PEORIA, Ill .–The earth moves but it doesn’t shift quite as fast in Peoria, Ill.
As you roll into Peoria on I-74 across the Illinois River, you are met by a humble skyline that consists of the 50-year old Mark Twain Hotel, AFL-CIO headquarters and Caterpillar headquarters. Nestled beneath all that faded promise, like nuggets of gold in a stream, is Jim’s Steakhouse–or Jim’s as locals call it.
Jim’s has been around since 1960. The late Peoria Chiefs owner Pete Vonachen, his baseball bud Harry Caray and Peoria native Jack Brickhouse were Jim’s regulars. I’ve been going to watch Midwest League baseball in Peoria since 1985 when [...]M. Ward solo. I’m a fan.
She collected bookmarks.Before Monday night’s concert she sat down and tried to open a taped white envelope. She struggled with the paper as the old yellow tape would not give. She finally removed a 1933 Chicago World’s Fair bookmark from the envelope.
It was a brass work of modest art, just like the one my father saved when he attended the “Century of Progress” fair as a 13-year-old. A similar bookmark was found in my father’s belongings when we cleaned out my parents house after their deaths. People say there are signals from beyond? Who knows? But her [...]
Bobby Lloyd Hicks, 1947-2017
“Bobby” Lloyd Hicks.
What a great name, what a great man.
Bobby Lloyd Hicks–it sounded like he came from somewhere big and dusty, like Texas, an old Kansas City steakhouse or a Gary Cooper western. But no siree Bob, the modest Mr. Hicks was born in 1947 in tiny Marshalltown, Iowa, where in 1852 future Baseball Hall of Famer Adrian “Cap” Anson became the first European born in the farming community.
And Mr. Hicks was an ace of hearts.
He was the drummer-vocalist for the Skeletons/Morells/NRBQ and [...]
Me and Ernie at Billy Williams Hall of Fame Induction, 1987. No dress code.
With apologies to The Band…….
I pulled into Wrigleyville, I was feelin’ about half past dead
I just need some place where I can lay my head
“Hey, Mister Rahm, can you tell me where a man might find a bed?”
He just grinned and shook my hand and, “No”, was all he said
Take a load off Ernie
Take a load for free
Take a load off Ernie
And you put [...]
