36th Annual Cubs Convention – January 13-15, 2023

Here is my annual report on the Cubs Convention.  Well, sort of annual.  There was no Convention in 2021 or 2022 because of Covid.  I had been planning on going, at least on Saturday, but some things came up so I couldn’t go, but, fortunately, the Cubs broadcast pretty much the whole thing on the Marquee Network, so I got to see it even if I couldn’t be there in person.  (I did miss the autograph sessions with the old-timers and the chance to buy some baseball cards. But, there is always next year.)

The Opening Ceremonies may have been easier to watch on TV instead of in-person.  I didn’t same to stand or wait in line for a couple of hours.  Plus you could see a little better.  The same with “Off the Mound with Ryan Dempster”.  Plus, once it was over, you could just turn off the TV and you were home.  You didn’t have to drive or take an Uber.

I sort of missed Pat Hughes doing the emcee duties during the Opening Ceremonies, but Pat is going into the Hall, so he had to be honored.  At least Wayne Messmer did the Anthem.  That was right.

It was great to see all the old-timers, especially Billy, Randy, and Fergie.  Both Billy and Randy seemed to walking a little slower and more tentatively, but that’s true for a lot of us.

One of the most poignant moments of the Opening Ceremonies was when Pat Hughes was introduced.  Pat said that there were three people he wished could have been around when he found out about winning the Ford C. Frick Award of the Hall of Fame: his parents and Ronnie (i.e., Ron Santo).

Tom Ricketts announced the two new members of the Cubs Hall of Fame: Shawon (Dunston) and Mark (Grace).  It was so right that they went in together, and with Ryno already there, now the whole “Boys of Zimmer” double play combo is in the Cubs Hall of Fame.  The funny part of Tom Ricketts doing the introductions for the Cubs Hall of Game, was when he started to identify the two guys, the fans started yelling, “Woody, Woody” and Tom got flustered, mumbling about how Kerry isn’t eligible yet.   It was Mark’s first Convention since he left the team not on the best of terms after the 2000 season.¹

In terms of applause for the current players, Ian Happ got the most, even more than Dansby Swanson.  Which is good given that, with the way the Cubs operate and Ian being a free agent after the season, he could easily be gone before the next Convention.   

Perhaps the most interesting guest on “Off the Mound with Ryan Dempster” was Fabian, the Cubs ball boy down the left field line.  He does a great job picking those foul balls and he became a video sensation last summer, even getting his own, now-sold-out, shirt from Obvious Shirts.  It’s the kind of thing that makes the Cubs Convention so special.² 

Saturday morning led off with a Q and A panel with the owners – just Tom and Laura.  (Pete is busy with other things.³)  They spent the first 25 minutes (out of 45) talking about Cubs Charities (which is not our relief pitchers) and how great Title IX is.⁴  When they finally got to the questions, the first was a complaint about the “sportsbook,” i.e., mini-casino, being built in the right field corner, at Addison and Sheffield.  I know there is money in it, but I don’t like the idea of legal gambling next to the park.  It’s a bad look.

The second question was about Sammy Sosa.  Tom was not pleased.  (The last question was about Sammy, too.)  An older lady (even older than me) complained about the number of night games.

The second fan question for Jed (in the Jed and Carter⁵ show) was about Willson.  Jed dodged it.

In the live session of Ian Happ’s Compound podcast, Ian had Cody Bellinger on with Mark Grace.  Bellinger said that he really liked, during the off-season, being able to enjoy a spicy margarita without having to worry about playing the next day.  Mark said he never worried about it.

In the Business Operations session, there were scattered boos for the sportsbook.  On the other hand, I did not hear any boos for Crane (though, as I said, I wasn’t there).  The lights will be LED next year, which may give us better lighting on the field.  (They need it in the outfield.)  In the drone-view video they did about Wrigley Field, you could hear, when the camera was over the right field bleachers, the fans chanting “Left field sucks.”  Ah, tradition.

In the Kids Only Press Conference, Brandon Hughes said that he always wanted to be a pitcher.  So his parents signed him up for little league.  It was T-ball.

I wasn’t able to go so it didn’t matter, but I felt bad they had no programs Sunday morning (other than some instructional thing for kids).  They used to have Down on the Farm, recently hosted by Mick Gillispie, broadcaster for the Tennessee Smokies, and a panel of old-timers hosted by Wayne Messmer, a couple of the best programs.
-----------
¹ One interesting fact about Mark Grace.  In sixteen years in the majors, he got more walks than strike outs every year.  Amazing.
² I forgot what Convention it was, maybe 2013, but Theo Epstein was surprised when the biggest applause at the Opening Ceremonies for a current player was for Tony Campana.   Theo did not understand Cubs fans (perhaps, especially pre-2016 Cubs fans) yet.
³ See here.
⁴ I notice that, whenever they talk about Title IX, they never talk about the President who signed it into law, Richard Nixon, and the Secretary of HEW who decided that the regulations under Title IX should cover sports, Caspar Weinberger.
⁵ Who is Carter, you might ask.  It’s Carter Hawkins, the new general manager.
-----------
UPDATE (1/16/23 3:15 PM): In today's Chicago Tribune, Paul Sullivan said that the fans were yelling "Sammy, Sammy" when Tom Ricketts was introducing the new members of the Cubs Hall of Fame, as opposed to "Woody, Woody," as I said above.  I thought I heard the latter, but Mr. Sullivan was there in person, so he might be right.