Jerry Pritikn's First Chutzpah Award Goes to Cubs Owners!

Today's Trib Headlines 11/12/10
Jerry Pritikin aka The Bleacher Preacher
Real Baseball Fans are an Endangered Species T-shirt designed by Pritikin over 10 years ago.

(Chicago,Il.) I think I heard it before... I am mad as hell, and I am not going to take it anymore! Ironically, I do not consider myself a ba$eball fan anymore either, because I have been priced out of the "Friendly Confines" of Chicago's Wrigley Field , at the face value of a Bleacher Ticket. My Dad, who was my BASEBALL RABBI, and taught me "Baseball 101" and Cubs History way back in 1945, that also included stories of his adventures when the Cubs played at the Old West-Side ballpark dating back to 1906-08. There he picked up beer and soda bottles to get free entry into the games. He had stories of Cubs teams and players ever since that time, and even during the Great Depression he said the average person, working or not working could still afford a day at the old ballpark.

When the Tribune Company bought the team in 1981, they had a catchy slogan... "Building a New Tradition". However, they forgot to tell us fans... that it came at the expense of many of the fine traditions... that earned Wrigley Field the moniker, "The Friendly Confines". Each year since the Tribune Company, and the Ricketts Family cartel that now own the team... has constanly raised tickets, food and beer prices so much... the average fan taking his family to a game, would have to file for bankruptcy... to do so!

I gave Players, Owners, Scribes and Fans Awards during my 25 years that I roamed inside and outside the ballpark. After seeing today's headlines in both the Trib, and Sun-Times... I almost want to come out of retirement... just to give one more Award... however I decided to make my First WWW Chutzpah Award, via my blog and it's an imaginary one... since I have not learned to master the Photo-shop tools, needed to make one... and if I waited until someone helped me... it might be too late. I am attaching the following "Letters to the Editor"... that I sent to both the Trib and Sun-Times, as the messenger to my response of Today's Headlines:

Editor:
If there are needs for improvements at Wrigley Field, it should not come from the City's entertainment tax, and the fans should not pay for building improvements, either. I recommend that funding be based on the Cubs payroll. There should be a 10% Added Value tax on all games played at Wrigley, with 5% paid by the Cubs, and 5% paid by the players for all home games. The same Added Value Tax formula should be put on any other Entertainment venue, based on what Bands are paid, or other events that take place within the "Friendly Confines". If the Cubs new owners don't like that... let them move.

Jerry Pritikin aka The Fan Formally Know as the "Bleacher Preacher"

P.S. Look forward to my next Chutzpah Award... and also take the time to leave your comment on this, or any other of my postings on this site... PLEASE!