Okay here’s the convention story, Part 1. I will include short descriptions of who the mentioned players are and for pictures and info if you're curious go to www.cubs.com
Here’s my disclaimer:
I do not own the rights to these characters. I’m just borrowing them for awhile and will give them back I promise! Also am borrowing the Cubs for awhile to help out in the story. I’m also not a closet Cardinals fan trying to harm the Cubs so my team can win the division! And for the lawyers out there, I know the guys mentioned in the story and they’re big, strong and often have bats in their hands! They could protect me, Jenni, Beth or Mark or the others on the board from you guys!--Steph
The Mystery Of The Missing Pitcher
by Steph
The Bob-Whites had been invited to Chicago by the Cubs for their annual convention to thank them for helping solve the poisonings and thievery of the past season. Even though January in Chicago wasn’t necessarily their idea of fun, at least the weather part, they looked forward to it. They also were looking forward to seeing their friends, Ned Schulz and Bob and Barbara Hubbell who were coming in from Iowa for the event.
When they arrived at the Hilton and Towers they saw it all decked out in red, white and blue: the Cubs colors. They were greeted in the lobby by John McDonough, the inventor of the convention and genius VP of Marketing for the team. "We’re all glad you could make it so we could really thank you for helping us last year," he told the Bob-Whites. "Check in and then join us upstairs in the VIP room for the media gathering before the opening ceremonies. We’re trying to make sure everyone is here. We’re missing a pitcher."
They went to check in and then headed to their rooms. After unpacking, they went to the little sitting area on their floor where they saw Cubs pitchers Steve Trachsel, Terry Mulholland, Jon Lieber and Kerry Wood sitting and talking worriedly.
Kerry looked up and saw them. "I heard you guys were going to be here. Maybe we can use your help. The other starter, Kevin Tapani, hasn’t shown up yet. I talked to him this morning and he was leaving for the airport. We’re supposed to be introduced together during the opening ceremonies, so we were going to meet here before facing the media throng."
Trixie noticed that they all looked worried.
"I saw his wife come in," said Steve. "I think that’s what’s really weird. She said that he went to stop and pick up some charity stuff he wants to look over. We better head downstairs. Maybe John McDonough knows something."
They boarded the crowded elevators and then headed to the media room. The players who were already there were mobbed by the press. They saw Gary Gaetti, the third baseman, in conference with the General Manager, Ed Lynch.
Ed waved them over to where he stood. "Hey, we’re glad you’re here." He introduced them to the various media members and the players they hadn’t met before.
Gary Gaetti said, "We haven’t heard from Kevin Tapani. I played with him in Minnesota. This isn’t like him. I understand you’re the group that was here when the poisoning and everything happened last summer"
John McDonough came over to them."The family checked in but no one has seen hide or hair of him," he said. "We’re all a little worried"
They were all standing around talking when Sharon Tapani came walking in. "Hey have any of you guys seen Kevin? I haven’t seen him since we were at O’Hare this morning. I wanted to check in with the kids and he had a meeting about a new charity deal. I have the number."
She got out a cell phone and dialed the number. "This is Sharon Tapani. I understand my husband, Cubs pitcher Kevin Tapani had a meeting there today." She listened and talked a few moments more and was pale as a ghost when she hung up.
She turned to them and said, "Kevin left there over 2 hours ago with some mysterious man who insisted he come with him. I’m worried something terrible has happened. This is so unlike him to do something like that."
Everyone gathered around Sharon, all talking at once. Finally team President Andy MacPhail came over and said, "I called the police. I vote we try and keep this as quiet as possible so let’s proceed with the opening ceremonies." But it was too late as the reporters had all just about tripped over each other in their haste to the phones.
After the opening ceremonies, the Bob-Whites went down to the lobby. There, fans were kind of milling around talking about the news they had heard on the radio. For many Cub fans, the players are just like family, especially those that go to all the events, so everyone was very worried about Kevin not only as a pitcher and great player but as a person.
Trixie saw a small group standing around by the large clock in the center of the entrance. A medium-sized brunette with glasses was speaking. "First, we had those poisonings last season and the stolen items, although that was all solved, and now Tapani has been kidnapped. I really am beginning to think this team is cursed."
A slim tall redhead said, "Now, Liz, calm down. I know you like Kevin but I think he’s going to be okay. And it took you this long to figure out they’re cursed? I think that maybe someone is playing a stupid joke." The redhead noticed Trixie and said, "Aren’t you the girl that helped with those problems last summer? I’m Lucy and these are my friends Liz and Michelle."
Trixie said hello to them. Michelle, a short girl with long hair, said, "I think they need your help with this too. They need to find Kevin. The person you need to see is Barry Rozner. He's s a writer with the Daily Herald. He knows the ins and outs of the Cubs. He’s over there talking to Mickey Morandini."
Trixie walked over to them and waited while Barry talked to the Cubs outstanding second baseman. She heard Mickey say, "This is really weird. Tap is the most stable guy in the universe. I know some of the guys talked to him this morning and it is really strange that a charity would only contact him. Rarely do they contact just one of us."
"I heard they didn’t contact the Cubs first," said Barry. "It’s hard to get a player's number directly. I know for sure that the Tapanis aren’t listed, so they would have had to have a contact somewhere."
Mickey's wife called him over to her. After he walked away, Trixie turned to Barry Rozner. "Mr. Rozner," she said, "I’m Trixie Belden and it was suggested I talk to you because you know this team and the players inside and out. What can you tell me about this?"
"I remember your name from last summer," he told her. "Basically, nobody knows what’s going on. Tapani was so clean off the field he squeaked, so that pretty much rules out someone out to get him for gambling or fooling around. The police are completely stumped. Tap is a good guy. Let's pray they find him before anything happens."
Barry had to go, so Trixie rejoined her friends who were sitting on the steps watching her and waiting. She told them what she had found out. They, of course, told her to be careful and it was time to grab some dinner.
They headed back to their floor where they found a huge commotion in the common area.
They walked into the area just in time to see Lynch, as pale as a ghost say, "We received a demand. Send us 3 million dollars and trade Tapani before Sunday at noon or else we won’t kill him, but make sure that his pitching career is over!"
Everyone gathered around Ed as he continued. "The only thing I can think of to do is call another General Manager and see if they can go along with a trade in the paper that won’t be official. I’ll also have to call the commissioner and the league office." and he went off to make some calls.
Kevin Tapani was sitting in a small room thinking "I’ve faced Mark McGwire with the bases loaded and gotten him out. I should be able to think my way through this. Goodness knows this person is a huge baseball fan and seems obsessed with the Milwaukee Brewers. Brewers stuff everywhere" as he looked around the room filled with Brewers memorabilia. The person who had nabbed him had gone off to get some food. He was locked in the room but not tied up.
Trixie and the rest of the Bob-Whites talked to some of the other guys on the team. Nobody had any clue as to who would kidnap a pitcher and demand a trade and not leave a number to be reached at.
Trixie left the group and headed downstairs. She ran into Lynch there who was talking to a bunch of reporters and saying "I’m announcing that we have traded pitcher Kevin Tapani to the Milwaukee Brewers for infielder Fernando Vina." She followed him back upstairs when he was finished.
She followed him into the area and listened as he said, "I talked to Sal Bando over at the Brewers and he agreed to go along with this and the commissioner and the league president okayed it. We really didn’t make the trade. We had to come up with something that made sense though."
They were standing around talking with them and the police when Ed’s cell phone rang. He picked it up and listened. "I traded Tapani," Ed said to whover was on the phone. "Now, where do I drop off the money?" After talking for a few moments, he hung up.
He turned to the group. "That person knows it’s a ruse," he said. "It has to be someone who has contacts in the league office or something or with the Brewers."
A light bulb burned in Trixie’s brain. "Would Brewers employees have access to phone numbers?" she asked
"A limited number of ours have phone access to the players. I should call the Brewers back and check this out."
Ed called and they agreed to send him a list of employees who had phone numbers with their addresses to him and the police.
Once the list arrived by fax, Ed looked at it and said, "I guess this is going to be tough. I don’t recognize a name on the list at all of anyone who may have worked for us in the past."
Trixie took a copy of the list and went over it. She immediately recognized a name very close to the name of Bill, the man who had been behind the troubles at Wrigley the previous season and he lived in Chicago. Bill’s name had been William Rasmussen and this guys name was Richard Rasman so she couldn’t help but think there was a connection.
She went over to Ed and the police and pointed it out. They called the Brewers again and they reported that this Richard Rasman had just started with them at the end of the previous season and when they gave a description of him they noticed he seemed to look like the Bill that was beyond the poisonings and robberies the year before.
They sent the police right over to Rasman’s house and they weren’t surprised when they found Tapani sitting there unharmed. He borrowed Ed’s cell phone and called his wife and everything was fine.
When Rasman came back from getting food, he was arrested and asked to explain why he did it.
"Bill Rasmussen was my brother," he said, "and I wanted a little revenge on the Cubs for what happened last season. Also, I am a big Brewers fan and I want Tapani gone from the Cubs since that would help us win the division. I changed my name to Rasman so nobody would suspect anything. I got the phone number from Bill’s files and I know people at the charity and convinced them that he would want to help them out." Rasman was was led away by the police.
Trixie and the other Bob-Whites returned to the hotel as heroes where they had a wonderful time and were asked to fly to Chicago and participate in opening day ceremonies. They happily accepted.
Lucy ran into them as they were leaving their hotel on Sunday. "Trixie," she said with a grin, "maybe now you can work on solving the mystery of why the Cubs haven’t won the series in 91 years!"
The End