A few people mentioned they couldn't get to all the tables to see all the centerpieces, so we'll post the line-up cards here.
Lynne and Matt chose players they had some connection to - like a favorite player, or a player who excelled in a game they attended. And, as often as possible, they tried to connect that player to someone sitting at the table - sometimes more directly than others, as you'll see.
(All the cards on the centerpieces were from
Matt's collection, except for Ryan Theriot because Matt burns every Cubs card he gets.)
TABLE 1 - Pee Wee Reese: The captain played in 10 All-Star games and was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1984, by the Veteran’s Committee. Reese was one Matt’s grandpa’s favorite players on his fave team, the Brooklyn Dodgers.
TABLE 2 - Ryan Theriot: Since his debut with the Chicago Cubs in 2005, Theriot has found a way to keep himself in the lineup. He’s having one his best season’s yet, batting over .300. He’s Lynne’s favorite Cubbie. She’s often heard saying, “Can’t quiet The Riot.”
TABLE 5 - David Wright: This Gold Glove slugger is one of Matt’s favorites. On July 16, 2006, Matt and his dad enjoyed watching the Mets score 11 runs in the sixth inning against the Cubs, capped by David Wright’s long two-run homer.
TABLE 9 - Ted Williams: Teddy Ballgame has nearly the best offensive numbers ever, despite two stints in the Marines as a fighter pilot. Of the 900 pictures Matt took before seeing a game at Fenway, at least one was in front of the Splendid Splinter’s statue.
Table 12 - Shawon Dunston: The Cubs shortstop with the rocket arm became famous when the "Shawn-o-meter" appeared at Wrigley Field, tracking his batting average. Shawon was one of Megan Hanley's favorite players.
TABLE 14 - Ernie Banks: The slugging shortstop nicknamed Mr. Cub was twice the National League Most Valuable Player, and was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1977. He was also one of Mrs. Hanley’s favorite players on that ill-fated 1969 Cubbies squad.
TABLE 14 - Gil Hodges: After a great career with the Dodgers, Hodges took over as Mets manager. On Sept. 10, when his team passed the Cubs in that fateful 1969 season, Mark Hanley was at the game in Shea and Diane Majewski was at Wrigley. It’s fate!
This was the only split table. With Matt's mom (the Cubs fan) and Matt's Dad (the Mets fan) both seated at Table 14, they couldn't risk a riot.
TABLE 16 - Jack Perconte: The slick-fielding infielder wore #16 in his one season with the Indians. He was twice MVP at Murray State. He’s married to The Rev. Linda Misewicz-Perconte, who officiated Lynne and Matt’s wedding. He also enjoys reading.
Yep, it's true and Mr. Perconte was seated at his own table. Incidentally, that note about his love for reading came from the back of his 1985 Topps card. You can't make stuff like that up!TABLE 18 - Darryl Strawberry: As a kid, Matt worshipped this lean Mets slugger. In a game against the Cubs, while the crowd chanted ‘Daaa-ryl’, Matt saw him hit one out of Wrigley. Sadly, ‘The Straw’ turned out not to be the best role model for young men.
TABLE 21 - Roberto Clemente: Growing up in West Virginia, the Pirates were the closest baseball team. Barry Seago got to watch Clemente fly around the bases and make rifle throws at Forbes Field. The four-time batting champ finished with exactly 3,000 hits.
TABLE 24 - Joe Crede: This power-hitting, smooth-fielding third baseman is at his best in the clutch, winning the 2005 ALCS MVP for the Chicago White Sox. Joe Crede also happens to be the favorite player of Mrs. Lynne Hanley.
TABLE 25 - Jim Thome: When Thome hit his 500th home run to win the game Sept. 16, 2007, Lynne and Matt were there. Matt was so excited he nearly cried. On an unrelated note, the Peoria native looks remarkably like
Buzz Lightyear.
TABLE 27 - Vlad Guerrero: Matt can't find this one, but the fact was something about how this hard-hitting Angel hit a home run at Matt's bachelor party and Lynne's bachelorette party.
TABLE 28 - Matt Hanley: This very light-hitting and average fielding second baseman hit a robust .308 in 1991 with 7 hits, 4 RBIs and no homers. Sadly, the Big League offers never materialized and he retired to life of obscure writing.
TABLE 30 - Ken Griffey Jr.: Matt, Dave, Angela and Adam were in the first row behind home plate when Griffey and Sammy Sosa - both with 500 homers - faced off at Wrigley Field. Sosa went deep to become the Cubs all-time home run leader.
TABLE 31 - Greg Maddux: In 2006, Alex invited Matt to Wrigley to watch Maddux face fellow 300-game winner Roger Clemens, the first time in 106 years that 300-game winners faced off against each other.
TABLE 32 - Manny Sanguillen: This likable catcher was a mainstay on the ‘We Are Family’ Pirates teams of the early 1970s. When Matt visited PNC Park in 2006, Sanguillen was sitting in centerfield greeting fans. Because he apparently had nothing else to do.
TABLE 41 - Tom Seaver: ‘Tom Terrific’ was Mark Hanley’s favorite. When Seaver was traded, Mark wrote the Mets a letter, vowing to never come back. He didn’t break the promise until 2007, when his son took him. Matt later got to interview Seaver.
TABLE 42 - Curtis Granderson: This University of Illinois graduate was patrolling centerfield when Matt and his dad visited Comerica Park on Father’s Day, 2008. Granderson, who was not fazed by actor Gene Hackman sitting in the stands that day, hit a single and a triple.
TABLE 45 - Bobby Jenks: In 2005, the burly righty became the first rookie to save the clinching game of a World Series. Lynne, Matt and Barry love to see big ‘ole Bobby Jenks coming in to the song: ‘Here comes the boom!’ A Sox win is sure to follow.
TABLE 47 - Tom Glavine: On Aug. 5, 2007, while with the New York Mets, the lefty won his 300th game, vs. 197 losses. While he beat the Cubs 8-3 that day Lynne, Matt, Mr. Seago and Laura Seago cheered him on.
TABLE 53 - Moose Skowron: When he came up in 1953, Moose wore #53. He went on to hit eight World Series homers, won five rings and was inducted to the Polish-American Hall of Fame. Later, Matt, his dad and grandpa met him in a Hoffman Estates video store.
TABLE 72 - Carlton Fisk: Fisk wore 72 while with the White Sox, reversing his Red Sox number. Matt has more than 100 of the Hall of Fame catcher’s cards. Matt got to interview “Pudge” when the Field Museum opened a new Hall of Fame exhibit.
Jose Reyes, Ichirio, Jonathan Papelbon and Todd Helton just missed the cut. Should have hustled a little more!
Matt, by virtue of his own fan heritage, is inclined to hate almost all things Yankee. They bring it on themselves.
