Mark Robinson of Iowa City checks in with this e-mail today:
"Hi, Ron,
"I really have enjoyed your recent posts. Here is something that, I think, is worth the read.
"I know you don't post links, but you might take a few things away from this [from Goatriders.org, Cubs 101]...
"True story -- I have a friend who, back in the 90s (when things were their roughest for us hapless Cub fans) used to take Cardinal fans for their money by making a simple bet.
"He would take their money by betting them that the Cubs had won more NL pennants. Any Cardinal fan with half a brain -- admittedly that's asking a lot of them -- would spring at that opportunity for 'easy money.' After all the Cubs went nearly 40 years without so much as reaching the playoffs, and in that span the Cardinals had won four World Championships and lost three more. The only problem is the stuff that happened before the turn of the 20th century - while the Cardinals were pissing around in the American Association, the 'White Stockings' were perennial contenders who'd finish first six times before they became the Colts in 1890.
"A lot of this had to do with player-manager Cap Anson [pictured at the right]. As a kid, my easiest point of reference was comparing him with Mark Grace [pictured at the left]. Both were first basemen. Both exhibited displays of leadership. Both racked up hits like crazy. But there were at least two major differences between the first baseman of my boyhood and the first baseman who built the first Cubs dynasty -- Cap Anson didn't burn out and lose his skills before he turned 40, and Mark Grace wasn't a cross-burning racist who was hugely responsible for keeping blacks out of baseball for more than half a century.
"Anson was a guy who did not keep his displeasure quiet when it came to African Americans. On more than one occasion he'd refuse to take the field if a black player was with the opposing team. Consequently the baseball owners elected not to allow African Americans into the sport by a vote of 6 to 4 and, karma being the ultimate bitch, Anson would eventually retire from baseball and lose all of his money on one poor business venture after another.
"...When [Anson] retired from the sport, he was recognized as having collected 3,000 hits. But intense record scrutiny has reduced that total to 2,995 throughout the years. Then again, the bastard died in 1922, so it's pretty unlikely that he cared.
"Anyway, Anson is a keen example of this dichotomy we experience as Cub fans. I want to feel proud that the Cubs had such a solid organization early on, and that Anson was a legendary player and manager. But he's also tainted because of his life of prejudice. (Then again, find me one star player who was a saint ... eh, besides Roberto Clemente.)
"Nevertheless, up until 2004 the Cardinals had 15 NL Pennants and the Cubs had 16. Unfortunately the Cardinals have since made two trips to the World Series, winning once, leaving the Cubs in their dust again. And in one final fitting example of how nothing is ever easy for Cubs fans, Chicago and St. Louis actually met each other in the second-ever played World Series ... and counting a Game Two forfeit, the Cubs won. Of course naturally the Cardinals claimed that Game Two didn't count, and they won Game Seven, so the teams split the bonus money.
"Such is the life of a Cubs fan. Up next, the first 'modern era' Cubs Dynasty."
Back to Mark Robinson...
"Anson, the son of the founder of Marshalltown, Henry Anson, was a racist, for sure. It is sad. A statue of Henry now resides on the courthouse square in Marshalltown.
"I attended a junior high school named after Henry. And, by the way, we defeated an Ames basketball team that eventually won the state championship as seniors. I scored 32 points in that game, and the guy who was assigned to shut me down was...Terry Carroll...76-70 in overtime.
"Take care, Ron."
Mark Robinson
[RON MALY'S COMMENTS: Outstanding performance in that junior high basketball game, Mark. You obviously learned early in life that shooting was an important part of the game. And thanks for the e-mail].
