The Cubs Will Always Be In My Heart

Recently, I started a little brushfire on Facebook about the City Of Chicago's preference for the Cubs over the crosstown rival White Sox. This is based on everything from media coverage to attendance figures to fan loyalty throughout generations. I heard back, long and loud, from Sox fans. The way I phrased it was that the Cubs are like the popular good looking kids, and, the Sox are like the ugly girl at the dance. Many Sox fans thought I was calling them personally ugly. I wasn't. My apologies to anyone who was offended. I was just quoting an old saying. I could have said '' The Sox are the red headed step child compared to the popularity of the Cubs'', but, I'm sure then I would be insulting red headed step children everywhere. Actually, the few comments I got from Sox fans-- and, the more personal emails I got, the last count I'm at twenty--- showed , once again, why it is fun to be a fan of sports in Chicago.... I have always been a Cub fan. That traditional started, as I have written before, with my Mother. She grew up around Wrigley Field and became a genuine fan of the team. This was back before women went to many games, its was a man's domain. She passed that down to my brother and me. We became rabid Cub fans. We had our favorite ballplayers: Ernie Banks, Billy Williams, Ron Santo, Bobby Murcer, etc. I don't know if young kids can today idolize an athlete like back then. Too much sordid details about the athlete's personal life and arrogant behavior seemed to have spoiled that childhood illusion. But, my brother Tom and I had it. Boys played ball back then with their friends and you always pretended to be your favorite ballplayer when you hit and played the field. I used to do perfect imitations of the various Cubs. For a few moments anyway, I was Billy and Ernie and Santo!!!... The highlight of any summer was going to Wrigley Field. We went once, maybe, twice a year as a family. This was pure joy. You didn't sleep well the night before, I was too jacked!!! Dad would take us downtown in the old blue Plymouth. Off the Kennedy, on to Addison, past the WGN studios and Burt Wieman Ford. And, then, from a distance, rose this magnificent shrine, as if from Heaven. 1060 West Addison [ the address of the Blues Brothers in the movie ]. You saw it. It was special. Truly the Field Of Dreams. We would park the car with the nuns at the parking lot for ten bucks. Dad would give us our tickets to hold with the warning to don't lose them. Are you kidding Dad? Hold on to them? The goddamn Gestapo couldn't get them away from me!!.. Once in the ballpark, we would stop and get concessions. And, then , the most dramatic part would happen: walking up the steps. I knew what was at the top of those steps. The first glimpse of that magic field!! I would see the outfield walls, gloriously covered in ivy. Then the field. And, then, I would sweep my eyes around and take the ballpark in completely. Every Cub fan has done the exact same thing as me. It just felt right... Sometimes the Cubs would win when I went to a game, sometimes they would lose. My most memorable game was when my favorite player, Billy Williams, hit a game winning home run. I'm sure Billy doesn't even remember it, but, in this boy's mind, it is a a warm part of my childhood.I went home that day, grabbed some friends, played lob league, and, hit a ball just like Billy!!! That night, I went to bed sleeping with my glove on my pillow... As I have gotten older, teenager and adult, I lost a little of the Cubs magic. That is normal. Life takes over. You have other more important areas of your life to attend to. But, I always kept an eye on how they were doing. As we all know, most of the time, its been bad. The refrain of wait until next year is so worn out by us fans. We continue to hope. Some people have asked me, why follow a team that lets you down every year? That hasn't won a World Series since 1908? That is the biggest losing franchise in sports?. They have a solid point, how do I and millions of others continue down the futile road of being a Cub fan? I can't speak for others, but, I know that reason for me.... It is a connection to my parents, to my brother, and, to that little boy that I was  so long ago. All those people are gone, but, the adult me carries the spirit for them... The little me that saw Billy hit that home run.... They will win someday, I hope I'm alive when it happens. And, when it does... well, the world will stop for a few minutes--- even in the darkest caves of  Pakistan, the Talibon will be saying, ''The fuckin Cubs won!!!''... So, I suppose it was wrong to chastise the Sox fans. They have their own memories and fond feelings. I was generally thrilled when they won in 2005. Now, it is our turn. God knows we have earned it!!... It must go 7 games, into the bottom of the ninth. Bases loaded of Cubs. And, whomever, hits a grand slam!!!!... I want to be in that ballpark when it happens. I would be there representing those who aren't there-- just like everyone else at the game.... And, I hope Billy Williams is sitting next to me!!!