Presidential campaigns, then and now

In trying to wrap my mind around how or why Donald Trump has won some primary elections, it dawned on me that ol' Donald actually ripped a page right from my political playbook.

The similarities are uncanny. It didn't work out so well for me. Could the Trumpster somehow endure the same fate?

It happened in 1966 when I talked one of the less popular kids, a bit developmentally challenged fellow, into running for seventh-grade class president at our Catholic school. I was the campaign manager, the brains behind the operation. An important point: I was befriending this kid, not teasing him.

The nuns in charge of our school would certainly have shut down the campaign if they knew who was behind it. They rightfully had me pegged as nothing more than a class clown, so I did need another mouthpiece to get my "points" across.

As such, my candidate was shooting off his mouth about things we felt angered fellow classmates. We pushed for votes promising things that were impossible to achieve such as no homework, allowing Levi's jeans at school, and longer recess sessions (we had no gymnasium).

Meanwhile, the other candidate - a girl who was one of the best students in class - droned on about helping keep the lunchroom clean, raising money for poor kids through classroom projects, and making rules easier to follow by having reminders posted in the classrooms.

We got every true knucklehead in the seventh grade rallying behind our cause. We also used a couple of bullies to twist arms for votes. Our opponent had most of the girls on her side, as well as the boys who liked those girls. Sound familiar?

When votes finally came in, our cast of misfits rejoiced that we had scored a narrow victory. In a move that would even break the rules of a brokered convention, the nuns overturned the election.

They called our ploy "heartless," even though the kid I was pushing for president was having the time of his life. And they didn't say much during the actual campaign weeks. Sound familiar?

The nuns threw their support behind our opponent. So, she won.

Take note, Donald.

Thinking of great fans

The baseball season has finally arrived and any time the Cubs are actually good, I think of all the great Cubs fans who have left us.

One, of course, was my dad, who was just getting back from his stint with the Army Air Corps when the Cubs last made it to the World Series in 1945.

He taught me to love the Cubs, even though we lived on the southwest side of Chicago and my mom's side of the family was locked in on the White Sox.

We all know so many of our relatives and friends who have passed away after lifelong loyalty to Cubbie blue. Locally, the few that pop into my mind with each new season are former Kane County Treasurer Gordy Volkman, Hotel Baker hostess Ellen Johnsen, and golf buddy Paul "Dinks" Hansen. I spent a lot of time talking about the Cubs with each of them.

I will never forget when Ellen Johnsen once came up to me, poking her finger into my chest and proclaiming, "This is the manager who is going to get us to the World Series again."

Nope, it wasn't Joe Maddon. It was 2000, and she was confident in, gulp, Don Baylor. Yes, hope springs eternal even in a case like that when the odds are stacked heavily against it.

Is Ozzie the driver?

Some Kane County Cougars fans may not have noticed the team is sporting a new logo these days.

But they won't be able to miss it when the Cougars team bus is parked at Fifth Third Bank Ballpark.

The redesigned Peoria Charter Coach Company bus, created by Cougars graphic designer Emmet Broderick, includes the new logo. The team unveiled the new brand last fall after help from fans on social media and Major League affiliate, the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Those early birds

What better way to expose a few more people to the Adult Activity Center and the St. Charles Breakfast Rotary?

The Rotary club members will serve the Early Bird Breakfast from 7:15 to 8:45 a.m. Tuesday, April 19, for activity center members and other visitors at the Pottawatomie Community Center.

This event, featuring a made-to-order omelet station, is held twice a year and apparently it's been a big hit with visitors in the past.

As if a good breakfast isn't enough to get any morning jump-started, the Early Bird Breakfast also has a raffle for gift baskets.

Those planning to attend should register in advance. It's free for Adult Activity Center members, and costs $1 for nonmembers.

dheun@sbcglobal.net