It’s 12:02 am. Two minutes ago, it became November 3, 2016.
Two minutes ago, when it was November 2, 2016, is a day that I will never forget
thanks to five simple words, “The Cubs are World Champions.”
It all began 16 years ago when I was just seven years old. I
remember the moment vividly. My family was on vacation, we were staying in a
hotel somewhere. I was ready to go do whatever it was we were supposed to do
next and no one else was, so I sat down on one of those extra-hard hotel beds
and turned on the television. I start flicking through the channels and come
upon a familiar, red letter C. I had just started playing baseball at the time
and our team name was the “Cubs.” All of the sudden I hear the guys on the
television start talking about the “Cubs.” I think to myself, “hey, that’s me.”
I was instantly mesmerized, especially when the batter crushed the ball and
started hopping as he watched it go over the fence. My first memory as a Cubs
fan was a Sammy Sosa home run. It was glorious.
Later, came the dogs named Sammy and Sosa. My mom always
liked to remind people that we named Sosa before the player Sammy Sosa was found
to be using a corked bat like it somehow made him shameful. Meanwhile, every
baseball player and then some (Sammy included) was juiced on every steroid
under the sun. It was an exciting time to be a baseball fan and Sammy will
always be the reason I chose to start rooting for the Cubs.
I remember the pain of 2003 and feeling so sorry for Steve
Bartman. I remember Dusty Baker pitching Kerry Wood and Mark Prior into the
grave. I remember Carlos Zambrano punching out Michael Barrett. I remember the
years where the Cubs were out of the race by May 31. I remember feeling jealous
of Cardinal fans.
Above all else, I remember feeling like I would be like all
those other Cub fans. I would grow cynical and believe in curses. I would be
afraid of postseason baseball. At the ripe age of 21, I thought that I might
never see the Cubs win the World Series, just like so many other Cubs fans over
the past 108 years.
But then, last year happened. I saw and got to root for a
team that believed in themselves and believed in each other. They were not
going to let any billy goat or black cat or fan impeding the catching of a foul
ball define them as men and define them as a team. They were youthful and it
showed, but they were talented and that showed more. All of the sudden I knew.
I knew that if not this year, sometime very soon I would get to hear those
precious words, “The Cubs are World Champions.”
Tonight was surreal. I never believed for a second they
would lose that game. From the moment Dexter smacked that ball over the fence
in the first inning to the moment Rajai Davis tied the game at six in the
bottom of the eighth, I knew the Cubs were going to win tonight because this
Cubs team was different. All season, they were never rattled. They never showed
any signs that they didn’t believe in each other and in their coaches, despite
everyone around them second guessing anything and everything Joe Maddon did.
It couldn’t have happened to a better group of guys.
Everyone played a part and I am just so glad I got to witness history. I love this team. Congrats
to the Indians on a great season and a historic Game 7 effort, but tonight is the
Cubs night.
The Cubs are gonna win today.
They’re singing….
Go Cubs Go!
Go Cubs Go!
