2013 Cubs Convention Passes Now Available

The 2013 Cubs Convention will be held January 18th through 20th at the Sheridan Towers in Chicago.

Convention weekend passes are now available for $60, plus convenience fees, at http://chicago.cubs.mlb.com/chc/community/convention.jsp.

If you have made reservations at the Sheridan for the Convention, you do not need to buy passes separately now - they will be available for purchase at the Convention for a discounted rate of $20 each.

So far, Starlin Castro, Anthony Rizzo, Brett Jackson and Jeff Samardzija are confirmed and will be joined by "more than 50 current, former and minor league Cubs."

2013 Cubs Convention Location Change

After a 27-year run at the Chicago Hilton and Towers, the 2013 Cubs Convention is going to be held at a new location - the Sheridan Chicago Hotel and Towers located at 301 E. North Water Street in Chicago, right on the Chicago River.



Starting on September 19th, at 9 a.m., reservations can be made by calling (800) 233-4100 and asking for the Cubs Convention rate of $179 per night, plus tax. As an added bonus, guests who book a two-night stay will receive an autographed photo of Anthony Rizzo and Brett Jackson.

As in the past, hotel guests can then purchase up to four convention passes for $20 each at the convention. Individual convention passes for guests not staying at the hotel will be $60 each and will go on sale at a later date, typically in early November.

Stayed tuned for more updates as they become available.

2012 Cubs Convention Attendees List

Here is the list of players, coaches, executives and broadcasters scheduled to appear at this year's Cubs Convention:

Current Players

Darwin Barney
Marlon Byrd
Tony Campana
Chris Carpenter
Welington Castillo
Starlin Castro
Steve Clevenger
Casey Coleman
David DeJesus
Ryan Dempster
Blake DeWitt
Matt Garza
Reed Johnson
Bryan LaHair
Carlos Marmol
James Russell
Jeff Samardzija
Alfonso Soriano
Geovany Soto
Ian Stewart
Chris Volstad
Randy Wells
Travis Wood

Current Coaching Staff

Dale Sveum
Chris Bosio
Rudy Jaramillo
Jamie Quirk
Lester Strode
Dave McKay

Minor League Players

Jeff Beliveau
Michael Brenly
Shawon Dunston Jr.
Brett Jackson
Junior Lake
Anthony Rizzo
Matt Szczur
Josh Vitters

Team Executives

Tom Ricketts
Laura Ricketts
Pete Ricketts
Todd Ricketts
Crane Kenney
Theo Epstein

Baseball Staff/Broadcasters

Jed Hoyer
Jason McLeod
Randy Bush
Shiraz Rehman
Oneri Fleita
Tim Wilken
Joe Bohringer
Pat Hughes
Len Kasper
Bob Brenly

Former Players

Ernie Banks
Glenn Beckert
Mike Bielecki
Bill Buckner
Jose Cardenal
Andre Dawson
Bob Dernier
Shawon Dunston
Jeff Fassero
Todd Hollandsworth
Randy Hundley
Fergie Jenkins
Vance Law
Jon Lieber
Bill Madlock
Gary Matthews
Rick Monday
Keith Moreland
Dave Otto
Milt Pappas
Scott Sanderson
Dwight Smith
Lee Smith
Tim Stoddard
Rick Sutcliffe
Steve Trout
Todd Walker
Billy Williams
Eric Young

Kerry Wood to Host "Winter Warm-Up" January 13, 2012 to Raise Money for His Charity

Although Kerry Wood remains unsigned by the Cubs, he is hosting "Woody's Winter Warm-up, A Celebrity Mixer" on January 13, 2012 at the Navy Pier Harry Caray's from 8:30 p.m. until 11:30 p.m.

Kerry Wood and friends will serve drinks and work for tips to raise money and awareness for the Wood Family Foundation.

Confirmed Cubs players include Marlon Byrd, Matt Garza, Geovany Soto, Starlin Castro, Ryan Dempster, Randy Wells, Welington Castillo, Darwin Barney, and James Russell. Cubs owner Tom Ricketts, President of Baseball Operations Theo Epstein, baseball legends Ernie Banks, and Rick Sutcliffe, and former Chicago Bears Richard Dent and Otis Wilson are also scheduled to appear. 

Autograph seekers be warned, however, as the promotional materials state that no memorabilia will be allowed into the event and that bags will be checked at the door.

The evening will include "meet and greet" opportunities with Cubs players, silent auction, premium open bar, dinner buffet and raffle with all proceeds benefitting the WFF.  Net proceeds from Woody's Winter Warm-up will support the Wood Family Foundation, which is dedicated to improving the lives of children in and around Chicago. The Foundation is committed to funding both immediate and long-term relief projects for various children's issues.

Individual tickets - $150 (Standing room only)
Reserved Booth for 4 people - $1000 (Includes tableside cocktail service only)

To order visit http://www.woodfamilyfoundation.org/.

Hilton Chicago Hotel Packages for the 2012 Convention are Sold Out

The Hilton Chicago packages are sold out, according to the Cubs.  This did not happen last year so there must be some excitement in the air for the new regime and the 2012 Cubs!  This installment of the annual Cubs Convention will take place at the Hilton Chicago, 720 South Michigan Avenue from Friday, January 13th through Sunday, January 15th, 2012.

The Cubs expect "30 to 40" current and former Cubs players to be in attendance.  The Convention roster typically includes current players who live in the U.S.; Cubs greats Ernie Banks, Billy Williams and Fergie Jenkins; and, what has become a pretty standard set of guys that includes Glenn Beckert, Jose Cardenal, Bobby Dernier, Randy Hundley, Keith Moreland, Milt Pappas, Lee Smith, Tim Stoddard and Steve Trout. Also expect to see Theo Epstein and his new front office personnel along with Dale Sveum and his coaching staff and any new players the Cubs sign before the Convention such as David DeJesus.  For more about what to expect, click here.

The convention hours will be: Friday - 3 p.m. to 9 p.m., Saturday - 9 a.m. to midnight and Sunday - 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Even though the Hilton Chicago packages area sold out, the Cubs are offering a Cubs Convention package for the Palmer House hotel, located less than a mile away at 17 East Monroe Street. Complimentary shuttles will be offered between the Palmer House and the Hilton Chicago.

Folks who book a two-night stay at the Palmer House through www.cubs.com - starting at $415 plus taxes/fees - will receive two free Convention passes (you can also purchase up to two more for $22.50 each) and an autographed picture of Ernie Banks and Starlin Castro. The package also includes two bleacher tickets to a chilly Cubs/Brewers game of your choice on April 9th, 10th, 11th, or 12th.

Weekend passes are also still available for $60 each (plus convenience fees) and can be purchased at www.cubs.com or by calling 1-800-843-2827.

2011 Cubs Convention Autograph Report

I collect autographed 8x10 photos and this was a good convention for me as I was able to get three new personalized 8x10s: Todd Walker, Tyler Colvin and Carlos Zambrano. I was also able to get a bunch of other autographs on baseball cards and the convention program.

Friday:

Check-in - as a convention guest, the person who reserved the room was given an autographed 8x10. We got new manager Mike Quade:


















Autograph Hunt Game - the crowds seemed even lighter than usual, which was nice. We got in the Stage B line at about 5:00 p.m. and met Steve Trout:


















After walking around to see who else was signing, we found Todd Walker at the Comcast booth. Walker had not been to a convention previously so he was one of the former players that I wanted to meet.



















Kitty O'Shea's - we then headed up to the hotel bar, Kitty O'Shea's, for dinner and an evening with Guinness. Jim Hendry came in the bar and chatted with some folks for a while. We were hoping to ask him whether he has any other Japanese players on his radar, in light of how well the Fukudome signing has panned out; however, he did not seem interested speaking with us.

A little later, Kitty O'Shea's regulars Tim Stoddard, Bob Dernier and Keith Moreland stopped by. In addition to the program, each was nice enough to sign these cards:



Tim's friend thought this card was hiarious because he had a head full of hair. She snapped several photos of him with the card.



Bob thinks that a hippo would win in an animal battle royale. I was not able to convince him that a tiger is superior because of speed and climbing ability.



I would like to think that I am the only person that has a card signed, "Keith Moreland Zonk 666." Metal rules.










Saturday:

In line -

Tyler Colvin was signing at the Sports Authority booth. He told me that he is not sick of getting questions about his freak chest injury, he is feeling very good and ready to get the season under way.













I was feeling pretty good that I had won the lottery and gotten a ticket for Aramis Ramirez. He has never been to the convention and this might be his last year with the Cubs; therefore, this might have been the only chance to have met him.


















I got in line at 12:30 p.m. as the ticket indicated and waited downstairs for quite some time. When we were finally led upstairs to the International Ballroom a little after 1 p.m., we were shocked to see that the line was still at least 200 or more people deep. When Ramirez's time ended at 1:30 p.m., he got up and left. I was still at least 100-150 people from the front of the line. Cubs security told us that he had to get to a radio interview and could not stay. They then asked us to write our addresses and phone numbers on the back of the ticket and promised that someone from the Cubs' marketing department would send us some type of autographed item.

It was revealed later that someone had printed counterfeit tickets for both the Aramis Ramirez and Billy Williams lottery signing sessions and this obviously had a great impact on how slowly the line moved. I was disappointed not to have met him or gotten a personalized 8x10. The Cubs came through and sent me an autographed ball shortly after the season started...

After the Ramirez debacle, I was able to stay in line to get Carlos Zambrano. One of the vendors had actually given us a ticket for the Zambrano session because she could not use it. That was awesome.


















I headed back downstairs and was able to get Dave Otto on the program and Ivan DeJesus on a card.































Sunday:

In line -
Jose Cardenal was very personable with me and my kids. My youngest son had a mini helmet that he was having signed. Jose took the helmet and put it on his head, explaining that he used to have so much hair that his helmet looked very small just like the one my son had. He got a good laugh out of everyone within earshot.


















The last autograph for the weekend was Koyie Hill on the program...














and we were off, getting home just in time for the Bears-Seahawks kickoff.

Great weekend, tons of fun and can't wait to do it again next year!

2011 Cubs Convention Attendees List

Here is a list of the players, coaches, executives and broadcasters scheduled to appear at this year's Cubs Convention:

Current Players

Jeff Baker
Darwin Barney
Justin Berg
Marlon Byrd
Andrew Cashner
Starlin Castro
Casey Coleman
Tyler Colvin
Blake DeWitt
Matt Garza
Tom Gorzelanny
John Grabow
Koyie Hill
Scott Maine
Carlos Marmol
Sean Marshall
Carlos Peña
Fernando Perez
Aramis Ramirez
James Russell
Jeff Samardzija
Carlos Silva
Geovany Soto
Randy Wells
Kerry Wood
Carlos Zambrano

Former Players

Ernie Banks
Glenn Beckert
Mike Bielecki
Bill Buckner
Jose Cardenal
Doug Glanville
Randy Hundley
Fergie Jenkins
Greg Maddux
Gary Matthews
Keith Moreland
Dave Otto
Milt Pappas
Lee Smith
Tim Stoddard
Steve Trout
Todd Walker
Billy Williams

Minor League Players

Chris Carpenter
Jay Jackson
DJ LeMahieu

Baseball Staff/Broadcasters

Jim Hendry
Randy Bush
Oneri Fleita
Tim Wilken
Pat Hughes
Len Kasper
Bob Brenly

Team Executives

Tom Ricketts
Pete Ricketts
Laura Ricketts
Todd Ricketts
Crane Kenney

Current Coaching Staff

Mike Quade
Mark Riggins
Rudy Jaramillo
Lester Strode
Bob Dernier
Ivan DeJesus
Dave Keller

2011 Cubs Convention Attendees to Include All-Star Lineup

Although the Cubs are usually tight-lipped about the Convention attendees until the list is published in the Sunday Chicago Tribune the weekend before the convention, they have disclosed some of the players that will be attending this year. The list includes the returning Kerry Wood and newly added first baseman Carlos Pena, along with Carlos Zambrano, Marlon Byrd, Carlos Marmol and Tyler Colvin.

Also, Aramis Ramirez and Starlin Castro will both be making their first Convention appearances. Greg Maddux, whose last appearance at the Convention was a rushed Friday evening lottery-winner-only opportunity, is also scheduled to appear.

Cubs prospects Chris Archer, Jay Jackson, Chris Carpenter (no, not that Chris Carpenter!) and DJ LeMahieu will be at the Convention as well.

Be sure to pick up a Chicago Tribune this coming weekend. You will find the entire list of the players, former players, coaches and other dignitaries scheduled to attend in an advetisement in the sports section. If you cannot wait until Sunday to find out, be sure to pick a paper up on Saturday night at your local Jewel!

Andre Dawson & Friends Celebrity Softball Event - July 28, 2010

I found out about the Andre Dawson & Friends Celebrity Softball event in March and bought tickets early with the hopes that I would be able to get the autographs of Bruce Sutter and Mitch Williams, neither of whom have been at the Cubs Convention as long as I have been attending. Seeing Andre Dawson just days after his induction in the Baseball Hall of Fame would be cool.  And Dale Murphy was one of my favorite non-Cub players as a kid.

Andre Dawson at the plate.

The other players/celebrities scheduled to appear included: Vida Blue, Bill Buckner, Gary Carter, Warren Cromartie, Leon Durham, George Foster, Dwight Gooden, Bill Madlock, Steve McMichael, Al Oliver, Dave Parker, Gary Sheffield, Dwight Smith, Lee Smith, Jerome Walton, George Wendt (a no-show), Otis Wilson and Don Zimmer.

My friend and I arrived at about 3:30 p.m. for the 4:30 p.m. match up between the Joliet Jackhammers and Schaumburg Flyers. As we entered, we each received a stuffed animal (that frankly looks like an eagle, not a hawk) wearing a custom Andre Dawson jersey.

By the time we found the picnic area behind left field where the autograph sessions were being held, there was already quite a line.

We were informed that the players would be signing in rotating groups (but that Andre Dawson would be staying the entire time), that there was no set schedule and that the players would absolutely not sign anything except the $5 commemorative program. Bummer. After some hemming and hawing, I plunked down the cash for the program with the hope that I might be successful having my own items signed, if I asked politely.

Dale Murphy

Dwight Gooden

Gary Sheffield

Lee Smith

The line moved rather slowly as the first group of about 10 players started to sign. At this point, we were not able to see who was up there. After about two hours of waiting in line, we finally got to the autograph tables. I was able to get the autographs of Jerome Walton, Vida Blue, Lee Smith, Don Zimmer, Dwight Smith and Bill Madlock on the program, Steve McMichael, Al Oliver and Mitch Williams inside the program and Steve McMichael signed and personalized an 8x10, Otis Wilson signed and personalized an 8x10 and signed a card, and Mitch Williams signed a card, too. Everyone else refused to sign anything but the program. We walked right past Gary Carter - that guy still bugs me. Unfortunately, no Bruce Sutter or Andre Dawson. Oh well.



We headed to our seats, sitting down for the first time in the 8th inning. The lowly Flyers were getting spanked and there was not too much to see in the last inning and a half.

The celebrity softball game, on the other hand, was very entertaining. It was bizarre to see this seemingly random group of former players, including several Hall of Famers, MVPs, Dawson's former teammates and Superbowl XX Champions playing a softball game at an independent minor league stadium. Dave Parker pitched and never took off his Bluetooth receiver. Al Oliver, 65 years old, could still rip the ball but deferred to a designated runner. Gary Sheffield, the youngest player on the slate, acted as one the team's managers and did not even play. Don Zimmer got the boot after arguing a call. Dawson can still hit, too.

The game ended abruptly at the end of the fifth. I guess the scoreboard operator was denied overtime because he had already packed up and left so I have no idea of the final score.


After the game, we hung out with Al Oliver briefly in the parking lot while he was waiting for his ride back to the hotel. He still had the ball he had kept, claiming it was his 3000th hit.

Dwight Gooden's flight was late and although he was not in time for the game, he showed up at the park after the game was over and signed for everyone that was still left.

It was a weird day but a lot of fun and I got a lot of good autographs. Here's to hoping Bruce Sutter makes an appearance soon at the Convention. Not too much to look forward to this postseason...

Ozzy Osbourne Book Signing - Skokie, Illinois

The Ozzy Osbourne-Chicago Cubs nexus is more than tangential. Ozzy set the bar as the worst guest conductor in seventh inning stretch history. And before you say anything to the contrary, please consider that Mike Ditka, (1) knew the lyrics and (2) had not made his living as a platinum-selling recording artist.

So I arrived at the Skokie Barnes & Noble at about 6:20 a.m. on January 30th and there were already at least another 150 people lined up already. It was still dark out and the temperature was 19 degrees. I was prepared. Some idiots showed up with nothing more than a hoodie and I saw a surprising number of people that did not even bother to bring gloves. Some of these geniuses even had kids in strollers out in this weather.

The store started handing out wristbands at 9:00 a.m. and by 9:25 I was comfortably inside as a member of group “D” with my newly purchased copy of “I am Ozzy.”

It was here that we were told that we had to be in line by 10:30 a.m. if we wanted to meet Ozzy when he arrived at 1:00 p.m. That sucked. The feeling finally returned to my toes by 10:00 a.m.

I marveled at the number of people in the store. There were at least 400 wristbands distributed. The remaining latecomers were told they could wait in line, outside the store, if they wanted; however, Ozzy was only scheduled to sign for two hours and there was no guarantee of an autograph without a wristband. The store employee in charge of our line said this was the most people she'd ever seen in the store and that the crowd was much more normal looking than the weirdos that showed up for the Harry Potter event.

If only the people from Guinness were on hand, I think this would have easily set the record for the most metalheads in a bookstore at the same time. The crowd was an interesting mix of folks. I met people from southern Illinois, Indiana and even Wichita, Kansas. The vast majority of the people really did not look how I would picture hardcore Ozzy or Sabbath fans. I saw a bunch of shirts featuring Ozzy, Randy Rhodes and Sabbath, along with an array of other bands from Emperor to Slipknot.

I met Disturbed’s number one fan (“DNOF”) who at the apparent height of his impatience asked the store representative, in all seriousness, whether the wristbanded groups would be taken in alphabetical order. That was awesome. He also made the exact phone call. Five. Times. In a row. I have presented my best guess as to the other side of this conversation with each of his friends. It went something like this:

DNOF: “Hey, you’ll never guess where I am.”
Friend 1-5: [Where?]
DNOF: “A bookstore.”
Friend 1-5: [Why?]
DNOF: “I’m in line to get someone’s autograph.”
Friend 1-5: [Who?]
DNOF: “You’ll never guess!”
Friend 1-5: [Ok, I give up.]
DNOF: “Ozzy Osbourne!”
Friend 1-5: [That’s terrific. So why did you have to call me, anyway?]
DNOF: “I’m just trying to kill some time.”
Friend 1-5: [Great. I'm going back to sleep.]
DNOF: “Fine, I’ll talk to you later.”

A look-alike even came through the store:

At about 40 minutes late, Ozzy was tucked into the lower-level music section at the store and there was not much opportunity to get a good photo. There were absolutely no photos with him, he would not personalize the autograph and would only sign the title page.

Overall, he was very friendly and it was cool to meet him. Plus I got to find out what he likes on his pizza: