Tag Archives: Baseball

Dionne Miller on Chicago Bears and Cubs winning weekend.


Big John and Ramblin’ Ray discuss sports with ABC7’s Dionne Miller, where they discuss the Bears win yesterday and the tie-breaking game between the Chicago Cubs and Milwaukee Brewers.

Watch Dionna this morning at 11 am on ABC7 as she reports from Wriggly Field!

89 Seconds with 890: Ed Farmer

In the hot seat this week for 89 Seconds with 890 powered by #Xfinity, we have Chicago White Sox favorite and play by play announcer Ed Farmer answering some rapid fire questions by reporter Rachel Brady. Press play to find out which hitter Ed would not want to face today at the plate!

89 Seconds with 890: David Robertson

On this edition of 89 Seconds with 890 powered by Xfinity, White Sox reporter Rachel Brady asks pitcher David Robertson some rapid fire questions on his 32nd Birthday. Find out here who David was starstuck by! (HINT: his name is on the box of food you ordered at 12AM last night)

‘108’ is the Magic Number for the Chicago Cubs

Nick Gale, WLS-AM 890 News

(CHICAGO) The Chicago Cubs will take on the Los Angeles Dodgers Saturday at Wrigley Field in the National League Championship Series.

Dodgers ace, Clayton Kershaw, got the final two outs to earn his first major league save, and finish the Los Angeles Dodgers’ 4-3 victory over the Washington Nationals in Game 5 to win their National League Division Series.

The Cubs last won the World Series in 1908…108 years ago. And the number 108 seems to keep turning up along the journey to the world series.

Grant DePorter, president and managing partner of Harry Caray’s Restaurant Group, says there is significance to the number 108.

DePorter told ABC-7 that for instance that the number of stitches on a baseball are 108. Also, the numbers of the last two Cubs inducted into the Hall of Fame, Ron Santo and Andre Dawson, add up to 108.

Some other instances to note: the first World Series game at Wrigley was on Oct. 8, or 10/8, and the Cubs’ last World Series game win was also on 10/08.

If that isn’t persuasive enough, the Cubs’ playoff games are all scheduled to start at 7:08 p.m. which converts to 19:08 in military time.

DePorter believes all of this adds up to the Cubs winning this year’s World Series.

Dear God, Thank You for making Tim Anderson

(CHICAGO) Ten-year-old Catholic school student, Danny Saracini, came home from one of his first days of school with an important homework assignment. He was asked to write down the things he was most thankful for and from those items create a prayer.

Having back-to-school writer’s block, he was frustrated and defeated. His mom, Jane, suggested, “Danny, why don’t you just write about baseball?”

Danny did just that.

Jane got a kick out of the prayer and sent it over to WLS-AM to show Ed Farmer and White Sox player, Tim Anderson.

 

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Dear God, Thank you for helping mankind discover baseball and the White Sox. Thank you for making Tim Anderson because he makes a big difference on the team.

 

Well, we did more than that. We brought Danny and his family to the ballpark for a little meet-and-greet!

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Danny watches the game as dad Jim, sister Ellen, WLS-AM 890’s Jen DeSalvo, mom Jane and brother Jimmy smile for the camera.

 

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Danny meets Ed Farmer!

 

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Jimmy, Danny & Ellen in the Press Box

 

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An Ed Famer-Danny fist bump.

 

Little did we know, Jane and Jim Saracini were actually married at the Stadium Club 15 years ago!

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The Saracini Family meets Tim Anderson

Jen DeSalvo, WLS-AM 890 News

Illinois high school pitchers could soon see pitch limits

(BLOOMINGTON) The group that regulates high school sports in Illinois is proposing limits on how many pitches a high school baseball pitcher can throw in a game and how much rest they must receive between appearances.

The Illinois High School Association said Wednesday that an advisory committee has proposed capping pitchers at 115 pitches a day and requiring four days rest before they could pitch again. Lower pitch counts would come with smaller numbers of mandated rest days.

IHSA spokesman Matt Troha says state associations across the country are developing pitch-count rules after the National Federation of State High School Associations earlier this year directed them to.

The IHSA board of directors is expected to consider the limits in October. If approved they would take effect in the 2017 season.

Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Opening Weekend at U.S. Cellular – What you need to know…

By Jen DeSalvo, WLS-AM News

(CHICAGO) The Chicago White Sox issued recommendations for fans attending games during the upcoming season, specifically home opening weekend Friday, April 8 through Sunday, April 10.

Friday’s home opener begins with the first pitch at 3:10 p.m., and fans are encouraged to be seated at 2:15 p.m. for the opening ceremonies at U.S. Cellular Field. The gates to the ballpark will be open after 1:10 p.m. for fans to traverse the park and head to seats.

Big John Howell from the WLS-AM 890 morning show will be appearing at ChiSox Bar and Grill, which is across the street from the ballpark, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. ChiSox Bar and Grill opens at 7 a.m. Friday, and will remain open for “at least two hours after each home game” for the duration of the season.

Following the John Howell appearance, the Steve Dahl Show airing live at 2:00 p.m., followed by the White Sox Pre-Game show with Connor McKnight. The sold-out home opener will broadcast live on WLS-AM 890. The full broadcast schedule can be found on the WLS-AM 890 White Sox web page.

The gates will open 90 minutes prior to first pitch for the Saturday and Sunday games (11:40 a.m.).

For comprehensive transit and travel information, click here. Tailgating after the game is prohibited.

The Chicago White Sox ask that fans abide by Chicago tobacco laws:

In accordance with the City of Chicago ordinance, tobacco of any kind (including smokeless tobacco and electronic cigarettes) is prohibited in all areas of U.S. Cellular Field.

There is a designated smoking area outside of Gate 2 and Gate 5. Those fans wishing to use tobacco must proceed to the ground level at the base of the ramps at Gate 2 and Gate 5.

Additionally, it is requested from the Chicago White Sox that fans be respectful of the neighborhood and homes surrounding the ballpark before and after games.

© WLS-AM 890 News, 2016

Cubs fan hospitalized after being struck by flying bat at Wrigley

(CHICAGO) A Cubs fan was hospitalized after he was struck by a bat during Monday night’s ballgame at Wrigley Field.

The bat “inadvertently flew into the stands” during the 7th inning and struck a fan, according to a statement from the Chicago Cubs.

Paramedics responded and treated the man in the seats and he was taken to the field’s first-aid room, according to the team.

The team said the fan was conscious and communicating with staff while he was being transported from the stands, though he was later taken in an ambulance to a nearby hospital.

“We will remain in communication with his family to keep updated on his progress,” the Cubs said in the statement.

Cubs legend Ernie Banks dead at 83

              photo from CNN.com

(CHICAGO) From the moment he stepped on the field for the first time in 1953 right up through last season when he would drop by the ballpark with that big smile and little-kid enthusiasm, Ernie Banks enjoyed a love affair with Wrigley Field and its fans unlike any other in baseball.

Banks died Friday in Chicago, according to Mark Bogen, who represents the Banks family. Banks’ wife, Liz, will hold a news conference at noon Sunday, the Sun-Times is reporting.

He was Mr. Cub and no other player in franchise history — or in the club’s future — will ever be adored in the same way. “There’s sunshine, fresh air, and the team’s behind us,” Banks said during his Hall of Fame induction speed in 1977. “Let’s play two!” It was Banks’ famous rallying call and it made you want to come out to Wrigley Field no matter how much the Cubs were struggling.

In a fan poll staged by the Chicago Sun-Times during that glorious and frustrating 1969 season, Banks was voted the “Greatest Cub Ever” and there has never been one argument about it since.

He would have been 84 on Saturday. The baseball world lost one of its biggest boosters. “I just remember Ernie was never in a bad mood,” former Cubs manager Dusty Baker said in 2013.

In November of that year, President Obama presented Banks with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest honor for a civilian. Banks was beaming more than usual during a ceremony that August at Wrigley Field honoring him.

“Is this a great country or what?” Banks said before a pregame ceremony at Wrigley to celebrate his latest honor. “[The award] just means life is just wonderful, [that] when you do things and try to help people and share things, it really comes back to you. … It’s almost like the Nobel Peace Prize to me.”

Banks, a former star in the Negro Leagues, came to the Cubs after being signed by former scout Buck O’Neil. Banks became the first black player in Cubs history and made a quick impression, hitting .314 with a double, triple, two home runs and 6 RBI in 10 games during a brief stint in 1953.

The next season, the baseball world took notice. Banks started all 154 games at shortstop in 1954 and finished second in Rookie of the Year voting.

–Sun-Times

© Copyright 2015 Sun-Times Media, LLC

89 WLS Sports Pre Game Show – Wednesday, July 16th – Producer’s Log

Another hot day in Chicago here's what was on tap for today…

HENRY MELTON, Defense Tackle for the Chicago Bears, joined the show to discuss handing out tickets to Bears season ticket holders. Melton's excited about the defense from a pass-rushing stand point. Other teams don't have what the Bears do on their roster. Melton's neutral on being on the franchise tag, “I can’t control it. I wanna be here long term .. all I can do is play.” Melton says the Bears are ready for the season to start.  

Listen to the podcast here: http://www.stationcaster.com/player_skinned.php?s=1201&c=9991&f=1639481 

STEVE STONE, WLS Baseball Commissioner, joined the show to discuss last night’s MLB All-Star Game. Specifically, Mariano Rivera.  Stone says Mo epitomizes hard work and that it's absolutely magnificent he's having one of his best years and understands how game should be played.  Stone liked the fact Rivera was given an appearance in last night’s game in the 8th inning. Rivera was also named the Most Valuable Player of the game. Steve had a bone to pick with Tigers Outfielder, Torii Hunter: Hunter said (It's) still impressive players like Barry Bonds would still hit, even if they did use performance enhancing drugs. Stone said that this disrespects the guys who currently play the game. 

Listen to the podcast here: http://www.stationcaster.com/player_skinned.php?s=1201&c=9991&f=1639481