Cubs: A personal reflection

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Testimony of a Cub fan


I spent most of the ‘80s in Chicago following my army stint. I worked in the Loop for one of the two major newspapers. I watched the Sox take their division in ‘83, and the Sandberg-and-Sutcliffe-led Cubs take theirs in ‘84. I was a homegrown San Diegan. I switched my alliance to the Cubs in the 1984 playoffs.

Chuck and I would grab a couple of egg-and-cheeseburgers to go from the Billy Goat Tavern on lower Wacker before heading out to the game, flipping-off the image on the wall of “Billy Goat” Saines, even as we piled on the raw red onions and mustard.

1984 marked the last year of the best-of-five League Championship. (Since then it’s been best-of-seven.) Back then, home-field advantage -- whether three games or two -- alternated by division. There were only East and West Divisions at that time.

The home-field advantage was SUPPOSED to go to the East that year, in this case to the Cubs. But because Wrigley was still not equipped for night games, that advantage was simply flopped to San Diego. It was a network decision.

After the Cubs won the first two games of the playoffs (at home during the week), while smoking a joint with Chuck along the edge of the Chicago River, I prodded him -- no, flat-out harassed him -- to bet against the Cubs. I gave him odds, fifteen-to-one. At that time only twice in LCS history had a team come back from being down 0-2 to win the pennant. The odds, historically, were one-in-thirteen against. So I spotted Chuck a topper on the historical edge. He finally agreed, knowing that if nothing else I’d loan him the ten bucks to pay off his loss to me against the one-fifty I put up. It was easy money, so I thought.

The Cubs dropped the first game in San Diego, which put them 2-1 on the series. Friday night. No problem. On Saturday, Sutcliffe held a three-run lead in the seventh of Game 4....

I’ve been listening all about Buckner’s between-the-legs botch in ‘86 for what? -- seventeen years now? Sure, that was a famous foible because it happened in a World Series. But that was nothing -- nothing -- compared to the original. Cub first baseman Leon Durham let a Senator Steve Garvey grounder roll between his legs into right field in the seventh inning of Game Four. The momentum turned. Fairweather Padre fans suddenly donned the cowl of deep-rooted sports fanatics -- at least for the balance of that game and the next. By Sunday night the Cubs had lost the series 2-3.

Naturally, Chuck was as bummed out as I was with the result. But he had the cash consolation of my lost bet to ease his pain. I of course had not only switched my hometown loyalty -- wrongly to the loser -- not to mention shelling out a C-note and a half -- but I harbored the guilt of my not-so-secret forsaking of my old hometown for my new. I had in loss enthusiastically, deliberately and unequivocally pledged myself to the ultimate Lost Cause. I had become a die-hard Cubs fan -- a fact more disturbing than I would then acknowledge; but it came out in other ways.

I once had to be restrained by Billy Goat Tavern patrons from a fisticuffs with (famous opposing columnist) Mike Royko. We had both had too much to drink. But times had changed. Rather times had failed to change. Ordinarily, in the course of maturity, the day ought to have passed -- memorably, sure, but passed into the past just the same. Now attached to the Cubs of Chicago, however, there was not really any such thing as a passing, but rather a passage. Something like the Eagles “Hotel California” (still playing popularly on the airwaves at the time): “You can check out, but you can never leave.”

I had crossed a line.

***

I have of course long since outgrown Chuck and joints and mass post-worktime brewology -- and as well, so I thought, Cub fanaticism.

So I thought.

In this, my first summer since I was five NOT playing on the field myself -- I am in my first year of inactive hardballing, “retired” (in which you, NetShrine client, have already substitutionally endeared yourself to me without revocation) -- I find myself once again arrested by the Cubs. They may already be the World Champs, and we just need to see it played out. (Irony now is that in a best-of-five the Cubs have already won. But this is not then [even if then was not rightly done]. This is some other group of guys in the uniform. Andre Dawson was in the Wrigley stands tonight -- on the Marlins payroll.) Or the Cubs, or I, may be dead already and just not notified.

***

Tomorrow (or today, depending upon post-time in your region), the Cubs will either win or lose. Whatever the outcome, it is as it should be. You can root for the Cubs, or not. It’s been so long since they went all the way that their failure has become the status quo. A warm and comfortable security found in finishing perennially “pretty good.”

Should the Cubs win tomorrow, the world, for some, will be turned on its ear. If not, Pudge and his Marlins are a good team to go forward. And us die-hard (or closet) Cub fans always have next year.

An aside: Isn’t it interesting that it’s MeKeon -- again -- opposing the Cubs?

Nevertheless, you can’t take that away: Next year.

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[rcartman28]

Fun little story. Fisticuffs with Royko, huh ??? It's too bad he's not here to comment about the Cubs' postseason adventures. I would have liked to have read what he would have had to say.....

[KCBOOMER]

Well said.

[nyy26wc]

Originally Posted by Batman

The home-field advantage was SUPPOSED to go to the East that year, in this case to the Cubs. But because Wrigley was still not equipped for night games, that advantage was simply flopped to San Diego. It was a network decision.

That's not true.

Home field went to the West in 1982
Home field went to the East in 1983

It was the West's turn in 1984.

[poorme]

Originally Posted by nyy26wc

That's not true.

Home field went to the West in 1982
Home field went to the East in 1983

It was the West's turn in 1984.

I thought home field was given to the best record, but MLB sold out the Cubs. I can't recall exactly, but there was some sort of issue with the lack of lights.

[rcartman28]

Originally Posted by poorme

I thought home field was given to the best record, but MLB sold out the Cubs. I can't recall exactly, but there was some sort of issue with the lack of lights.

I believe that in the late eighties MLB had threatened to move the Cubs home playoff games to St Louis unless they put in lights.

[SmedIndy]

Yes - those shenannigans didn't happen until the mid-80's.

[poorme]

Originally Posted by SmedIndy

Yes - those shenannigans didn't happen until the mid-80's.

ah. must have been the 89 series.