From George Buddy:
One was Hillary Rodham, a classmate, who had a small role in an elaborate high school production of "Showboat," with Steve selected as the lead singer for "Old Man River" and other tunes from the Broadway hit musical. Rodham, later Hillary Rodham Clinton, had a small part as a dancer in the play but always remembered Goodman's rendition of the song. "He just knocked it out of the park," she told Eals.
Besides Goodman and Rodham, other famous alumni of Maine East High School include Karen Black, Hugh Brannum (Mr. Green Jeans), Harrison Ford, Marshall Seese of The Weather Channel, and the Son of Svengoolie himself, Rich Koz.
Steve Goodman was diagnosed with leukemia in 1969 when he was just 20. He died in 1984, just before his beloved Chicago Cubs made post-season play for the first time since 1945. From Goodman's song A Dying Cub Fan's Last Request:
He said, "You know I'll never see Wrigley Field, anymore before my eternal rest
So if you have your pencils and your score cards ready,
and I'll read you my last request
He said, "Give me a double header funeral in Wrigley Field
On some sunny weekend day (no lights)
Have the organ play the "National Anthem"
and then a little 'na, na, na, na, hey hey, hey, Goodbye'
Make six bullpen pitchers, carry my coffin
and six ground keepers clear my path
Have the umpires bark me out at every base
In all their holy wrath
Its a beautiful day for a funeral, Hey Ernie lets play two!
Somebody go get Jack Brickhouse to come back,
and conduct just one more interview
Have the Cubbies run right out into the middle of the field,
Have Keith Moreland drop a routine fly
Give everybody two bags of peanuts and a frosty malt
And I'll be ready to die
(via J-Walk)
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