Bob Newhart has died, and it’s fair to say that any and all Americans who enjoyed his comedy are deeply saddened. I’m squarely in that category.
I alway felt an affinity for Bob and his Bob Hartley character on the Bob Newhart Show. Newhart grew up in Chicago and was Jesuit-educated: St. Ignatius High School and Loyola University. I grew up in Cleveland, also Jesuit-educated: St. Ignatius High School and Holy Cross College. Jack Riley, who played one of Bob’s goofy main clients, Elliott Carlin, also attended Cleveland St. Ignatius.
Bob was a baseball fan, rooting for his hometown Cubs. He finally got to see them win a World Series in 2016, over my Cleveland Indians. I await my turn — not for death, mind you, but to see the Cleveland baseball club win a World Series.
After I heard about Bob’s death yesterday, I went searching for some of his comedy recordings on Spotify. There were fewer than I expected but I did find his classic sketch on baseball. In it he imagines what it would have been like if Abner Doubleday had tried to interest a 19th century game company in the sport. Give it a listen.
As for Bob, thanks for the laughs, and rest in peace.
The Ball Caps Blog 
I had no idea Newhart was a Cubs fan. I’m glad he got to see the Cubs win a World Series. I hope the same for your team – the Indians or Guardians and hope the same for my Brewers. I’m gonna go listen to his “sketch on baseball.” Thanks for the link.
I’d also love to see the Brewers do it. They came oh so close back in ’82.