Brian McCabe helped add a new element to the CCO with his daily recaps of the Cubs Convention a few weeks back and he has agreed to become a full time contributor here at the CCO. Brian will be able to provide a unique perspective to the Cubs Faithful and I think his first post is proof of that….enjoy!!!
The biggest bar in Chicago, a place to be seen, something to do, fun to be had, the biggest beer garden in the world….these are just some of the many things people say about Wrigley Field.
The following exchange occurred near the end of the brilliant movie “Field Of Dreams,”
“Is this Heaven?”
“No it’s Iowa.”
“Could have sworn it was Heaven.”
That is how I feel every time I walk into Wrigley, heavenly. My happy place, one of my favorite destinations and sure, one heck of a great beer garden, but Wrigley Field is so much more than that. It is hard to put into words what Wrigley represents, but over the coming days, weeks and months, I hope put it into my own words, for you. I have the distinct pleasure of spending my summers at Wrigley as a season ticket holder. No, not every game, but as many nights, weekends and sick days as possible. I grew up going to Wrigley a few times a year, but now it is a second home, a place of solitude, and in its unique way, Heaven.
Everyone at Wrigley has a story, whether it is the beer vendor in the left field upper deck, the hot dog guy with a shaved head and catchy phrase or a fellow season ticket holder who wears a hat to every game that he must have stolen from Fred Flinstone’s Water Buffalo meeting. Each story has value, promise, history, feeling and hope. Therefore, I hope to share as many of these stories as possible.
My story….26, single, member of the rat race, and yes, a Cubs fan. My wonderful mother grew up in the northwest suburb of Des Plaines. Her mother, Jane, was a diehard and passed it along. I had the privilege of coming home from school every day to a snack, my mom and Harry Caray. So I thank her every day for giving this to me, the curse of the Northside.
The Bartman ball was bad, but for me, it was Game 7. Kerry Wood’s homer tied the game, Alou put us ahead, and as I looked at my mom that night, for the first time EVER, she believed in the Cubs, she had hope, but it was gone soon. The tears rolling down her face in the ninth inning hit me ten times harder than a fan innocently reaching for a foul ball. That is when I realized….This is not Heaven, it is Wrigley Field.
The following exchange ended “Field Of Dreams,”
“What is Heaven like?”
“It is the place dreams come true.”
“Well, maybe this is Heaven!”
Someday, someway, somehow, I promise, Wrigley will be Heaven! Until then, I guess we just have to pray.
If you would like to reach me, feel free to drop me a line at brian@chicagocubsonline.com, thanks for reading and….
Stay Classy Cubs Fans