Ron Santo’S Linguine With Clam Sauce

Before he became a Hall of Fame contender as one of the best third-basemen in history, Ron Santo toiled as a groundkeeper, a batboy, and an usher for Seattle's PAcific Coast League team. But sweet success came along soon enough, says Santo. "Vada Pinson, who was a great ballplayer for the Reds, used to come by, and I'd shine his shoes. He went to the majors in 1958, and by 1960, I was in the big leagues, so I went from shining his shoes to playing against him in just two years." Santo put away his shoeshine kit when the Chicago Cubs drafted him in 1960, and he played for them through 1973. Over his 13 years with the club, he won five Rawlings Gold Glove awards and racked up 337 home runs, the third-highest total in Cubs history. Thes days Santo spends his ballpark time in the broadcast booth rather than the dugout, as the Cubs play-by-play analyst. "It's a lot easier up where I am now than it is down on the field." When Santo isn't on the air, he's in the kitchen of his restaurant and sports bar, Ron Santo's American Rotisserie, which specializes in chicken, ribs, steaks, and pasta. "I eat there every night with my wife, and the waiters and waitresses will come over and say, 'They'd like to see you at that table over there for an autograph.' I designed a baseball card for the restaurant with a picture of me in a suit on the back and a picture of me in a baseball uniform on the front. It gives all my stats. My customers eat it up." That is, when they're not devouring his Linguine with Clam Sauce. In a bowl, dissolve clam base in reserved juice from canned clams. In large saucepan, heat olive oil until sizzling. Saute onions, mushrooms, basil and garlic. Add butter and cayenne. Stir in tomatoes, wine and clams in base mixture, and cook for 3-4 minutes. Cook linguine until it is AL DENTE; drain well. Top with sauce

Diced domestic mushrooms