Wherefore a Cubs Fan

It was the summer of 1982, and as a 9-year-old latchkey kid with basic cable and too much time on my hands, I somehow found my way to WGN.

Growing up in Urbana, Illinois, I was already a fan of Illini football and basketball — a fandom passed down by my grandfather. Watching games with him was the only time that I could get one-on-one time with him away from my siblings and cousins. So I was already starting a lifelong obsession with spending way too much time watching sports on televisions.

But my grandpa was not a baseball fan, so I had to discover the Cubs on my own. Living in Central Illinois, for someone with no parental influence, there were only two options when choosing a team to root for: the Chicago Cubs or the St. Louis Cardinals. The Cubs were available on WGN and the Cardinals were broadcast on the flagship AM radio staion in town, WDWS.Watching or listening to the White Sox was nearly impossible and becoming a fan of a team in Atlanta (available to watch on WTBS) was unthinkable.

As mentioned, we had basic cable and WGN, so in my boredom during the summer, I noticed the CUbs happened to be on. At that time, there were no lights in Wrigley, so all the games were day games, perfect for a summer afternoon.

I don’t remember much about that season, other than I became a fan a of slick-htting Cubs’ first baseman, named Bill Buckner. I also remember a good young third baseman named Ryne Sandberg, and a due of 2nd basement – Junior Kennedy and Bump Wills. The team was bad, and finished 5th in the NL East. But the flow of the game, Harry Carey’s enthusiasm, and having something to watch on a summer day got me hooked. I was a young Chicago Cubs fan – unaware of the hearbreak and frustration life had in store for me.

But at this point in my life, my fandom was not solidified. I might have drifted to other sports or teams with my fandom. But then 1984 happened…but that is a story for another post.

This blog will be a complilation of posts about the Cubs – analysis and thoughts around the current team, reflections on the recent past, and ruminations of the hstory of my fandom. Hopefully, other Cubs fans will find it entertaining.