Baseball Week #11-Cardiac Cubs and Father's Promises

Last year I did a Father's Day post with baseball's father-son combinations. Since I want to be original and non-repetitive, I will take a different road this year. Back when I was growing up, I believe it was tradition that the children took up their fathers' teams because that was the way things were done. There wasn't ever any forcing on my Dad's part; I think it was a sign of of respect. It never occurred to me that steering away from this was wrong.

Dad...with all due respect, why, oh why, the Cubs?? The title of my post for this week's usually indicates a team who keeps coming back in their wins. The Cubs had 4 wins in their last at-bat this past week, including the last three games. So at my age, as I near 40, maybe the term Cardiac Cubs should have a new meaning-they are giving me a heart attack!! Maybe the come from behind wins this week will jump-start their season and push them (finally) in the direction they need to be.

In the spirit of Father's Day, I will share an anecdote that is really family lore. My Dad's father promised him that the Cubs would win a pennant before he turned 40. Now as Cub fans know, 1984 was truly a heartbreak year for the cubs. They were this close to getting in the World Series. My Dad turned 40 in mid October that year. So I got the same promise my Dad did. And my next biggest heartbreak was in 2003. Steve Bartman. Alex Gonzalez. I'm still another year away. And I don't have kids to make the same the promise to. As my Dad hits a milestone with his 65th birthday later on this Fall, I hope that at some point, we can share a Cubs pennant. (I hear snickers now....)

So this week, I will share two lists: my favorite Cubs moments and the Cubs flops. Have fun with these lists Dad and Happy Father's Day!!

Favorite Cub Moments:

1. Ryne Sandberg's Hall Of Fame Induction. I was there in 2005. Sandberg did his great speech; and who knew it would still be powerful today?

2. Let's play two!! My Dad's fav Cub Ernie Banks' catch phrase.

3. Dave Kingman vs. Mike Schmidt in 1979. I remember back then my uncle promise me tickets to a game if Kingman hit 50 home runs (which was a big deal pre-steroids era). Kingman was just short that year, hitting 48.

4. Ryne Sandberg vs. St. Louis in 1984. NBC's Game Of the Week captured this classic game as I became a Sandberg fan for life. My goodness, that was 25 years ago!! (And I saw this on tv with Dad!!)

5. My first Wrigley Field game in 2007. Wrigley is the best place to watch a baseball game in person.

Honorable mention: Kerry Wood's 20 strikeout game in 1998; Rick Sutcliffe's 16-1 record in 1984; the Cubs winning a playoff series in 2003; Carlos Zambrano's no hitter in 2008; even though it was a loss, the infamous 23-22 game in 1979 with the Phillies; Mark Grace's great NLCS in 1989 as a rookie.

Hunter Flops-the worst Cubs moments in my lifetime:

1. The Cubs coming close to the pennant in 1984. My assistant cross country coach, who was a Phillies fan, called my house as soon as they lost to the Padres. My Dad was pissed, just like me.

1. The Cubs coming close to the pennant in 2003. Nothing more needs to be said.

3. The Cubs blowing the wild card in 2004. I remember a late September game that year that the Cubs blew against the Mets; I believe it was the second to last Saturday of the season. I blew many gaskets that day. And that was the beginning of the end for that dysfunctional year. Of course it culminated in Sammy Sosa's boom box being destroyed.

3. 2004 in general-see above. That was when Sammy's bat was corked and blew off the season ender.

5. Sammy Sosa. Of course he was on steroids...now why didn't we know that??

5. Lou Brock. Being constantly reminded how the Cubs truly blew this one. My Dad would always say the Cubs would trade people and they would become BIG stars afterwards. Okay, the trade happening in 1964, but the reminder has always been part of my life!!

Anyway, I'll get back to normal next week with my recap. But I hope this was a fun post, even though the memories may put the die hard fans in cardiac arrest. But as Cub fans, the good and the bad are all a part of it!!

Jp