Blow Out the Candles August 17

Baltimore fan favorite Boog Powell is celebrating his 71st birthday today.

1969 Topps #15

In addition to being part of two World Series Championship teams, Boog was the 1970 AL MVP, and was a four time All-Star.

2000 Fleer GOTG

Brooks Robinson, Mark Belanger, Davey Johnson, Boog Powell

Boog is now a popular restaurateur:

Long time Blackhawks right winger Chico Maki is celebrating his 73rd birthday today.

Chico's in the back row to Stan Mikita's right.

Chico is in the top row, fourth from the left between HOFers Pierre Pilote and Stan Mikita.

Bobby Hull, Stan Mikta, Phil Esposito and Chico Maki hat shopping in 1965-66.

Player, coach and announcer Johnny "Red" Kerr was born in Chicago, Illinois on this date in 1932.

A Chicago HS Public league champ and standout at Illinois, Johnny was a three time all-star in the NBA and went on to become the Bulls very first coach in 1966.  Kerr would later become a Bulls announcer, a job he joyfully held for some 33 years including all of the Jordan era.  He died on February 26, 2009.  In a sad coincidence, Bulls great and fellow broadcaster Norm Van Lier died the same day.

Autographed Cards A-Z Hockey Edition M

When I got back into collecting five or so years ago one of the things that excited me was the availability of autographed cards.  Perhaps I went a little overboard but I think I picked up some nice cards.  This will be an A-Z series of posts with varying numbers of cards.

Chico played in one game of the playoffs during the Blackhawks Stanley Cup run in 1961.  He stayed with the team his whole career ending in 1976.

Two cards using the same photograph of Hall of Famer Frank Mahovlich.  Frank is a six time Stanley Cup Champion.

Love this set and like many people I have a fondness for goaltenders.

Chicago's Stan the Man.  Since Rocky Wirtz took over Stosh has become one of the Blackhawks ambassadors.

S

After many years with the Boston Bruins Doug joined the Blackhawks in 1964 and starred with Stan Mikita and Kenny Wharram on The Scooter Line.

1961 Stanley Cup Champions Honored

Last night the Blackhawks had a ceremony honoring the Blackhawks players from the 1960-61 Stanley Cup Championship team.  Eight (I think) of the old guys were introduced one-by-one including four Hall of Famers, Bobby Hull, Stan Mikita, Piere Pilote and Glenn Hall.  Rocky Wirtz and John McDonough have done a great job in bringing back the alumni over the last couple of years, after the previous Wirtz's antagonized them into exile.

Here are the signed cards I've managed to collect of players from that great team:

1960-61 Stanley Cup Champs Blackhawks Autographs

The Blackhawks have been limping toward the Stanley Cup playoffs, 4-4-2 in their last 10 games. Overall they've had a great season at 48-22-7. Hopefully they'll get hot and accomplish what the gentlemen from 1960-61, below, did -- that is bring the the Stanley Cup to Chicago.