The Lovable Losers Literary Revue
Tuesday, March 18, 2008 at 10:10PM A year ago, Don Evans, author of "Good Money After Bad," pitched an idea to me to have a reading series featuring an ensemble of authors who've penned books with a Cubs theme or connection. I told him I thought it was an intriguing concept and to get in touch with me if and when anything came of it.
Well, nothing came of it through the entire Cubs 2007 season. I'd pretty much figured the idea was dead and buried, never to be dug up.
Then, out of the (Cubbie) blue, I got a call from Don earlier this year. Guess what? He was digging it up.
He had a rough idea for a literary series that would play against the 100th anniversary of the Cubs last World Series championship, in 1908. From there, the two of us started brainstorming and out of our many talks and emails, The Lovable Losers Literary Revue was born.
Logo design by Roberta Richardson (aka My Mom)
I must confess that I had my doubts about whether we'd be able to pull it off. But Don was determined to make it happen, and, as a result, we now have a website, created by yours truly, with a lot of direction from Don. We also have a venue, a seven-date schedule, and some serious media interest in the project.
So, just what is it? I'll let Don's words explain it all.
The Lovable Losers Literary Revue, a hootenanny of Chicago writers, musicians, filmmakers, actors and bums, will celebrate and mourn the Cubs’ long losing streak. The evening will begin with a toast and end with a prayer, and in between there will be literary readings, historical reenactments, trivia contests, singing, sacrifices and general rooting.
We’ll dredge up all those old memories: Lee Elia’s tirade, Steve Goodman’s A Dying Cubs Fan’s Last Request, Franklin Pierce Adams’ Baseball’s Sad Lexicon, as well as a smattering of disgusted Harry Caray commentary. We’ll laugh at some. We’ll cry at others. And then we’ll laugh at all the criers.
A cross between Dean Martin’s Celebrity Roast (with the Cubs as the roastee) and Wait, Wait Don’t Tell Me, The Lovable Losers Literary Revue will explore the relationship we all have to our team.
Our opening celebration takes place on April, 9, Wednesday, 7:30 p.m., at our home base, the back room of El Jardin Restaurant, 3335 N. Clark St., three blocks south of Wrigley Field. The evening's lineup: Featured guest Dave Hoekstra, Sun-Times writer extraordinaire, leading a Cubs prayer; Donald G. Evans, batting leadoff, with an opening toast; Dummy belting out a punk rendition of "Hey, Hey Holy Mackerel;" Randy Richardson (yep, little ol' me) stepping up to the plate to read his essay "Of Fairy Tales and Felix Pie;" and Heather Haneman and some of her drag queen friends guest conducting "Take Me Out to the Ballgame." We'll be throwing Cubs trivia at you, too, with some prizes for the Ws.
Join us while the Cubs play the Pirates at PNC Park. (6:05 p.m. start). Sneaking peaks allowed. We will update the game throughout the reading.
Reader Comments (2)
I would be honored if my book could be included somehow in the LLLR (I could provide baseball-related excerpts), and I would be happy to participate in any discussion from my far-away city of Seattle (former home of Lou Piniella). Great to see the participation of Dave Hoekstra in your opening ceremony. He was among my more than 1,050 interviewees and a great help to the book.
You can find out more at my Internet site (below). Amazingly, the book's first printing sold out in just eight months, all 5,000 copies, and a second printing of 5,000 is available now. The second printing includes hundreds of little updates and additions, including 30 more photos for a total of 575. To order a second-printing copy, see the "online store" page of my site. Just trying to spread word about the book. Feel free to do the same!
Clay Eals
1728 California Ave. S.W. #301
Seattle, WA 98116-1958
(206) 935-7515
(206) 484-8008
ceals@comcast.net
http://www.clayeals.com
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