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1 SENATE RESOLUTION
2 WHEREAS, Baseball fans all over the world have lost a
3 beloved friend with the death of Harry Caray, most recently
4 the voice of the Chicago Cubs since 1982; Harry passed away
5 in Rancho Mirage, California on February 18, 1998; and
6 WHEREAS, Harry Caray was born Harry Christopher Carabina
7 in St. Louis, Missouri on March 1, 1919; Harry lost his
8 father and later his mother, both before his tenth birthday,
9 and was taken in by an aunt; Harry was raised and attended
10 schools in the Webster Groves area of St. Louis; while Harry
11 was attending high school he changed his name to the now
12 well-known Harry Caray; and
13 WHEREAS, After leaving high school, Harry Caray worked
14 for $25 a week selling gym equipment; he attempted to enlist
15 in the United States Army but was rejected due to his poor
16 eye sight; he next tried out for the St. Louis Cardinals
17 baseball team, but was also turned down; in 1944 Harry wrote
18 a letter to KMOX Radio in St. Louis to complain about the
19 dull and boring announcers that were calling sports games for
20 the radio station; the KMOX manager was so impressed with
21 Harry's drive and determination that he helped him obtain a
22 job with WCLS in Joliet, Illinois; and
23 WHEREAS, In 1945 Harry returned to St. Louis, taking a
24 position as the third announcer for the St. Louis Cardinals;
25 the first announcer position was vacant and Harry made the
26 decision to go for the job; Harry went to the number one
27 sponsor of the Cardinals, beer baron Ed Griesedick, and
28 persuaded him to give Harry the top spot; for twenty-five
29 years Harry would serve as the voice of the St. Louis
30 Cardinals; and
31 WHEREAS, In 1969 Harry left the St. Louis Cardinals; in
32 1970 he moved to Oakland, California to broadcast for the
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1 Oakland A's; after his first year and a tumultuous
2 relationship with A's owner, Charlie Finley, Harry departed
3 for Chicago and the White Sox; and
4 WHEREAS, From 1971 to 1981 Harry Caray became the
5 broadcaster for the Chicago White Sox; Harry began his
6 broadcast on a small AM station that was only heard as far
7 away as the Loop, but soon moved to FM-radio when attendance
8 at the games began to increase; Harry would often broadcast
9 his games from the Center Field bleachers, where he could be
10 close to his beloved fans; when White Sox fans found out that
11 Harry was moving to the Northside of Chicago to broadcast for
12 the Cubs in 1982, they said that they would be moving along
13 with him; and
14 WHEREAS, Harry Caray went on to become a part of the
15 Chicago Cubs and of Wrigley Field lore; Harry brought with
16 him and transplanted his signature seventh inning rendition
17 of "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" upon his move to Wrigley,
18 and, in every home game from the first one he broadcast in
19 the friendly confines, fans could be seen turning their heads
20 toward the broadcast booth, eagerly awaiting the song; and
21 WHEREAS, Harry became known as The Mayor of Rush Street,
22 where he could be found with fans after the Cubs game; and
23 WHEREAS, In 1987 Harry Caray suffered a stroke that kept
24 him from the ballpark for several months; stars ranging from
25 Bill Murray to George Will took his place in the broadcast
26 booth until his return; upon his welcome back in May, Harry
27 received a phone call from a former Cubs broadcaster,
28 President Ronald Reagan; on September 30, 1988 Harry would be
29 joined by President Reagan in the broadcast booth; In 1987
30 Harry also opened his namesake Italian restaurant in Chicago,
31 where fans would often find him smiling and handing out
32 autographs; and
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1 WHEREAS, Harry was known to mispronounce the names of the
2 baseball players, both on the Chicago Cubs and for other
3 teams; he would often have fun with the names, spelling them
4 backwards and then re-pronouncing them; together with his
5 longtime partner, Steve Stone, Harry became a big reason for
6 people to take in a Cubs game; and
7 WHEREAS, In 1988, Harry was selected to the National
8 Sportscasters and Sportswriters Hall of Fame; in 1989 he was
9 inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New
10 York; in 1994 he was inducted into the National Association
11 of Broadcasters' Hall of Fame; in 1994 he fell in Miami,
12 Florida during an away game and made the decision to limit
13 himself to home games and a few road games; and
14 WHEREAS, Harry's first major league broadcast was for
15 KMOX on Opening Day 1945 when the Cubs beat the Cardinals 3-2
16 at Wrigley Field; his final game was September 21, 1997 when
17 the Chicago Cubs beat the Philadelphia Phillies 11-3 at
18 Wrigley Field; and
19 WHEREAS, According to WGN Radio and Television, Harry
20 Caray broadcast over 8,000 regular season games during his
21 career; and
22 WHEREAS, Chicago Cubs second baseman Mark Grace said, "No
23 one wanted the Cubs to win more than he did. He didn't make
24 any bones about it".; and
25 WHEREAS, Harry's grandson, Chip Caray, is scheduled to
26 join the Chicago Cubs broadcast team in their 1998 season,
27 keeping his grandfather's legacy alive; and
28 WHEREAS, "Holy Cow"; "It could be, it might be, it is, a
29 home run"; "so long everybody"; phrases that will be
30 remembered by fans of the Chicago Cubs will no longer be
31 heard at Wrigley Field; Harry is survived by his loving wife,
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1 Dutchie; his children, Skip, Chris, Patricia Eddy, Michelle
2 McFadden, and Elizabeth Caray; his stepchildren, Mark
3 Griffith, Roger Johnson, Donald Johnson, Gloria "Tuni"
4 Weller, and Elizabeth "Muffie" Newell; his fourteen
5 grandchildren; his great-grandchild; and the beloved fans in
6 Chicago and around the world; therefore, be it
7 RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETIETH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
8 OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn, along with his
9 family, his friends, and his many fans and supporters, the
10 man called Harry Caray; he was truly a legend in sports
11 broadcasting, in the State of Illinois, the City of Chicago,
12 and in the friendly confines of Wrigley Field, and he will be
13 missed this year when the first ball is thrown out at Wrigley
14 Field; and be it further
15 RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be
16 presented to the family of Harry Caray and to the Chicago
17 Cubs organization.