Results 21 to 26 of 26
Thread: Santo finally makes the HOF
-
12-05-2011, 10:25 PM #21
- Join Date
- Apr 2011
- Posts
- 469
-
12-05-2011, 10:45 PM #22
-
12-05-2011, 10:59 PM #23
- Join Date
- Nov 2005
- Posts
- 3,591
Re: Santo finally makes the HOF
Yes, it is a shame they waited until he passed to elect him.
I posted this before and I'll post it again - I got to spend the past few years working with Ron Santo at various autograph appearances and before I met him I didn't think he qualified to be in the Hall of Fame.
After seeing him with the public who adored him, I realized he belonged in the Hall of Fame, not solely based on his career on the playing field but also for his contributions off the field after he retired.
Ernie Bank and Ryne Sandberg may have been career Chicago Cubs, but Ron Santo lived and died a Chicago Cubs fan and dedicated his life to that organization, their fans and the sport of baseball.
A true class individual who deserved to enjoy being elected to The Hall of Fame but in the end only his fans and family will be able to enjoy his well deserved enrichment.
-
12-05-2011, 11:01 PM #24
- Join Date
- Nov 2005
- Posts
- 3,591
Re: Santo finally makes the HOF
-
12-05-2011, 11:32 PM #25
- Join Date
- Apr 2009
- Posts
- 8,901
Re: Santo finally makes the HOF
No, but I wish it was.
The small house in the center of the three buildings was rebuilt in the early 2000s. The light colored structure at the right edge of the photo has long been referred to by the Ballhawks as the "yellow apartment building". It's the building that Glenallen Hill launched a game home run caught by a fan at a rooftop party there during Hill's second go-round with the Cubs. Windows on the building have been broken more than once by game home run blasts.
Dave Miedema
-
12-06-2011, 03:33 PM #26
- Join Date
- Apr 2009
- Posts
- 8,901
Re: Santo finally makes the HOF
You're right, Warren.
Anyway, I rarely quote pictures in my responses (a pet peeve I know irritates many of you), but I made this exception for reference purposes.
Notice the short, solid wall separating the park from the street. Back in those days the area between the park's outisde wall and the outfield wall was a catwalk entrance to the bleachers. Some of the Wrigley ballhawks of the era would buy bleacher tickets (much cheaper and less in demand than today) and would stand next to the guard at the top of the ramp. When a home run landed on either catwalk (left or right field), the ballhawk, if he was lucky and had an "in" with the guard, would have the guard lift the restraint rope so he could run down and grab the home run.
Also...the high chain link fence behind that solid wall behind the catwalk appeared suddenly and without warning during an early 60s road trip (this photo is before the high fence was added). The existing 2-3 foot high fence was extended during the season to 10 or so feet high, apparently the response to the landady of the yellow apartment building after having a building window busted by a home run ball. Most of this information came from 50+ year Ballhawk Rich Buhrke, who was in school during that era.
Dave Miedema