A big tip o' the Monsanto Toupeé to fellow author and baseball obsessive Maxwell Kates, who dug up this amazing 1972 file photo of Joe Pepitone (taken on my sixth birthday!) and posted it on the Big Hair & Plastic Grass Facebook page.
As some of you know by now, Joe Pepitone is one of my favorite baseball characters — his autobiography, Joe, You Coulda Made Us Proud, totally blew my 12 year-old mind when I first read it, and its Ball Four meets Goodfellas meets Penthouse Forum content still makes for a fantastically entertaining read today.
It was in that book that I first heard about Joe's short-lived cocktail lounge, the superbly-named Joe Pepitone's Thing. Located on Division Street, in the heart of Chicago's swingin' singles bar district, the place didn't last long — the Cubs weren't exactly happy about their priapic first baseman's open embrace of Windy City nightlife, and widespread suspicions that the business venture was backed with mob money didn't help things much.
But if I had a time machine, Joe Pepitone's Thing would be one of the first stops I'd make. I can just picture walking into the place, and pushing my way into the smoky darkness past the drunken day-traders and flirtatious flight attendants, to find Pepi holding court at the bar in some fashionable knit leisure wear, a gold medallion, and that ever-present hairpiece...
Aside from a photo from Pepi's book, and matchbook I once saw on an auction site, this pic is the only evidence I've ever seen of the bar's existence. While I'm not much of a memorabilia collector, I would honestly give my right muttonchop for something, anything from Joe Pepitone's Thing — matchbook, ashtray, beer glass, souvenir coke spoon, etc. If any of you riders out there on the Big Hair & Plastic Grass groove line can hook a brother up, please get in touch!
And kinda sorta related is the fact that Phil Niekro had a place in Atlanta called the Knuckler Lounge!
http://www.atlantatimemachine.com/misc/knuckler_lounge.htm
I think this may've already been mentioned on the Big Hair Plastic Grass FB page and if so, sorry to be repetitive.
Posted by: Greg | 08/17/2011 at 12:32 PM
I have seen this before, Gregg, but had completely forgotten about it. Thanks for the reminder of Knucksie's drinking establishment!
Posted by: Dan | 08/18/2011 at 12:07 PM
This guy has always managed to be awesome in the field. Whenever he's around, fans couldn't help but hold their breath in his every move.
Posted by: gold buyers | 01/18/2012 at 08:35 PM
I didn't know so much about Joe Pepitone but your article gave me a good insight into him.
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Posted by: hair extensions | 10/13/2014 at 07:15 PM
I remember Joe Pepitone's Thing quite well. My Father, who worked for Coca-Cola at the time set up a account for Coke in the lounge
Posted by: Scott Bradley | 06/20/2017 at 08:35 AM
I spoke to Joe Pepitone in a bar in merrick, long island called "the apartment".Joe was a nice, humble and friendly guy and allot of fun.I knew who he was and just spoke with him like a regular guy.
Joe did not tell anyone he played for the yankees in the bar and he seemed to have a good time making new friends in the bar.
Posted by: Lew Lattari | 08/07/2020 at 06:23 PM
Well I was going thru some mini bats, since I moved and came across a Hillerich & bradsby mini bat of him.
On the barrel it has his name, I'll try to replicate.
Joe Pepitone's
Thing
12 E. Division St.
Its the real thing
enjoy
Coca Cola
Posted by: Steve | 07/03/2021 at 03:19 PM