‘Monsters’ 20th reunion will draw a big crowd
When they toiled for WSCR sports talk radio in the early days, Mike North and Dan Jiggetts were quite comfortable doing “remote” broadcasts throughout Chicago and suburbs with audiences ranging from 10 to more than 100.
It will be more crowded Thursday night, however, as about 250 of their closest friends and followers gather to take part in a 20th anniversary reunion of “The Monsters” broadcast team.
Arlington Park’s Million Room restaurant will be the setting for a buffet dinner and a “live show” as the two Chicago sports personalities reunite for this event.
Among the special guests will be former Bears offensive lineman Jimbo Covert, former Bears defensive tackle Steve McMichael, Blackhawks broadcaster Eddie Olczyk, and former WSCR hosts Mike Murphy and Fred Huebner, as well as other fans of the Monsters and a couple of “surprise” guests, North said.
“It’s like putting together a wedding for the kids we don’t have,” said North, whose wife, Be-Be, has done much of the planning and execution for the reunion. “We’re very happy with the turnout and it’s going to be a blast.”
Doors open at 5:30 p.m., with the buffet dinner served from 6-7:30 p.m., followed by North and Jiggetts slipping into talk-show mode from 7:30-9 p.m. The event will be taped with a one-hour on-demand video available Friday at northtonorth.com.
North, a hot dog stand owner with strong opinions, and Jiggetts, a thoughtful, Harvard-educated former Bears lineman, were the morning tag team when WSCR made its Chicago debut in January 1992. The popular pairing lasted eight years.
“After about a week or two I honestly felt we had something pretty good, and as time went by that was proved to be true,” Jiggetts said.
Since they broke up in 1999, North and Jiggetts have worked together on other ventures, but this event could lead to other opportunities.
“Who knows what we’ll do next?” North said. “I’d like to do more of a lot of things.”
Buffet tickets ($50) are still available at arlingtonpark.com.
Ÿ The Daily Herald is a co-sponsor of The Monsters Reunion event.