Of course it does
He lets his players do whatever the heck they want.
nji232 - July 15, 2009
In 2003 Cubs fans were saying ...
… Dusty was the best manager in baseball.
“In Dusty We Trusty” shirts were all the vogue.
DrCrawdad - July 15, 2009
Who is this Dusty that you speak of??
Oh daggommit, honesty compels me to say,……..You have a good point, DrCrawdad.
deadcatbounce - July 15, 2009
"Best" according to the players
who may have different criteria than we fans have. I’d bet players respond positively to fans who support players loyally without regard to anything but the team name on the uniform. So fans like Philadelphia’s, and to some extent Chicago’s, who turn on a player who underperforms won’t get as high a rating.
ChipSet - July 15, 2009
One of my fav stl moments
From Wiki. Re: Gary Templeton
He continued to hit well in 1980 and 1981, but wasn’t popular with Cardinals fans. During an August 26, 1981 home game in St. Louis, Templeton made an obscene gesture to some fans who had allegedly been heckling him. This proved to be too much for the Cardinals’ management to accept – having a player insult the team’s fans is never a good idea, and even more so in St. Louis who’s fans are considered to be among baseball’s most knowledgeable and loyal.[citation needed].Therefore, manager Whitey Herzog pulled Templeton off the field, and after the end of the season traded him to the Padres for Ozzie Smith. The trade was welcomed by everyone involved, as Smith was (then) a light-hitting defensive wizard and the Cardinals needed to improve their defense. He was also embroiled in a contract dispute with Padres’ management. Templeton, while not as strong afield, was a much better hitter going to a team with a struggling offense.
truelinkfence - July 15, 2009
I booed
I watched the game at Al Hrabosky’s across from Busch and about half of the place booed. My booing was partially because of his stupid jacket, but more because he was taking the limelight away from Stan the Man. The ASG has become a way to give a team a national stage to showcase itself and its history. The Cards have a history that is up there with the Yankees, a bunch of living legends, and one legend that is easily one of the greatest to ever play the game. Instead of celebrating that, we had to deal with Obama trying to steal the show and make it about him.
Mike Martin - July 15, 2009
Here a quote from the chief Chi-Sox fan...
Saw the video and he did pronounce it Cominskey, so maybe just another politcian jumping on a team.
KaliCub - July 15, 2009
I have seen Cubs fans wear shirts that say...
…“Cardinal fans take it up their poo-holes.”
Cubs and Hawks fan - July 15, 2009
so have i
Allie - July 15, 2009
Future ASGs
From article in NY Post – linky
Apparently, the next two games are set:
2010 – Anaheim
2011 – Arizona
After that, it’s rumored to be:
2012 – Kansas City
2013 – NY Mets
Article says Nationals want it in 2013 as well, but will probably have to wait until 2015, presumably because 2014 is the AL’s turn. But it also notes that Bud likes to highlight special events, so even a blind fool like him could see the marketing genius behind the 100th anniversary of Wrigley Field. That’d be an interesting carrot to dangle in front of both Ricketts and Daley to get most/all renovations in place by then…
ballhawk - July 15, 2009
Oh snap! your going to DC??
What games will you be there??? I will be in attendance for the Sunday game, where are your seats that game?
Chanman25 - July 15, 2009
Check your email.
Al Yellon - July 16, 2009
Al: Ill be in about 4th row of 103 on Friday and Saturday if you're in the area.
gocubsgo22 - July 16, 2009
Email me for my seat location.
Al Yellon - July 16, 2009
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