Thanks.

Ann Margaret for a couple of reasons…:)

Harry came to Tim McCarver Stadium in Memphis for one game each in 1986 and 1987. George Lapides, a local sports radio talk show host and in the Chicks’ front office at the time, invited Harry to Memphis. Lapides is a big Cardinals fan, who grew up with Caray on St. Louis broadcasts. Harry did the PA for both games.

In 1986, I was in a long line to get Harry to sign a Sports Illustrated with Bo Jackson in a red Chicks warm-up jersey on the cover. My brother took my place in line, so I could be out in the crowd in the 7th inning, when Harry sang. That was my biggest thrill ever at Timmy Mac. By the time I got to Wrigley in 2005, Harry was no longer with us.

I did get my SI signed and told Harry that the Cubs would go all the way in 1987. Of course, the Cubs promptly finished last in ‘87. During the 1986 game, fans submitted questions to Harry for an after the game interview by George Lapides on the field. Hardly anybody left the park until that interview was done.

In 1987, I called up Lapides then of WREC radio and answered a trivia question about how long Caray had been broadcasting major league baseball. I answered it was then his 43rd year. I won 2 complimentary tickets to the game. I was in a drawing to win a dinner with Harry as part of a radio contest. Keith Ingram, the then-mayor of West Memphis, Arkansas, won. Ingram is a close personal friend to this day of George Lapides. I still think that drawing was rigged. I’m glad I was able to be in the crowd when Harry sang on two separate occasions despite never being in Chicago while Harry was there.