Hat’s off to Yosh!

Add comment June 16th, 2008

Long, long, longtime Wrigley Field clubhouse man Yosh Kawano, who started working for the Cubs before Jack Brickhouse, donated his fishing hat to the Baseball Hall of Fame on Monday when the team made a rain-soaked stop in Cooperstown, N.Y.

Kawano, 87, retired this year because of health reasons.

Someday, perhaps, the Cubs can figure out an honorary uniform number to assign to Yosh to fly it on one of the Wrigley flagpoles.

Fame, what you get is no tomorrow

Add comment June 16th, 2008

As it turns out, baseball’s final (for now) Hall of Fame Game was won in 2007 by the Baltimore Orioles, a 13-7 decision over the Toronto Blue Jays.

On Monday, the Cubs and San Diego Padres were scheduled for MLB’s final in-season exhibition contest at Cooperstown, but rain canceled the contest.

The Players Union negotiated its way out of the game, citing the lack of off-days during the regular season. Commissioner Bud Selig complained about the complexities of trying to schedule 162 regular-season games in 180 days. The NFL, NBA and NHL don’t have such in-season contests.

I have sympathy for the teams who have to deal with the travel on a rare off-day. I also see the point of the fans and residents who want to save the game.

I don’t have the perfect solution. Any suggestions would be welcome.