With the acquisitions of Miguel Montero, Jon Lester, and Jason Hammel, and the development of their many prospects, the Chicago Cubs are poised for a great year. As a Cubs fan, I could not be more excited. It has been seven years since the Cubbies were swept out of the playoffs by the Los Angeles Dodgers. While I am not expecting the boys of the North Side to dominate and win the World Series, I am hoping for an above .500 season. This hope takes a backseat to a person special to me who is a more important fan of the Cubs.
My grandpa is the biggest Cubs fan I have ever met. For as long as I can remember, I count on asking him about the Cub’s performance. Whether he tells me he turned off the game in the first inning, after the Cubs gave up five runs, or the Cubs’ relievers actually pulled off a save, I am excited to listen to his analysis. The joy to hear a man in his nineties discuss the team he has loved for his whole life is wonderful.
Grandpa’s fandom is so strong he converted me as a young child. Throughout my childhood, my favorite professional teams were the Denver Broncos, the Houston Rockets, and the Cubbies. As I grew older, I lost all but one of these allegiances. The Cubs remain at the forefront figuratively and literally. One of my favorite shirts to wear is a Chicago Cubs t-shirt.
The most important part of my fandom is not my eternal love for the Cubs, but my love for my grandpa. If there is a constant in both of our lives while he has grown older and weaker, and I have grown older and stronger, it is our love for the Cubs. My fandom for the Cubs lives and dies through my grandpa’s faith in them.
The Cubs have been through terrible times during their existence. It has been 107 years since the Cubs won the World Series, seventy years since the Cubs were last in the World Series, and twelve years since the Cubs last won a playoff series. My grandpa was born 14 years after the Cubs won the World Series. He has been through most of the Cubs good and bad history. If there is one thing the Cubs could do for him, it would be to win a World Series. If they cannot, my grandpa will be ready to cheer for the Cubs (or turn the TV off) during the next season.
