Watch this 1960 video of Wrigley history

by Reverend Jim Ignatowski on May 25, 2007 12:14 AM CDT Comment 26 comments

On May 15,1960 Don Cardwell made his first appearance as a Cub having joined the team just two days earlier in a trade with the Phillies. Watch the 9th inning to see if he becomes the first ever to throw a no-hitter in a debut performance.

Then watch again to enjoy the fans and ballpark.

http://108mag.typepad.com/the_southpaw/2007/05/don_cardwells_n.html

This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of SB Nation or Al Yellon, managing editor (unless it's a FanPost posted by Al). FanPost opinions are valued expressions of opinion by passionate and knowledgeable baseball fans.

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Unfortunately

I cannot get any sound out of this video, which is classic -- it's described as "Cardinals video feed" but I seem to remember Jack Brickhouse's call to end it...(Not from actually seeing it in real time, I am NOT THAT old....)

"Come on, Moose!!! He did it! A no-hitter!"

...As Moose Moryn caught the sinking liner to end the perfecto.

by San Diego Smooth Jazz Man on May 25, 2007 1:33 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

That was awesome!

That final out was a very good catch. Thanks for sharing the link!

Go Cubs!

by Neifi Puppy on May 25, 2007 7:23 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

"Vince Lloyd joing the mob...

...with the Andy Frain ushers...."

Sound works for me and it's definitely Brickhouse and the WGN broadcast.

by JohnM on May 25, 2007 7:24 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Notes on this video...

... first, look at the railings between the box seats. Those existed till 1968; they still have such railings in the ballparks in New York.

That's the earliest surviving piece of video from WGN's archives. For years, when WGN needed new videotape, they just erased old ones. No one ever thought, in those days, that people forty-plus years later, would want to watch baseball games from the '50s. What a shame.

You'll also note how quickly Cardwell worked -- that always amazes me, how much faster-paced the game was in those days. Also note Cardwell's full windup -- how many pitchers today do that? Very few. Also, as Brickhouse said, it was nearly a perfect game -- Cardwell allowed only one baserunner, a first-inning walk.

The catch by Moryn to end the game is nearly legendary in Cubs history, but the catch by Altman on the first out of the inning was nearly as good.

"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx

by Al on May 25, 2007 8:06 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

I really enjoyed....

...watching the fans, both during and after the game. Also the video provoked fond memories of sitting in the bleachers before the baskets were put in place.

Agreed, those were TWO exceptional catches, but clearly the last one would be the days #1 web gem on the Eastern Seaboard Pom-pom Network.

El Jefe

by Reverend Jim Ignatowski on May 25, 2007 8:13 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Oh yes,

..look at the screen behind home plate. I didn't remember that configuration. When was the change?

El Jefe

by Reverend Jim Ignatowski on May 25, 2007 8:14 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

It had to be...

... before 1963, because that's when I went to my first game and I don't recall seeing that screen there then.

"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx

by Al on May 25, 2007 8:40 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Screen

Al, I do remember the old foul ball net behind home plate. I think that was removed after the 1980 or 1981 season. Does that sound right?

"Hello again, everybody. Harry Caray from Wrigley Field on a beautiful day for baseball."

by danimal15 on May 25, 2007 11:52 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Yes, but...

... that appears to be a different screen than the one in the video.

The old screen you're thinking of, which attached to the upper deck and had balls go up and fall down it, was removed when Tribune Co. took over the team, after the 1981 season.

"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx

by Al on May 25, 2007 4:20 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I must be thinking of something else...

I seem to remember the netting that balls would get caught on and fall down in the early 80s, even after the Trib took over. I think it got changed in the mid 80s. the netting you're speaking of, but I could be wrong. I seem to recall a distinctive slightly-colored netting (dark colored, but maybe not black) and then there was also a monochromatic one. In the video, that looks like a fence more than a screen. Al, you're probably right, you have a pretty good memory on these things. The footage is crips, all things considered, and I love the 3b camera on flyballs to right. I miss that view as opposed to the zoomed-in view we get now. Just imaginge, all those Bozo shows and Cub telecasts that were lost forever.

by cubby23 on May 26, 2007 10:15 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

meant to say...

The footage is *crisp, not crips, laughs. I need to use preview more.

by cubby23 on May 26, 2007 10:39 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

LOL

You might be right about the net. It was replaced by Tribune Co. after they took over, but it might have been in the mid 80's rather than right away.

I'm pretty sure it was changed by the time of the 1984 playoffs.

"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx

by Al on May 27, 2007 4:09 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

net

It was gone well before 1984. No doubt in my mind. I think Al is right - it disappeared right after the Trib took over.

"Hello again, everybody. Harry Caray from Wrigley Field on a beautiful day for baseball."

by danimal15 on May 27, 2007 10:20 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I wish

the game were still this quick. You mention pitchers worked more quickly. I also think batters fouled off fewer pitches. These days, what with pitchers all on strict pitch counts, the strategy most batters seem to employ is to foul off as many pitches as possible from the starting pitcher in order to hasten the bullpen coming into the game. That's bad on a number of counts: It slows down the game incredibly, making me want to switch channels or fall asleep, and it means more time watching crummy middle relievers rather than top starters.

The only benefit, I suppose, is more souvenirs for the fans.

I was watching the Sox play the A's the other night on TV (don't ask me why), and one batter must have fouled off seven of Garland's pitches in a row. Seemed like every hitter went to a 3-2 count. Most boring game I've ever seen. But sadly, pretty typical for baseball in this era.

"Hello again, everybody. Harry Caray from Wrigley Field on a beautiful day for baseball."

by danimal15 on May 25, 2007 11:26 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Also, Al

The box seats were folding chairs. I always wondered why. (And, whatever happened to those chairs!!) I used to jokingly speculate that George Halas had ANOTHER set of smaller folding chairs he shipped into to Wrigley for the football season to raise capacity...

And, this had to be a kinescope, right? No video tape existed for a few more years...some smart engineer ar WGN turned a film camera on a TV set to capture this.

And, of course, the TOTAL lack of team gear worn by the fans. That industry didn't exist. In fact, from what I was told, it would look foolish for an adult to wear a 'team' cap. That was for kids, only.

And to hear ol Jack....(Watch it!!)

by San Diego Smooth Jazz Man on May 26, 2007 7:16 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Yes, that's a kinescope.

You can see the edges of the monitor on the image.

About the folding chairs... I own one of them. And that was dumb, I could have bought a dozen, because in the early 1980's, they took all of these chairs, which had been stored beneath the ballpark since the permanent seats had been installed in 1968, and put them out on Sheffield Avenue and sold them for $1 each.

No joke. $1. Could have had ten of them, but I lived in a one-bedroom apartment at the time, and where would I have put them?

"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx

by Al on May 26, 2007 8:14 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

A BUCK???

Damn, I was still in Chicago in 1980, working in scenic Aurora! How come I never knew? Damn!

I would have stacked them in my father's basement and sold them for 500-bucks a hit 20 years later.

After keeping 1 for myself, of course.

by San Diego Smooth Jazz Man on May 27, 2007 11:49 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

fans on field

Also, check out little Pat Pieper running up to plate umpire to give him new baseballs. The fans on the field after the game is definetly a thing of the past. Also liked the live commercials that announcers did in those days. Vince Lloyd does one for Oklahoma Oil right before the bottom of the 8th.

by KedzieKid on May 25, 2007 10:12 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

I believe much that that sound is here

http://www.jonmdavis.net/cubs/sound.html

by San Diego Smooth Jazz Man on May 27, 2007 11:50 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Never mind

the real old stuff doesn't seem to be here anymore -- but I remember listening to Vince & Lou stumbling through a "Bra sale at Wiebolt's" commercial, which I thought I found here.

by San Diego Smooth Jazz Man on May 27, 2007 11:53 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

sorry

I have the "complete" video of this. It includes the whole 8th & 9th innings, plus the post game show. I did not preview this video earlier, & didn't realize they only had the botom of the 9th.

by KedzieKid on May 25, 2007 10:24 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Brett video

I notice that further down on the same site, they have the complete video of George Brett's pine tar homer. Unfortunately, it doesn't have the Phil Rizutto Yankees telecast version, which I have on video at home. Rizutto is fabulous. Here's how Rizutto described the action (all in his classic NY accent, which you'll have to imagine):

"What a confrontation - the best fastball pitcher in baseball against the best fastball hitter.

"Deep to right field...holy cow! A home run for George Brett! I don't believe it, that lightning could strike twice. I'm telling you, I had nightmares about this. And now Martin is coming out of the dugout - he wants to take a look at that bat, but that's a bit too late. Holy cow.

"And now Martin is talking to the umpires, and there's a definite rule, that the pine tar can only be so high. They've got to find a way to calibrate just how high the pine tar is. There's Brett, being congratulated, but they're having a conference by the plate...

"HE'S OUT!" (as the ump makes the call and Brett charges the umpires)

"Hello again, everybody. Harry Caray from Wrigley Field on a beautiful day for baseball."

by danimal15 on May 25, 2007 11:39 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Video

Doesn't seem to be a link to it on the site anymore.

"Hello again, everybody. Harry Caray from Wrigley Field on a beautiful day for baseball."

by danimal15 on May 25, 2007 4:12 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

It's still there....

... I'm watching it again right now.

"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx

by Al on May 25, 2007 4:21 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

If you get a chance....

watch the documentary on Fergie Jenkins called "King of the Hill" on the list of other listed features. It's a nice documentary on the Durocher-era Cubs, with all the footage taken between 1972 and '73, as that era's team was on its last leg. I would have loved this era's Cubs, but I'm also happy that I did not have to endure the years of 1974-1983. I guess since 1984, I've had plenty of suffering, but also at least some joy.

"Don't complain to me about the stormy weather, boys. Just bring the ship into port." --Steve Stone, September 2004

by ctcoff99 on May 27, 2007 12:52 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs