A big congratulations to the Hawk on his long deserved election to the Baseball Hall of Fame.

1987 must really have been a more innocent time.  Before steroids, when ball girls could wear shorts, when cigars could be smoked in the stands,  when 47 home runs in a season was a remarkable achievement,  before upwardly spiraling salaries created a gulf of money separating the fans from the stars they adored.

Before there was an internet, there was a man named Andre.

Anyone who watched the Hawk knew he was destined for the Hall.  Critics might quibble over  imaginary numbers but the man is worthy on the basis of his fearsome arm alone.

I still have never seen another player throw a baseball the way #8 could.

At the park I sat transfixed – on TV they would be showing commercials but what you could see in between innings was well worth the price of admission.  To call Dawson’s arm a cannon is simply an insult to Newtonian physics.  He repeatedly and effortlessly tossed balls with absolutely no arc.

As a tribute to the man, we will reflect back on the moments in Cub history that made Andre into the Hawk.

• The courting of the Cubs with the infamous blank contract offer
• The ’salaam’ that fans would use to salute him.   Think of how many beers where spilled in his honor by first-timers attempting this honorable tradition.
• 9-3 ground out:  A runner took his time getting to first on a hit to right field,  Dawson threw him out easily.
• Dawson’s stoic character made his occasional outbursts more meaningful.  When Dawson cleared the dugout of bats you knew it was because he wanted to play ball and not as a cheap ploy for attention.

• Being the scariest player on your team means some purpose pitches are headed your way.  A pitcher attempted to send Andre a message with a viscous pitch aimed for those sweet Jeri-curls.  After hitting the ground and convincing his catcher and the umpire that he was fine, he started off for first base.  After 4 or 5 nonchalant steps he sprinted directly towards the terrified pitcher. If memory serves,  he then banished the hurler to the fiery pits of Hades.
• When Andre hit one over the fence at Wrigley he hit one over a Tru-Link fence.   Thanks to Andre I now have a fence installer/manufacturer preference for life.

When Dawson played at Wrigley he was unquestionably the best player on the field and the undisputed leader.   The ferocity that he played with day in and day out is a special trait that eludes all but the most elite baseball players.    His longevity, milestone achievements,  and dedication are enough testament to his quiet grit and fortitude.

Thanks for spending part of your career with us at Wrigley,  the Tortured Fan Base salutes you!

When I first read that Friday afternoon I yipped, and I never yip. But the unbridled joy I felt knowing that the noxious stink of petulant gloom that Milt had become will be reporting to another clubhouse this February came out as an honest-to-god yip.  You can’t control these things. We are free!

The lesser of two evils

Hats off to Jim Hendry for fooling the Mariners. I think he had the Seattle trade in his back pocket and was just waiting to see if he could get a pitcher who didn’t just have major surgery on his throwing arm in the past year. But he didn’t want to spoil Christmas for us hard suffering fans so he pulled the trigger.  I don’t care if Carlos Silva is the Venezuelan Mel Rojas. I’ll stand up and applaud every home run he gives up so long as he smiles every now and then and doesn’t bring up the 1908 thing too often.

That fateful day last winter

The biggest move of last year’s off-season was the acquisition of Milton Bradley.  The biggest move of this year’s off-season was extricating him from the cubs’ roster. It’s not even that I hated Milton Bradley, it’s that I found him uninteresting. From day one he has displayed a remedial understanding of media and human relations, and it only got worse as the season progressed.  As he sees it, everyone is actively and covertly out to get him.  Called third strike: the umpires want him to fail.  Ill considered quote: the newspaper writers tricked him.  Forgot the number of outs in right field: Cub fans are racists.

I think he envisions himself as the righteous baseball soldier doing daily battle with these overweight agents of Satan (baseball writers, umpires, coaches) sent to twist words, distort truth, unjustly criticize and make a mockery of him.  It’s like the Cubs signed Andruw Jones’ bat and Sarah Palin’s temperament last winter.

Sarah hates Chicago too!

Milton vs. the world is a tired repetitive story and I’m just glad it’s over.   Now I don’t have to spend my days walking in circles wondering why Milt is so angry and how Hendry hoodwinked himself into thinking Bradley has matured.   I can watch from a safe distance as Ken Griffey Jr. does his best Mother Teresa impression and attempts to fix Milton.   Good luck Junior,  your patience and perseverance will be severely tested. We however, are free!