Tim Weigel, the popular & talented sports anchor/reporter, covered Chicago sports for over 25 years. Last week was the ten year anniversary of his death after a yearlong battle against brain cancer.
In 1998, Tim took 23 minutes out of his busy schedule to sit down for a 3-part interview. It was a busy night for him, because he was still writing that night’s 10 PM broadcast and the Bear game was at the end of the 3rd quarter. I, along with several members from NUDE HIPPO had the opportunity to sit down with Tim. We tossed him tough questions about his favorite Red Blazer, his toughest interview with Albert Bell, his fondness of Walter Payton’s “ass-pinching” experiences, how he played piano for two different rock bands, his semi-pro football days, how he yanked his first radio station that he worked at off the air by just bumping a button, his impression of Tom Skilling, and finally Tim’s prediction about what people will say the day he gets buried: “There goes the Wiener-man!”
You’ll see none of that, as this video was our last interview of the day where we sent in our Senior Cub Reporter, Santos Rodriguez. He did get some nuggets out with his insane questions, where we learn about Tim’s admiration for the late Mike Royko’s work, how being only 5 feet 9 inches has always bothered him – especially playing basketball or dancing with a taller girl. Here is some of the raw footage from that day.
In 2000, while fighting brain cancer, Tim returned to work. We here at NUDE HIPPO sent our best wishes to him. He responded:
Hey, Guys!
Thanks for thinking of me…I’m good as new, back to work, and still love the Nude Hippo Show!
Tim
SENT: 7/11/00 3:26:33 PM Central Daylight Time
Tim Weigel’s bio:
Tim Weigel had served as the sports director for CBS 2 CHICAGO from 1995 up until his death in 2001.
In this capacity, he anchored sports for the station’s 4:00, 4:30, 5:00 and 10:00 PM weekdays newscasts, which included his trademark “Weigel Wieners” segments. In addition, Weigel hosted the weekly sports talk show FACE 2 FACE and all of the station’s Chicago Bears’ programming.
Prior to joining CBS 2 CHICAGO, Weigel was sports director at WLS-TV (1977-94) and at WMAQ-TV (1975-77), where he started his career in television. Weigel began his sports journalism career with the Chicago Daily News in 1971 and continued writing a column for the newspaper until it ended circulation in 1978.
He has earned a distinguished array of awards, which included: four local Emmy Awards; two citations by Associated Press and three by the United Press International for “Best Sports Story of the Year;” Chicago’s Media Giant of the Year (1990) by the Ed Kelly Sports Foundation; the Bill Veeck Award (1981) for Chicago’s most popular sportscaster; and, the Schick Award given by the Pro Football Writers’ Association for “Best Sports Story of the Year.” In addition, Weigel has been named Chicago’s most popular sportscaster in just about every reader’s poll conducted by the Chicago Sun-Times (1979, 1986, 1989, 1994, and 1996).
Weigel’s newspaper career was reborn in 1995 with the Chicago Sun-Times as a twice-weekly columnist. He has also had several freelance articles appear in Sports Illustrated, Esquire, Chicago Magazine, Chicago Tribune, and The Reader. Radio had also been an ongoing component in Weigel’s media career. He has filed sports reports for WMAQ-AM (1975-81), was heard as “Whiteshoes” on WJPC-AM with Fly Jock Tom Joyner (1981-82), and enjoyed stints with WRXR-FM (1985-86).
Weigel served on the board of several organizations, which included the Off The Street Club, Chicago Chamber of Commerce Youth Motivation Board, Evanston Shelter for Battered Women, Evanston Homeless Shelter, and was an active member of the Salvation Army. He was named Father of the year by the Chicago Father’s Day Council (1988), B’nai Brith Man of the Year (1984), and the City of Hope’s Man of the Year (1980).
In his spare time, Weigel pursued a lifelong interest in music. During the 1960’s, he was the keyboardist and leader of two rock bands, Cleopatra and the Weizures and the Gross National Product. Weigel’s composition, “Everybody’s Doing Their Thing,” rose to number 15 on the Billboard charts in New York.
After reading our comments in 2001, Jenniffer Weigel, (Columnist/Reporter at Chicago Tribune and Tim’s daughter), sent us this:
Thanks so much for your kind words. The wiener man will be sorely missed, and I’m glad that he could be a part of the nude hippo experience.
Take care,
jenniffer
I am happy that we had the opportunity to not only watch Tim on TV, but that he gave the time during his busy schedule to talk with us, a small and very new local program. Wiener-man…We miss ya!
Today, Jen Sweet, my very close friend and fellow member of Hippo has been in a 3 year battle with a very rare and lethal glioneuronal brain tumor. I have dedicated myself to do whatever I can for her and so many others by supporting the the American Brain Tumor Association.
I hope that you can help join us in this fight! Click here to donate to the ABTA!