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For many years, you’d hear Jack Brickhouse thank “sports editor Jack Rosenberg” for all his help on Cubs baseball broadcasts on WGN-TV.
Jack Rosenberg, who was born May 21, 1926 in Peoria, passed away Monday, aged 94.
Rather than try to tell you the story of one of the great men of Chicago television history myself, I’m going to let longtime WGN-TV producer and executive Bob Vorwald tell “Rosey’s” story, with some incredible photos (some of which I ran in my tribute to WGN-TV’s 72 years of Cubs TV in September 2019):
RIP Jack Rosenberg. We’ve lost a Chicago treasure, a WGN legend, and one of the nicest men to ever walk the earth. Pioneer, mentor, brilliant writer, heart of gold. THREAD pic.twitter.com/BZD3ngLqLQ
— Bob Vorwald (@BobVorwald) December 28, 2020
2) Jack was sports editor at WGN for 40 years, a career encompassing all Chicago sports teams and thousands of broadcasts. The sound of his typewriter softly clicking behind Jack Brickhouse was the soundtrack of summer for generations of Cubs fans. pic.twitter.com/E6n4Bzdf8z
— Bob Vorwald (@BobVorwald) December 28, 2020
To interrupt this story for just a moment, Vorwald’s right about that typewriter (seen in the photo above) being part of the “soundtrack of summer.” I can hear it in my mind, even now. The photo’s a real time capsule of a bygone era — typewriter, trenchcoat, pipe, fedora. I can’t sleuth the exact date, but it’s clearly a cold day — no leaves on the ivy, Rosenberg wearing a coat. The 1987 National League Green Book is sitting next to Jack — so April 1987 is my best guess.
3) Rosey was an American original. Imagine a youth in Pekin, IL who qualified for the national junior tennis tourney, was sports editor of the daily metro paper WHILE IN HIGH SCHOOL, delivered his class commencement address, then joined the Navy at the height of WWII.
— Bob Vorwald (@BobVorwald) December 28, 2020
4) Jack was an award-winning newspaperman in Peoria and turned down the chance to join the Chicago Tribune sports staff in 1954, only to have Jack Brickhouse convince him to join WGN-TV a few weeks later (at less pay he always joked!) pic.twitter.com/MqvZw99XAA
— Bob Vorwald (@BobVorwald) December 28, 2020
5) He was promoted to sports editor in 1958 and for years worked on WGN TV and radio events. He was friends with Jackie Robinson and Roberto Clemente and helped Vince Lloyd grab a live interview with JFK at Opening Day on WGN’s Leadoff Man show. pic.twitter.com/S0NAhAOVAo
— Bob Vorwald (@BobVorwald) December 28, 2020
6) Rosey was part of an incredible team including Jack Brickhouse, Vince Lloyd, Lou Boudreau, Arne Harris, Jack Quinlan, and many more that revolutionized TV in Chicago. pic.twitter.com/ia1vO25mUq
— Bob Vorwald (@BobVorwald) December 28, 2020
7) “If I ever said anything funny, it’s probably because Rosenberg wrote it.” - Jack Brickhouse pic.twitter.com/aa9UIkp6pz
— Bob Vorwald (@BobVorwald) December 28, 2020
8) Jack produced and traveled to Bear games for decades with Brick and Kup, often flying and befriending Virginia and Ed McCaskey. pic.twitter.com/U9fmfxW1rJ
— Bob Vorwald (@BobVorwald) December 28, 2020
9) In 1981, he and Brickhouse wanted a special guest for their season kickoff “A Look At The Cubs” show, so they worked with Rep. Bob Michel and landed an Oval Office interview with President Reagan. pic.twitter.com/seTdEFsXAD
— Bob Vorwald (@BobVorwald) December 28, 2020
10) Jack was a tremendous mentor who helped launch many careers including Rich King, Dan Roan, Mitch Rosen, and me. pic.twitter.com/psEIryukct
— Bob Vorwald (@BobVorwald) December 28, 2020
11) He wrote Jack Brickhouse’s autobiography and Brick was best man at Rosey’s wedding. pic.twitter.com/Yg0G3XjPRd
— Bob Vorwald (@BobVorwald) December 28, 2020
12) Rosey wrote Brick’s Hall of Fame speech: “In the fantasy of my dreams, I have imagined myself as the announcer of a Cubs-WhiteSox World Series, a Series that would last 7 games, with the final game going into extra innings before being suspended of darkness at Wrigley Field.” pic.twitter.com/IGf3kWpj9v
— Bob Vorwald (@BobVorwald) December 28, 2020
13)“Countless people at WGN & elsewhere have brought me to this broadcasting pinnacle today. You know who you are & you have my undying gratitude.
— Bob Vorwald (@BobVorwald) December 28, 2020
Here on a memorable afternoon in Cooperstown, my heart tells me I have traveled the 90 feet from 3rd to home and scored standing up.” pic.twitter.com/jCU3EkMYJe
14) Rosey, Brick, Arne, Jim West - Wrigley Field. pic.twitter.com/2ZYm6tsyDe
— Bob Vorwald (@BobVorwald) December 28, 2020
15) When he stepped out of the booth, he never slowed down. Jack and Vince Lloyd founded the Cubs Radio Network in 1995 making it easier for Cub fans across the Midwest to hear their favorite team. pic.twitter.com/PxaHl6ZNkq
— Bob Vorwald (@BobVorwald) December 28, 2020
16) In 1990, WGN Radio wanted Rosey to choose their new color man - Bob Brenly or Ron Santo. After working with both at practice games in FL,
— Bob Vorwald (@BobVorwald) December 28, 2020
Rosey convinced management to hire them both. pic.twitter.com/98ObZbDtFt
17) When Harry Caray returned after his stroke in 1987, he requested Rosey return to accompany him and work with him that season. pic.twitter.com/VELuKsFynj
— Bob Vorwald (@BobVorwald) December 28, 2020
18) Don and Charlie’s in Scottsdale. Rosey and Cubs crew spread the word this was the place to be and helped the new restaurant take off. pic.twitter.com/Qnfn7zzeG6
— Bob Vorwald (@BobVorwald) December 28, 2020
19) Jack would sit on a panel at the Cubs Convention each year and regale the audiences with an endless supply of baseball stories. pic.twitter.com/mOP7ObfgBe
— Bob Vorwald (@BobVorwald) December 28, 2020
20) His home turf was L Woods in Lincolnwood and he was a wonderful resource for @LenKasper and many others. pic.twitter.com/g2qtML98Cz
— Bob Vorwald (@BobVorwald) December 28, 2020
21) When the White Sox started SportsChannel in the early 80’s, Jack turned down the chance to join them, but stayed friends with Jerry Reinsdorf. Their lunches were two master story-tellers at their best. pic.twitter.com/2V2WBa2dzw
— Bob Vorwald (@BobVorwald) December 28, 2020
22) Rosey was elected to the TV Academy Silver Circle in 2011. pic.twitter.com/3IIswzSgrS
— Bob Vorwald (@BobVorwald) December 28, 2020
23) He was added to the WGN Radio Walk of Fame in 2017. pic.twitter.com/5aW6y1B7o2
— Bob Vorwald (@BobVorwald) December 28, 2020
As you can see from all the tweets (and I realize there are a lot of them, but the history they tell is well worth it!), Jack Rosenberg had a remarkable life, and he was one of the last living links to the Golden Era of Chicago television from the 1950s through the 1970s. We will never see the likes of it in local media again.
Sincere condolences to Jack’s family and friends.