Books and articles about Harry Caray

He has broadcast from the centerfield bleachers with a cooler full of beer. He sweeps foul balls from the backstop with a long fishing net. And he leads the most raucous choruses of "Take Me Out to the Ballgame," ever heard at the ballgame. Harry Caray is broadcasting's premier showman, as much an attraction at the ballpark as the teams for which he works.

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He made his ML debut with the Cardinals in 1945, and by the mid-50s was heard across the Midwest on flagship station KMOX and baseball's largest radio network. Caray was fired in 1969 amid rumors of personal difficulties with the Busch family, then spent one season in Oakland before returning to the Midwest as the voice of the White Sox. From 1971 to 1981 his antics helped resurrect that nearly comatose franchise, but in 1982 he jumped to the Cubs. His fame reached new peaks with a national TV audience through superstation WGN and the natural affinity Wrigley Field has for his grandstanding antics.

At each stop, Caray has been an unapologetic homer, loudly cheering the locals while freely using "we" and "they" to describe the participants. But even his beloved hometown players are not exempt from the often caustic criticism he calls objectivity. As he put it, "If they're horseshit, there's nothing I can do about it." Caray fought off a stroke to continue in the Cubs' booth as the 80s drew to a close, still barking his home run call, "It might be...It could be... It is!", and capping each victory with the simple and joyous exultation "Cubs win!" (SL)

FROM THE BASEBALL CHRONOLOGY » November 3, 1968: Cardinal broadcaster Harry Caray is struck by a car while crossing a street in St. Louis, and he suffers two broken legs, a broken shoulder, and a broken nose. » August 23, 1972: Chicago's Dick Allen becomes the 4th ML player (Jimmie Foxx, Hank Greenberg, and Alex Johnson are the others) to hit one into the CF bleachers in Comiskey Park when he connects off New York's Lindy McDaniel. The 2-run homer in the 7th ices the 5–2 win for the Sox. In 1972, all the Chicago Wednesday games are in the afternoon, and Harry Caray announces them while sitting in the CF bleachers. Allen's drive misses Caray by just a few rows. » July 22, 1986: The Cubs fire their ball girl Marla Collins when it is revealed that she posed nude for Playboy magazine. The photos will appear in the October issue and accompany shots of Marla in her Cubs uniform and one of Harry Caray pointing to a tattoo on her right thigh. The Cubs win today 6–4 behind Ed Lynch, who ties a National League record in the 1st inning by making three putouts. The record was set in 1975 by another Cub Rick Reuschel. » September 30, 1988: President Ronald Reagan joins another old sportscaster when he visits Harry Caray in the broadcast booth during the Cubs game. It's a wild one with the Cubs losing 10–9 to Pittsburgh. » May 13, 1991: Three generations of Carays make history by broadcasting the Braves-Cubs game—Hall of Fame announcer Harry Caray, son Skip Caray, and grandson Chip Caray. » September 21, 1997: The Cubs beat the Phils, 11–3, but Curt Schilling racks up eight K's to match J.R. Richard for the most strikeouts by a National League righty (313). He'll finish with 319 strikeouts. Ryne Sandberg, in his final game at Wrigley, is 2-for-3 before leaving for a pinch runner in the 5th. He makes a curtain call in the 7th when Harry Caray sings. Kevin Tapani wins his 6th straight start. » February 18, 1998: Chicago Cubs broadcaster Harry Caray dies four days after collapsing at a Valentine's Day supper. Caray, age 84, was known, among other things, for leading the fans in a rendition of "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" during the 7th–inning stretch at Wrigley Field. He previously broadcast the games of the St. Louis Cardinals and Chicago White Sox in a career that spanned half a century.