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Gene Callahan - General Interest
For over 40 years Gene Callahan worked in the political arena, first as a journalist with the Illinois State Register (Springfield) from 1957 to 1967, then as assistant press secretary for Gov. Sam Shapiro, and Lt. Gov. Paul Simon's press secretary until 1972. In 1974 he began his long association with Alan Dixon, when Dixon served as Illinois state Treasurer, then Illinois Secretary of State. When Dixon moved to the U.S. Senate in 1981, Callahan became his chief of staff and most trusted political advisor. After Dixon lost a reelection bid to Carol Mosley Braun in 1992, Callahan worked for several years as the chief lobbyist for Major League Baseball, fighting to preserve its exemption from the Sherman Antitrust Act. His long friendship with Senator Dick Durbin dates back to the days when both worked for Lt. Gov. Simon.
Interview Links
Abstract
Interview Session 01 (Audio)
Early life through Callahan’s journalistic career to 1967
Interview Session 02 (Audio)
Years with Sam Shapiro, Paul Simon
Interview Session 03 (Audio)
Years with Senator Dixon, 1980 - 1986
Interview Session 04 (Audio)
Dixon’s 2nd term as U.S. Senator
Interview Session 05 (Audio)
Years as lobbyist for Major League Baseball, 1993-98
Transcript
Photos
Caption
Gene Callahan’s high school graduation photograph from Milford High School in 1951.
Where:
Milford High School
When:
1951
Ownership:
This image is considered to be in the public domain.
Caption
Joe Callahan, Gene’s father, as he appeared in a campaign photo in 1964, the year the ‘bedsheet ballot’ helped him win a seat in the IL General Assembly. Joe was the Democratic Party’s vice-chairman in the Republican stronghold of Iroquois County.
Where:
Unknown
When:
1964
Ownership:
May be restricted. Patrons desiring to use this photograph should contact the ALPL Audio-Visual Curator.
Caption
Gene played baseball during the 1952 through 1954 seasons while attending Illinois College.
Where:
Unknown
When:
Unknown
Ownership:
This image is considered to be in the public domain.
Caption
Gene Callahan’s graduation photo for Illinois College in 1955.
Where:
Unknown
When:
1955
Ownership:
This image is considered to be in the public domain.
Caption
Gene pitched for the Illinois College Blueboys during his years there.
Where:
Illinois College
When:
Unknown
Ownership:
This image is considered to be in the public domain.
Caption
Gene regarded James Ronan, the long-time Chairman of the Democratic Party in Illinois, as one of his most important mentors during the 1960s.
Where:
Unknown
When:
Unknown
Ownership:
This image is considered to be in the public domain.
Caption
Gene Callahan joins a group of reporters with John F. Kennedy in 1960 during the candidate’s visit to Illinois. From left to right are reporters Thiem, Jones, Fitzpatrick, Bradley, Dallman, Kimble, Miller, Callahan, Shaughnessy, Armstrong and Gonko.
Where:
Illinois State Capital
When:
1960
Ownership:
This image is considered to be in the public domain.
Caption
Callahan is featured as the Illinois State Register’s political reporter in a piece of promotional material for the newspaper during the 1960s.
Where:
Unknown
When:
Unknown
Ownership:
May be restricted. Patrons desiring to use this photograph should contact the ALPL Audio-Visual Curator.
Caption
The infamous ‘bed-sheet ballot’ of 1964, where all of Illinois’s General Assembly candidates had to be listed on one at-large ballot due to Illinois’s political leaders’ inability to resolve the redistricting requirements stemming from the 1960 census.
Where:
Unknown
When:
1964
Ownership:
This image is considered to be in the public domain.
Caption
Governor Otto Kerner (1961-1967) personalized this photo for Gene Callahan during his reportage days with the Illinois State Register.
Where:
Unknown
When:
Unknown
Ownership:
This image is considered to be in the public domain.
Caption
Callahan is third from the left in this photo of the Sangamon County Young Democrats, circa 1962. Also in the photo, from left to right, are Jim Moody, Randy Richter, Callahan, Bob Flynn, John Fitzgerald O’Brien and Bob Flannigan.
Where:
Unknown
When:
1962
Ownership:
Narrator’s photo
Caption
Sportsman Park as it appeared in the 1960s. It was the home of the St. Louis Cardinals, Callahan’s favorite team, for decades. Gene was there, along with his son Dan on May 8, 1966 when the Cardinals played their last game in the venerable old park.
Where:
Sportsman Park
When:
circa 1966
Ownership:
May be restricted. Patrons desiring to use this photograph should contact the ALPL Audio-Visual Curator.
Caption
Lieutenant Governor Paul Simon is flanked by his staff in 1969. From left to right are Ray Johnsen, Lorraine Gillespie, Mary Lou Speaks, Yvonne Rice, Leroy Wehrle and Gene Callahan, who worked as Simon’s press secretary and administrative assistant.
Where:
Unknown
When:
1969
Ownership:
This image is considered to be in the public domain. The photo appeared in the biennial Illinois Blue Book.
Caption
Gene with Senator Alan Dixon in 1976 when Callahan served as Dixon’s Chief of Staff.
Where:
Unknown
When:
1976
Ownership:
Narrator’s photo
Caption
Alan Dixon and Paul Simon peer out from a train locomotive some time during the Governor Ogilvie administration. The two were working on rail issues at the time, and signed the photo for Gene Callahan in 1985.
Where:
Unknown
When:
1985
Ownership:
This image is considered to be in the public domain.
Caption
Gene Callahan in the mid 1990s shortly after he went to work for Major League Baseball as its chief lobbyist on anti-trust issues.
Where:
Unknown
When:
mid-1990s
Ownership:
This image is considered to be in the public domain.
Caption
A signed photo of Allen (Bud) Selig, the President and CEO of the Milwaukee Brewers, who in 1992 also became acting commissioner of Major League Baseball. He was finally officially elevated to the post in 1998.
Where:
Unknown
When:
Unknown
Ownership:
This image is considered to be in the public domain.
Caption
Gene Callahan with Vice President Al Gore in the mid-1990s, when Callahan worked for Major League Baseball.
Where:
Unknown
When:
mid-1990s
Ownership:
Narrator’s photo
Caption
The Callahans take a moment to celebrate at the 1994 Springfield Sports Hall of fame. From left to right are Gene, Ann, Lynn, Chari and Dan.
Where:
Springfield Sports Hall of Fame, Springfield, IL
When:
1994
Ownership:
Narrator’s photo
Caption
Dan Callahan, Gene’s son, while Dan coached the Southern Illinois University “Salukis’ men’s baseball team in the mid 1990s. Dan experienced a very brief professional baseball career of his own before turning to coaching.
Where:
Southern Illinois University Carbondale
When:
mid 1990s
Ownership:
Narrator’s photo
Caption
The Callahans get together in Kansas City in the late 1990s when Gene’s niece Colleen was inaugurated as the first woman president of the National Association of Farm Broadcasters. Colleen, in the center, is flanked by her daughter and husband, Dick.
Where:
National Association of Farm Broadcasters, Kansas City
When:
late 1990s
Ownership:
Narrator’s photo
Caption
Gene Callahan meets with President Bill Clinton in early 1995 during a meeting at the White House.
Where:
the White House, Washington D.C.
When:
early 1995
Ownership:
This image is considered to be in the public domain.
Caption
Gene with Senator Robert Kerry of Nebraska in 1997 while Gene was with Major League Baseball.
Where:
Unknown
When:
1997
Ownership:
Narrator’s photo
Caption
Callahan meets with Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley at the National Mayors’ Conference in Portland Oregon in the 1990s.
Where:
National Mayors' Conference, Portland, OR
When:
1990s
Ownership:
This image is considered to be in the public domain.
Caption
Former Senator Paul Simon as he appeared during his tenure at the Paul Simon Institute at Southern Illinois University in the mid 1990s. As always, he proudly sported a bowtie.
Where:
Paul Simon Institute, Southern Illinois University Carbondale
When:
mid-1990s
Ownership:
This image is considered to be in the public domain.
Caption
Gene Callahan with Senator Carol Moseley Braun, Paul Simon and Jeanne Simon in October of 1996 at a morning meeting that Simon and Dixon hosted for Illinoisans in Washington, D.C.
Where:
Washington D.C.
When:
October 1996
Ownership:
Narrator’s photo
Caption
Gene Callahan, Stan Cook (Former Chairman of the Chicago Tribune and Chairman of the Chicago Cubs), Jerry Reinsdorf, (owner of both the Chicago Bulls and White Sox), and Senator Dick Durbin at the new U.S. Cellular Field in Chicago in the mid-2000s.
Where:
U.S. Cellular Field, Chicago, IL
When:
mid-2000s
Ownership:
Narrator’s photo
Caption
Jim Burns, Gene Callahan, son Dan Callahan and former Illinois Attorney General Neil Hartigan help Gene celebrate his retirement from baseball in 1998.
Where:
Unknown
When:
1998
Ownership:
Narrator’s photo
Caption
Lynn (Callahan) Ruppert holds up her Springfield High School basketball jersey on the occasion of her number being retired in 2004, the first woman player to be so honored.
Where:
Springfield High School, Springfield, IL
When:
Februrary 13, 2004
Ownership:
Springfield State Journal Register photo, February 13, 2004. May be restricted. Patrons desiring to use this photograph should contact the ALPL Audio-Visual Curator.
Caption
Gene and Dan Callahan share a lighter moment in 1997.
Where:
Unknown
When:
1997
Ownership:
Narrator’s photo
Caption
Callahan had been a life-long fan of Fats Domino and got an opportunity to meet the R
Where:
Home of Fats Domino, New Orleans, LA
When:
2003
Ownership:
Narrator’s photo
Caption
Callahan with long-time friend Jerry Reinsdorf, owner of the Chicago White Sox and Chicago Bulls, circa 2008.
Where:
Unknown
When:
circa 2008
Ownership:
Narrator’s photo
Caption
Ann and Gene Callahan outside their home in Springfield circa 1997.
Where:
Callahan Residence, Springfield, Illinois
When:
circa 1997
Ownership:
Narrator’s photo
Caption
Gene with his grandkids, Brad Ruppert, Joe Bustos and Nick Bustos, in 1996 on the occasion of getting his social security card.
Where:
Unknown
When:
1996
Ownership:
Narrator’s photo
Caption
Gene, a life-long Democrat, was not shy to declare that he did not vote for Rod Blagojevich when the governor ran for reelection in 2006.
Where:
Unknown
When:
2006
Ownership:
This image is considered to be in the public domain.
Caption
Lynn (Callahan) Ruppert, Colleen Callahan (Gene’s niece) and Cheri (Callahan) Bustos in 2008 during Colleen’s unsuccessful bid for the U.S. Congress.
Where:
Unknown
When:
2008
Ownership:
Narrator’s photo
Caption
Callahan and his longtime friend, Senator Dick Durbin, in 2008. The two first worked together on Lieutenant Governor Simon’s staff in the late 1960s.
Where:
Unknown
When:
2008
Ownership:
Narrator’s photo
Caption
Ann and Gene Callahan with daughters Lynn and Cheri in 2009.
Where:
Unknown
When:
2009
Ownership:
Narrator’s photo
Caption
Gene and journalist colleague Ray Long (Chicago Tribune statehouse reporter) enjoy a moment at the Illinois State Fair’s Democratic Day in 2011.
Where:
Illinois State Fair Democratic Day
When:
2011
Ownership:
Narrator’s photo