Reward Offered in Harry Caray Statue Case

Ever since we broke the story: Harry Caray Statue Vandalized, computers have been abuzz with folks trying to decide what the vandal was trying to write - whether Sox Dies or Sox Bites or whatnot? Well sir, I have a different theory, and we here at The Wrigley Blog are willing to pay you a handsome reward to help prove us right.

You see, what I'm suggesting here is that the word under SOX wasn't a word after all. I'm more obliged to think it was some sort of signature of the fella who did the deed. I'm no expert in spray-painting other people's property, but I'm told that it is called a "tag" and what I'm looking for is another example of this tagger's tag on something else he's done tagged up.

So here are the details: Anyone out there that can find this hoodlum's signature defacing some other public property - just take a photograph and send it to: waynewrigleyblog@gmail.com. If you can help us prove it was a tag and not a word we will gladly send you out enough cash for a case of beer.

Thank you kindly

Harry Caray Statue Vandalized

Sometime overnight, the base of Harry Caray's statue was - as the kids call it - tagged. It looks to be the work of idiot White Sox fans, but I can't make out what the bottom word is.

I'll just add this to the list I've got going for why they never should've moved this statue in the first place.

The Bastards Broke Harry Caray

A lot was made by us and by others about moving Harry Caray's statue. Harry's widow -Dutchie was against the idea, and we were against the way they handled the re-dedication.

Well sir, it appears that we were all correct in our assertion that the whole thing was just a bad idea. Because, you see - the bastards broke the statue.



According the Paul Sullivan of the Tribune, the crack came about when a vehicle that was a part of the football work hit the corner of the base. He also said that they supposedly ordered a new piece of granite to fix this fiasco. I'll be interest to see if they have the original date etched in there or if they pick the September 1, 2010 re-dedication date. Regardless, I think it is just a darn shame - he never should've been moved in the first place.

Cubs Make a Mockery Out Of Harry Caray

I walked down to the ballpark this afternoon to watch them rededicate the Harry Caray statue. Let me tell ya - I was none too pleased with the ceremony. Sure it was grand to see Ernie Banks strolling around and Dutchie Caray is looking great, but I do not care for the rest of them.

I guess to the Cubs braintrust - to Chairman Tom Ricketts and Marketing Guru Wally Hayward - Harry Caray was nothing more than a beer drinker with some funny glasses. That sure was the message they obviously worked at delivering. Every Suit from the Cubs front office stood there wearing their over-sized spectacles, holding newly opened Budweiser bottles - just a prop to help get the message across.



Now I'm not saying Harry was the most noble of men and I agree with one article I read this morning that said Jack Brickhouse should have had a statue well before Mr. Caray's, but there were politics involved with that decision. I don't care to get into that. What I do care about is how the Cubs decided to take Harry Caray's contribution to baseball and to this franchise and condense it down to beer, glasses and the 7th inning stretch.

They decided to make this ceremony more about marketing than about honoring - more about filling seats for their meaningless game that followed than anything else. It was thoughtless and I think it made a mockery out of Harry Caray's career.

But I'd expect nothing less from Mr. Ricketts and his crew.

Moving Day for Harry Caray

Yesterday was moving day for Harry Caray's statue. Here are some photographs of the process - from digging him out at his original spot at Addison and Sheffield to - hopefully - his final resting spot in front of the Bleachers.

I hope to make it to the game next Wednesday, September 1st. They say the Cubs plan on rededicating the statue before their 7:05 game vs the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Harry Caray Statue Video

My grandson Jeremy was able to put this video together from yesterday's move of the Harry Caray statue. Harry's old spot at the corner of Addison and Sheffield will soon be occupied by a new monument to Cubs great Billy Williams. Harry's new spot is right in front of the Bleachers - a location we here at the Wrigley Blog felt he always belonged.

Harry Prep

As soon as the Cubs left for the Nation's Capitol - work began on transplanting the Harry Caray statue. He's being moved to in front of the Bleachers to make room for a new monument to Cubs great Billy Williams.

Let me tell ya, they're not exactly cooking with gas. You'd think that between the dozen or so hardhats on site that they could knock it out in half a day. In three days they have removed some bricks, built a temp wall and dug up some dirt. Guess they've got more supervisors than they do laborers.

Harry's Headin To The Bleachers

The paper says here that the Cubs braintrust plans on moving the Harry Caray statue. They are relocating him from where he has stood since he was unveiling in 1999 - near the corner of Addison and Sheffield - to a new location in front of the bleachers.

Harry's old spot is being given to a new statue of Cubs great Billy Williams. That new monument to Sweet-Swinging Mr. Williams will be dedicated on September 7th.

All of this is well and good - gives us Cubs fans something to focus on besides our mediocre team, but apparently Mrs. Harry Caray is none too happy with the decision. Dutchie was scheduled to sing the 7th inning stretch on Monday but declined the invitation after word of the statue swap.

By the way - I had my employment-challenged grandson mock up this photograph. Took him three days and I swear it is out of scale, but what are you going to do? I apologize.