I remember being really young, seeing my dad always watching the Cubs games and being constantly disappointed in them. As we all know, the Chicago Cubs were not even close to being a team that was worth watching, but for some reason, my dad always saw a glimmer of hope. As a grew older, I began to love the sport of baseball and I genuinely enjoyed watching the Cubs lose. Why? Because I am a true fan. We knew that the Cubs weren't good, we knew they'd probably lose, but us true fans never gave up hope that maybe one day, our Cubbies would rise up. 2016 was that year.
Being from a small town that is three hours away from St. Louis, I was surrounded by Cardinals fans. To be completely honest, I had no shame in being a Cubs fan. People would tell me how much the Cubs "suck" and how they are "completely useless by September." If I had a dollar for every time someone said that to me, I could probably pay my entire college tuition. I have one question for those people. What makes a true fan? Is it someone who, despite the multiple losses and so called "curse," still rooted for the Chicago Cubs? I wore my Cubs gear proudly and I mean it when I say I got at least three comments about the Cubs. Ninety-nine point nine percent of the time, those comments were not very nice. By high school, everyone knew that I had been a die hard Cubs fan for a long time and I was kinda known for it. I proudly wore the title of "Cubs Fan."
When 2015 rolled around, everyone started noticing the Chicago Cubs were making a comeback. The Cubs 2015 postseason games against the Cardinals and Giants were actually some of my favorite games to watch. Although the Cubs didn't make it as far as we would've liked, it lit a fire in the hearts of all true Chicago Cubs fans. That glimmer of hope that my dad has held on to his whole life was finally becoming a reality. We knew that 2016 was going to be our year.
Imagine the hearts of Chicago Cubs fans racing during that final game of the World Series against the Indians. I can honestly say that I would have given my left arm just to be able to hear that game being played from outside of the stadium. Not to mention what I'd do to actually be able to watch the game at the stadium. For anyone who watched the game and rooted for the Cubs, you know how much of an emotional roller coaster it was. Home-runs, errors, amazing catches, heart stopping moments... That game truly had it all. Nothing will ever compare to that last out made in the final game of the World Series and seeing the rush of excitement from the Cubs fans who had waited so very long for that day to finally come. Hearing thousands of fans singing the famous "Go, Cubs, Go" all together and celebrating a moment in history that won't be forgotten for a long, long time.
Cubs fans can now say that we are the 2016 World Series Champions and the curse has been lifted. Our fans are as true as ever and are ready for another amazing season from our favorite team. Written to true Chicago Cubs fans from a true, die hard Chicago Cubs fan. We can't wait to be "Completely Undefeated by September." April can't get here soon enough!
