Pat and Ron Show
Encyclopedia
The Pat and Ron Show was the nickname of the Chicago Cubs
' radio broadcasts on WGN Radio 720 AM and the Cubs Radio Network
from 1996
through 2010
. Named after the main broadcasters Pat Hughes
and Ron Santo
, the show ended with Santo's death on December 3, 2010, during the Major League Baseball
offseason.
Player of the Game, and the broadcast would close with the same rendition of "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" heard during the opening.
in 1990
. Pat Hughes would join later in 1996
after leaving the Milwaukee Brewers
radio team. From 1998
to 2006
, Andy Masur
served as the back-up broadcaster. Replacing Masur after he left was Cory Provus in 2007
and 2008
. He left prior to the 2009 season to join the Brewers radio broadcasts, and was replaced by Judd Sirott
, the nephew of WGN radio host Bob Sirott
. Matt Boltz is currently the producer/engineer in charge. In 2009, Pat Hughes was named the 2009 Illinois Sportscaster of the Year by the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association. He had previously won the award in 1996, 1999, 2006, and 2007 in Illinois, and in 1990, 1991, and 1992 in Wisconsin. The Pat and Ron Show ended with Ron's passing on December 2, 2010. Keith Moreland
takes over as the Cubs' radio analyst beginning in the 2011
season.
Show, they will have The Pat and Ron Highlight Reel Show. During the show, they will play highlights submitted by listeners via Email and will be voted on by the People in the studio. A long running set of jokes is about Matt Boltz and drinking. One example of a Matt Boltz drinking joke came in the middle of a game in July of the 2008 season. Boltz had asked Pat to mention a friend who had celebrated a birthday that day. After Pat was done, Ron responded, "She must be a bartender." Ron also makes sport at "...that ugly sweater" that Pat allegedly wears at games on occasion.Pat also makes Ron giggle as he impersonates official scorer Bob Rosenberg's "wild pitch" call.
, Ron was standing in the booth when the overhead heater burned his hairpiece. That incident added to Ron's dislike of Shea Stadium. Pat and Ron were in the booth on September 14, 2008 during Carlos Zambrano
's no-hitter
against the Astros. On the following Friday, the game was rebroadcast in its complete form.
. In the 6th inning of the game, Ron was reading an e-mail to Pat. While he was reading the note, he heard an Astros fan screaming "Let's go 'Stros!". After hearing this Ron then reported,"...and there's somebody screaming down there. They ought to shoot him." Everyone in the booth bursted out laughing. Ron would also get very excited when the Cubs were doing well. He also would often contribute information that he learned as a player.
, the beneficiaries tend to be charities related to his condition—namely hospitals and most notably the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation
. For example, for any Cubs player that draws a base on balls, Walgreens
still donates money to JDRF.
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
' radio broadcasts on WGN Radio 720 AM and the Cubs Radio Network
Chicago Cubs Radio Network
The Chicago Cubs Radio Network comprises 45 stations in eleven states. It is a division of Tribune Broadcasting's Tribune Radio Network.The Cubs' flagship station is WGN, 720 AM. Pat Hughes is the play-by-play announcer, with Keith Moreland serving as color commentator as of the 2011 season...
from 1996
1996 Chicago Cubs season
-Notable transactions:* May 29, 1996: Félix Fermín signed as a Free Agent with the Chicago Cubs. -Roster:-Starters by position:Note: Pos = Position; G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in...
through 2010
2010 Chicago Cubs season
The Chicago Cubs' 2010 season was the 138th season of American baseball for the Chicago Cubs.- Off-season :In December 2009, Florida Governor Charlie Crist met with Cubs president Crane Kenney, chairman Tom Ricketts and other team officials about possibly moving the Cubs' spring training and minor...
. Named after the main broadcasters Pat Hughes
Pat Hughes (baseball)
Vergil Patrick "Pat" Hughes has been the play-by-play voice of the Chicago Cubs, working for WGN radio, since 1996. He partnered with color commentator Ron Santo, former All-Star third baseman for the Cubs from 1996 until 2010, when Santo died of cancer. Their unique on-air chemistry came to be...
and Ron Santo
Ron Santo
Ronald Edward Santo was an American professional baseball player and long-time radio sports commentator. He played in Major League Baseball from 1960 to 1974, most notably as the third baseman for the Chicago Cubs. A nine-time All-Star, he was a powerful hitter who was also a good defensive...
, the show ended with Santo's death on December 3, 2010, during the Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
offseason.
Setup
After the pregame show, which started 35 minutes before each game, a rock version of "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" would be played. After an introduction, Hughes would say "Chicago Cubs baseball is on the air", before proceeding with the regular game broadcast. Hughes would take a break in the fifth inning, with Judd Sirott taking over on play-by-play until Hughes returned in the sixth. Afterward Hughes and Santo would name the ChevyChevrolet
Chevrolet , also known as Chevy , is a brand of vehicle produced by General Motors Company . Founded by Louis Chevrolet and ousted GM founder William C. Durant on November 3, 1911, General Motors acquired Chevrolet in 1918...
Player of the Game, and the broadcast would close with the same rendition of "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" heard during the opening.
History
After his Major League career, Ron Santo became the Cubs radio color commentatorColor commentator
A color commentator is a sports commentator who assists the play-by-play announcer, often by filling in any time when play is not in progress. The color analyst and main commentator will often exchange comments freely throughout the broadcast, when the play-by-play announcer is not describing the...
in 1990
1990 Chicago Cubs season
-Offseason:* December 7, 1989: Paul Kilgus was traded by the Cubs to the Toronto Blue Jays for José Núñez.* January 2, 1990: Vance Law was released by the Cubs.-Regular season:...
. Pat Hughes would join later in 1996
1996 Chicago Cubs season
-Notable transactions:* May 29, 1996: Félix Fermín signed as a Free Agent with the Chicago Cubs. -Roster:-Starters by position:Note: Pos = Position; G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in...
after leaving the Milwaukee Brewers
Milwaukee Brewers
The Milwaukee Brewers are a professional baseball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, currently playing in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
radio team. From 1998
1998 Chicago Cubs season
The Chicago Cubs season was a significant one for the team for several reasons. Firstly, it saw the Cubs reach the playoffs for the first time since 1989 by way of a Wild Card berth, which they clinched after winning a one-game playoff against the San Francisco Giants. The Cubs, however, would...
to 2006
2006 Chicago Cubs season
The Chicago Cubs' 2006 season was the 134th season for the Cubs. The team finished with a record of 66-96 in last place of the National League Central Division. Chicago was managed by Dusty Baker...
, Andy Masur
Andy Masur
Andy Masur is an American sportscaster, announcing San Diego Padres baseball and University of San Diego men's basketball games over XEPRS-AM in Tijuana near San Diego....
served as the back-up broadcaster. Replacing Masur after he left was Cory Provus in 2007
2007 Chicago Cubs season
The Chicago Cubs' 2007 season began with the Cubs trying to rebound after a season in which they finished last in their division for the first time since .-Offseason:...
and 2008
2008 Chicago Cubs season
The Chicago Cubs' 2008 season was the 136th season for the Chicago Cubs. It is considered one of their most impressive regular seasons in the entire history of the franchise. Despite 97 regular season wins—the most since 1945—they failed to make it past the first round of the playoffs, losing 3-0...
. He left prior to the 2009 season to join the Brewers radio broadcasts, and was replaced by Judd Sirott
Judd Sirott
Judd Kevin Sirott is an American sportscaster on WGN 's coverage of the Chicago Cubs and Chicago Blackhawks. On Cubs broadcasts he does color commentary during the 5th inning, provides scores on other games throughout the broadcast, and hosts pregame and postgame shows...
, the nephew of WGN radio host Bob Sirott
Bob Sirott
Robert Michael "Bob" Sirott , is a Chicago broadcaster who currently is one of the two principal news anchors at WFLD-TV in Chicago and is a radio host at WGN-AM.- Early life and education :...
. Matt Boltz is currently the producer/engineer in charge. In 2009, Pat Hughes was named the 2009 Illinois Sportscaster of the Year by the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association. He had previously won the award in 1996, 1999, 2006, and 2007 in Illinois, and in 1990, 1991, and 1992 in Wisconsin. The Pat and Ron Show ended with Ron's passing on December 2, 2010. Keith Moreland
Keith Moreland
Bobby Keith "Zonk" Moreland is a former outfielder, catcher and infield in Major League Baseball who played for the Philadelphia Phillies, Chicago Cubs, and San Diego Padres. In , the final year of his career, he played for the Detroit Tigers, then the Baltimore Orioles...
takes over as the Cubs' radio analyst beginning in the 2011
2011 Chicago Cubs season
The 2011 Major League Baseball season was the 139th Chicago Cubs baseball season. The official successor to Lou Pinella was Mike Quade, who was signed to a 2-year deal...
season.
Jokes
They would often make jokes in between the action of the ballgame. They will usually have a couple of jokes every game so at 11:30pm on Sunday night, during The Nick DigilioNick Digilio
Nick Digilio is a movie critic and radio personality. He is the host of an award-winning radio program on WGN Radio in Chicago, and is a frequent fill-in host for WGN.-Life:...
Show, they will have The Pat and Ron Highlight Reel Show. During the show, they will play highlights submitted by listeners via Email and will be voted on by the People in the studio. A long running set of jokes is about Matt Boltz and drinking. One example of a Matt Boltz drinking joke came in the middle of a game in July of the 2008 season. Boltz had asked Pat to mention a friend who had celebrated a birthday that day. After Pat was done, Ron responded, "She must be a bartender." Ron also makes sport at "...that ugly sweater" that Pat allegedly wears at games on occasion.Pat also makes Ron giggle as he impersonates official scorer Bob Rosenberg's "wild pitch" call.
TV and radio
Unlike the Cubs TV, the Pat and Ron Show aired all regular and postseason games. During the postseason and regular games on national television, neutral broadcasters are used. Sometimes fans find that the neutral broadcasters might be biased. When the broadcasters appear to be biased against the Cubs, some fans will mute the TV and turn on the radio. Most of the TV broadcasts are slightly delayed.Famous moments
It might not have been a Cubs historic moment, but Ron's hairpiece incident was a big event in the booth. During a broadcast at Shea StadiumShea Stadium
William A. Shea Municipal Stadium, usually shortened to Shea Stadium or just Shea , was a stadium in the New York City borough of Queens, in Flushing Meadows–Corona Park. It was the home baseball park of Major League Baseball's New York Mets from 1964 to 2008...
, Ron was standing in the booth when the overhead heater burned his hairpiece. That incident added to Ron's dislike of Shea Stadium. Pat and Ron were in the booth on September 14, 2008 during Carlos Zambrano
Carlos Zambrano
Carlos Alberto Zambrano is a Venezuelan professional baseball pitcher with the Chicago Cubs of Major League Baseball. Zambrano, who stands 6' 5" and weighs 260 pounds, was signed by the Cubs as a free agent in 1997 and made his debut in 2001...
's no-hitter
No-hitter
A no-hitter is a baseball game in which one team has no hits. In Major League Baseball, the team must be without hits during the entire game, and the game must be at least nine innings. A pitcher who prevents the opposing team from achieving a hit is said to have "thrown a no-hitter"...
against the Astros. On the following Friday, the game was rebroadcast in its complete form.
Pat's Catchphrases
- "That ball's got a chaaaaaance, gone!"
- "Get out the tape measure, LONG gone!"
- "(Winning pitcher) is the pitcher of record for the positive side, and (Losing pitcher) the other."
- "Save some (runs) for tomorrow."
- "Listen to this (Wrigley Field) crowd!"
- "Can you believe it?"
- "Fasten those seat belts...We have reached the moment of truth."
- "Heeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee's got it (fly ball or pop fly)."
- "The game totals, for the victorious Chicago Cubs."
- "Hang in there!" (during rain delays)
Ron's Catchphrases
- "OOOOOhhhhhh NNNNNNoooooooo!!!!!"
- "How about that?"
- "Gee whiz!"
- "Man oh man!"
- "Alright!"
- "Beautiful."
- "Gosh!"
- "...big boy."
- "Yes sir!"
- "I know it."
- "Very definitely"
- "Hang in there!" (mocking Pat's voice)
- "Absolutely Pat"!
Ron's attitude
If someone just tuned in, they could sometimes tell how the game was being played from a Cubs fan's standpoint by the attitude of Ron Santo. He would often get upset about fans disrupting a broadcast or bad calls unless the Cubs had a very big lead. One example of a fan disruption came in July of the 2008 season. The Cubs were on the road playing the Houston AstrosHouston Astros
The Houston Astros are a Major League Baseball team located in Houston, Texas. They are a member of the National League Central division. The Astros are expected to join the American League West division in 2013. Since , they have played their home games at Minute Maid Park, known as Enron Field...
. In the 6th inning of the game, Ron was reading an e-mail to Pat. While he was reading the note, he heard an Astros fan screaming "Let's go 'Stros!". After hearing this Ron then reported,"...and there's somebody screaming down there. They ought to shoot him." Everyone in the booth bursted out laughing. Ron would also get very excited when the Cubs were doing well. He also would often contribute information that he learned as a player.
Contests
There will also be contests that go along with the game. The Binny's Beverage Depot Attendance Game is when Pat and Keith (in place of Ron) guess the attendance at that game. Fans enter via mail in hopes that they can win of a pair Cubs tickets to an upcoming game and to be entered in the grand prize drawing for $10,000. It used to be that the fan would guess whether Pat or Ron would be the closest to the actual attendance. It is currently played by Pat and Keith agreeing on an amount and if they are within 2,000 of the actual attendance, the person who enters wins. Another game is the Back-to-Back Jacks Contest. It is entered by listening to the pregame show and being the seventh caller. If the Cubs hit back-to-back home runs, the person who entered will win $1,000 or $7,000 if the homers take place in the seventh inning.Charities
As a part of the broadcast, several charities still receive money when the Cubs do certain things on the field. This feature is ubiquitous in MLB local broadcasts, and has continued after Santo's death (with the same charities). As Santo was a type 1 diabeticDiabetes mellitus type 1
Diabetes mellitus type 1 is a form of diabetes mellitus that results from autoimmune destruction of insulin-producing beta cells of the pancreas. The subsequent lack of insulin leads to increased blood and urine glucose...
, the beneficiaries tend to be charities related to his condition—namely hospitals and most notably the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation
Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation
JDRF is the leading global organization focused on type 1 diabetes research. Driven by volunteers connected to children, adolescents, and adults with this disease, JDRF is the largest charitable supporter of T1D research...
. For example, for any Cubs player that draws a base on balls, Walgreens
Walgreens
Walgreen Co. , doing business as Walgreens , is the largest drugstore chain in the United States of America. As of August 31st, the company operates 8,210 locations across all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. Founded in Chicago, Illinois in 1901, and has since expanded...
still donates money to JDRF.