The Cubs and WGN

"When the Cubs win the World Series!" has become a statement of impossibility, much like "when pigs fly!" The dig is not without merit; it has been one hundred years since the Cubs last won the Fall Classic. In the intervening years, two world wars have been fought, men have walked on the moon, and breathtaking advances in technology have come into being, like the television. However, it has been the special relationship between one team and one station which has been the focal point of the Cubs' wild popularity. The close ties between the club and Chicago's WGN-TV are an interesting and deeply emotional subject that warrants further examination.

Why would televised sporting events be such a big draw to early television executives? Simply put, it was cheap to put on the air. There were no studios to construct elaborate lighting grids for, the inherent drama of sport was easy to understand and already popular, and most importantly, it was a way to sell sets. Much like early radio, early television was dependent on set sales to stay profitable. Broadcasting the home town team's games on television was a logical way to pique the interest of fans who couldn't get to the game. Harry Coyle, pioneering sports director, once remarked, "Television got off the ground because of sports" ("Sports and Television").

Televised baseball came to Chicago very quickly after the end of the war, and initially WGN was not in the picture. WBKB-TV, another Chicago television station, had planned to cover Opening Day at Wrigley Field in 1946 (Shea). The team had won the pennant and gone to the World Series in 1945, so interest in the team was high (Unfortunately, the Cubs lost to the Detroit Tigers and haven't been back to the World Series since 1945, and some attribute this drought to the legendary "Curse of the Billy Goat," but that's for another paper.). WBKB's plans to televise on Opening Day, though, were ruined by technical problems (The "arch" rival St. Louis Cardinals defeated the Cubs 2-0). The first Cubs telecast performed by WBKB was on July 18, 1946. The Cubs lost this game to the Boston (then Milwaukee, now Atlanta) Braves, 9-3 ("JULY, 1946 | BaseballLibrary.com").

WBKB continued its hegemony over Cubs games until 1948, when two rival stations came on the scene. WENR and upstart station WGN. These three stations broadcast all 77 Cubs home games in the 1948 season. After the 1948 season, WENR fell out of the picture, leaving WGN and WBKB battling for exclusivity until 1951, when WGN finally won out.

The Cubs franchise had always had close ties with Chicago media empire WGN, an offshoot of Robert R. McCormick's Tribune Company. In fact, the call letters "WGN" stand for "World's Greatest Newspaper," the name McCormick applied to his Chicago Tribune (Wilson). WGN radio first went on air in 1924, and Cubs games soon followed. When television came to fruition after the Second World War, WGN jumped at the chance to enter the new medium. Again, the Cubs and their broadcast partners set the standard for sports broadcasting.

In the early days of televised baseball, a three-camera setup was the norm. One camera was on the 1st base side, another on the 3rd base side, and the third was behind home plate. These cameras were incredibly bulky, and required incredible effort to perform basic operations such as zooming in. There were no zoomable lenses in 1948, so the camera operator had to rotate different lenses over the aperture in order to reach the desired zoom level (for a close relative of this, observe the laboratory microscope).

The first major change in this three-camera setup was pioneered by WGN. The new camera was placed in the center field bleachers and was aimed at home plate. This shot allowed the viewer at home to get a better feel for the strike zone (and more accurately yell insults at the umpire from their couches). This innovation, begun in the late 1950s, is now the standard shot used in all baseball telecasts.

However, all the technical innovations in the world amount to nothing if the announcers-the storytellers of the game-are not up to snuff. Fortunately, again, WGN was blessed with one of the most influential broadcasters of all time in the person of Jack Brickhouse. Not only did Brickhouse cover Cubs games, he also announced Chicago Bears football and could even interview politicians should the need arise. Yet it is for his enthusiastic coverage of the Cubs for nearly 40 years that is his most enduring legacy.

Brickhouse initially became interested in television because, as he said, "I wanted to get into this television thing and find out what it was all about." (Shea). In 1945, Brickhouse was made the lead radio broadcaster for Chicago White Sox baseball while the regular man, Bob Elson, was off fighting World War II. When Elson returned, Brickhouse moved to New York to cover the Giants, tenants of the massive Polo Grounds (this will be important later). After one season of covering the 'Jints, Brickhouse came back to Chicago and joined WBKB's broadcast team in 1947.

In 1948, WGN stole Brickhouse from WBKB. Here, Brickhouse began to flourish. His over-enthusiastic rooting for the Cubs soon became legendary. His famous home run call of "Back, back, back, hey hey!" was oft imitated, and his "whees!" and "oh, boys!" whenever the Cubs did something good were his trademarks. He was held in such high esteem that NBC hired him to provide the commentary for the 1954 World Series, between the Cleveland Indians and Brickhouse's old New York Giants.

Brickhouse was at the microphone for one of the most spectacular plays in World Series history. Game 1 was a seesaw affair, with both teams tied at 2 in the top of the eighth. The Giants' starter, Sal "The Barber" Maglie gave up a walk and a single and was relieved. Up next for Cleveland was the brawny left hander Vic Wertz. Wertz clobbered the fourth pitch he saw, sending it deep into center field. In any other stadium, Wertz's shot would have been a home run, but center field at the Polo Grounds was almost 500 feet from home plate at its deepest.

Young Giants sensation Willie Mays was in center field and began running back to catch the ball. He eventually made an unbelievable over-the-shoulder catch on the warning track, then spun around and hurled the ball back towards the infield, keeping the runner on second from scoring. This spectacular play was relayed to television viewers all across America by Brickhouse's call:

"There's a long drive way back in center field. Way back, back! Oh what a catch by Mays! .. Willie Mays just brought this crowd to its feet with a catch which must have been an optical illusion to a lot of people! Boy!" (Heller).

Unfortunately for Brickhouse, the Cubs of the 1950s rarely gave him much to cheer about. In a decade dominated by the Brooklyn Dodgers and New York Yankees, the Cubs were perpetual cellar dwellars, rarely in competition for the post season. In 1953, the Cubs broke their team's color barrier with a young shortstop, Ernie Banks. Banks would bring a spark to the Cubs, with his desire to play a double header every day. "Let's play two!" became his catchphrase. He also coined the term "Friendly Confines" for Wrigley Field, home of the Cubs since 1916.

In 1960, the Cubs traded for pitcher Don Cardwell, and in his first start with his new team, Cardwell threw a no-hitter. After surrendering an early walk to the Cardinals' Alex Grammas, Cardwell shut the door on the Cardinals and did not allow any other player to reach base. Again, Brickhouse was at the mic. Fortunately, this classic Cubs moment was saved on kinescope and was shown on the recent documentary, "Cubs Forever: Celebrating 60 Years of WGN-TV and the Chicago Cubs." The final out was especially dramatic, with Cubs left fielder "Moose" Moryn making a shoestring catch to keep Cardwell's no-hitter alive. Brickhouse's call of "Come on Mooose!" Will forever accompany this historic game. As of 2008, no other pitcher in major league history has pitched a no-hitter in his first start after being traded.

For the rest of Brickhouse's tenure, the Cubs were mediocre. In 1969, the Cubs looked to be the sure bet to go to the World Series, but in typical Cubs fashion a September choke allowed the New York Mets to claim the pennant and defeat the favored Baltimore Orioles to become the immortal "Amazin' Mets."

In the 1980's Brickhouse finally retired, much beloved by the Cubs community. His replacement became almost as legendary, if not more so. The often-soused, never-boring Harry Caray joined the Cubs team in 1981, just in time for the Cubs to choke away two more golden opportunities at post season glory in 1984 and 1989. Harry had a fondness for Budweiser, and would sometimes broadcast the games intoxicated, which made sense considering the only way to enjoy the Cubs some days was to drink heavily. His home run call of "It could be, it might be, it is!" followed by the famous, "Holy Cow!" soon rivaled Brickhouse's "Hey hey!" cry.

Caray's most endearing activity, though, was leading the Wrigley Faithful in the singing of "Take Me Out to the Ballgame," during the seventh inning stretch. Caray started singing the song to himself while doing games for the rival White Sox. When he came to the Cubs, it was decided to let him lead the fans in song. Starting with "A one, a two, a three!" Caray sang the song in its entirety, changing "Root, root, root for the home team," to, "Root, root, root for the Cubbies," an alteration that many other teams have since shamelessly copied.

Caray's partner through his tenure was Steve Stone, a former pitcher. Stone had a mind for the game of baseball, and complimented Caray's bombastic style with quiet confidence and insight that taught youngsters and old men alike the nuances of the game. Stone was also the perfect straight man for Caray's shenanigans. The two were together for more than a decade.

Along with Caray and Brickhouse, the production staff at WGN decided to make Cubs games feel more friendly and neighborly. To that effect, longtime WGN sports producer Arne Harris pioneered another technique. Instead of merely focusing on the balls, strikes, and outs, Harris' cameras went into the stands, showing zany people or interesting hand-made signs. This brought the game to a more personal level, and made WGN and the Cubs feel like family to those watching on television.

One of the more memorable instances of this took place in the aftermath of a home run that had literally left the ballpark. It landed on Waveland Ave., outside of the park, and a scramble for the souvenir began. When the dust settled, a U.S. Postal worker, complete with mailbag, ran from the dogpile with the ball raised high above his head ("Cubs Forever: Celebrating 60 Years of WGN-TV and the Chicago Cubs").

Another benefit the Cubs had was WGN's massive reach. In the early days of television, WGN was often a fourth network, which meant people in areas without professional teams of their own soon adopted the Cubs as their own. Cubs fans can be found all over the country, in as unlikely of places as Louisiana, because of WGN's reach. No other team would reach this level of national prominence until Ted Turner, WTCG, and the Atlanta Braves joined forces in the 1970s. However, Turner took his plans farther than WGN, and bought the team. This move, "complemented the synergy of owning both a sports team that played 162 games every year and an independent television station that had a voracious appetite for regular programming." (Reeves and Epstein, 328).

After Caray's death, the Cubs began to get good. In 1998, Sammy Sosa battled Mark McGwire for the all time single season home run record set by Roger Maris in 1961. McGwire ended up with 70, Sammy had 66. Both were loaded up on steroids. Sammy might have been using a corked bat. The Cubs made it to the playoffs, but were swept in humiliating fashion by the Braves.

In 2003, the Cubs got their revenge on the Braves, beating them in a classic Game 5 at Turner Field (and I was there). However, joy soon turned to soul-crushing disappointment when the Cubs, five outs away from defeating the Florida Marlins and going to their first World Series since 1945, choked in monumental fashion, due in large part to the infamous Steve Bartman (but it was the shortstop, Alex Gonzales, who really screwed the pooch). The Marlins won in seven games, then beat the New York Yankees in the World Series.

After this incomprehensible failure, the Cubs' manager Dusty Baker and left fielder Moises Alou turned on the WGN broadcast pair of Chip Caray (Harry's grandson) and Steve Stone. The two claimed the broadcasters had put too much emphasis on the team's good pitching and not enough on the rest of the team (which included Baker and Alou). Both Caray and Stone left WGN, and after a few years of limbo the current broadcast team of Len Kasper and Bob Brenly came into being. Thankfully, both Alou and Baker were gone shortly after flapping their mouths.

In 2007, Lou Piniella took over the Cubs and power-hitter Alfonso Soriano joined the team. That year the Cubs squeaked into the playoffs. They were promptly swept by the Arizona Diamondbacks.

2008 was a roller coaster ride. The Cubs won 97 games, and added much depth to the team. Veterans such as Jim Edmonds and Rich Harden, along with rookies like Geovany Soto, Carlos Marmol, Reed Johnson, and Kosuke Fukudome were welcome additions to the club. This year, WGN was there with their team, with Kasper bringing the fun and Brenly bringing the insight and criticism when necessary (I'm looking at you, Soriano).

Although they once again choked in the playoffs, 2008 held another special moment. On June 12, the Cubs and the Braves played a throwback game to commemorate WGN's sixty years of partnership with the Cubs. For the first two innings, the game was shot like it would have been in 1948. Afterwards, Len Kasper imitated the famous "Hey hey!" home run call for a game tying blast by Jim Edmonds. Finally, when the Cubs won in extra innings, Kasper shouted, "Cubs win! Cubs win! Cubs win!" a la Harry Caray.

The throwback game brought the WGN-Cubs story full circle. It reflected the worshipful devotion people have for the Loveable Losers, and the channel that brings them into their homes. For more than sixty years, the Cubs and WGN have been a win-win combination, despite what has happened on the field.

Works Cited

- Cubs Forever: Celebrating 60 Years of WGN-TV and the Chicago Cubs. WGN, Chicago. 20 Apr 2008.

- Heller. Dick. "A-Mays-zing catch in 1954.," The Washington Times 26 Sep 2006. HighBeam Research. 2 Dec 2008 http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-151903976.html

- "JULY, 1946 | BaseballLibrary.com." BaseballLibrary.com. 2006. The Idea Logical Company, Inc.. 1 Dec 2008 .

- Reeves, Jimmie L. And Michael M. Epstein. "The Changing Face of Television: Turner Broadcasting System." The Columbia History of American Television. Ed. Gary R. Edgerton. New York, Columbia University Press, 2007. 323-345

- Shea, Stu. "Cubs Broadcast History." bob.sabrwebs.com. 26 Jul 2007. Society of American Baseball Research. 20 Nov 2008 .

- Wilson, Mark R.. "Chicago Tribune." The Electronic Encyclopedia of Chicago. 2005. Chicago Historical Society. 1 Dec 2008 .