Is Cubs' Theo Epstein World's Greatest Leader? Fortune Magazine Thinks So

CHICAGO, IL — Forget Harry Potter, Dr. Strange or even Criss Angel. When it comes to the world's greatest magician — real or fictional — there's no doubt that distinction belongs to Theo Epstein, the president of baseball operations for the Chicago Cubs.

A the age of 43, the Major League Baseball executive is responsible for breaking not one, but two of sport's greatest and longest-running curses: the Curse of the Bambino and the Curse of the Billy Goat. His powerful mojo brought World Series championships to the Boston Red Sox in 2004 and the Cubs in 2016, two title-starved franchises that hadn't seen that kind of success in 86 and 108 years, respectively.

But Epstein's greatest trick might be the spell he put on Fortune magazine, which named him the world's greatest leader as part of its annual ranking. He beat out Amazon CEO and founder Jeff Bezos (No. 5), tech world philanthropist Melinda Gates (No. 4) and Pope Francis (No. 3) for the distinction. That's right, in the eyes of Fortune magazine, the spiritual leader of 1.2 billion Roman Catholics worldwide has got nothing on Epstein. (An argument could be made that being a Cubs fan is its own religion, one that, until last year, shared a basic tenet with Buddhism: all life is suffering.)

So why did Epstein top the magazine's ranking?

"He has transformed that club in more ways than most people know about, and that's why he's No. 1," Geoff Colvin, senior editor-at-large, said in a video explaining Fortune's choice.

Of course, the greatest of any leader can be measured in how his followers view him. And some of them think the pope got a raw deal.

“I think the pope should be a little higher,” Cubs third baseman Kris Bryant told the Chicago Sun-Times. “That’s a little skewed there.

“Maybe [Epstein’s] head might get a little too big," he added. "He’ll be OK. He seems motivated to keep winning.”

Epstein also seems motivated to remain modest about the honor, telling ESPN's Buster Olney in a text message:

"Um, I can't even get my dog to stop peeing in the house. That is ridiculous. The whole thing is patently ridiculous. It's baseball — a pastime involving a lot of chance. If [Cubs second baseman Ben] Zobrist's ball is three inches farther off the line, I'm on the hot seat for a failed five-year plan. And I'm not even the best leader in our organization; our players are."

Epstein wasn't the only prominent Chicago-based leader to make Fortune's list. South Side native Chance the Rapper made the list at No. 46. Recently, the 23-year-old hip-hop artist, Grammy Award-winner and outspoken community activist donated $1 million to Chicago Public Schools, a contribution to be used for school arts programs.

YOUR TURN: Do you think Cubs' exec Theo Epstein is the world's greatest leader like Fortune magazine says? Share your thoughts and opinions in the comments section. And take Patch's poll on the topic.

Theo Epstein, Chicago Cubs president for baseball operations, during World Series in 2016. (photo by Charles Rex Arbogast | Associated Press)

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