MONROE - A lawn ornament made to honor an Orangeville man took on a new meaning Friday following the death of long-time Chicago Cubs announcer Ron Santo.
Marlis Bass' husband, Paul, was a life-long Cubs fan until his death in 2007. For years, he listened to Santo announce the Cubs games on WGN.
Santo, who was always a big favorite with Cubs fans, both as a player and as an announcer, died Thursday at the age of 70. Santo played for the Cubs from 1960-73 and wrapped up his career with the White Sox in 1974. He joined the Cubs' radio team in 1990.
Like so many other fans, Paul held out hope that his beloved Cubs would once again be in a World Series - but it was never to be.
Paul and Marlis built their new home in 2001 and one of the things they talked about was putting a fiberglass cow in the front yard - similar to others seen throughout Green County. But they never got around to it.
Shortly after Paul died, Marlis saw a fiberglass cow in front of Larry Kranig's business, Monroe Sign Design. And since she knew Kranig, she asked if she could buy it from him. She would finally have the lawn ornament that she and her husband had talked about for years.
There was one condition, however.
She wouldn't buy the cow unless Kranig painted a Ron Santo uniform on the cow to honor her husband's love for the Cubs and the team's famous announcer.
"I brought him a picture so he could see what I wanted," Marlis said.
Within a few weeks, Kranig's son, Andrew, completed the painting and Kranig took the cow to Bass' home.
She loved it, she said. Not only did she have her lawn ornament, she also had something to honor the memory of her husband.
"People would stop and say 'You have a cow in your yard,'" she laughed. "Then they would see the uniform and realize it wasn't a real cow."
Kranig recently brought the cow back to Monroe to touch up some of the paint, and it was in his shop Friday when he learned the Santo had died.
"It's kind of ironic that I'd have it up here the day Santo died," Kranig said.
He plans to return the cow to Bass' home next week.
Now, the cow can honor the memory of the husband she loved, and the announcer he loved to hear calling the games for his favorite team.
Marlis Bass' husband, Paul, was a life-long Cubs fan until his death in 2007. For years, he listened to Santo announce the Cubs games on WGN.
Santo, who was always a big favorite with Cubs fans, both as a player and as an announcer, died Thursday at the age of 70. Santo played for the Cubs from 1960-73 and wrapped up his career with the White Sox in 1974. He joined the Cubs' radio team in 1990.
Like so many other fans, Paul held out hope that his beloved Cubs would once again be in a World Series - but it was never to be.
Paul and Marlis built their new home in 2001 and one of the things they talked about was putting a fiberglass cow in the front yard - similar to others seen throughout Green County. But they never got around to it.
Shortly after Paul died, Marlis saw a fiberglass cow in front of Larry Kranig's business, Monroe Sign Design. And since she knew Kranig, she asked if she could buy it from him. She would finally have the lawn ornament that she and her husband had talked about for years.
There was one condition, however.
She wouldn't buy the cow unless Kranig painted a Ron Santo uniform on the cow to honor her husband's love for the Cubs and the team's famous announcer.
"I brought him a picture so he could see what I wanted," Marlis said.
Within a few weeks, Kranig's son, Andrew, completed the painting and Kranig took the cow to Bass' home.
She loved it, she said. Not only did she have her lawn ornament, she also had something to honor the memory of her husband.
"People would stop and say 'You have a cow in your yard,'" she laughed. "Then they would see the uniform and realize it wasn't a real cow."
Kranig recently brought the cow back to Monroe to touch up some of the paint, and it was in his shop Friday when he learned the Santo had died.
"It's kind of ironic that I'd have it up here the day Santo died," Kranig said.
He plans to return the cow to Bass' home next week.
Now, the cow can honor the memory of the husband she loved, and the announcer he loved to hear calling the games for his favorite team.