Harry Caray Booth

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Caray joined the Chicago Cubs for the 1982 season after leaving the White Sox following the 1981 season. He increased his renown after joining the North Side Cubs, as WGN-TV had become among the first of the cable television superstations, making Caray famous nationwide. He led the home crowd in singing 'Take Me Out to the Ball Game' during the seventh inning stretch. In February 1987, Caray suffered a stroke while at his winter home near Palm Springs, California, leading to his absence from the broadcast booth through most of the first two months of the regular season. Chip Caray was hired in December 1997 to share play-by-play duties with Harry for the 1998 Cubs season, but Harry Caray died on February 18, 1998, before the season began, so they never shared duties.

In Their Own Story

In February 1987, just prior to spring training for the Cubs' 1987 season, Caray suffered a stroke while at his winter home near Palm Springs, California. This forced him out of the booth through most of the first two months of the regular season. WGN filled the void with a series of celebrity guest announcers while he recuperated. Despite this setback and the toll of age, his national popularity never flagged. Toward the end of his career, he was kept aboard past WGN's normal mandatory retirement age due to his immense popularity. The anticipated grandfather-grandson partnership in the booth ended abruptly when Harry passed away in February 1998.

Reader's Guide

The entry should note that Caray's first season with the Cubs was 1982, not 1981. The 'DID YOU KNOW' section should state that Chip Caray was hired in December 1997 to share play-by-play duties for the 1998 season, not the 1982 season.

Did You Know?

• Chip Caray was hired in December 1997 to share play-by-play duties with Harry for the 1998 Cubs season, but Harry Caray died on February 18, 1998, before the season began, so they never shared duties.