Andy Masur was scurrying to arrange dinner plans with Pat Hughes and Ron Santo in San Diego for Monday night, and the trio certainly had a lot of catching up to do.
Masur, who worked in the radio booth with Hughes and Santo for eight years on WGN Cubs broadcasts, now shares the Padres broadcast booth on XX Sports Radio with Jerry Coleman and Ted Leitner.
“I’m doing the pregame show, a couple of innings of play-by-play every game and I’m doing some color,” Masur said. “It didn’t take all that long to get comfortable with my two new broadcast partners. It’s different, obviously, after working with Pat and Ron for as long as I did.”
The Padres play host to the Cubs in a three-game series at Petco Park beginning Tuesday night.
With a 24-20 record, the Padres are just one game out of first in the NL West behind the Dodgers. The Cubs (20-22), meanwhile, are struggling to reach the .500 mark in pursuit of first-place Milwaukee in the NL Central.
“The only thing they are talking about here is needing more offense,” Masur said. “They have had some great [starting] pitching and a great bullpen. Good defense.
“A lot of people out here are really jealous about the fact that the Cubs were able to spend as much money ($300 million) as they did in the off-season. But everyone out here will tell you that the Padres’ pitching is the best in the National League.”
Masur did his best to delicately say Padres fans are not nearly as passionate as Cubs fans.
“They don’t average the big crowds like the Cubs do,” he said. “There are other things to do in Southern California than go to baseball games. They have the [warm] weather and they have the water and other things that occupy their time.
“But this team is coming off back-to-back division titles. They have a beautiful ballpark and they are doing a lot of things to try to bring the fans into Petco Park.”
Masur, a Maine East and Bradley alum, says he will forever treasure his time spent working with Hughes and Santo.
“That was my family for eight years,” Masur said. “I want to keep tabs on those guys.
“Jerry Coleman is kind of like the Ron Santo of these Padres because he has been with this organization as long as he has (34 years). People recognize him as the face of the organization as far as broadcasting is concerned. He is a Hall of Fame broadcaster and also was a great ballplayer with the Yankees.
“And with this being a military town, he is revered because of what he did flying in World War II and also the Korean War.”
Coleman is the only major-league player to see active combat in two wars. He flew 120 missions, earning two Distinguished Flying Crosses, 13 Air Medals and three Navy Citations.
Word on the street
Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb and tennis star Venus Williams made a special appearance last week at an annual ESPN media meeting in New York. In addition, McNabb, a Mt. Carmel High School alum, shot a commercial with actor Bruce Willis to promote his new movie “Live Free or Die Hard.” Meanwhile, McNabb’s mother, Wilma, shot special segments for the NFL Network, describing life as an NFL mom. The McNabbs are represented by marketing agent Andrew Stroth of Chicago-based CSMG. … The WNBA Sky has partnered with WVON-AM 1690 to broadcast its games this season. Veteran Chicago broadcaster Les Grobstein handles play-by-play and former Stevenson High and Illinois star Tauja Catchings provides color commentary. Eric Collins handles play-by-play for the televised games, with former Sky guard Nikki McCray adding analysis. WVON will broadcast 34 Sky games this season while WTTW-Ch. 11, WCIU-Ch. 26 and ESPN2 will combine to televise 14 games.
Local attractions
Bears linebacker Brendon Ayanbadejo and safety Danieal Manning are scheduled to appear at Orozco Community Academy in Chicago from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. Tuesday to participate in an assembly for students in support of the What Moves U fitness program. The players will lead students in various fitness exercises, assist with a nutrition trivia game and help educate the kids about the importance of being physically active. … For the fourth year in a row, the Elgin Community College baseball team will travel to Millington, Tenn., to compete in the NJCAA Division II World Series. The team, coached by Bill Angelo, won the Region IV championship last weekend and is ranked sixth in the nation with a 44-9 record.
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