Skip to main content

The Barber Shoppe

Podcast  – The Barber Shoppe . . .


No man is rich enough to buy back the past.” – Oscar Wilde.


With baseball still on hold, that quote certainly rings true, however, vivid memories at unexpected times can flood the present.


Driving home from an errand the other night, I happened to turn the car radio to AM 570 and heard this, “Its time for Dodger baseball.” That iconic start to a game on the radio from announcer Vin Scully.


“How is this possible,” I thought? There are no baseball games right now. And Vin Scully is retired!


That familiar voice on the radio however immediately took me back . . .


Cuba, Il., the early 1960s, Main Street Barber Shop.


You see, as a young boy, my first memory of Major League Baseball was not a game on television or a visit to a Major League park. The “game” was always background noise, from an old Zenith AM radio, on a green shelf, in our local barbershop, tuned to 720 WGN Chicago.

Monthly, my father would take my brothers and me for our haircuts to Main Street Barber Shop in Cuba. Its proprietor Bernard Lyons, the locals called him Cocky Lyons (never knew why), he was a rabid Cubs fan.

The ole' timers would congregate at the Shoppe to sit, listen to the game, and sometimes get a shave and a haircut. The sweet smell of Vitalis filled the air, the jars of blue liquid with combs on the shelf, and of course conversations about the plight of the Chicago Cubs.

Listen carefully and you can hear the sounds of that era - “Double play! “Number 10 Ron Santo makes a spectacular unassisted double play at third from a line drive off the bat of Cardinals left fielder Curt Flood!” Shouts Cubs’ announcer Jack Brickhouse.

It's funny, what makes that memory so vivid was my youngest brother's reaction to the barbershop visit. It was always a traumatic experience for him. 

“Well, Doc what'll it be for these boys, the usual?”

“Yes sir, they love the crew cut.”

My brothers always got the dreaded crew cut. And they hated it!

Anyway, muffled discussions could be heard, as patrons chewed the fat, "Santo is the best third basemen in baseball.”

“No, I'm afraid you're wrong, it's Ken Boyer, of the Cardinals," – instantly a hushed silence as the voice on the radio suddenly came to life - “Homerun Ernie Banks!

Cocky would pause from his work as my brother squirmed in the barber chair wailing, with tears streaming down his cheeks.

Me, I listened and calmly waited for my turn. Knowing that if my curly hair was cut too short Dad would never hear the end of it from Mom.

Hmmm, thinking back, this just might be the traumatic experience that compelled my brother to become a Cardinals fan?

Isn’t it funny what triggers a memory, a sound, a smell, the announcement of a baseball game on the radio! Guess I should make an appointment to get my haircut - it's going on four months now.

This is Patrick Ball, thanks for listening. See you in the next episode.

Comments

Russell Shor said…
Nothing like Baseball to revive memories. Like you Cubs fans, we Phillies fans measured our season dreams by small victories -- Richie Ashburn batting .300 or the team breaking .500 for the season.
Patrick Ball said…
Absolutely, thanks, Russ. My favorite player during that Era had to be Ernie Banks - Mr. Cub.

Most Popular of All Time

Finding Our Place

In this episode,  Finding Our Place: Hope and Humanity in the Age of AI . . . Yesterday, I overheard a conversation that echoed a question many of us are quietly asking: In a world increasingly shaped by algorithms, where do we , as humans, truly fit in? My younger colleagues, sharp and driven, were "joking" about AI taking their jobs. Their concerns felt valid, prompting me to reflect. Will machines really replace us? My answer, unequivocally, is No . And here’s why. What makes us uniquely human isn't merely our ability to perform tasks. It's our innate capacity for creativity and our deep-seated need to serve others. These aren't just abstract ideas; they are the very essence of what gives meaning to our lives and work. While AI excels at processing data and automating tasks with incredible speed, it cannot replicate the spark of human ingenuity. It lacks the empathy to truly understand unspoken needs or the intuitive synergy that fosters breakthrough solutio...

The Curious Crew

In today's special episode, The Curious Crew . . .  Oh, our young folks are ready, with AI so grand, A new era of wonders across every land! With curious minds, vast as Space, full of creative delight, And a zest for exploring, with all of their light! They welcome new tools, with a gleam in their eye, To learn and to grow, way up to the sky! Our thinking's a marvel, a clever design, We make new plans, so fantastically fine! With problem-space maps and memories, too, We build new ideas, quite fresh and quite new! With smiling faces, showing gratitude's grace, We find our own wonderful, human-filled place! Sharing a meal with generosity and love, A warm human spirit, a gift from above! We stand tall together, collaborate, and help with a grin, For with Agentic AI, together we win! Not machines all alone, but with us by their side, We'll create and serve, with nothing to hide! I'm Patrick Ball. Stay curious and ask questions. See you next time.

Beyond June Gloom

Beyond June Gloom: The Milky Way Awaits! ✨🌌 Has the seemingly endless marine layer got your telescope feeling neglected? For us sky-watchers on the beautiful California coast, May Gray and June Gloom have played a persistent game of hide-and-seek with our celestial views. But there's good news tonight: as summer officially arrives, a stunning cosmic spectacle is about to reveal itself, and you absolutely won't want to miss it! We know the drill: that persistent marine layer turning our sunny days into cool, misty ones. It's a hallmark of our coastal climate, and while it's kept our telescopes under wraps, consider it nature’s way of building epic anticipation for the celestial show that’s about to unfold The Return of the Galactic Core! (Photo courtesy of Gemini) As the days grow longer and the summer air warms, those stubborn clouds will begin to dissipate, revealing a breathtaking sight: the core of our very own Milky Way galaxy! That's right, the vibrant heart...

The Sights of Summer

In this episode, The Sights of Summer: Chasing Miles & Unexpected Smiles . . . For Lori and me, the perfect summer morning isn't something you find marked on a calendar; it's a feeling . It's the refreshing crispness of the air on our faces, the gentle warmth of the sun on our skin, and the exciting anticipation of discovering new miles and uncovering the hidden "sights of summer" along our journey. A glorious California day returns with our weekly ride. We begin with a warm-up cruise around our neighborhood under a wide, cloudless, azure sky. With a smile, I’m thinking, " You know it’s going to be a great ride when even furry co-pilots are excited!"  We chuckled as a neighbor drove past, two white, fluffy dogs with their tongues flapping in the breeze and ears flopping wildly out the truck window. Pure canine bliss—an ideal sign for a fun day on two wheels. “Did you see those pups? They looked like they were smiling.” Traffic was blissfully light, ...