In Memoriam, 2021

Prominent Chicago sports figures who passed away in 2021 include Tony Esposito, the Blackhawks’ Hall of Fame goalie from 1969 through 1984; Jerry Harkness, captain of the Loyola Ramblers’ 1963 NCAA champion basketball team; LaMarr Hoyt, who won the American League Cy Young Award for the 1983 White Sox; and Roland Hemond, the beloved baseball executive who (along with Bill Veeck Jr.) saved the Sox for Chicago when it seemed inevitable that they would be gone.

     

TONY ESPOSITO

The people listed below each played a part in making Chicago the greatest sports town in the world. They will be missed.  

STAN ALBECK

Stan Albeck, 89, Bulls head coach 1985-1986; Bradley University men’s basketball head coach 1986-1991 (March 25).

Joe Altobelli, 88, Cubs manager 1991 (March 3).

LOU ANGOTTI

Lou Angotti, 83, Blackhawks center/right wing 1965-1967, 1969-1973; Chicago Cougars (WHA) center 1974-1975 (September 16).

LIONEL ANTOINE

Lionel Antoine, 71, Bears tackle 1972-1978, selected third overall in 1972 NFL draft (December 14).

Jon Arnett, 85, Bears halfback/end 1964-1966 (January 16).

Art Anderson, 84, Bears offensive tackle 1961-1962 (February 25).

RALPH BACKSTROM

Ralph Backstrom, 83, Blackhawks center 1972-1973; Chicago Cougars (WHA) center 1973-1975, co-owner 1974-1975 (February 7).

Hal Breeden, 76, Cubs first baseman 1971 (May 3).

Hy Cohen, 90, Cubs pitcher 1955 (February 4).

JOE CUNNINGHAM

Joe Cunningham, 89, White Sox first baseman/outfielder 1962-1964 (March 25).

Ralph Davis, 82, Chicago Packers (NBA) guard 1961-1962 (May 30).

Jeff Dickerson, 43, Bears reporter for ESPN Radio 2001-2021 and ESPN.com 2009-2021 (December 28).

Solly Drake, 90, Cubs outfielder 1956 (August 18).

TONY ESPOSITO

Tony Esposito, 78, Blackhawks goalie 1969-1984, five-time All-Star, three-time Vezina Trophy winner as outstanding goalie in NHL, Calder Trophy winner as NHL rookie of the year 1970, elected to Hockey Hall of Fame in 1988, sweater number 35 retired by Blackhawks in 1988, named among 100 greatest hockey players of all time in 2017, ranked by hockey-reference.com as the greatest player in Blackhawks history (August 10).

Adrian Garrett, 78, Cubs catcher/first baseman/outfielder 1970, 1973-1975 (April 22).

Howie Glover, 86, Blackhawks right wing 1958-1959 (June 15).

Johnny Groth, 95, White Sox outfielder 1954-1955 (August 7).

Shaler Halimon, 76, Bulls guard 1969-1971 (April 19).

Joe Hardy, 75, Chicago Cougars (WHA) center 1973-1975 (February 19).

JERRY HARKNESS

Jerry Harkness, 81, Loyola University men’s basketball point guard, 1960-1963, captain of 1963 NCAA championship team, first-team All-American 1963, uniform number 15 retired in 1991, inducted into the College Basketball Hall of Fame with his Loyola teammates in 2013 (August 24).

Chuck Hartenstein, 79, Cubs pitcher 1966-1968 (October 2).

Geno Hayes, 33, Bears linebacker 2012 (April 26).

Jimmy Hayes, 31, Blackhawks right wing 2011-2013 (August 23).

ROLAND HEMOND

Roland Hemond, 92, White Sox general manager 1970-1985, senior vice president 2001-2007, The Sporting News Major League Executive of the Year 1972; founded Arizona Fall League 1992; recipient of Buck O’Neil Lifetime Achievement Award from National Baseball Hall of Fame 2011 (December 12).

LaMARR HOYT

LaMarr Hoyt, 66, White Sox pitcher 1979-1984, American League Cy Young Award 1983, led American League in wins 1982 and 1983 (November 29).

Doug Jones, 64, Cubs pitcher 1996 (November 22).

Don Kojis, 82, Bulls forward 1966-67, started first game in franchise history on October 15, 1966 (November 19).

ROGER LeCLERC

Roger LeClerc, 84, Bears placekicker and linebacker 1960-1966, member of 1963 world championship team (January 21).

Cyril Pinder, 74, Bears running back 1971-1972 (January 23).

JUAN PIZARRO

Juan Pizarro, 84, White Sox pitcher 1961-1966, All-Star 1963-1964; Cubs pitcher 1970-1973 (February 18).

Ken Reitz, 69, Cubs third baseman 1981 (March 31).

John Roach, 87, Chicago Cardinals quarterback/defensive back 1956, 1959 (February 18).

EDDIE ROBINSON

Eddie Robinson, 100, White Sox first baseman 1950-1952, All-Star 1951-1952 (October 4).

Bobby Schmautz, Blackhawks right wing 1967-1969 (March 28).

Tom Simpson, 93, Cubs pitcher 1953 (February 7).

Fred Stanfield, 77, Blackhawks center/wing 1964-1967 (September 13).

Wayne Terwilliger, 95, Cubs second baseman 1949-1951 (February 3).

DICK TIDROW

Dick Tidrow, 74, Cubs pitcher 1979-1982; White Sox pitcher 1983 (July 10).

Vito Valentinetti, 92, White Sox pitcher 1954; Cubs pitcher 1956-1957 (August 5).

Granville Waiters, 60, Bulls center 1986-1988 (March 23).

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John Madden, 1936 - 2021

John Madden was known to successive generations as the winning coach in Super Bowl XI, as the man who revolutionized the role of analyst in sports broadcasting (receiving 16 Emmy awards in the process), and as the face of the most popular sports video game ever produced.

     

JOHN MADDEN ARRIVES AT WALTER PAYTON'S FUNERAL.

Madden never played, coached, or lived in Chicago, but he did have a Chicago connection that’s worthy of mention. From the early 1980s until he passed away this week, Madden was unequivocal that Bears immortal Walter Payton ranked as his favorite player of all time.

     Madden spoke at Payton’s funeral in 1999. “Too many people judge a running back only by how many rushing yards he has,” Madden said that day. “You seldom hear how many passes a running back caught for how many yards. And you hardly ever hear how good a blocker he is, either as a pass blocker, picking up a blitzing linebacker, or as a run blocker for the other running back—but that’s how coaches evaluate a running back. And that’s why Walter Payton is the best running back I’ve ever seen.”

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Shining Between the Pipes

The Blackhawks are well represented on the list of winningest goalies in National Hockey League history. Among the most prominent Hawks netminders of the past six or seven decades, only Corey Crawford does not rank among the all-time leaders in career regular-season victories. Glenn Hall, Tony Esposito, Ed Belfour, and Dominik Hasek do.

     

MARC-ANDRE FLEURY

     And so does Marc-Andre Fleury, who is only the third goalie of all time to log 500 victories. He reached that milestone last Thursday night with a 2-0 shutout of the Montreal Canadiens, the team he idolized while growing up just an hour from their rink. Canadiens fans chanted Fleury’s name as the clock ticked down and gave him a standing ovation after the horn sounded. 

     “I don’t know why,” Fleury said, “but in this building I’ve always had a tough time winning games. It meant a lot to have so many people from Quebec being proud of me being from here and achieving this goal.”

     In the dressing room, the humble Fleury grabbed the WWE-style belt that goes to the Hawks’ most valuable player of each winning game and presented it to Jonathan Toews, in honor of the captain’s first goal this season. Reasoning that Fleury’s 500th victory (a shutout, no less) was the greater achievement, Toews gave the belt right back to Fleury. 

     

     Fleury already has his name engraved on the Stanley Cup three times from his days with the Pittsburgh Penguins, and the Vezina Trophy as the league’s outstanding goalie of 2020-21 belongs to him thanks to his performances for the Vegas Golden Knights. 

     He has won 375 games for the Penguins, 117 for the Knights, and eight (so far) for the Hawks.

     Below is the current list of the NHL’s all-time leaders in regular-season wins by goalies. (Numbers in parentheses indicate the number of victories achieved in a Blackhawks sweater.)

        Goalie                                    Years                     Wins         

          1. Martin Brodeur                 1991 - 2015            691       

          2. Patrick Roy                      1984 - 2003            551

          3. Marc-Andre Fleury           2003 -                     500  (8) 

          4. Roberto Luongo               1999 - 2019            489

          5. Ed Belfour                        1988 - 2007            484  (201)

          6. Henrik Lundqvist              2005 - 2020            459

          7. Curtis Joseph                   1989 - 2009            454

          8. Terry Sawchuk                  1949 - 1970            445

          9. Jacques Plante                 1952 - 1973            437 

        10. Tony Esposito                   1968 - 1984            423  (418)

        11. Glenn Hall                         1952 - 1971            407  (276)

        12. Grant Fuhr                        1981 - 2000            403

        13. Chris Osgood                    1993 - 2011            401

        14. Ryan Miller                        2002 -                     391

        15. Dominik Hasek                  1990 - 2008            389  (13)

  

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Mr. White Sox Joins the Hall of Fame

Orestes “Minnie” Minoso, a.k.a. “Mr. White Sox,” has finally been elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame. Needless to say, the honor was long overdue. 

     Born in Havana, Cuba, Minoso was the first significant Latin American star in major league history. He finished second in voting for the American League Rookie of the Year in 1951. He finished fourth in voting for Most Valuable Player in 1951, 1953, 1954, and 1960. He won three Gold Gloves and was a nine-time All-Star.

     

MINNIE MINOSO

When Minoso made his debut with the Sox on May 1, 1951, he became the first Black player to appear in a major-league game for either Chicago team (almost three full seasons before Ernie Banks and Gene Baker joined the Cubs).

In his first seven seasons, Minoso hit over .300 five times, knocked in 100 or more runs three times, and led the league in stolen bases three times. His aggressive style ignited the Go-Go White Sox, and he became the most popular player on the South Side. But then he was traded to Cleveland, and he missed the pennant year of 1959.

Minoso returned to the White Sox in 1960. A record opening-day crowd of 41,661 at Comiskey Park gave him a hero’s welcome, and he gave them their money’s worth. He went 2-f0r-4 and drove in six runs on a grand slam, a sacrifice fly, and a walk-off home run leading off the bottom of the ninth. He also threw out two Kansas City baserunners at home plate. The Sox prevailed 10-9.

“I’m comfortable here,” he said after the game. “I was here before and I feel like this is my home.” 

When it was all said and done, Minoso had played on the South Side from 1951 through 1958, 1960 through 1961, and in 1964 (he also played briefly in 1976 and 1980, thanks to owner Bill Veeck’s fondness for publicity stunts). 

Minnie’s number 9 was retired in 1983, a statue of him was erected in 2004, and he remained a constant presence at White Sox home games through 2014. He passed away during spring training in 2015.

 

  

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Worth a Thousand Words: Buck O'Neil

John “Buck” O’Neil, who was (finally) elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame this week, became the first Black coach in the major leagues when he signed on with the Cubs in 1962. That was a significant accomplishment in its own right, but it ranks as little more than a footnote when one considers the full sweep of O’Neil’s career—which stretched from his first taste of semi-pro ball in 1924 (at age 12) to his retirement as a part-time scout in 2006 (the same year he passed away at 94).

BUCK O'NEIL AS A CUBS COACH.

     Much of O’Neil’s career was spent in the Negro American League, most notably as a player, manager, and executive with the Kansas City Monarchs. In the latter capacity, he helped engineer the Cubs’ acquisition of Ernie Banks from the Monarchs in 1953. He later served as a scout for the Cubs, signing Lou Brock, Oscar Gamble, Lee Smith, and Joe Carter, among others, and acting as a mentor and confidante to Billy Williams.

     In 1994, O’Neil stole the show in Ken Burns’s acclaimed PBS documentary series Baseball. His ebullient personality and riveting stories fascinated millions of people who had never heard of him before.

     Around the same time, he co-founded America’s Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in Kansas City and donated his own personal memorabilia to get the museum started. 

     In 2005, the National Baseball Hall of Fame set up a special committee to select previously overlooked Negro Leagues players and owners for induction. Incredibly, O’Neil did not make the cut—but, generous even to a fault, he showed up on induction day at Cooperstown and spoke eloquently on behalf of the 16 men and one woman who were selected.

     “I’m not bitter,” O’Neil said at the time. “My grandfather was a slave. He was not bitter. I learned that from him. And you know what? I wouldn’t trade my life for anybody’s.” 

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LaMarr Hoyt, 1955 - 2021

LaMarr Hoyt, who passed away this week, joined Richard Dotson, Floyd Bannister, and Britt Burns in the quartet of young starting pitchers that carried the 1983 White Sox to the franchise's first postseason appearance since 1959. 

     

LaMARR HOYT

The burly, bearded righthander was listed at 6-foot-2 and 220 pounds--but he admitted to weighing "a ways above" 240. After leading the American League with 19 victories in 1982, Hoyt lost six of his first eight decisions as the Sox struggled through the early going in 1983. He then went 22-4 for the rest of the season, and the South Siders romped to the division title by 19 games.

     Hoyt ended up 24-10 for the year, with a 3.66 earned run average, 11 complete games, and only 31 walks in 260 innings. He received the Cy Young Award after the season.

     In what turned out to be the only postseason game of his career, Hoyt scattered five hits, walked none, and went the distance as the Sox beat Baltimore 2-1 in the opener of the 1983 American League Championship Series. Alas, the Orioles captured the next three games to clinch the series. Hoyt would have been on the mound for a decisive Game 5 that never took place. "No way did I want to see Hoyt tomorrow," said Orioles outfielder Ken Singleton after Game 4.

     Hoyt was involved in two trades for noteworthy White Sox shortstops. As a minor leaguer in April 1977, he was traded by the New York Yankees to the Sox with outfielder Oscar Gamble for Bucky Dent. In December 1984, he was dealt to the San Diego Padres for four players, including Ozzie Guillen.

     Despite his prodigious size, Hoyt could barely throw hard enough to break a pane of glass. Therefore, he needed to get by on guts and guile--both of which he had in abundance. "What I learned to do," he said, "was to make the absolute most of the limited talent I had. I couldn't ever blow hitters away, but I could put a ball where I wanted, and I could make the ball move. I knew how to attack the corners of the plate."

     Injuries and personal issues derailed his career soon after the glory year of 1983, but Hoyt is still remembered fondly by fans and teammates. "He had average stuff," White Sox manager Tony LaRussa said, "but amazing command and tremendous confidence. He never showed fear. What a great competitor."

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Chicago Cubs Trophy Case

Kris Bryant and the San Francisco Giants are visiting the Cubs at Wrigley Field this weekend, marking the first time that Bryant has played against his old teammates. When Bryant in 2016 made the most important assist by a Cub since at least 1908, he was in the midst of a streak that saw him win College Player of the Year, Minor League Player of the Year, National League Rookie of the Year, and National League Most Valuable Player in consecutive seasons. It seems fair to doubt whether anyone will ever equal that particular feat again.

KRIS BRYANT

    

Below are some of the noteworthy honors won by Bryant and other Cubs over the years.

Retired Numbers

10 - Ron Santo

14 - Ernie Banks 

23 - Ryne Sandberg

26 - Billy Williams

31 - Fergie Jenkins

31 - Greg Maddux 

World Championship Managers
1907 - Frank Chance
1908 - Frank Chance
2016 - Joe Maddon

World Series Most Valuable Player
2016 - Ben Zobrist

National League Most Valuable Player
1911 - Frank "Wildfire" Schulte
1929 - Rogers Hornsby
1935 - Gabby Hartnett
1945 - Phil Cavarretta
1952 - Hank Sauer
1958 - Ernie Banks
1959 - Ernie Banks
1984 - Ryne Sandberg
1987 - Andre Dawson
1998 - Sammy Sosa
2016 - Kris Bryant

The Sporting News Major League Player of the Year
1972 - Billy Williams
1984 - Ryne Sandberg
1998 - Sammy Sosa

National League Cy Young Award
1971 - Fergie Jenkins
1979 - Bruce Sutter
1984 - Rick Sutcliffe
1992 - Greg Maddux
2015 - Jake Arrieta

National League Rookie of the Year
1961 - Billy Williams
1962 - Ken Hubbs
1989 - Jerome Walton
1998 - Kerry Wood
2008 - Geovany Soto
2015 - Kris Bryant

National League Batting Champion
1876 - Ross Barnes
1879 - Cap Anson
1880 - George Gore
1881 - Cap Anson
1886 - King Kelly
1887 - Cap Anson
1888 - Cap Anson
1912 - Heinie Zimmerman
1945 - Phil Cavarretta
1975 - Bill Madlock
1976 - Bill Madlock
1980 - Bill Buckner
2005 - Derrek Lee

National League Home Run Leader
1884 - Ned Williamson
1885 - Abner Dalrymple
1888 - Jimmy Ryan
1890 - Walt Wilmot
1910 - Frank "Wildfire" Schulte
1911 - Frank "Wildfire" Schulte
1912 - Heinie Zimmerman
1916 - Cy Williams
1926 - Hack Wilson
1927 - Hack Wilson
1928 - Hack Wilson
1930 - Hack Wilson
1943 - Bill Nicholson
1944 - Bill Nicholson
1952 - Hank Sauer
1958 - Ernie Banks
1960 - Ernie Banks
1979 - Dave Kingman
1987 - Andre Dawson
1990 - Ryne Sandberg
2000 - Sammy Sosa
2002 - Sammy Sosa 

National League Runs Batted In Leader
1876 - Deacon White
1880 - Cap Anson
1881 - Cap Anson
1882 - Cap Anson
1884 - Cap Anson
1885 - Cap Anson
1886 - Cap Anson
1888 - Cap Anson
1891 - Cap Anson
1906 - Harry Steinfeldt
1911 - Frank "Wildfire" Schulte
1912 - Heinie Zimmerman
1929 - Hack Wilson
1930 - Hack Wilson
1943 - Bill Nicholson
1944 - Bill Nicholson
1952 - Hank Sauer
1958 - Ernie Banks
1959 - Ernie Banks
1987 - Andre Dawson
1998 - Sammy Sosa
2018 - Javier Baez

National League Leader in Victories
1876 - Al Spalding
1881 - Larry Corcoran
1885 - John Clarkson
1887 - John Clarkson
1890 - Bill Hutchison
1891 - Bill Hutchison
1892 - Bill Hutchison
1909 - Mordecai Brown
1912 - Larry Cheney
1918 - Hippo Vaughn
1920 - Grover Alexander
1927 - Charlie Root
1929 - Pat Malone
1930 - Pat Malone
1932 - Lon Warneke
1938 - Bill Lee
1964 - Larry Jackson
1971 - Fergie Jenkins
1987 - Rick Sutcliffe
1992 - Greg Maddux
2015 - Jake Arrieta
2018 - Jon Lester
2020 - Yu Darvish

National League Leader in Earned-Run Average
1882 - Larry Corcoran
1898 - Clark Griffith
1902 - Jack Taylor
1906 - Mordecai Brown
1907 - Jack Pfiester
1910 - King Cole
1918 - Hippo Vaughn
1919 - Grover Alexander
1920 - Grover Alexander
1932 - Lon Warneke
1938 - Bill Lee
1945 - Ray Prim
2016 - Kyle Hendricks

National League Leader in Strikeouts
1880 - Larry Corcoran
1885 - John Clarkson
1887 - John Clarkson
1892 - Bill Hutchison
1909 - Orval Overall
1918 - Hippo Vaughn
1919 - Hippo Vaughn
1920 - Grover Alexander
1929 - Pat Malone
1938 - Clay Bryant
1955 - Sam Jones
1956 - Sam Jones
1969 - Fergie Jenkins
2003 - Kerry Wood

National League Manager of the Year
1984 - Jim Frey
1989 - Don Zimmer
2008 - Lou Piniella
2015 - Joe Maddon

 

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Jerry Harkness, 1940 - 2021

Jerry Harkness, who passed away last week at the age of 81, was captain of the 1963 Loyola Ramblers, the only Illinois team (so far) to win the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament. He was also a first-team All-American, a member of the College Basketball Hall of Fame, a successful businessman, and a civil-rights activist. He and the other starters on the 1963 Ramblers team—John Egan, Les Hunter, Ron Miller, and Vic Rouse—earned eleven college degrees among them.

  

JERRY HARKNESS

The Ramblers’ march through the 1963 tournament included a win over the Fighting Illini in the Elite Eight, followed by victories over No. 2-ranked Duke and No. 1 Cincinnati in the Final Four. But it was their defeat of Mississippi State in the Sweet Sixteen that has gone down in history.

Not only was Mississippi State an all-white institution at the time, but its athletic teams were forbidden by tradition to even play against integrated teams. Accordingly, the Maroons had declined invitations to the tournament in 1961 and 1962. 

“I think that Mississippi State wants to play us,” Harkness said when the matchup was set. “If they don’t, they’ll never know how good they are.” Harkness was right. Coach Babe McCarthy and the Maroons kept their date with Loyola on March 15 in East Lansing, Michigan, even though they literally had to sneak out of Mississippi to do so.

The Maroons were scheduled to fly from Starkville, Mississippi, to East Lansing on Thursday morning, March 14. On Wednesday, a state legislator obtained an injunction prohibiting the team from leaving the state. That night, coach McCarthy and several other officials drove from Starkville to Memphis, then flew to Nashville. On Thursday morning, the Hinds County sheriff showed up at the Starkville airport to enforce the injunction. The injunction was duly served—to the Maroons’ freshman team, which had been sent to the airport as a decoy. The varsity team had already left from a small private airport. They met up with McCarthy and the others in Nashville, then continued on to East Lansing.

“We wanted to play,” Mississippi State guard Leland Mitchell said. “We had just won the SEC championship for the third year in a row and we hadn’t been allowed to play in the NCAA tournament the past two years. For us, the biggest thing was getting the opportunity to play in the tournament because it was something we felt we deserved.”

THE PRE-GAME HANDSHAKE.

The game attracted an overflow crowd of 12,143 at Michigan State’s Jenison Fieldhouse. When Harkness and his counterpart Joe Dan Gold shook hands at center court before the game, they created a sensation. “The flashbulbs just went off unbelievably,” Harkness said, “and at that time, boy, I knew this was more than just a game. This was history being made.”

Mississippi State came in with a record of 21-5. The Maroons were a methodical, disciplined team whose tallest starter was only six-foot-five. The Ramblers also were undersized (the lithe, six-foot-seven Hunter was their tallest starter), but their athleticism made up for what they lacked in height and heft.

From the opening tip, Mississippi State did everything but deflate the basketball in order to slow the pace. The Maroons held Loyola off the scoreboard for almost six minutes as they crept out to a 7-0 lead. A pair of three-point plays by Harkness jump-started the Ramblers, and strong rebounding by Hunter and Rouse carried them to a 26-19 edge at halftime. In the second half, the Maroons patiently stuck to their plan on offense, allowing 90 seconds or so to elapse in each possession before taking a shot (there was no shot clock in those days) and not attempting any shot that was closely contested.

Mississippi State was poised and determined throughout, but ultimately Loyola’s relentlessness proved too much to overcome. “We don’t let up,” said coach George Ireland. The Ramblers won 61-51. Harkness tallied 20 points, Rouse 16 points and 19 rebounds, and Hunter 12 points and 10 rebounds. 

 In later years, as the Ramblers looked back across the decades to the dream season of 1963, their stirring comeback victory over Cincinnati in the title game was a fond memory, of course. But the game against Mississippi State was probably more meaningful in the long run. “In a game like that you have two winners,” Harkness said. “Mississippi State made a statement to the community that broke down some of the barriers, and we played a part in it.”

 

 

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