O'Donnell: So you think you know the Cubs? Win a copy of 'EveryCubEver' right here, right now
RICK KAEMPFER ONCE PRODUCED radio shows for Steve Dahl and Garry Meier, and later, for John Records Landecker.
He's morphed into a book publisher, a podcaster, a media columnist, a German-spaetzled amateur soccer coach and now something much more than an armchair Cubs historian.
Kaempfer and his Eckhartz Press - where he's partnered with David Stern - have published the 340-page "EveryCubEver" ($25). It's both remarkable and thoroughly enjoyable.
From David Aardsma to Dutch Zwilling, Kaempfer lists tidbits in alphabetical order about every one of the 2,186 players who have played for the Cubs and their organizational predecessors since the Chicago White Stockings first demanded a bang-bang review in 1871.
It's James Patterson and Ronnie "Woo Woo" seancing with Cap Anson and Rabbit Maranville.
Ben Zobrist meets Billy Sunday.
The passion below is amazing.
"The book began as a quest," says Kaempfer, who lives in Mount Prospect. "In 2008, as the Cubs were celebrating the 100th anniversary of the last time they won the World Series, I began my search for an answer. I never found that answer. But I did find hundreds of great stories."
Kaempfer will be signing "EveryCubEver" 2 to 4 p.m. Saturday at Moretti's, 1799 South Busse Road, Mount Prospect.
And he's made a most generous offer.
To the first three readers of today's column who can correctly answer a single Cubs trivia question - granted, a toughie, even for James Holzhauer - Kaempfer will send a free copy of "EveryCubEver."
By random chance, and South Gibbons Avenue, the question involves Tom Lundstedt.
To this day, Lundstedt remains one of the greatest high school athletes ever covered by The Daily Herald.
He was an all-state basketball and baseball player at Prospect High (Class of '67), playing both alongside Dave Kingman.
Johnny Wooden inquired about him teaming with Lew Alcindor (later Kareem Abdul-Jabbar) at UCLA. College baseball great Rod Dedeaux wanted him to join Kingman at USC.
Instead, Lundstedt accepted a combination baseball-basketball scholarship to Michigan, where one roommate was Rudy Tomjanovich. (That's in Kaempfer's book.)
The Cubs drafted him in 1970. In 1973, while rooming with Tony LaRussa, he was a switch-hitting All-Star catcher for the Triple-A Wichita Aeros of the American Association.
But 1974 would be his lone full season with Cubs. In the end, Lundstedt says, he couldn't consistently hit a major-league curveball.
"And that," he said this week, "was it."
Lundstedt played a final year with the Minnesota Twins. He then took bride Char to Door County, where he's crafted a great career as a motivational speaker with worldwide clients.
And now, the question:
During Lundstedt's one full season with the Cubs, what was his walk-up song?
He's confirmed the answer. His younger brother Dave - an All-Big Ten shortstop at Illinois - got it wrong. There is a hint far below in Street-Beatin'.
Responses, please, to: jimodonnelldh@yahoo.com.
One response per address, email or otherwise. First three correct in win. Decisions of retired Judge Nick Pomaro are final.
Employees of Eckhartz Press, Paddock Publications and their families are ineligible. So too are members of the Lundstedt family - even revered matriarch Mrs. Ruth Lundstedt - former paperboys on South Gibbons and Les Grobstein.
If research lasts longer than four hours, call your doctor.
Contest ends at 8:10 p.m. Friday.
In the meantime, "EveryCubEver" - as the author says, "It's 'Cubrehensive.'"
STREET-BEATIN': News that ESPN will move into the 50th season of "Monday Night Football" with Booger McFarland, Joe Tessitore and Lisa Salters is as fizz spoiling as a "Game of Thrones" without sex or a body count. … Springfield observers report that Jerry Reinsdorf, Horace Grant and Ozzie Guillen were working the Capitol lobby Wednesday, charming legislators who are debating a sports-betting bill. Reinsdorf wants to assure that teams get a cut; no word on whether middle schoolers will get a chance to lose their lunch money. … Kraft-work at The Orchids of Asia: Thanks to leering Florida county police and prosecutors for introducing "the boxer short rule" into an overburdened NFL lexicon; It's an insult to short boxers everywhere, especially ones who are New England Patriots fans. … On higher ground, John Bostrom - senior adviser of operations and safety for the Bears - was the recipient of the organization's annual Virginia McCaskey Award, given to the team staffer who has best demonstrated characteristics of Mrs. McCaskey including grace, humility and dedication; In an earlier turn, "J.B." was an energizer on the only Arlington High School boys basketball team to ever make it to the Elite Eight. … No less than Jim Nantz will guest Saturday morning when Steve Olken and Ed Sherman continue their 10th season as hosts of "The Scorecard" on WSCR-AM (670); Metrics hint Nantz will hit the tee box at 7:35. … "Pooh" - the well-received Scott Diener documentary about Derrick Rose - will make its theatrical premiere as a presentation of the Midwest Independent Film Festival at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Landmark Century Cinema, 2828 N. Clark St. ... Oblique Lundstedt hint: Not the most energizing song in the solar system. … Curious dream tap that Sir Denis Eton-Hogg is claiming he never knew Chet Coppock and imaginative Dan McNeil ever attended a Rolling Stones concert together; Culture Club, maybe. … And basketball funnyman Charles Barkley, on the difference between a host and an analyst, deadpanned, "Salary."
jimodonnell@yahoo.com