Cubs' Brenly returns to C.R.

Bob Brenly wanted to keep it low key. Just pop in, watch his son play and pop back out.

That didn't happen.

It was one well-wisher, autograph seeker or picture taker after the other approaching the Chicago Cubs TV broadcaster and former big league manager as he strolled the concourse of Memorial Stadium before last night's Cedar Rapids Kernels-Peoria Chiefs playoff game.

With the Cubs having an off day, Brenly drove from Chicago to watch his son, Michael, catch for Peoria. It was his first trip back to Cedar Rapids since he played for the Cedar Rapids Giants way back in 1977.

"I had to ask Jack (Roeder) where the old ballpark was," Brenly said, referring to the Kernels general manager.

Brenly actually stayed Wednesday night in Cedar Rapids, driving through town to see the damage from last year's flood and trying to find the old southwest side apartment he and his wife lived in 32 years ago.

"It's been so long now," Brenly said. "My memory is so fuzzy. I don't remember a lot about it. But I did enjoy my time here."

About the time Brenly said that, longtime Cedar Rapids Baseball Club board of directors member Bob Nance and his wife, Verna, came up to greet him and reminisce.

"I do remember eating a lot of sweet corn," Brenly said. "We lived on sweet corn. The Nances and a lot of the other boosters would bring big sacks of sweet corn to the ballpark. We just lived on it."

Brenly said he has been able to get away to watch his son play a few games this season in Peoria. He also drove to the Quad Cities to watch a Chiefs game.

Michael Brenly hit ..265 in 94 games in the regular season for Peoria and is considered a fine defensive catcher.

"Nerve-racking. It really is," Bob Brenly said. "It's one thing when you feel like you've got a little bit of control in a situation as a player or a coach or a manager. But as a dad, you're just helpless. I ache for him when he doesn't do well, I'm happy as hell when he does do well.

"What's really exciting for me is to see him playing in a lot of the same ballparks and a lot of the same cities as I did 32 years ago."