Century of Progress? Not So Much at Wrigley

Thursday thoughts (or unreasonable facsimiles thereof): The Chicago Cubs celebrated the 100th anniversary of Wrigley Field with a once-in-a-hundred-year ninth-inning collapse. OK, for the Cubs it wasn’t all that uncommon.

One of our favorites, the lovely Stephy C, is excited about the Blackhawks.

* The once-in-a-century occurrence would be one for the Arizona Diamondbacks, who scored five runs in the ninth inning for a 7-5 victory over the Cubs. If that outcome doesn’t speak to the Cubs fans of the last several generations, nothing does. Happy anniversary indeed!

* Speaking of centennial celebrations, Cubs starter Jeff Samardzija became the only pitcher in the last 100 years to go 7-plus innings and allow two earned runs or fewer in his first five starts of a season and not earn a victory. OK, not really anything really celebratory, but at least Samardzija isn’t 0-5.

* If it’s Thursday (which seems likely in that yesterday was Wednesday — provided that you are reading this on April 24, 2014, or a subsequent Thursday), then it is time for another edition of “Sports & Torts” with co-hosts David Spada and Elliott Harris at noon Central time on Talkzone.com. The guests for the April 24 show are baseball Hall of Fame pitchers Juan Marichal and four-time National League batting champion Bill Madlock. The program also will be available on podcast later Thursday at the Talkzone.com web site.

* The statistical analysis department worked late into the night/early morning after the Chicago Blackhawks’ 4-3 overtime victory against the visiting St. Louis Blues and figured out that for the Hawks to win the best-of-seven series that is tied 2-2, the Hawks will have to win a road game. Accompanied by another victory at the United Center or a second road victory. That said (or at least typed), you have to like the Hawks’ chances better now than when they lost the first two games of the series in St. Louis.

* Speaking of numbers, Jose Abreu hit his seventh homer of the season as the White Sox rallied by host Detroit 6-4, thanks to Marcus Semien’s seventh-inning grand slam. Abreu has 21 runs batted in (the same number as his strikeout total). Semien has 13 RBI and a team-high 28 strikeouts.

Here is where to go for a daily dose of non-gratuitous video (thanks to the efforts of the editorial and video departments at ElliottHarris.com):

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