O'Donnell: Cubs, Bears, Sox - where didn't Andy McKenna leave his mark?
IN THE IMMEDIATE MOMENTS after Harry Caray called his inaugural game at Wrigley Field as a Cubs play-by-play man, he wanted to see only one man.
And it wasn't Milo Hamilton.
"Hey, let's go down to The Pink Poodle," Caray said to his bearded young Boswell, that dank spring afternoon on assignment from The Daily Herald. "Andy'll be down there."
"Andy" was Andrew J. McKenna, past chairman of Bill Veeck's White Sox and that day - Friday, April 9, 1982 - new chairman of the Chicago Tribune's Cubs.
He, along with TribCo broadcast power man Jim Dowdle, had brokered Caray's opportunistic jump from the Sox to the Cubs the previous autumn.
Before his death Tuesday at age 93, McKenna would have a hand in a remarkable number of high-juice items on the Chicago business and sports skyscape.
WHEN THE MCCASKEY BEARS NEEDED to beat back Jerry Reinsdorf's 1985 attempt to purchase a 3.23% chunk held by the departed Jim Finks, McKenna helped structure the financials.
His reward was a seat on the team's compact board of directors.
Four years later, the McCaskeys once again needed assistance. Messy estate matters not settled until long after the 1979 death of George "Mugs" Halas Jr. left more than 19% of the team up for bids.
Neil Bluhm and longtime associate Judd Malkin had a deal in place to purchase the block. The McCaskeys needed $17.5 million to thwart the incursion.
Again, enter McKenna. He enlisted Pat Ryan to put up most of the money.
Ryan wound up with 17.7% of the Bears, a stake he retains to this day. McKenna was rewarded with 2%. Ryan's investment is now estimated to be worth more than $600 million.
MCKENNA'S BUSINESS BASE WAS The Schwarz Paper Co. - now Schwarz Supply Source - in Morton Grove.
But his influence and pro-activity extended high into corporate, educational and philanthropic boardrooms.
He served as the nonexecutive chairman of McDonald's Corp. for close to two decades. The Notre Dame alum once estimated that through his assorted links, he attended "more than 100" board meetings every year.
When the Bears were negotiating for the renovation of Soldier Field, McKenna was the key backdoor man between the team and the city. That, in large part, was because Mayor Richie Daley liked McKenna and grew to loathe any whiff of Mike McCaskey.
To the end, McKenna was an extraordinary networker and a classicist as a gentleman. He had a low-key grace and social fluidity that was a doctoral course to observe.
THAT LONG AGO AFTERNOON at Wrigley Field, Caray was sudsy over his fresh role on the North Side. But he was also annoyed at the peevish behavior of the usurped Hamilton in the WGN-TV booth.
In the Cubs media lounge afterward - The Pink Poodle - McKenna soothed those troubled Bud Man waters.
He would settle many others in a Chicago-based business career of honor and distinction.
STREET-BEATIN':
Mounting hints that Gov. J.B. Pritzker would move toward "all in" on state aid for a new Bears stadium somewhere if the franchise had different controlling ownership. The current NFL threshold for control is 30%, meaning the McCaskeys could cash out for close to $3 billion and still maintain a minority interest. ...
Patrick Kane is doing a terrific semantical dodge as the NHL trading deadline (March 3) approaches. Both he and Jonathan Toews have puck-solid "no move" contracts. But both he and Toews owe it to their hockey vitae to end their careers in healthier, Stanley Cup-contending environments. (Jenner & Block has no say in any movement; what a Texas two-step for the Dallas Stars). ...
When Kevin Burkhardt calls Super Bowl 57 for FOX Sunday, he will become only the 12th play-by-play man to do so on English-language American network TV. Pat Summerall and Al Michaels are the leaders with 11 apiece; the only three one-and-dones have been Jack Whitaker (CBS, second half of SB I), Jack Buck (CBS, SB 4) and Frank Gifford (ABC, SB 19). Gifford also worked color on four others. ...
The Eagles (-1½) continue to get more than 70% of all handle and bets. That almost makes Bears coulda-been Patrick Mahomes and Kansas City an automatic play. Jon Freier reports Dan Patrick is acutely concerned about the aching shoulder of Jalen Hurts. ...
So there's no confusion: Bill Russell remains the greatest NBA championship player of all time. Michael Jordan is the most theatrically winning. And now LeBron James is the league's all-time top scorer and the self-proclaimed "greatest." Only Russell got to play his entire pro career for one coherent management. If all three at their peaks were in the same NBA draft, who'd go No. 1? ...
And Jeff Meaux, on this weekend's Waste Management Phoenix Open (Golf Channel, CBS): "Do they still crown a 'Best Tony Soprano Look-alike?'"
• Jim O'Donnell's Sports and Media column appears Sunday and Thursday Reach him at jimodonnelldh@yahoo.com. All communications may be considered for publication.