60th birthday gag gift

White Castle 'slider' reminds Daley how far he's come

It's a case of the greasy pocket: the pocket of a 23-year-old trench coat stuffed with a "slider"--a White Castle hamburger.

*Translation: The trench coat with the burger-stuffed pocket was a gag gift to Mayor Daley last Thursday night by his 1980 campaign staff holding a reunion at Harry Caray's eatery.

*History: The staff, which had held on to Daley's old raincoat since 1980, claimed they often went to White Castle for a quick bite because it was a low-budget campaign in 1979.

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*Political history: Who knew a White Castle hamburger was to become Daley's good luck charm?

*****************************************************Michael Scott, Frank Kruesi, Earl Bush, Tim Degnan, Jeremiah Joyce, Eileen Carey, Jim**********Sheahan,*********************Mike Sheahan,******************************Dick Devine, *****Pat Levar ********Paul Stepan,*Terry Durkin,*John Daley, Michael Daley, Pat Daley Thompson, Lynn Danaher Tully,***********************************************Roseanne Bonoma*

Ring. Ring . . .

Wrong! So what's in a number? Here's what. Actor Jim Carrey's latest movie "Bruce Almighty" contains a phone number which is purported to be God's pager.

*The kicker: The film's number for "God" also happens to be the same number as state Rep. Danny Burke.

*The kicker II: So Burke left a message on his machine saying, "If you're calling for the Lord, you've got the wrong number, but the Man is always there to answer your prayers. But if you'd care to leave me a message, give your name and number, and I'd be happy to return your call."

Hello, Dan. This is God calling.

Top tip . . .

Survival of the smartest: Former Jimmy Carter chief of staff Hamilton Jordan, a three-time cancer survivor, hits town this weekend to tell the American Society of Clinical Oncologists meeting at McCormick Place to assist in empowering their patients because patient participation in treatment and decisions is key to successfully combatting the disease.

The Di file . . .

It's over: Brit police have returned about 200 items to Princess Diana's former butler, Paul Burrell, whom they once thought had stolen them. Isn't that a relief.

The race card . . .

Studs & Schwimmer: Legendary chronicler Studs Terkel told North Shore Magazine his friendship with actor David "Friends" Schwimmer has resulted in a copy of Terkel's oral history Race: How Blacks and Whites Think and Feel About the American Obsession, being placed somewhere on the set of "Friends." (Schwimmer is making the book into a play at Lookingglass Theatre.)

I spy . . .

Golfer Annika Sorenstam was spotted eating an Italian beef sandwich at Buona Beef Thursday. . . . Actor David Schwimmer dined at Bistro 110 twice last week, eating wood-roasted mushrooms. . . . "The Bachelor" Andrew Firestone and his fiance, Jennifer Schefft, ate at Tavern on Rush on Wednesday. . . . Former Gov. Jim Edgar and wife Brenda discussing Russia and World War I while eating chicken parmesan sandwiches at Tucci Benucch recently.... Mexican rock band Los Tigres del Norte dined at Gibsons on Monday. . . . Singer Michelle Branch dined at the eatery Tuesday. . . . Cubbies Eric Karros, Mark Guthrie, Ramon Martinez and Moises Alou dined at Alex Dana's Carmine's last week.

Sneedlings . . .

Congrats to Bishop Timothy Lyne, who will celebrate his 60th anniversary as priest and 20 years as a bishop at a mass at 11 a.m. Sunday at Holy Name Cathedral. . . . Today's birthdays: Pat Boone, 69; Morgan Freeman, 66; Ron Wood, 56; Andy Griffith, 77; Lisa Hartman Black, 47; Alanis Morissette, 29; Jonathan Pryce, 56; state Sen. Kirk Dillard, 48; Chief Judge Timothy Evans, 60, and Jan Starr, ageless. Monday's birthdays: Stacy Keach, 62; Jerry Mathers, 55; Charlie Watts, 62; Dennis Haysbert, 49; Dana Carvey, 48; Wayne Brady, 31, and a belated birthday to Charles Healy, 70.