Cubs Forever: Celebrating 60 Years of WGN-TV and the Chicago Cubs

Cubs Forever: Celebrating 60 Years of WGN-TV and the Chicago Cubs
WGN-TV documentary aired in 2008 to commemorate the 60th anniversary of Chicago Cubs baseball airing on WGN. The 90 minute special features highlights of many of the memorable moments that took place on WGN from 1948-2008 such as famous home runs, no-hitters, the first night game at Wrigley and just about everything else in between. The documentary features comments and interviews from many players, announcers, fans and even umpire assistant.
Air Date: April 20, 2008
Bob Vorwald is the executive producer of WGN Sports
Copyright 2008, WGN-TV

[@yosemitesam876]

I watched WGN in Southern Illinois, Carbondale .........SIU! Go Cubs🧸🐻!

[@MrJazzohjazz]

I worked at Wrigley Field in 1954 and 55 as a 13 year old sweeping one row of garbage from left field grandstand all the way to right field. After school, we would run to the ballpark and get in for free after the seventh inning. The Andy Frain ushers let us sit in the front row. I remember very clearly when Sam Jones pitched a no-hitter and the crazy ninth inning. It was in May. Sam walked the bases loaded to start the inning. He then proceeded to strike out Groat, Clemete and I think Frank Thomas to close out the Pirates and become the first black pitcher to pitch a no-hitter in the Major Leagues. It was a gloomy day with only about 3,000 fans in the stands. Best game I ever saw. After sweeping.... we got two tickets for future games. BTW. Clemente wore the number 13 in that game. He didn’t have 21 until later in the year

[@yankee_tango]

I remember as a wee little kid watching Cubs games on tv called by Jack Brickhouse and hearing the teletype machine rattling off periodically during the broadcast. I went to my first game at Wrigley at the age of 6, I attended my last live game at Wrigley which was the last home game of the 1997 season and was Harry's last home game before he passed away in February of 98. 18 years later the Cubs broke the curse after 108 years and all it took was 17 minutes of rain to wash it away. I am now 58 years old having been a Cub fan for my entire life, I had told my Father in early January of 2016 it was going to happen, he said not going to happen sadly he passed away 10 days after that call, I wasn't able to share that victory with him, it is bittersweet for me, I know when they won the game I was listening to the game on my radio like I did a many a summer day, and when the final out was made I collapsed to the floor in the fetal position crying for both the Cubs winning the series and for my Father who passed away back in January.

[@jerrystewart6232]

The Chicago superstation!!!

[@aidencruz-sanders9289]

rest in peace otis 🕊️

[@davidluery477]

I realize this 2008 program was about the Cubs and WGN TV, but I can't help but feel that something was missing by not touching on WGN Radio and especially Vince Lloyd and Lou Boudreau, who -- rather than Jack Brickhouse -- were the voice of the Cubs for me. They were by far the very best baseball broadcasters I have ever heard or watched!!

[@czistarocharles6716]

Ty for this. I am CUBS fan, I use to go home off the bus, just to catch the cubs game 1987

[@LRM724]

Win or lose this was my childhood with Jack Brickhouse every Spring & Summer then Harry Carey & was nothing like sitting in seats behind Home Plate seeing live when TV never showed you during commercial breaks & the crack of the bat the thud of ⚾ hitting the gloves & crowd sounds that always memorible

[@lonniebishop3265]

This is the story of a baseball team (the Cubs), their fans, and a television station ( WGN-TV), and how these three elements came together to create magic

[@jimmylee2678]

I was at Opening Day, 1969. Ernie Banks homered his 1st 2 plate appearances, then in the bottom of the 11th inning, Wonderful Willie Smith hit a line drive home run into the right field bleachers to win the game for the Cubs! The most electric and exciting game I ever saw. Jimmy Lee in Chicago.

[@34bg13]

I miss the games on WGN . I always watch it In Massachusetts. The only way I could watch the cubs . I always loved Harry carry

[@jerseyregionrat4380]

My Lord, what a great video! Memories, good and bad, but great memories none the less! I have been a life long Cubs fan and '84, '89, and '03 broke my heart but I never gave up or changed my colors! 2016 was so fun and special. I'll bleed Cubbie Blue forever and keep the Hope alive for another World Series! Short story, when I was a senior in high school in 1984, we skipped classes to go to Wrigley to see the Cubs play the Padres and during batting practice Harry Carey came out and oh course we all started yelling "HARRY, HARRY" and Harry turned to us and waved! Silly but true and we were in Heaven and in typical Cubs fashion they lost. I always say, the Cubs prepared me for life because I had to handle losing so much but it also taught me to get back up and try harder...NEVER GIVE UP...NEVER!!!

[@docadams7099]

You have a great team to root for, no question about it.

[@gmaneis]

I haven't been to Wrigley since Fergie Jenkins hit two home runs and beat the Montreal Expos 5-2, Sept 1, 1971, but remember so many great moments there. What a fantastic shrine to America's game! It's great because it's quirky and unpretentious. Wrigley is simply spectacular. Great video!

[@docadams7099]

I think there are two parks that are my favorites: Wrigley and Fenway. They both are quirky, and have features unique in baseball parks. Wrigley's ivy-covered wall and Fenway's Green Monster. Both of those parks really rank high among traditionalists like myself. They both have great memories for Reds fans like myself, the 1975 World Series and Pete Rose's hit no. 4191 that tied Ty Cobb's mark. The Cubs and the Red Sox are great teams to root for or just sit back and watch.

[@501764727]

And then came the Marquee network and it all came to an end just before the pandemic. Never in my life would I ever think to see the end of what I thought would be a forever cemented relationship between WGN & The Cubs. Not a CUbs fan by any means, but I do miss watching those afternoon games up at the lake cabin in up north Wisc.

[@DanielFranco-nt9ze]

My friend who i gave an AA In Moroleón Gto their all on my side

[@DanielFranco-nt9ze]

We had a good friend called Willy you gave us a dime when we were only 6 years old you didn't have a place to sleep you slept under a bad basement in the shed you saved us we gave you tacos and you were always happy even though when we didn't give you nothing

[@rangerdave1973]

America’s team

[@williamdiemert9866]

Cubs fans since 1990 my late Great Uncle made me a Cubs fans.

[@vincentrussell6442]

I hope one day they can make a full length cubs history documentary from when they start back in the 1870s up till now an talk about Anson an king kelly go into the cubs 4 pennets an 2 world series in 1906,07,08 an 10 an talk about getting Wrigley field back when it was Weeghman Park an playing the red Sox in world series in old comisky Park then changing the name to cubs Park in the 20s an then becoming Wrigley field an making 5 more pennets in 16 year from 29 to 45 with all the great players back then with Hornsby, Wilson, cuyler, English Hack, Grimm, Herman, Hartnett Cavarretta, pafko Then moving into the banks, Williams, Santos an Jenkins days going into the Sandberg game an making it to the nlcs in 84 against the Padres an then the sosa days with the 98 homerun race an Eventually getting to them finally winning their first world series in 108 years with rizzo, Bryant, shwarber, Lester, baez, Ross they have such a rich history an it sucks that in the Ken burns baseball movies they only barely talk about the cubs so if the cubs could just make a full length history movie would be so awsome just like the wgn video so awsome to see

[@wiedep]

Wonder if the rooftop owners are still as happy when they were interviewed with those big advertising scoreboards went up blocking their money-making view...

[@steveswangler6373]

Really would have been much better had they shown more actual baseball instead of players, announcers and others talking. It’s fine to have the people talk, but show highlights as they do. But the disappointment does remind this baseball fan of his visits to wrigley field and the overrated cubs fans

[@hailmaryrecordings8255]

I’ve hung-on every pitch from 1977 as a 7 year-old t-Baller, until the first game of the 2016 season … which I didn’t watch a pitch of because I thought I’d curse them if I did watch. I watched the last out of that World Series that year & it was .. Meh? I had no connection to that team - we sneaked-up on people. Now, we’ve won that World Series & I can enjoy the rebuild … or be frustrated another 40-years. Either way, go cubs!

[@BaseballPlayer0]

eevahn deh hess oos

[@philchigges2955]

My cubs fan era ended with all the piss poor trades of late70s and early 80s.cubs front office sucked under kennedy.we wish he left alot sooner.cubs would've won back then if not for losing guys who were franchise players.

[@daniellinehan63]

Madlock trade stunk

[@odonovan]

WAH WAH, all you northsiders. There's a reason the Cubbies were called the "Chicago Orphans," from 1898-1902. White Sox and Comiskey Park 4 Life! SW side here to represent! Okay, so I MAY have gone to a COUPLE of Cubs games, when I was a kid. I had to, I tell you! My dad dragged me to them, kicking and screaming! 😉