BRING THE HOPE

Hope Returns to Wrigleyville

If you're a fan of the Chicago Cubs, nothing brings the hope like being in first place. Yesterday, the Cubbies beat the Reds to finish off a three-game sweep and the St. Louis Cardinals lost two of three to the Phillies. So, today is a good day. The Chicago Cubs are back in first place and hope springs eternal on the north side of Chicago.

I took in the games at Wrigley on Friday and Saturday. The place was electric and 41,000+ fans were singing at the top of their lungs at the end of both games. Here's hoping that the singing carries us all the way into October. Go Cubs, Go.

You're singing now ...
Go, Cubs, go
Go, Cubs, go
Hey, Chicago, what do you say
The Cubs are gonna win today
Go, Cubs, go
Go, Cubs, go
Hey, Chicago, what do you say
The Cubs are gonna win today.

This Guy Can Golf

Did you see the amazing golf story out of Bowling Green, Ohio? It ends up that Ed Platzer hit a hole in one while using a left-handed swing last month. That's pretty cool. But, hole in ones happen with some frequency. What makes Platzer's feat so impressive is that he had already hit a hole in one while using a right-handed swing some 15 years ago.

Some would call Platzer a show off, but I've gotta take my hat off to him. Scoring an ace in golf is tough enough from one side. Then, he goes it does it from both sides. That's awesome and according to an Associated Press story on this, no one has ever accomplished the same feat.

Cheers to Ed Platzer for bringing the hope.

"Golf can best be defined as an endless series of tragedies obscured by the occasional miracle."

If You Come To A Fork In The Road, Take It

Yogi Berra turns 84 today, but no matter how old he gets, we already know that his famous sayings will live long after he's gone. Yogi is a hall of famer and one of the New York Yankee greats, but much of his current fame comes from his unique choice of words and phrases. They're so famous, they've become known as "Yogiisms."

Here are some of my favorites:

"It's like deja-vu, all over again."

"Nobody goes there anymore. It's too crowded."

"You should always go to other people's funerals, otherwise, they won't come to yours."

"You can observe a lot just by watching." 

Check out this old-school Miller Lite ad that features Yogi and his unique language. If you look close enough, you'll see Jason Alexander (of Seinfeld fame) behind Yogi.

Ted Lilly Throws a Gem at Wrigley

I presume that my bucket list looks a lot like others. It includes places I'd like to go, things I'd like to do and milestones I hope to accomplish. But, my list also includes a few odd things that I'd like to see and one of them is to see a no-hitter in person.

Growing up, I always envied the fact that my Dad had seen a no-hitter. He was at Riverfront Stadium in 1971 when Ken Holtzman threw the second no-hitter of his career for the Cubs.

I've seen two pitchers throw one hitters. The first pitcher gave up a hit to the first batter and then he retired the next 27 batters in a row. The second pitcher had only one out to go to notch his no-hitter, but he gave up a hit to that second-to-last batter.

So, I've been really close to seeing a no-hitter and it almost finally happened yesterday. Ted Lilly was masterful through nearly seven innings of baseball yesterday at Wrigley Field. He was in total control and the crowd was pulling hard for him in the cold, wet and windy home opener. But, the no-hitter wasn't to be. Lilly gave up a hit just before the seventh inning stretch, but his performance was a gem and the Cubbies went on to win the game 4-0.

Looks like I'll have to wait awhile longer to mark that no-hitter off of my bucket list. Cheers to Lilly for bringing the hope to 40,000+ fans who sat through the wind and the rain. Nothing beats a day at the ballpark.

Opening Day at Wrigley Field

It's possible that Cub fans represent eternal optimism better than any other fans in professional sports. We've been hanging on to hope for more than a century now. The quest continues this year and I'll be back at it cheering the Chicago Cubs on today at Opening Day in Wrigley Field.

It's supposed to be cold and rainy. But, I'll be with good friends and we'll have fun irregardless of the weather. One of the highlights of the day will be joining in with 40,000 others to sing Take Me Out to the Ballgame. That song, sung in that ballpark, really brings the hope. Let's go Cubs!

Senior Citizen Sets College Hoops Record

Last November, Bring The Hope posted about a 73-year-old collegiate hoopster named Ken Mink. As Mink continues to hoop it up at Roane State Community College in Tennessee, more media outlets are reporting on his inspiring story. As a sophomore, Mink has become the oldest college player ever.

According to the Associated Press, Mink played college hoops way back in 1956 for a school in Kentucky. Fifty-three years later, he's back at it. That's cool. Thanks to Roger for the heads up on this new video. 

"Life your life and forget your age." - Norman Vincent Peale

"I want to die young at a ripe old age." - Ashley Montagu

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Hello Again Everybody

Hello again everybody. That was the signature phrase Harry Caray used to welcome baseball fans to Cub games on WGN-TV over the years. Harry died on this day back in 1998 and I was living three blocks from Wrigley Field when the news of his passing broke.

That night, fans from around the city gathered outside the stadium and set up a moving tribute to the man. I was part of that scene at the corner of Clark and Addison and it was cool to join others in expressing our appreciation for Harry.

People loved Harry for his outspoken style, his frivolity, his passion for baseball and his ability to connect with people from all walks of life. Harry never took himself too seriously and you could always count on getting in a laugh or two whenever you tuned in to hear him call a game. He made the seven-inning stretch famous with his rendition of "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" and when games were too far gone, he'd start pronouncing players' names backwards just to pass the time.

Harry was one of a kind. He brought the hope in his own unique way by allowing fans to enjoy the lighter moments of sports. RIP Harry.

'You know my old saying: live it up, the meter's running. I've always said that if you don't have fun while you're here, then it's your fault. You only get to do this once.” - Harry Caray

"I'll tell you what's helped me my entire life. I look at baseball as a game. It's something where people can go out, enjoy and have fun. Nothing more." - Harry Caray

The Three Point Kid - Patrick Thibodeau

Cheers to Judy for alerting Bring The Hope to an inspiring story about "The Three Point Kid." Patrick Thibodeau is a high school senior from Maine. He's worked as his team's basketball manager for several seasons. But, he recently had the opportunity to lace up and get into a game. If you have a few minutes, check out the video below. Patrick brings the hope big time.

 

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Tiger Woods Brings The Hope

Tiger Woods turns 33 today. He inspires people around the world by being one of the most successful professional golfers of all time. He has motivated people of all ages to take up the game. But, it's his work away from the links that really makes a difference in the world.

In 1996, Tiger and his Dad started the Tiger Woods Foundation. Since that time, Tiger has put his philosophy of "caring and sharing" to work by helping more than 10 million kids and young adults explore interests, learn skills, set goals and much more.

He's put scholarship programs together, opened an innovative learning center in California, established a character development curriculum and expanded many of these initiatives on a global scale.

Through his commitment to excellence in golf, Tiger has generated the financial means to make a meaningful difference. Cheers to him for putting his money to work and bringing the hope to young people around the world. Here are a few inspiring quotes from Tiger.

"No matter how good you get you can always get better and that's the exciting part."

"One of the things that my parents have taught me is never listen to other people's expectations. You should live your own life and live up to your own expectations..."

"My dad has always taught me these words: care and share."

"If you are given a chance to be a role model, I think you should always take it because you can influence a person's life in a positive light, and that's what I want to do. That's what it's all about."

"There’s nothing wrong with having your goals really high and trying to achieve them. That’s the fun part. You may come up short. I’ve come up short on a lot on my goals, but it’s always fun to try and achieve them."

Sarah Rumely Sets The Gold Standard -- Go Cats

The NCAA Divison I Women's Volleyball Tournament starts tomorrow. Sixty four teams will compete for the 2008 title and I'm going to be cheering for The Cats from the University of Kentucky. Why, you ask? It's because of the team's inspiring setter, Sarah Rumely.

Rumely knows a thing or two about focus, sacrifice and achievement. In a recent interview with UWire, one of Rumely's teammates said, "she's the most competitive person I have met in my entire life, on the court or off the court." Rumely simply responded by saying, "I strive to be the best in everything I do."

Mission accomplished for Rumely. Earlier this week, she was named the Southeastern Conference's Volleyball Player of the Year. It's the first time in UK history and it's quite an honor for the junior phenom for New Palestine, Ind.

When Rumely's coach was asked about the honor, he said, "nobody works harder or is more committed than Sarah. This is a great tribute to her work ethic and commitment to our program."

Cheers to Sarah for this special recognition. And good luck to The Cats in the tournament.

"Commitment is the stuff character is made of..." - Anon

"Always bear in mind that your own resolution to succeed is more important that any one thing."          - Abraham Lincoln

"All your life you are told the things you cannot do. All your life they will say you're not good enough or strong enough or talented enough; they will say you're the wrong height or the wrong weight or the wrong type to play this or be this or achieve this. THEY WILL TELL YOU NO, a thousand times no, until all the no's become meaningless. All your life they will tell you no, quite firmly and very quickly. AND YOU WILL TELL THEM YES." - Nike Ad