This well-produced video released last month by the Chicago Cubs baseball team, "Saving Wrigley Field," goes into considerable detail about how the century-old ballpark underwent a badly needed renovation a few years ago. If you have about an hour to kill, I commend it to your attention: https://youtu.be/xd9VrvheS-s Though the Wrigley Field project was large-scale, … Continue reading Chicago Cubs documentary explains how Wrigley Field was renovated
Category: Sports
Book review: “A Sports Fan’s Guide to Route 66”
Here's a new guidebook that takes on a previously unexplored aspect of Route 66 -- local sports teams that help unite those communities. Ron Clements' "A Sports Fan's Guide to Route 66" (Amazon link; Imbrifex Books, paperback, 352 pages, Kindle version available) takes the traditional east-to-west path on the eight states that Route 66 traverses … Continue reading Book review: “A Sports Fan’s Guide to Route 66”
2021 Great Race will make stops next week in Sapulpa, Joplin, Rolla
The annual Hemmings Motor News Great Race of antique automobiles will wind through northeastern Oklahoma and half of Missouri on Route 66 next week. The event will make a lunch stop at 12:15 p.m. Monday at the Heart of Route 66 Auto Museum in Sapulpa, Oklahoma, and make an overnight stop in downtown Joplin, Missouri, … Continue reading 2021 Great Race will make stops next week in Sapulpa, Joplin, Rolla
Rt 66 Bowl in Chandler holds grand opening
The long-awaited Rt 66 Bowl entertainment center -- which reused a neon sign from the now-gone 66 Bowl from nearby Oklahoma City -- recently held its grand opening a few days ago in Chandler, Oklahoma. The complex at 920 E. First St. (aka Route 66) had been under construction for years. It contains a pizza … Continue reading Rt 66 Bowl in Chandler holds grand opening
Albuquerque resident and racing legend Bobby Unser dies at 87
Bobby Unser, who cut his teeth building cars at his dad's shop along Route 66 in Albuquerque before becoming a legend with his brothers in the auto-racing world, died of natural causes Sunday in his hometown. He was 87. Unser won 35 major races during a nearly 30-year career, including the Indianapolis 500 three times. … Continue reading Albuquerque resident and racing legend Bobby Unser dies at 87
“60 Minutes” airs its interview with famed sportswriter Dave Kindred at Palms Grill Cafe
CBS-TV's long-running "60 Minutes" news program aired its 13-minute feature about famed sportswriter Dave Kindred, where he was interviewed in the soon-to-reopen Palms Grill Cafe in his hometown of Atlanta, Illinois. The Route 66 restaurant's exterior makes only a brief appearance, though much of the interview was conducted inside. Though it contains little Route 66 … Continue reading “60 Minutes” airs its interview with famed sportswriter Dave Kindred at Palms Grill Cafe
“Mega Mayor” Muffler Man installed at Uranus Missouri complex
A new, 22-foot-tall Muffler Man fiberglass statue was installed Tuesday at the Uranus Missouri complex in St. Robert, Missouri. The statue is called Mega Mayor, a likeness of Uranus Missouri owner and self-proclaimed mayor Louie Keen when he's duded up in his American-flag-inspired costume. Mega Mayor, which holds a large golf ball in one hand … Continue reading “Mega Mayor” Muffler Man installed at Uranus Missouri complex
Skateland in Tulsa closes after more than 50 years
The Skateland rollerskating facility just off Route 66 in Tulsa has closed after more than a half-century there, though it may reopen under a different name next month. KTUL-TV reports that owner Steve Enlow's parents -- both of them skating enthusiasts and teachers -- started Skateland at 11th Street (aka Route 66) and Sheridan Road … Continue reading Skateland in Tulsa closes after more than 50 years
Canyon Coaster Adventure Park planned on the east side of Williams
The city council of Williams, Arizona, today will hold a public hearing regarding a planned Canyon Coaster Adventure Park on 20 acres on the east side of the city. The city's zoning and planning commission unanimously approved the rezoning needed for the development, which means the family amusement park probably is a done deal at … Continue reading Canyon Coaster Adventure Park planned on the east side of Williams
New exhibit at Joplin examines Route 66’s impact on culture
A new exhibit at an arts center in Joplin, Missouri, examines the cross-cultural impact of Route 66 from a native of that town. "Route 66: Crossing Cultural Lines," curated by artist and former American Jazz Museum curator Sara Sonié Joi Thompson-Ruffin, will be in the main gallery of the Spiva Center for the Arts in … Continue reading New exhibit at Joplin examines Route 66’s impact on culture