Fans toast the late, great Harry Caray Thursday at his namesake restaurant. (CBS)
Reporting Bob Roberts
(CBS) — Hundreds of people jammed Harry Caray’s Restaurant at Navy Pier Thursday for the 15th annual “worldwide toast” to the Hall of Fame announcer.
Cubs owner Tom Ricketts, “Mr. Cub” Ernie Banks, singer Billy Corgan, 1985 Super Bowl Bear Richard Dent, NFL coaching legend Marv Levy and Blackhawks singer Jim Cornelison were among those who took to the stage.
Many of those who attended the toast had special memories of meeting Caray while he was alive. Others recalled moving away from Chicago and watching him announce Cub games on cable, giving them a taste of home.
Dutchie Caray bought everyone in the restaurant a beer to ensure that all would be a part of the toast.
The restaurant claims that more than 5 million fans have raised a toast to Caray on the annual tribute day, and that Caray once estimated he drank more than 300,000 alcoholic beverages in his life. That’s an average of 301 drinks per month over his 83 years.
Fireworks followed Thursday’s event.
