“A Dream Come True”

Theater is my love! Other than my wife and my kids, and of course, grandkids, I look forward to enjoying theater as many as five nights a week! EXCEPT- during baseball season, where I become the strongest of Cubs fans one can know. I became a true fan during my teen-age years, giving up my love of the White Sox ( my dad’s “only” Chicago team) when I got to work at Wrigley as a vendor. I loved the park and the fans, in particular when I was working the bleachers (home of the “Bleacher Bums”, a favorite play for me), and of course I dreamed, what was “The Impossible Dream” for many years, falling victim to the lean years and those of great promise. In 1984 I became a season ticket holder. I was able to obtain two seats in section 420, first row. This is right behind Home Plate, which means every pitch is easy to call (often better than the men in blue call). In ’84, my son Cary was able to attend the playoffs (a year that should have been ours), and I think during this special time, he became a true Cubs fan. He was 10 and I pulled him out of school for the event. Remember, back then, there were no night games at Wrigley Field!

Our dream of seeing a World Series at Wrigley was delayed many times and then the Tribune, a company that made nothing but money owning this team, which because of WGN Television became a fan favorite, sold the team to the Ricketts family. I thank God daily for this transaction, because here was an owner that was also a “fan”, pure and simple! He brought in the right people who began to fight the windmills allowing for the dream to come true, and last year brought us close.  In 2016, Don Quixote a/k/a Theo Epstein brought his lance into the windmill and with his team of players and staff, the National League Championship and the World Series back in Wrigley Field.

As of this writing, the winningest team in baseball for 2016 will probably not win the World Series. Cleveland has a solid team and a great deal more experience in how to play in the “big one”. But the promise that was made back when Theo took the helm of this team was that he would bring a World Series to Wrigley, and by George, He did! My best Friend, Barry , who I share my tickets with, were able to have a great summer and while he was in town, he was able to attend one of the playoff games (along with my grandson, Adam who was able to share the feeling that his Uncle Cary had back in 1984) and I was able to be at game 4 of the World Series. No matter what happens tonight and the next two games (should they happen), I know that the excitement that this team has brought to our city and the fans will be here for a while.

This team is young. In fact, if you look at the jacket I am wearing in the photos, only one player on the team is as old as my jacket. I know I will wear it again, and I know that this team will be back. My friend Marty Singer got so caught up in the fever, he sat down and wrote a poem. Short and sweet like “Tinkers to Evers to Chance” (names that many Cubs fans today will have to “google” t

Russell to Baez to Riz

Come hear the lyrics of Baseball’s sweet song,

Russell to Baez to Riz.

Smooth as silk, swift and strong,

Russell to Baez to Riz.

Able performers of the double play dance,

Gamers that stoke the Wrigley romance,

Successors to Tinker, Evers, and Chance

Russell to Baez to Riz!

By Marty Singer, 10-25-16,

With apologies to Franklin Pierce Adams, 1910

o find- take a look)

And instead of the usual end of the year quote, how about “See you next year”!