The Chicago Cubs Have the Greatest Fans

It’s never been easy being a Cubs fan. Now is no exception. The team is coming off a disappointing Game Three NLCS loss against the New York Mets and trail the series 3-0, one game away from elimination.

And while it truly is ‘never over til it’s over,’ the Cubs are going to have to pull off a miracle to come back and win four games in a row against a surging Mets team to make the World Series.

But even if it doesn’t work out like that, take solace in at least one thing, Cubs fans.

You have some pretty amazing fans.

Our call-out for fan stories received several responses. Not just from Chicago-area natives and residents, but from people all over the world.

The Cubs are an institution. These are your stories.

Flying the ‘W’ in Oregon

Melissa McMillan has been crazy about the Cubs for 30 years, dating back to when she was just a toddler.

“I instantly fell in love with them,” she said. “As a child everything in my life revolved around the Cubs, and at 33 is still does. Every girl dreams of fancy birthday parties...I dreamed of the Cubs. I had countless birthdays at Wrigley.”

She remembers waiting in line for hours as a youngster in downtown Chicago to meet her hero, Andre “The Hawk” Dawson. Now, she lives in Oregon and coaches an 11-12 year-old little league baseball team: the Ashland Cubs.

“My 14-year old dog is named Cubbie and his 6 year old brother is named Wrigley. I live, breathe, and sleep the Cubs,” she said. “I cry and get goose bumps about the Cubs regularly even when we were under 500.”

The fourth, fifth and sixth photos in our gallery are of Melissa.

An ‘Angel in the Outfield’

Emailer Samantha wrote us about her friend Valerie, whose father lost his fight with cancer a year ago. He was a Cubs fan in the purest.

“Her family live on his pride with the Cubs and made sure they never miss a game,” Samantha stated. “They were first in line the other week at Harry Caray’s.They believe their dad is your angel in the outfield because he has always wanted to see you guys win the World Series.”

The ‘Ultimate Cubs Fan’

Lynda Grossi from Addison, Illinois talks about her mother, “the ultimate Cubs fan.”

“She was born in 1918 and was a Cubs fan all her life,” says Lynda. The second photo is of her at Wrigley Field in 1938, one year after the vines were planted.

“All of her children were and still are Die hard Cub Fans,” said Lynda. “I remember coming home from school as a kid and she would be sitting on the couch “talking” to the players. Telling them to “Lets go, get a hit. I often thought that she knew each and every player personally because she used to always call them by their first name. “Come on Ronnie, get on base” “Way to go Ernie” She laughed when I asked her that question.”

No one did the 7th Inning Stretch quite like Harry...

Sasha Medina grew up as a softball catcher and always loved the Cubs.

“My mother always took us to games.,” she remembers. “Many memories I had as a child were playing in the house with fans blowing, sun shining and Harry Caray singing during the 7th inning stretch and his famous outbursts “HOLY COW”.”

Kids 100 years ago would clean the stands for free admission

Rita Killean shares the third photo in our gallery of her father, Eddie Killean, in 1914 at his porch at 3545 N. Wilton.

“He and his friends would go to the park early and help clean up the stands in exchange for free admission ~ Imagine that!,” Rita says.

The best moments in the bleachers

Joel Justis shares this awesome story from sitting in the bleachers at Wrigley Field 10 years ago during a game against the New York Yankees. “Robin Ventura hit a home run to straight-away right field. Everyone was chanting throw the ball back, nothing happened. Must have been caught by a Yankee fan. Then the bleachers are chanting throw any ball back. A young kid sitting behind us had brought a bag full of balls for autographs and didn’t get any. His dad nods and the boy takes a ball from the bag and throws it on the field. The bleachers cheer, but now the ushers are coming down to toss the boy. The bleacher fans push the ushers away until they give up. (Sammy) Sosa and (Corey) Patterson are later warming up, and Sosa tosses the ball into the bleachers. A young man behind the kid, catches the ball and is thrilled. But the bleachers are chanting, “Give the ball to the kid”. Finally he does, everyone cheers. The dad pulls a pen out of the bag and everyone in the bleachers is signing the ball. The dad has tears running down his face.”

Dad the die-hard

Erin (Kirwin) VanDell tells the story of her father, a die-hard fan for 60 years.

“Every game he sits at the TV, with friends, family, or by himself watching diligently as his beloved Cubs play on and on,” Erin says. “One day, about 8 years ago I decided it was time for him to go see a game with his little girl. At the time, I was about 26 years old, just starting my first real job. I saved up so I could make the day special for him. The brick pavers were just coming out and I got one especially for him. As soon as we got to the amazing Wrigley Field, I brought him to where his paver was. He had tears in his eyes that his legacy, and love for the Cubs, will forever be remembered at the one and only Wrigley Field. When they began their season this year, I gave him another special gift, his only granddaughter her own Cubs jersey that says Papa’s girl on the back, and for his 60th birthday this year a matching one for him that says Papa.

Passion at all ages

“My 3-year old watched the wild card game, and as the final pitches went off she looked at me and said, I hope papa is finally happy,” Erin added. “For her to know how much the Cubs means to my father is a testament to his unending love for his team.”

Nothing like the actual field

Dick Barton of Park Ridge on his late father-in-law, Todd Schwaba, a lifelong Cubs fan.

“His wife, Ann, once taught John McDonough (former head of marketing at Cubs now President of the Chicago Blackhawks) in school and maintained a connection in adult life. So we prevailed on John to let Todd on the field one day before a game. Todd never stopped talking about actually being on Wrigley Field and stepping on the batter’s box where so many of his heroes had once stood. Todd has long since passed but must be looking down with a smile frozen on his face now.”

Also on Patch: Lincolnwood Man Vividly Remembers Cubs Playing in 1938 World Series

All these stories and so many more have make up the Cubs’ far-reaching fanbase. A fanbase that has suffered for so long, but has seen a glimpse of glory this year.

And while the odds are stacked against them overcoming a 3-0 series deficit against the New York Mets in the National League Championship Series (even though another Theo Epstein-led team pulled off the same miracle comeback to erase a curse against another New York team just 11 years ago), the future is bright.

Some have compared the 2015 Cubs to the 2008-09 Chicago Blackhawks, a young team that found success but didn’t have quite enough experience to win it all. They did a year later, and twice since then.

Could the same fate be awaiting the Cubs and their institution of fans?

We don’t know yet, but it will surely be a fun ride.