Baseball Voices: Pat Hughes Compiles The Best Of Ron Santo
by Al Yellon on Nov 22, 2011 9:01 AM CST
in Chicago Cubs News
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Print"Oh, nooooooooo!"
As a Cubs fan, you no doubt remember exactly what that means, and possibly even where you were when you heard Ron Santo utter that immortal broadcast phrase on WGN Radio. (In case you need to be reminded, it was at the end of this game.)
Now, WGN's Pat Hughes has put together, in a new CD, a number of his favorite moments with Ron over the 15 years they spent together in the WGN broadcast booth. You'll hear the moment above (from 1998), the time Ron's hairpiece caught fire in the Shea Stadium press box, and Ron's speech when his number was retired at Wrigley Field in 2003. ("THIS is my Hall of Fame!")
Soon, we hope that we'll hear that Ron was elected by the new Veterans Committee and will be inducted into the Hall of Fame. Here's some info on the vote, which will take place at MLB's winter meetings in Dallas on Dec. 4 and 5.
In the meantime, this CD is a great way to reminisce. You can preview the clips and buy it at this iTunes link.
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I miss Ronnie.
If the Cubs still have a chance, no matter how small, it’s still Go Cubs, damn the math and pass the KoolAid. I'm a Sheeple and proud of it!
Spelling and grammar errors are included for creative and artistic reasons.
by eths on Nov 22, 2011 9:03 AM CST reply actions 6 recs
Me too.
Listening to Ron in the booth was like watching the game with your best friend. I love how he wore his emotions on his sleeves :-)
Me three.
♪ He held me very tight under stars so bright and whispered darlin' "Who do you love tonight?" I told him "baseball, baseball...." ♫
Yeah, same here
I won’t deny that I was critical of his announcing during his last two seasons or so — it got to be pretty tough to listen to. But the overall body of work was better than he gets credit for – after being in the role for a handful of years, he got to be competent at worst and was always entertaining.
Step Two: Develop an organizational plan
by Shanghai Badger on Nov 22, 2011 10:01 AM CST up reply actions
Me ten
Lou Brown: "My kinda team, Charlie, my kinda team..."
by ballhawk on Nov 22, 2011 10:09 AM CST up reply actions 1 recs
I missed Ron last baseball season so much that I rarely listened to the pregame show on WGN radio.
Every Cubs game that I could, I listed to Ron interview the manager before the game. Sometime informative, more times it lead to a good laugh about something. Nothing against Keith Moreland and certainly Pat Hughes is the best, but radio broadcasts were just not the same. I will probably buy the CD, for nostalgia more than anything.
I think it safe to say if Ron were alive today he would be SO excited to see all the moves ownership has made and the positive things that I think we all believe are about to happen with all things Cubs. I can imagine the excitement in Ron’s voice as he reviewed all that has gone on so far. I think he would approve.
Yes eths, I miss Ronnie too. And yes worf, those stinkin bastards better put our nine time all-star into the hall of fame this time.
We'll miss you Big Boy. #10 for Hall of Fame.
by mrcubsfan on Nov 22, 2011 11:40 AM CST up reply actions 1 recs
Took a look at the playlist - glad to see "Cage Dancing" made the cut.
The banter between Pat & Ron was exquisitely superb on this one. Late at night (after a rain delay at Shea if I remember right), game not that exciting, and Ron was on a roll, approaching Harry Doyle-esque levels. Funny, funny stuff.
Lou Brown: "My kinda team, Charlie, my kinda team..."
Whoa...
I didn’t realize that vote was coming up so soon! I guess we’ll find out soon enough…
Get 'em on, Get 'em over, Get 'em in!
Week after next.
I think Ron makes it this time.
Which is great and well deserved; just sad that he’s not around to enjoy the honor.
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I thought ron said he didnt want to go in after he died
… those pricks at the hall of fame can go to hell for all i care
He did say that at one time.
But he softened that stance late in his life.
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I am going to just have a freaking meltdown
if they elect him in posthumously. Those stinking bastards will have stolen a moment that would have meant everything to him.
Damn them all to hell.
"It's all in the game, yo"
by Worf on Nov 22, 2011 9:21 AM CST reply actions 7 recs
Don't hold back.
On one level, I agree with you. It would have been great to see him there.
I think, however, better now than not at all. At least his family and all Cubs fans will be able to celebrate his life and career and get national attention for him.
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by Al Yellon on Nov 22, 2011 9:23 AM CST up reply actions 1 recs
I wish I had your magnamity, Al
I think that if the HoF campaign — which, admittedly, Ron seemed a little desperate about at times — had been quieter, I would buy the “Hey, we’re just discovering how good this guy was” routine.
I honestly believe these people dug their heels in when he clearly wanted it so bad and they made the decision, “F—- you, Santo. You’re not getting in until after you die.”
"It's all in the game, yo"
by Worf on Nov 22, 2011 9:29 AM CST up reply actions 1 recs
I hope you're wrong about that attitude.
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Oh I think Worf's probably right - at least about some of the voters
Whether it was writers during the regular voting years, or players during the veteran’s committee years, I’m pretty sure some of them were stubbornly obtuse for no good reason, except to feed their own twisted egos.
It’s one thing to be selective and have high standards. Quite another to be elitist and selfish.
Lou Brown: "My kinda team, Charlie, my kinda team..."
by ballhawk on Nov 22, 2011 10:17 AM CST up reply actions 3 recs
I'm not sure there was that big of a backlash
I think the bigger issue was that the Veterans Committee, as constituted from 2001 to last year, was designed in a way that no one could get elected. Santo got more votes than anyone else, but no one could get over 75% in the committee.
by Josh Timmers on Nov 22, 2011 12:42 PM CST up reply actions
I really like Pat, but this means
that at least four times a game next year I’ll have to hear him pimp this CD the way he continuously talked about the charity tribute book last year.
It’s like they think that somebody who just listens to a game on the radio for the first time in August was going to think “hey, Ron Santo sounds like he was an interesting guy, I think I’ll buy this book.” Promote the CD heavily for the first month of the season and once per weekend game, and that’s enough.
It's a simple question, Doctor: would you eat the moon if it were made of ribs??
I'm guessing that was the publisher's doing more than Pat's
Step Two: Develop an organizational plan
by Shanghai Badger on Nov 22, 2011 10:04 AM CST up reply actions
question....
how does this work? is the “Golden Era Ballot” a new thing? Do they review a particular era in baseball every few years. It appears, that since some of the 10 candidates are still alive, that Santo is included on merit and not because of his death. This will be the first time he’s been voted on by members of the HOF as opposed to BBWAA, right?
Yes, this is new.
It was designed because the old veterans committee wasn’t putting anyone into the Hall. They divided things up into eras — the so-called “Golden Era” (1947-72) is being voted on this year.
Santo was denied election by the old Veterans Committee at least three times (first in 2003, as I recall).
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I went to MLB to look at Santo's stats.
They show his position as DH.
The second best 3rd basman next to Schmidt
He was great on both sides. If the media was like it is today he would had made it 2530 years ago. I wish I could have more footage of him playing Love the DVD and am asking for the book this Christmas from the wife and will get the CD next year sometime.
Eddie Mathews and George Brett would like to have a word with you.
There’s a pretty good argument those guys were better than Santo.
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Brett
He was one of my favorite non-Cub players to watch. That said, he and Santo I think are pretty close. The sad thing is that Santo can be compared to players like this, and yet Brett was a lock HOF according to the voters, while Santo, well we know the story.
I remember at one point, Bill James called Santo the most deserving player not in the HOF.
I hope he gets in for his family’s sake as well as his legacy to those who weren’t fortunate to see him play.
Bill James
started championing Santo for the Hall of Fame back in the early 1980s. I’d say at the time, few people, even Cub fans, thought he was a Hall of Famer. But it was James who pointed out the value that Santo derived from all those walks and his defense at third base. He also pointed out that third base was an underrepresented position and that Santo was a better player than the third basemen already in.
At the time, the baseball establishment pretty much wrote James off as a crank, and it took 15 years or so for the people who read James as kids to grow up and take their place in the baseball establishment to make Santo a reasonable candidate. It was just then that the outrage over guys like Bid McPhee (a worthy candidate, but one no one had ever heard of) and Mazeroski (a borderline case, the Babe Ruth of defense at second base but a bad bat) caused the Hall to remake the Veterans Committee in a way that made the complainers happy. Unfortunately, the new committee made it too hard for anyone to get elected. And by the time Cooperstown realized this (and believe me, the Hall wants to induct people. That’s where they make their money) and remade the committee, Santo was dead.
by Josh Timmers on Nov 22, 2011 12:52 PM CST up reply actions
They were definitely better for a longer period of time.
Marilyn Monroe "yogi your a pretty cool guy"
Berra " Marilyn you ain't so hot yourself"!
And those guys did not have Diabetes
I also think that Gale Sayers is the greatest Running back of all time.
Off topic
CBA is horrible. Taxes on overslot signings, to include loss of picks for such signings over a slight percentage.
Blecch.
10-25-2011. Theo Epstein joins the Cubs. Now, the fun begins.
Pirates just lost Ryan Doumit.
Now they have the poor man’s Ryan Doumit.
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And the HGH testing
is just proving to be a PR move. Testing only during Spring Training? No random checks?
I mean, I don’t have a problem with this because HGH doesn’t help performance, but it just proves the whole thing is a show.
by Josh Timmers on Nov 22, 2011 12:55 PM CST up reply actions
u know if the 1st round of playoffs will be best of 7 or the same as now?
… i hate the best of 5 and if the wild carfs r only playing 1 game there should be time for best of 7
How can Hughes sell these recordings?
I thought they were property of MLB? Isn’t that what was said on every broadcast that Hughes worked?
I'm sure Pat got permission to do this.
Here’s a link to Pat’s website.
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I'm sure he does too...
…but from an organization that refused to let the Mets wear a cap honoring 9/11 first responders, I find it a little hard to believe. Somebody’s palm was probably greased.
by fossilhippie on Nov 23, 2011 8:24 AM CST up reply actions
Woah. Purchasing that was WAY too easy.
I long for the days of cutting out a little order coupon from the back of a sports magazine and filling it out by hand in pen, making mistakes and erasing; carefully folding up two one-dollar bills and paper-clipping them to the order form; digging around the desk for an envelope, mislabeling and correcting same; licking the envelope to close it, only to get a paper cut on my tongue; searching for a stamp only to realize I was out and then discovering the post office closed 10 minutes ago so now I can’t even buy a friggin’ stamp; finally getting a stamp the next day and then pulling down the mailbox latch to drop the order form in.
And I waited. (cue up and roll “Anticipation” by Carly Simon)
July. July twelfth. My birthday. It was a hundred and four degrees. In the shade. Not a snowball in sight.
Whoops. Sorry. Channelling Bill Cosby.
Weeks later my Little Orphan Annie decoder wheel arrived in the mail!
But I digress…
Way too easy. Damn you iTunes and your instant gratification.
(So I went back outside and I spit on him.)
There are 108 beads in a Catholic rosary and there are 108 stitches in a baseball. Who says baseball isn't a religion? (Now #8452 in the Cubs Season Ticket Wait List...)
Junior Barnes... Junior Barrrrrrnes...
You gunkie…
Lou Brown: "My kinda team, Charlie, my kinda team..."
Buck-buck...
There are 108 beads in a Catholic rosary and there are 108 stitches in a baseball. Who says baseball isn't a religion? (Now #8452 in the Cubs Season Ticket Wait List...)
A piece of paper. Somebody hit me with a piece of paper!
Lou Brown: "My kinda team, Charlie, my kinda team..."
I don't want to be the bottle top.
Like man, I wanna be the piece of glass!
There are 108 beads in a Catholic rosary and there are 108 stitches in a baseball. Who says baseball isn't a religion? (Now #8452 in the Cubs Season Ticket Wait List...)
"...go down to Third Street and catch the J bus. Have him open the doors at 19th Street. I'll fake it to you."
Lou Brown: "My kinda team, Charlie, my kinda team..."
If this were a wax record..........
……..is should only be a 45, with “B” side optional.
"I feel sorry for people who don't drink. When they wake up in the morning, that's as good as they're going to feel all day." ~ Frank Sinatra
I disagree. There's not enough laughter in our lives today.
Best $10 I’ve spent in awhile…
God bless you Ronnie. May you get the HOF call in heaven soon!
There are 108 beads in a Catholic rosary and there are 108 stitches in a baseball. Who says baseball isn't a religion? (Now #8452 in the Cubs Season Ticket Wait List...)
by Zeke on Nov 22, 2011 2:50 PM CST up reply actions 1 recs
Screams, cries and wailing.
In three different octaves.
And all for just $10?!?!
"I feel sorry for people who don't drink. When they wake up in the morning, that's as good as they're going to feel all day." ~ Frank Sinatra
So you're reviewing a CD without listening to it?
Neat.
Step Two: Develop an organizational plan
by Shanghai Badger on Nov 22, 2011 6:01 PM CST up reply actions
Throughout history I heard enough of his gibberish.........
……….to know I never needed to hear it again.
In fairness, perhaps I missed that broadcast where he offered up something enlightening. That’s why my original post (45 only) is apropos.
"I feel sorry for people who don't drink. When they wake up in the morning, that's as good as they're going to feel all day." ~ Frank Sinatra
Screams, cries and wailing.
In three different octaves.
And all for just $10?!?!
"I feel sorry for people who don't drink. When they wake up in the morning, that's as good as they're going to feel all day." ~ Frank Sinatra
Oops.......FAIL.
"I feel sorry for people who don't drink. When they wake up in the morning, that's as good as they're going to feel all day." ~ Frank Sinatra
Just listened - Now I miss him even more.
If the Cubs still have a chance, no matter how small, it’s still Go Cubs, damn the math and pass the KoolAid. I'm a Sheeple and proud of it!
Spelling and grammar errors are included for creative and artistic reasons.
I miss him, but I had a smile on my face throughout the CD.
There are 108 beads in a Catholic rosary and there are 108 stitches in a baseball. Who says baseball isn't a religion? (Now #8452 in the Cubs Season Ticket Wait List...)
Now I can't wait to get mine.
I went old school and ordered the CD. Kinda silly because I will probably only listen to it on my ipod anyway. Just wanted it for my collection which also includes the CD’s of Bob Uecker and Harry Caray.
♪ He held me very tight under stars so bright and whispered darlin' "Who do you love tonight?" I told him "baseball, baseball...." ♫
Got it already. That was super quick.
Also, included with the CD(which was wrapped) was an extra cover sleeve autographed by Pat. That was a nice touch.
♪ He held me very tight under stars so bright and whispered darlin' "Who do you love tonight?" I told him "baseball, baseball...." ♫
i loved Ron
as a player, but he was a lazy announcer, and inattentive
by Mike the ex cub fan on Nov 23, 2011 6:19 PM CST reply actions
already
ordered mine.not being in chicago i never got to hear ronnie or pat.
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