Consider this a mental break while we wait for more states to be called in this presidential election. There has been some interesting results, I was never sure what was going to happen but the results was never what was expected.
Tuesday, November 8, 2016
Although I said enough #Cubs posts...
Consider this a mental break while we wait for more states to be called in this presidential election. There has been some interesting results, I was never sure what was going to happen but the results was never what was expected.
Sunday, November 6, 2016
The Commissioner's trophy #cubs #worldseries #postseasn #flythew
Not only for the first time in 108 years did the Cubs win the World Series they also brought home their first Commissioner's trophy. You might have seen that in the post about the White Sox and their World Series victory in 2005 as their championship emblem contained the commissioner's trophy.
BTW, I should add having won two world series themselves in the early 20th century - like the Cubs - in 2005 the Sox also brought home their first commissioner's trophy. So as of 2016 both Chicago teams have their own trophy to show for their respective victories. Not sure what they have to show for their earlier victories before a trophy was devised.
The trophy has a similar meaning as the Stanley Cup or Vince Lombardi trophy. I did posts where I explained the history of both especially the Stanley Cup as far as the Black Hawks. It was first awarded in 1967 and before that time if you won the world series in previous you didn't get a trophy. Basically one would get rings for winning the world series just as most athletes get rings today.
I unfortunately didn't go the parade and rally in Grant Park for the Cubs but many fans got a glimpse of the trophy on Friday. An estimated five million came to Chicago to celebrate the Cubs first world series victory since the early 20th century.
Now that I've take care of this need to write about this it's time to look for other topics. I still can't believe the Cubs finally won one!!!
Also I found this article that questioned some of Cubs Manager Joe Maddon's moves with his bullpen during the final two games of the series. The article will claim that the manager choked but the team itself didn't. That article had the only good photo I could find of any Cub with the trophy in their arms.
Thursday, November 3, 2016
Chicago White Sox championship history #postseason #worldseries
I waited until the end of the Cubs/Indians world series to post this. Before the Cubs won last night, the White Sox brought a world series victory to Chicago. It seemed to have been forgotten during the excitement over the Cubs.
Unfortunately I never worked on such a post when the Sox advanced to the World Series and then ultimately swept the Houston Astros. Over the years I did one for both the Bears and Black Hawks when they advanced to their respective World Championship rounds. So this post is really 11 years in the making.
Now with the success of the Cubs not only winning their first pennant in 71 years, but winning their first world series in 108 years. It's time to revisit the Sox who missed the playoffs this year and changed managers. Ironically the new manager is Rick Renteria who managed the Cubs in 2014 the season before Joe Maddon took the reins at Wrigley.
As a charter member of the American League which started in 1901, the Sox also won their first pennant that year. The world series as we know it began in 1903. Thus the Sox also won World Series titles in 1906, 1917, and of course 2005. In addition to 1901 they also won pennants in 1906, 1917, 1919, 1959, and of course 2005.
As a side note in 1906, the Sox faced off against the Cubs in the World Series. The only year both teams faced off against each other in a crosstown world series. And the White Sox claimed their first world series victory in this series.
Also the 1919 White Sox team was the subject of the film Eight Men Out. That movie was basically a dramatization of the Black Sox Scandal which took place during the 1919 World Series against the Cincinnatti Reds. Needless to say eight Sox players were banned for life from baseball after an investigation.
In 1969, Major League Baseball had been realigned where each league had been broken up into two divisions. Each division winner would play in an League Championship Series to determine who will play in the World Series.
By 1995, the major leagues would also be re-aligned again with three divisions per league and an extra round in the baseball postseason - League Division Series. Three division winners or those who clinched division titles with a wild card team with that round determining who advances to the ALCS (or conversely NLCS). In 2012 MLB created another round a one-game playoff between two wild card teams where one will advance to the ALDS (or NLDS).
Since 1969, the White Sox have won division titles in 1983, 1993, 2000, 2005, and 2008. The Sox as of yet have never clinched a wild card berth in the baseball postseason.
Also since we broached the subject of a crosstown series between Cubs and Sox. In 2003 the Cubs and Sox were close to both securing a berth in the postseason, unfortunately the south siders fell out of contention. The Cubs would enjoy a memorable run in 2003 even if they fell short.
In 2008, however, both teams were in the postseason winning their central division in their respective leagues. Unfortunately both teams were eliminated after their respective league division series.
The period between White Sox world series titles had been 88 years between 1917 and 2005. Between world series appearances had been 46 years between 1959 and 2005. Not nearly as long of a drought as the Cubs, however, the Sox were the first to bring a major league world series title back to Chicago.
Now with the success of the Cubs not only winning their first pennant in 71 years, but winning their first world series in 108 years. It's time to revisit the Sox who missed the playoffs this year and changed managers. Ironically the new manager is Rick Renteria who managed the Cubs in 2014 the season before Joe Maddon took the reins at Wrigley.
As a charter member of the American League which started in 1901, the Sox also won their first pennant that year. The world series as we know it began in 1903. Thus the Sox also won World Series titles in 1906, 1917, and of course 2005. In addition to 1901 they also won pennants in 1906, 1917, 1919, 1959, and of course 2005.
As a side note in 1906, the Sox faced off against the Cubs in the World Series. The only year both teams faced off against each other in a crosstown world series. And the White Sox claimed their first world series victory in this series.
Also the 1919 White Sox team was the subject of the film Eight Men Out. That movie was basically a dramatization of the Black Sox Scandal which took place during the 1919 World Series against the Cincinnatti Reds. Needless to say eight Sox players were banned for life from baseball after an investigation.
In 1969, Major League Baseball had been realigned where each league had been broken up into two divisions. Each division winner would play in an League Championship Series to determine who will play in the World Series.
By 1995, the major leagues would also be re-aligned again with three divisions per league and an extra round in the baseball postseason - League Division Series. Three division winners or those who clinched division titles with a wild card team with that round determining who advances to the ALCS (or conversely NLCS). In 2012 MLB created another round a one-game playoff between two wild card teams where one will advance to the ALDS (or NLDS).
Since 1969, the White Sox have won division titles in 1983, 1993, 2000, 2005, and 2008. The Sox as of yet have never clinched a wild card berth in the baseball postseason.
Also since we broached the subject of a crosstown series between Cubs and Sox. In 2003 the Cubs and Sox were close to both securing a berth in the postseason, unfortunately the south siders fell out of contention. The Cubs would enjoy a memorable run in 2003 even if they fell short.
In 2008, however, both teams were in the postseason winning their central division in their respective leagues. Unfortunately both teams were eliminated after their respective league division series.
The period between White Sox world series titles had been 88 years between 1917 and 2005. Between world series appearances had been 46 years between 1959 and 2005. Not nearly as long of a drought as the Cubs, however, the Sox were the first to bring a major league world series title back to Chicago.
108 years of waiting is over #cubs #postseason #flythew
2016 as it turns out IS their year!!!
BTW, tomorrow to honor the Chicago White Sox who 11 years ago brought their own world series title back to Chicago I will post a championship history for them. The first Chicago championship history written on this blog was for the Bears. I had the time not sure why it wasn't done in 2005 well they get one now!
For now this blog will "fly the w" for the Cubs. Formally a Cubs world series image will be shown on the blog eventually. Perhaps within the next day or so.
Tuesday, November 1, 2016
The first ever webcam
[VIDEO] I often enjoy the videos of one 8-bit guy on YouTube. He likes to show us the technology of computers and how they evolved from the time they became available to the general public.
This recent look at a 20 year old webcam underscores how this technology has evolved. It was funny how he described using this device as almost similar to say a 19th century daguerreotype. You have to sit still for such a long exposure and for that reason no one smiled for a picture back in the day.
It was from this webcam that now we seem to use such cameras to monitor our homes for example.
This recent look at a 20 year old webcam underscores how this technology has evolved. It was funny how he described using this device as almost similar to say a 19th century daguerreotype. You have to sit still for such a long exposure and for that reason no one smiled for a picture back in the day.
It was from this webcam that now we seem to use such cameras to monitor our homes for example.
Tuesday, October 25, 2016
Steve Goodman: A Dying #Cubs Fan's Last Request #postseason #flythew
[VIDEO] A nice song by the late Steve Goodman. The response to this song caused him to write the Cubs anthem - Go Cubs Go - you may hear at Wrigley Field after Cubs victories, especially if you're actually there at a game also when you watch a TV broadcast.
Goodman unfortunately would die of cancer in September 1984, that year the Cubs faced the San Diego Padres and would lose the NLCS that year and went the full five games. Up until 1985, the NLCS was best three out of five games.
All the same this silly but somewhat sad song has a new meaning as there have been generations of Cubs fans who have been waiting for a Cubs world series. They got one and now they hope of a long time in coming world series victory.
We shall see as game 1 of the 2016 world series against another long suffering team - Cleveland Indians - will start Tuesday night.
In the meanwhile I can only hope that Mr. Goodman is smiling from the stars especially when the Cubs clinched the National League pennant!
I want to refer you to the last two posts regarding the Cubs. The first is the championship history of the Cubs which dates all the way back to the founding of the National League in 1876. Then there is another post and my history of Cubs fandom.
Goodman unfortunately would die of cancer in September 1984, that year the Cubs faced the San Diego Padres and would lose the NLCS that year and went the full five games. Up until 1985, the NLCS was best three out of five games.
All the same this silly but somewhat sad song has a new meaning as there have been generations of Cubs fans who have been waiting for a Cubs world series. They got one and now they hope of a long time in coming world series victory.
We shall see as game 1 of the 2016 world series against another long suffering team - Cleveland Indians - will start Tuesday night.
In the meanwhile I can only hope that Mr. Goodman is smiling from the stars especially when the Cubs clinched the National League pennant!
I want to refer you to the last two posts regarding the Cubs. The first is the championship history of the Cubs which dates all the way back to the founding of the National League in 1876. Then there is another post and my history of Cubs fandom.
Saturday, October 22, 2016
Chicago #Cubs championship history #postseason
Besides we expect so much from Theo Epstein who also catapulted another so-called cursed team the Boston Red Sox to
As for the Cubs needless to say they last won it all in 1908, their only other title was the year before in 1907. So it'll be 108 years since the Cubs last won it all as of 2016. That's quite a title drought.
For the Red Sox their curse was as the result of them trading Babe Ruth to the New York Yankees in 1919. The curse of the bambino saw the Yankees begin their rise to success in baseball to the point where today they're a valuable sports franchise.
Now 71 years ago a man wanted to take his goat to Wrigley Field but was denied. While accounts vary how the curse came to be the Cubs still haven't won a world series since 1908 nor have they appeared in one since 1945.
So the Cubs haven't won it all in 108 years and the last world series appearance was 1945. What years have the Cubs also won the National League Championship? Keep in mind the world series as we know it has existed since 1903 and the National League started in 1876 which predates the first world series.
So the Cubs NL pennants according to Wikipedia are 1876, 1880, 1881, 1882, 1885, 1886, 1906, 1907, 1908, 1910, 1918, 1929, 1932, 1935, 1938, & 1945. 1906 is the year of Chicago's only - so far - crosstown world series and the Chicago White Sox won their first world series that year.
In addition the Cubs have also won division titles in 1984, 1989, 2003, 2007, 2008 & 2016. Won wild card berths in 1998 & 2015. It was a big deal in 2003 & 2015 that the Cubs were successful in advancing in the MLB playoffs although they still haven't quite sealed the deal on making the "fall classic".
Now before 1969, the AL and NL pennant winners were largely determined by who won the most games during the course of the season. Thus the two winningest teams in either league get to play in the World Series. Then in 1969 is the creation of the League Championship Series where the two division winners in each league play in a best of five until 1985 after that year best of seven.
In 1993 Major League Baseball approved the League Divison Series which is a best of five to be played before the League Championship Series. Also with the new playoff format each league has a wild card berth for the fourth ranked team. With the new playoff format each league has three division winners and one wild card with the best record who isn't a division winner.
In 2012, MLB started another round of the baseball postseason a one-game wild card playoff. In 2015 the Cubs played in the wild card playoff against the Pittsburgh Pirates which they won. And in 2016, the Cubs played against the San Francisco Giants who won the wild card playoff against NY Mets.
During the 2015 playoff run of the Cubs people kept bringing up the Steve Bartman episode of 2003 and some sports fans haven't allowed the Cubs to live down the 1969 collapse against the NY Mets. As a Cubs fan I look forward to the day when they live down those low points once and for all!
In 2016, the Cubs have decidedly kicked the "curse of the goat". Now best wishes to the Cubs for the MLB world series! Here's the schedule for the world series against the Indians.
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