Snobs vs. Slobs

You may or may not know who Yosh Kawano is, and that is a shame. Yosh Kawano was the long time Cubs equipment manager, working for the team from 1943 to early 2008, when he was “retired” by the organization.

Now, I say it is a shame that you may or may not know Yosh because Yosh is a Cub institution. He has a banner hanging in the concourse and the Cubs dugout is named after him. I mean, Yosh actually was the equipment manager for the last time the Cubs made the World Series. That’s pretty crazy. How in the world is he not plastered everywhere by the Cubs as a living emblem of Cubs history. This man has met every great Cub of the last 60 years, which is almost enough players to field an entire team. Hell, he has met every not great Cub, and I bet their stories are really compelling as well. His memoirs have to be incredibly interesting, even if they are not filled with boozing and drug use like the most memorable of baseball memoirs. And yet, tomorrow is Yosh Kawano Day at Wrigley and there have been no announcements about it.

Why isn’t Yosh Kawano Day being promoted by the Cubs? Why does Yosh only get to throw out the first pitch and sing the 7th inning stretch? Why is he only getting the same treatment as any common celebrity that is coming through town on a press junket? No Yosh bobbleheads, no Yosh t-shirts, no nothing. Why aren’t the Cubs promoting this as a link to the past or as some sort of tidbit, instead of not even issuing a press release? I only about Yosh Kawano day because a friend of mine is good friends with Yosh and has been telling us, otherwise I would have no idea.

I guess I shouldn’t be too upset about this. All this does is remind me that the Tribune Company does not, in fact, care about the Cubs winning; they only care about the Cubs making them money. I should just be glad that winning has become profitable for the Cubs corporate overlord, and sad that keeping a living legend of the game on the payroll is not. And that is what it comes down to. The Cubs have decided there is no way to make a profit off of Yosh, so he is no longer needed. I don’t really have any evidence for that, and it could just be that the Cubs organization is run by petty jerks instead of petty bureaucrats (or both).

Regardless, everyone enjoy Yosh Kawano Day at Wrigley tomorrow. Think of the Yosh Kawano clubhouse while you still can, before it becomes the “Chevrolet, Proud to Be an American” Clubhouse. I’ll be wearing my Yosh Kawano for President t-shirt, which I always get compliments on from people in the know. Enjoy your day Yosh, you’ve earned it and so much more.