Jose Cardenal

“When I came to this country to play baseball, I couldn’t speak much English, so I ordered ham and eggs or hamburgers all the time,” José Cardenal

José Cardenal was the most exciting of the many memorable Cubs whom I rooted for while Dave, a devoted fan, was growing up in the 70s and 80s.  As veterans Ernie Banks, Ron Santo, Billy Williams, and others from the 60s retired, their replacements, though perhaps not as talented, became indelible characters to die-hard followers – Pete LaCock, Rick Monday, Steve Stone, Steve Swisher, Rick and Paul Reuschel, Bill Matlock, and Manny Trillo, whose batting stance and throwing motion Dave copied. Cardenal stood out because of his daring feats on the base paths, leading the team in steals, though not blessed with exceptional speed, and doubles, many on apparent singles that he stretched into an extra base through sheer guile and daring. In those halcyon days at Wrigley Field fans could go right next to the dugout and request autographs.  José signed Dave’s scorecard and smiled when I blurted out like an idiot: “You’re my biggest fan.” I meant the opposite, of course, but perhaps he took it the way I intended it. Right field bleacher fans loved shouting encouragement to him in Spanish and getting a salute and smile in return.

Born in 1943 in Matanzas, Cuba, Cardenal had played for five major league teams beginning in 1963 before signing with Chicago, including St. Louis as a replacement for Curt Flood.  After the 1977 season he signed a two-year contract with the Phillies.  During a trip to Philadelphia the boys and I took in a Cubs-Phils game at Veterans Stadium.  Cardenal didn’t disappoint; leading off first base, he took off on a hit-and-run, and when the batter drove a single into right, José rounded the bases and slid into home barely ahead of the throw. With his keen baseball acumen he became a first base coach and received three World Series rings as a Yankee in the late-90s.  One of Barack Obama’s final acts as president was to invite the 2016 World Champion Cubs to the White House, as well as several old veterans.  When Michelle Obama spotted Cardenal, she embraced him and confided that as a young teenager (below) she wore a Cubs cap over her huge Afro just like her favorite Cub.

Nick Mantis, noticing Cardenal’s comment about ordering the same meals over and over due to the language barrier, recalled that when his father came to America, all he knew how to order was apple pie and coffee until a friend taught him to say bacon and eggs.  Repeating a common immigrant joke but swearing it was a true story, Mantis wrote:

    Next day when the waitress said, “Apple pie and coffee?” my father smiled and said, “No, Bacon and eggs.” The waitress said, “OK, how do you want those eggs, scrambled?  Over easy? Hard boiled?”  My father said, “No, apple pie and coffee.”

Joining Richie Ashburn, Sonny Jurgensen, Dick Allen, Bobby Clarke, José Cardenal, and Julius Erving on my list of ten favorite players to watch and root for: Muhammad Ali (“The Greatest,” the only heavyweight boxer who could “float like a butterfly, sting like a bee”), Walter Peyton (“Sweetness,” who always fought for extra yards), Michael Jordon (whose first title I watched from New Zealand and his sixth from Brazil), and Tiger Wood (so good in his prime folks bet even odds on him against the entire field). I enjoy watching old veterans strive for one last chance of glory so especially relished Ali’s rope-a-dope victory against George Foreman (watching from a Hammond theater) and Wood’s 2019 Master’s win. I’ll never forgive Mike Ditka for denying Peyton a chance to score in Superbowl XX or the Bulls management breaking up the team after 1998.

Adding to my top-ten list are amazing performances by Cub pitcher Jake Arrieta and Eagles quarterback Nick Foles. Arrieta was virtually unhittable the second half of the 2015 season, including a no-hitter against the Dodgers.  In an elimination game against Pittsburgh, I was with old friend Jim Migoski in MacMurray, PA, on the way to my 55^th high school reunion. Beforehand, we had a meal with five Pirate fans, including Jim. Arrieta was completely in control on the way to a 4-0 shutout. The only drama was because after two hit batsmen, umpires warned that one more would result in an automatic ejection. I shuddered whenever Jake threw inside.  At the reunion I moved to an adjacent bar to watch the Cubbies win a key game against the Cardinals thanks to rarely employed bunts.  Had Arrieta been able to pitch every game in the NL finals against the Mets, the Cubs probably would have been in their first World Series since 1945. Well, diehard fans said, there’s always next year.  And next year was indeed the charm, beginning with Arrieta’s second no-hitter in April against the Reds.

 

When Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz got injured in 2017 on his way apparently to an MVP season, few expected backup Nick Foles to lead the 11-2 team to its first Superbowl ever.  Playing the best football of his career to advance as NFC champs, Foles, nonetheless, seemed over-matched going into the big game against New England’s Tom Brady.  Used to previous Eagle disappointments, I decided to forego a Superbowl party at Marianne Brush’s house and watch the game alone. Before the contest, commentators declared that if the Eagles faced many third and long situations on offense, they’d be in deep trouble. Time and again, Foles connected on first-down passes in those situations. Two trick plays proved decisive: a Patriots wideout threw a pass to Brady that fell from his fingertips; then the Eagles executed an almost identical play and Foles scored.  He also connected on 28 of 43 passes for 373 yards.  With the score 41-33 Brady’s hail Mary pass into the end zone fell incomplete and the celebrations began.  That and the ten-inning Cubs seventh game World Series win in 2016 rank along with the 1980 Phillies championship as my most gratifying sports memories