Convergence of Relevant Stuff

A long time ago, I was a New York Yankee fan. I would read books about the greats, Babe Ruth, Mickie Mantle, Joe Dimaggio, Reggie Jackson and yes Bobby Mercer. Bobby Murcer passed away on Saturday. I remember watching the Yankee play the Los Angeles Dodger in 1963 when Sandy Koufax and Don Drysdale literally shut the Yankees out. The Yankees went into a slump; a winless spell that lasted for 8 years. Those lean years included good solid players Joe Pepitone, Horace Clark, Al Downing, Jake Gibbs, Roy White, Jim Bouton and Bobby Murcer was an intricate part of the Yankees. He was a designated star who never peaked. But he was a winner and more importantly a Yankee.
So Bobby Murcer passed way, but his impact on the game, playing in New York, was immense. Murcer was from Oklahoma, the same as Mickie Mantle. There were hopes that Murcer would be another Mantle. That never came to fruition. He instead became a solid player and a contributor for the Yankees, particularly doing the years of the slide from Glory. He was a five time all-star. Murcer played for the Yankees from 1965-1974. These were years when the Yankees struggled. Murcer was a solid player and doing the time he played with the Yankees,the most popular Yankee.

During his time with the Yankees they had a tough time winning. They had solid player, some of whom would later come together in the mid-seventies through free agency to put together World Series Championship. Murcer would not enjoy that heyday ; he was traded to San Francisco in 1974 for Bobby Bond. But for one Brief moment during the late sixties. He was Mr. Yankee.

The quest conductor has become institution at Wrigley Field. The tradition started by Harry Caray lives on through the guest conductor. There are only two throwback parks left in modern baseball Wrigley Field in Chicago, home of the Cubs and Fenway Park, home of the Boston Red Sox. Both parks continually sell out and both honor tradition.

Wrigley Field is an institution. The ball park opened in 1914 and seats 41,000. It is in a word nostalgic, and a throwback to the old days of baseball. Why would you throw away the old family earlum passed down from generation to generation like your great grandfather’ old railroad watch? Some traditions you keep. You certainly would not cast aside the guest conductor, at the 7th inning stretch.

The Cubs Organization conducts a regular contest to pick a fan to be the guest conductor. This is an absolute thrill for a club fan to be selected to be the Guest Conductor. The testimonials of this years ten finalist say volumes about the fans love of the Cubs. Many confessed to be lifelong Cubs fans introdued to the Cubs by there fathers or grandfathers.

This is a fabled tradition and a lot of fun. It should not be abolished. Here’s a list of the some of the celebrities who has served as guest conductors.

Famed Negro League All-Star Buck O’Neil, led the singing in 1994
Bob Uecker sung “Take Me Out to the Ballgame six times
Five University of Illinois Coaches have been guest Conductors
Ron Zook,
Lon Kruger,
Ron Turner
Bill Self
Bruce Turner
Rogert Ebert sang twice is 2001 and 2004
Tyson Chandler sung three times
Mike Ditka sang six times
Walter and Connie Payton
Muhammad Ali
Donald Trump

The Chicago Cubs are an institution and the players and all those who were associated with the club like Harry Carey all play a part in the tradition of the clubs. Traditions must live and not be cast out so Fathers can tell stories about baseball games at Wrigley Field and Pass those stories down to there sons and daughters.
Wrigley field has witnessed many historic moments among them:
Babe Ruth’s “called shot,” – Ruth as the story has it pointed to a bleacher and hit the next pitch out of the park in the 1932 World Series, New York vs Chicago.
Ernie Banks’ hit his 500th career home run May 12, 1970, vs. Atlanta’s Pat Jarvis.
Pete Rose’s 4,191st career hit, which tied him with Ty Cobb for the most hits in baseball history
Sammy Sosa’s 60th home runs in 1998, 1999 and 2001.
the 1947, 1962 and 1990 All-Star Games.

That’s the tradition of baseball. A tradition present in baseball parks across America, at Fenway Park, Wrigley Field,, two of the parks were tradition still means something. So you don’t toss it away, you keep it, you nurture it; you hold on to it. That’s what the Guest Conductor has become……”A tradition at Wrigley Field”