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Forgotten College of Coaches Faculty Member

Very few Cubs fans remember him today, but Derwood "Woody" Noggin was part of the infamous College of Coaches for a brief time in 1961. A popular Vaudeville entertainer for many years, Noggin was famous for his wisecracking humor, but had virtually no baseball experience. He was purportedly hired for the sole purpose of improving clubhouse morale during what promised to be an utterly abysmal season.

However, like the College of Coaches, Noggin's tenure with the Cubs was a complete failure.  The players, who were interested only in keeping their jobs and what little professional dignity they had left, were in no mood for his jokes and madcap antics.  To make matters worse, he was widely suspected of being nothing more than a mouthpiece for the front office. Unwilling to trust him, the players shunned him and often locked him in his own suitcase during games.

Noggin mysteriously disappeared just a few weeks into the season and was never seen again.  According to sources who claim to be reliable, he was last seen in the company of Yosh Kawano, who supposedly was going to show him a new woodchipper that had been purchased for the grounds crew.  Yosh vehemently denies this, however, and since the story cannot be confirmed, Noggin's ultimate fate may never be known.

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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Youd be wise not TO SPEAK OF THIS AGAIN

"Hey.....Cubs win!!!" ---Harry "I strongly dislike Steve Stone." ---Hammer

by Hammer on Mar 14, 2008 11:17 AM CDT reply actions   0 recs

And now deep thoughts
To me, clowns aren't funny. In fact, they're kind of scary. I've wondered where this started and I think it goes back to the time I went to the circus, and a clown killed my dad.

-Jack Handey

"Hey.....Cubs win!!!" ---Harry "I strongly dislike Steve Stone." ---Hammer

by Hammer on Mar 14, 2008 11:22 AM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

Re-sodding
I wonder if one of teh "artifacts" recovered from under Wrigley Field might be him?

by Snake Plissken on Mar 14, 2008 11:51 AM CDT reply actions   0 recs

Was it psychology
...or reverse psychology?  I don't imagine anyone would be dumb enough to think that a group of competetive, disgruntled twenty-something jocks would all unite around a ventriloquist (sp?) dummy.  Maybe this Noggin chap was hired so that the clubhouse was united around their hatred for him, not their love for him.

Come to think of it, that might also explain why we signed that Jose Macias guy a few years ago.

by Rev Gunia on Mar 14, 2008 12:25 PM CDT reply actions   0 recs

This is hilarious.
Based on the uniform, that photo probably dates from the 1940's. Probably taken at spring training on Catalina Island.
"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx

by Al on Mar 14, 2008 12:31 PM CDT reply actions   0 recs

I just noticed something
Al, if that's true, then I wonder if that's Dizzy Dean standing right behind the dummy (Charlie McCarthy?) It sure looks like him and the time frame would be right.

by Mike Vails Evil Twin on Mar 14, 2008 12:44 PM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

The road uniform style...
... that is in the photo was used in only two seasons: 1938 and 1939. (Look closely. Though there is the underlined "Chicago" in several years, only in 1938 and 1939 did they have the stripe on the shoulder.)

That being the case, yes, it very likely is Dizzy Dean, who was a Cub in both those years.

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

by Al on Mar 14, 2008 7:05 PM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

"Woody"
passed away in May of 2003. He asked that his body be donated to the Louisville Memorial Hospital for research. Unfortunately the undertaker misunderstood and Woody's body ended up at a well known local sporting goods manufacturer where it was accidentally? combined with the remains of recently deceased Phil 'Corky' Corchran. The results ended up in the hands of a well known Cub player a few weeks later.

by slide on Mar 14, 2008 1:40 PM CDT reply actions   0 recs

ROFLMHO
.. i can't stand it .. i'm crying ..

dang that was genius after watching Neal Cotts give away a meaningless game.

All we need now is a reenactment of the Sammy Hughes Incident and I will die a completed man.

Well, Next Year is here .. and Jack's century's gotta end some time .. GO CUBBIES!

by cubnational on Mar 15, 2008 7:11 PM CDT reply actions   0 recs

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