skip parker

What’s in a name?Born Forsythe Francis Parker (date undetermined), Skip was given his nickname early: “In Kindergarten, I was not very coordinated. The teacher had a big chart on poster board hanging on the wall. Every student’s name was on the chart and, when you were able to perform the tasks on the board, you’d get stars placed on the square corresponding to the task; tying your shoes, zipping your jacket, reciting the alphabet, and so on. Well the year went on and before long all the squares for all the kids were filled with colorful stars, all but one. My chart had one star missing under the heading of “skip.” It’s important for youngsters to have well-developed motor skills and skipping is a good way to help them along. I couldn’t skip. I’d try and try and all I’d ever do is trip over my darn self. My classmates, with an unknowing knack for irony, slapped me with the handle I now know so well. From then on, I was Skip Parker. I didn’t argue it much because, after all, when your real name is Forsythe, Skip doesn’t sound so bad.”
CLIMBING THE LADDER -In 1977, after several stops in the minors and assorted winter leagues in places like Venezuela, Cuba and the Caribbean, Chicago Cubs owner P.K Wrigley hired Skip Parker to share broadcast duties beside his idol, Jack Brickhouse. Mr. Wrigley took a liking to the young upstart, Parker, and privately anointed him the successor to Brickhouse. Skip was clearly on his way: “Mr. Brickhouse was eyeing retirement, and he and Mr. Wrigley agreed that, with a couple of years in the booth under Jack’s tutelage I’d slide right in to the big chair.”
A TWIST OF FATE -The day after the hiring of Skip Parker as the heir apparent to Jack Brickhouse, P.K Wrigley passed away. Skip was under contract, but William Wrigley, Son of P.K and new club president, did not share his father’s opinions on many matters, most notably the choice of broadcasters. Skip Parker was reassigned to the position of statistician, personal assistant to Jack Brickhouse, and back up broadcaster. “The next thing I know, Lou Boudreau was pulled over from the radio side to do a couple of innings each game, and I’m the backup.” I stayed in the public eye by occasionally appearing on the Channel nine news doing sports alongside anchormen Jack Taylor and Marty McNeeley political commentator Len O’Connor, and weathermen Jerry Peterson, Roger Triemstra, and some youngster named Skilling. * I was always proud to wear the old number nine.”
THE TEST OF TIME -In his almost thirty years of service to the Chicago Cubs and WGN Television, Skip Parker has seen it all: “I’ve been through a lot over here. A change of ownership (in 1981, The Tribune Company purchased the Cubs from the Wrigley family for $20.5 million), eight general managers, eighteen managers, literally thousands of player transactions, and a few changes in the booth. “Every time there’s a vacancy, I cross my fingers and wonder if it’s finally my time. I’ve been on the short list too many times to mention. When Mr. Brickhouse retired, Milo Hamilton and I were assured that we’d be the broadcast team for years to come. The next thing I know, Harry Caray was hired from out of leftfield, Milo was bumped down to second banana and I’m back in my familiar post. I took this news a lot better than Milo did. * I felt honored to be working with yet another broadcast legend. Milo hated Harry’s guts and secretly wanted to punch him in the larynx. Milo moved on to Houston at seasons end, and DeWayne Staats narrowly beat me out for the vacant position.
A SAD TIME - After Harry passed away, in February 1998, the buzz around Wrigley was that Josh Lewin and I were taking over. Finally, my chance! Enter Chip Caray. Harry had wanted all along for his grandson to succeed him, and I understood. Chip left after seven years to join his father, Skip Caray (my brother in Skipdom) in the Atlanta Braves booth.”
2005- This looked to be Skip Parker’s chance at last. After a tumultuous 2004 campaign, a season in which even the announcers came under fire, the Cubs broadcast booth was vacant once more. “I knew that John McDonough, Andy McPhail and the bigwigs upstairs were looking for a new voice. I let it be known that my hat was once again in the ring. My friends at the WGN Morning News (I occasionally filled in on sports and provided baseball analysis) got behind me in the quest for the big chair. I was confident in my abilities as well as my chances. Then a report was released that the Cubs were close to hiring ESPN and New York Mets announcer Dave O’Brien. I had missed the boat again. Lo and Behold, O’Brien had contractual complications and was unable to accept the position. I prepared for a press conference. I just had to get it now, right? Well stop the press everybody, stop the press! Len Kasper, the Florida Marlins play by play man was hired for the job.” Though passed over once again, Skip Parker remains upbeat. “Hey, I’m making a living doing what I love. I’m confident that my time will come. I have the experience. I have the jackets.
Skip Parker has been with The Chicago Cubs and WGN television since 1977. A member of the Cubs broadcast team, Skip has yet to appear in an actual game. “I’m what you call a bench player,” Skip explains. “Maybe during the course of a long season, Len or Bob might pull a vocal chord or something and I’m there in the wings.”
Skip possesses an encyclopedic knowledge of all things Cubs from uniform numbers to player trades. He is famous for his one of a kind homerun calls
Skip, or “EL Nueve” as many of the Cubs’ Latin players call him, appears frequently on The WGN Morning News as a fill-in sportscaster, correspondent, and baseball analyst.