Mike North (MySpace Page)

Mike North's Biography

Raised in Chicago's Rogers Park neighborhood, Mike's first real job was as a hot dog vendor at Wrigley Field and Comiskey Park in 1969. After a stint in the military and several jobs with the City of Chicago, Mike capitalized on his talent for serving hot food and spicy sports talk and opened his hot dog stand, Be-Be’s, in 1985.

Among Mike’s frequent customers was the staff of Diamond Broadcasting, owners of WXRT-FM and WSBC-AM. After suggesting the idea of a sports show to the Diamond management team, North launched the "NFL Handicap Show" on WSBC in 1990. Then, in 1992, the first Chicago-based sports radio station, The Score Sports Radio 820, was born. Mike was offered a job to host a radio show with former Chicago Bear, Dan Jiggetts, and soon they became "The Monsters of the Midday", delivering a unique brand of opinionated, street-smart, sports talk to Chicago sports fans.

In September of 1999, the Score changed signals and line-ups. The frequency became 1160AM and Mike began hosting his own show, "The Mike North Show", from 12-4pm Monday through Friday. "My show is like sports with all the trimmings," says North, "it’s everything you want--exactly how you want it."

In August of 2000, The Score once again changed frequencies, this time to 670AM--the current station. Two years later Mike teamed up with another former Chicago Bear, Doug Buffone, and they soon became known as "The Wise Guys".

In September of 2004, North moved from the midday to the mornings. Currently, North can be heard every weekday from 6am-10am with Fred Huebner on The Mike North Morning Show.

Mike has gone one on one with many well-known sports figures such as Pete Rose, Dick Butkus, Walter Payton, and Wilt Chamberlain, while hosting his TV shows. Mike’s shows include: Primetime with Mike North on WJYS TV channel 62, Overtime with Mike North on WBBM-TV channel 2, and Sports Page with Mike North on CLTV. Mike has won two Emmys: one for his North Side segments on Fox TV and one for Primetime. Mike has also won four Achievement in Radio Awards: He was named Radio Broadcaster of the Year in 1996, Mike and Dan Jiggetts received the Best Midday Show in Chicago and Best Sports Show in 1997, and he won Best Talent on a News, Talk, Personality, or Sports Station in 2002.

Mike’s other accomplishments include: Receiving the Entertainer of the Year award by the Special Children’s Charities, the Irv Kupcinet award by the Ed Kelly Giant Awards, and the Richard J. Daley award by the Red Cloud Athletic Fund. Mike’s persistence in bringing 16-inch softball to the Chicago high school system as a varsity sport, a game he himself loves to play, has earned him Man of the Year in 1999 awarded by The Softball Hall of Fame. Mike was selected by the Board of Directors of the National Ethnic Coalition of Organizations to be the recipient of the prestigious 2004 Ellis Island Medal of Honor. In 2005, Mike won a Telly award for a commercial that he did for the Score. Mike won the Silver Circle Award from The National Conference for Community and Justice of Chicago and Greater Illinois. Mike was honored as a 2006 Inductee into the Chicagoland Sports Hall of Fame - the first radio broadcaster ever to be inducted. Mike also received the 2006 Media Excellence Award from the National Italian American Sports Hall of Fame. Mike is the assistant basketball coach at Notre Dame High School. His most recent accomplishment was sitting in for Dom Imus on the WFAN in New York. Steve Stone, noted broadcaster, commented recently that Mike North is the best one on one interviewer he has ever heard. Mike has conducted over 13,000 interviews. Jesse Jackson and Mike North worked together to persuade the Chicago Cubs to erect a statue for Mr. Cub, Ernie Banks. Opening day 2008 will be the dedication.

Mike had an acting role in the movie Eden Court which will be released in the near future. He also has released a CD, Caucasian Man, with music and interview highlights.

Mike and his wife Be-Be are involved with over two hundred charities. They currently live in the Northwest suburbs with their new dog "Lucky", a black lab mix from the Anti Cruelty Society.

Mike appears in The Red Eye on Wednesdays under FiveOnFive.  www.redeyechicago.com

Click here for "The Man in the Mirror" poem that Ditka always recites.

Ever wonder why everyone refers to Mike as Pappy?

Well, back in the day at the Score, it seemed like Mike was the "go to guy" whenever anyone had a problem.  One day, Terry Boers said, "Mike, it's like you're our Pappy, we all come to you with our problems."  Ever since then, everyone called him Pappy--it really stuck and now we've got Pappy's Guys, Pappy's Perks, and even Pappywear.

Here's Mike in the new Mike North Morning Show T-Shirt and hat.  Click here to buy.