When I was about eight, my dad and Uncle took me to my first Cubs game. After the game, they took me to a Wrigleyville bar for a bite to eat when in walked Mr. Cub himself, Ernie Banks. Ernie graciously stopped by each table, including ours, signing programs and chatting. While I recall that Ernie politely questioned why I was wearing a Pittsburgh Pirates cap (my choice at a vendor outside earlier), he could not have been nicer and I have been a devoted Cubs fan ever since.
Now that I have sons of my own, I am intent on passing along a love of the Cubs, especially during this possibly historic season, and an appreciation for baseball in general, with its endless intricacies, rich history, and a rhythm that seems to hark back to a simpler era.
That all being said, is there any prouder moment as a Cubs fan/father than showing a picture of Cub's ace Carlos Zambrano in the newspaper to your five-year old son, asking him who it is, and having him correctly reply: "That's Big Z!". The answer, by the way, is no. I will, however, acknowledge that my moment of pride was slightly dampened when Deanna asked him how he knew which Cub that was and he answered "Because he's the fat guy." Oh well, its a start.
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