Cubs: How did you become a fan of the team?

With the offseason in full swing, news topics are few and far between. So let’s do a fun topic. How did you become a fan of the Chicago Cubs?

Given the rich history of this franchise, Chicago Cubs fans come from all walks of life. Some inherited their fandom down from their grandparents while some just happened organically. For me, it was the latter as my father was never really into baseball and it wasn’t until the 2006 season that I discovered my passion for baseball and the Chicago Cubs. I was aware of the 2003 NLCS happenings at the age of 14 but to that point, I was primarily a football and basketball fan. I had been to a game at Wrigley when I was much younger and specifically remember Sammy Sosa and Rod Beck having an integral part in helping the Cubs win that day but that was pretty much it as far as my interest in baseball went.

During the summer of 2006, I was entering my junior year of high school and my buddy suggested going to a Cubs game. We purchased our bleacher seats and made the 90-mile trek to Wrigley Field where the Brewers were in town. Derrek Lee had just returned from his wrist injury and parked a fastball into the bleachers – actually not far from where we were sitting – and the Cubs would hang onto the victory. The team was far from good that year, finishing with a 66-96 record but on that warm afternoon at Wrigley Field, a new love had developed inside of me and suddenly, I couldn’t stop watching Cubs’ games.

We ended up going to a handful of games that summer and seven the next summer, including the Cubs comeback win against those Brewers. If you recall, the Cubs were down 5-0 before Aramis Ramirez launched a two-run walk-off home run off Francisco Cordero, and to this day, is still one of the most memorable victories in franchise history.

Not long into my fanhood, I was able to taste postseason births in both 2007 and 2008 but the Cubs were swept in dominating fashion by the Diamondbacks and Dodgers, respectively before heading back into the dark ages. Oddly enough, my favorite player on those rosters was Alfonso Soriano. The contract ended up being bad for the team but he could carry the team for a couple of weeks at a time when they really needed it.

I went to my first Cubs Convention during the 2013 offseason and again the following year when the team had signed Jon Lester. If you’ve never been to one, it’s a truly remarkable experience, especially the Friday night ceremonies. At the time, the Cubs had a loaded farm system as prospects seemed to be making their debuts on a weekly basis but, still, 108 years was the joke from opposing fanbases. Heading into the 2016 season, the Cubs were the favorites to win the World Series, and although my heartbreak had been limited, I knew better to assume anything was definitive.

And finally, on a warm November night in Cleveland, the Cubs became World Series champions for the first time in my life and many others that had been watching this team longer than I had. I had often wondered what my emotions would be like once it finally happened, and that night, I was more just relieved that they were able to pull that win out after the 8th inning drama with Rajai Davis. Two days later, I headed off to the parade with my buddy who first introduced me to the Cubs and with all members of the team on stage singing Go Cubs Go, it finally hit me and the waterworks were on.

The emotional attachment with this team is real and baseball season, regardless of how good or bad the team, is always one of my favorite times of the year. If they have a bad game, there is always another game the next day. It’s a beautiful sport and I am thankful to have found them in this lifetime.

How did you become a fan of the team?