Yoshi Sekiguchi on stage in Japan, 1958 (Courtesy of Sekiguchi family.)
Like the best version of life, Yoshinobu “Yoshi” Sekiguchi understood that good art is made without boundaries. The power of imagination can lead to freedom. Open your mind and you hear songs everywhere.
In Japan during the 1960s, Mr. Sekiguchi was known as “The Japanese Hank Williams.” He had a bit country singing role in the film “A Majority of One” (1962) with Rosalind Russell playing a Jewish woman who falls for a Japanese diplomat portrayed by Alec Guinness. In the 1970s, he became a Chicago designer and art director, working [...]
The National Bobblehead Hall of Fame & Museum in Milwaukee (Provided photo.)
Just when you think there’s nothing but bad news in this world along comes word that the National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum is releasing a talking Les Grobstein bobblehead.
The Grobber Bobble will be available starting today (March 11), which would have been the beloved Chicago sportscaster’s 70th birthday. The bobblehead is being produced by the Milwaukee-based museum in conjunction with Grobstein’s family and Autograph1. Grobstein died on January 16 in his Elk Grove Village home.
The bobblehead audio is a [...]
Ron Norkus at the Acapulco Mother Hubbard’s (Courtesy of the Norkus family.)
The wheels of life are driven by beautiful mysteries.
On the surface, Ron Norkus had a colorful and wild run on this earth. On the inside, he was driven by a generous heart and a wonderful sense of humor. Mr. Norkus was labeled as an esteemed “1970s Rush Street Hall of Famer” by his pals Jimmy Rittenberg and Johnny Blandino, one of the original general managers of the Palm Restaurant in Chicago.
Mr. Norkus died on Oct. 19 from complications of Parkinson’s Disease at his home in Dallas, Tx. He was 81 years old. He [...]
From left (Quigley, Parker, DeShields, Vandersloot.) Image via Sky in the Chi.
I’ve followed the Chicago Sky since they were founded in 2005.
I remember congenial NBA Hall of Famer Dave Cowens as the WNBA team’s first coach and I entered the franchise “Name the Team” contest. I suggested Skyliners. One of the Sky’s original minority investors was Matthew Knowles, father of then-Destiny Child lead vocalist Beyonce Knowles.
My respect for women’s basketball dates back to my first newspaper job at the Aurora Beacon-News, outside of Chicago. In 1972 I wrote a feature on Title IX, which created an equal [...]
