Voice of E

Deep down I bleed Cubbie Blue. But back in 1993 I was rooting for the White Sox as they were marching their way to the playoffs.

At the time I was working for Raytheon Service Company, and was in my office one morning when I heard a contest on the radio, I believe it was WGN? or WBBM? OR WMAQ? Anyhow, the contest was: Write a jingle for the Chicago White Sox and win a trip to see the Sox play the Blue Jays in Toronto for Game 4 of the American League Championship Series.

Well, I try to be a creative person so I decided to write a jingle and enter the contest. So I wrote 2 of them. You had to call and sing your jingle on an answering machine and then they would select the best one on the air. I called and left both of them and forgot all about it.

A couple of weeks later I got a message on my voice mail to call the station. They told me that my two entries had won first and third place in the contest and that I was going to Toronto. Of course, they had done the whole thing on the air and I had missed it, so I’ve never heard how it actually went.

I decided to take my boy Brian who had just turned six a few weeks before. I remember getting dropped off at the airport and boarding a plane filled with other White Sox fans. It was Saturday, October 9th. Brian had a blast on the plane and everyone was in a great mood. We arrived in Toronto and went through customs which took like two hours and really sucked. Remember, this was 1993, I have no idea what it is like now. Finally a chartered bus took us to the Skydome and we were there.

I don’t remember a lot about Toronto. It was my only trip out of the country (ever). I remember it being like a big city, only somewhat cleaner, and wondering of they would take American money at the McDonalds outside the park. Luckily, they did (Thanks Canada!) and we got a bite before going in.

We finally went into the ball park, and sat in our seats. We were in the front row of the right field bleachers and it was great. Everyone in our section was a White Sox fan, which really helped. Before the game started the White Sox were out doing batting practice, and one of the guys in the field picked up a ball and jogged over near us. Everyone jumped up and started saying “Me…Me!” for the ball because it was obvious the guy was going to toss it to us. (I just wish I could remember who it was) Brian had brought his B-Ball glove and reached his hands out over the right field wall. I reached my hands out around him and under his to help just in case.

Well, the guy pointed to Brian and tossed the ball, I helped him catch it and he screamed and waved the ball like the happiest kid on the planet. It was a very cool dad moment.

We spent the game watching and screaming and Brian was so excited that everyone around us joined in and we had a great time. Of course, it helped that the Sox won 7-4 that game.
After the game the bus took us right back to the airport and we got on a plane home that same day. We were really bushed, especially Brian, and he slept on the plane the whole way back. It was truly a magical day.

The Sox went on to lose the playoffs, and the Blue Jays won the World Series that year.

What was the winning jingle you ask?
It is sung to the tune of “The Flintstones” theme song.

“White Sox, meet the White Sox”
“They’re the team whose first name ends with E”
“From the Windy City, they’re about to go make history”

“Let’s ride with the family to the park”
“Hope I don’t get mugged when it gets dark”

“When you see the White Sox”
“Have a screaming in your ear time”
“Four dollar beer time”
“We’ll have a gay old time!”

Top 10 Games of 2005

In this show, Geoff talks about rules writing, and Adam tells us a Wits and Wagers variant. We do more player categories, talk about some recently played games, and go over the latest gaming news. The whole gang gets together, and takes a look back five years ago – at the top ten games from 2005!

The Dice Tower is a podcast about BoardGames. Not your Monopoly and Checkers fare, but REAL boardgames. There are boardgames with real strategy, that are actually fun to play. The Dice Tower is the most listened to boardgame podcast in the world.

I do the interior segment pieces on the show. Eric Summerer does the show intro/outtro and is the co-host. He is a very talented voice artist himself, you can download some of the audiobooks he has narrated at Audible.com.

Tom Vasel is the show’s host. I have never encountered a more knowledgeable person concerning boardgames.

Give the show a listen, you might find a whole new hobby to explore!

I love reading to my kids. I know some parents do not have the time to read to their children, or have problems reading. So I am offering bedtime stories, all for free.

This story is The Snow Man from
THE PINK FAIRY BOOK Edited by Andrew Lang

The story is of a Snow Man. This Snow Man is unique because he wants to get close to the stove. His only desire is to get close to the stove to be happy. The dog thinks this is silly and tells him so. Eventually, winter goes away and the Snow Man melts and the dog discovers that there was a broom inside him that made the Snow man long for the stove. Possibly the moral i that we cant change what is inside of us even if it isn’t good for us? Who knows?

This fairy tale is Rated G

You can read the book yourself for free at
Project Gutenberg Pink Fairy
or you can download it to put on your iPod or a cd here (Right Click, Save Target As):

The Snowman

or just click below and listen right now

Way Way Back Radio is a podcast featuring hours of Old Time Radio entertainment, with interesting and amusing anecdotes from the show’s host, Jeff McAleer.
Jeff (who is my closest friend and compatriot, lo these many years) has an unbelievable treasure trove of broadcasts from the Golden Age of Radio. If you are looking for The Shadow, The Great Gildersleeve, Gunsmoke, Jack Benny, X Minus One, Superman, Burns and Allen, or almost anything, than this is the show for you.

I am the humble announcer on this wonderful podcast.

This week we celebrate not only Valentine’s Day but radio legend Jack Benny’s birthday as well!

As of this week, WWBR is now available through the iTunes Store!

Jeff has many more Old Time Radio shows available just to listen to or download at your leisure. You can find them at AMFWOTR.com

You can also download the show Here

I love reading to my kids. I know some parents do not have the time to read to their children, or have problems reading. So I am offering bedtime stories, all for free.

This story is The Flying Trunk from
THE PINK FAIRY BOOK Edited by Andrew Lang

The story is of a merchant’s son who friviously spends all his money, gets a flying trunk as a present, finds a princess in a tower, convinces her parents to let him marry her, then loses the trunk and can’t marry her. The nice thing is that this story has no killing or death, however if there is a moral it is too deep for my simple mind.

This fairy tale is Rated G

You can read the book yourself for free at
Project Gutenberg Pink Fairy
or you can download it to put on your iPod or a cd here (Right Click, Save Target As):

The Flying Trunk

or just click below and listen right now