Harry & Jack with Mr. Cub

Hell-o again, everybody.  Harry Caray here along with Jack Buck before the start of the Cardinal/Cub doubleheader. 

Jack, I hardly recognized Wrigley Field last night, what with Rizzo, Baez and Bryant run out of town and ex-Red Bird Heyward taking a powder in the Cub house.   The only thing that seemed like normal was still another Cardinal victory with an Albert Pujols shot to win it, 1 to 0. 

So true Harry.  Albert was gone a long while, and he would not have believed that brief aberration when the Cubs actually won.  But with the Cubs now hairless and feckless, it seems more like old times.

Yes it does, Jack.  And since it’s just like old times again, we have Mr. Cub Ernie Banks in for a chat.  How goes it Ernie? 

Thanks for having me on, Harry.  Great day for Cub baseball, and with a doubleheader at that.  Let’s lose two. 

Spoken like a true Cub.  What’s with your ballclub?  Do you really think it will be another 100 years before the Cubs return to the World Series?

‘Fraid so Harry.   But the Cub fans like it like that.  We were never comfortable with the ride to the top.  Too much pressure, and too expensive for our parsimonious owners to shell out the money necessary to continue competing at a high level with the Cardinals.  

Ernie, I understand that today is the 40^th anniversary of the retirement of your number 14.  

Feels like yesterday, Jack. These types of memories are what keep the faithful returning to Wrigley.  They look back fondly to those days when I led the club out of the cellar and we flirted with a .500 record. 

We saw a lot of red in the stands in last night’s game, Ernie.  Can we expect more of the same for the remainder of the series?

I believe so, Harry.   With expectations low here in Chicago, tickets are readily available for Cardinal fans to help fill Wrigley.  We enjoy seeing all our friends from St. Louis.

Nice of you to say, Mr. Cub.  As your one-time manager Leo Durocher once said:  Nice guys finish last.    Your team of course lost again last night.  What can we expect for the next four games of this five game series?

Jack, we were buoyed by the one hit we registered last night, which bodes well for the rest of the series.  So unlike last year when we lost all five games, I think this time ‘round we will win one of the five.  My old friend Ron Santo has gotten his spikes out, and he’s primed for a running jump and heel click.

Thanks for your time, this time, till next time, Ernie. 

You’re welcome Jack.   Don’t forget to send me a ticket for this year’s World Series in St. Louis.