First, I can’t remember if I heard this news last year. But I did hear about it earlier this week. Pat Hughes was finally inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. I don’t know why it didn’t happen until now. But I’m glad it did.
Him and Ron Santo were very important people in my childhood. Growing up without cable and too far to get WGN on TV through an antenna, all I had was the radio. I forgot who did it before him. But I do remember Harry Carey doing some radio games and Santo was still there.
From when I was 10 in 1996 up until 2002, almost every game was listened to on the radio. It was my escape in life from all of the bullshit I was growing up with. It was in my room by myself with the radio on 720 AM. And even from when I finally had cable in 2003 until I stopped giving a shit in 2008, him and Ron Santo were the ones who made me feel great despite the heartbreaks of the team.
I met Pat on the final home game of the 2005 season just outside Wrigley. He signed my ball and as a 19 year old, I was marking out. I spoke fast like an idiot because I was so excited. I basically told him that I had listened to him since I was a child and that he was a big part of my life. I am sure his thought was “this kid has issues.” But what he told me was “Thank you for tuning in” along with something else I can’t remember.
I may sound bitter here. But I wish the Cubs had won the World Series when I was still emotionally into it. Selfish? Probably. But still hearing him call that victory was something that reminded me of my childhood.
Congratulations. Well-earned and long overdue.






