Lincolnwood Man Who Was at 1938 World Series Was at Wrigley Field for Game 3

LINCOLNWOOD, IL - This week has been ripe with stories from several media outlets about people who plan to be at this year’s World Series between the Chicago Cubs and Cleveland Indians at Wrigley Field who were also in attendance for the last Fall Classic held there in 1945.

Charles Greenstein, the 89-year-old treasurer of the village of Lincolnwood, was not at the 1945 World Series.

He was at the 1938 World Series. When the Cubs faced off against Joltin' Joe DiMaggio and the powerful New York Yankees.

“It was a little bit more subdued back then,” said Greenstein, a longtime Cubs fan and season ticket holder who missed the 1945 event because he was serving the United States overseas in the Philippines.

The Cubs didn’t fare well in 1938, getting swept by a dominant Yankees squad led by Lou Gehrig, Bill Dickey and DiMaggio.

DiMaggio, however, reminds Greenstein of one current member of the Cubs.

“I always felt that Kris Bryant is another DiMaggio,” he said. “He’s got the work ethic and the speed of his bat is tremendous.”

Greenstein has had some trouble walking in recent years and considered not going to a game this weekend because of the heightened crowds that come with a World Series game, especially at a venue that hasn’t hosted one in 71 years.

But he changed his mind when his daughter, Vicki, convinced him it was an opportunity of a lifetime. One that very few will have experienced twice.

“I wanted to take Vicki, so we got some halfway decent seats in Section 105 for Game 3,” he said, noting that his shared season ticket package only included seats for Game 4 of the series. Greenstein purchased the Game 3 pair a total of $7,500 and has listed his Game 4 seats for $6,000 apiece.

“I wanted to go to one of the games, and with (Kyle) Hendricks pitching, it should be a good one,” he said the day before the game. It was a good one. Hendricks threw a nice game, but the Cubs lost a 1-0 pitchers duel.

Greenstein wasn’t always a fan of Hendricks. When I met with him in 2015 for a profile piece, the die-hard fan said the pitcher “wasn’t the answer” in filling a gap in the starting rotation. But one Cy Young worthy year later and his stance has changed.

“He’s started to pinpoint his pitches and has become more of a (Greg) Maddux guy by keeping hitters off balance with different slow pitches. He’s come a long way from a year ago when he was very erratic.”

Greenstein’s criticism of Hendricks last year was just about the only thing he was wrong about during our interview, however.

When asked - in May of 2015 - when the Cubs would finally get it together and win the pennant, he said:

“Next year, 2016….I think they get the Wild Card this year (2015) but will still be too inexperienced come playoff time.”

Read More: List of Life Accomplishments for Lincolnwood Man is Amazing

The Cubs did get the Wild Card last year and have followed suit with a 2016 World Series appearance.

Having rooted for the Cubs since his father, a former minor league player, began taking him to games in 1935, Greenstein says the 2016 squad may be the best Cubs team he’s ever seen.

“The 1984 and 1985 teams were really good, too. But those were older teams,” he said. “Theo (Epstein) has the idea to not get any player older than 30, and I think that’s smart. The team they put out in Game 2 (against Cleveland), the oldest player was 24 years old. This is a team that could be very good for the next 4-5 years.”

Manager Joe Maddon is another huge reason for the Cubs’ success, he says.

“He’s a manager who knows how to handle the players and has them playing for fun.”

Greenstein’s Cub fandom has not wavered through the years, he still watches games from an analyst perspective and was focused on every pitch when at Wrigley for Game 3.

Which was a far cry from what he experienced the last time he was at a World Series game in 1938.

“Men would wear suits to the games, which was interesting. It was a more formal event,” he said of 1938. “I didn’t (wear a suit) because I was 11 and had bleacher seats.”

While Greenstein had to part with thousands of dollars to see the Cubs in the Classic this year, in 1938 he got in for free.

“There were no child labor laws back then, and I attended school near the ballpark,” he remembers. “Before one of the games, the groundskeeper at Wrigley came into our class and said he needed help with taking the garbage out."

“School got out at 3 and the game started at 3, so 60 of us kids volunteered to pick up the garbage and we all got a bleacher ticket for the next day’s game for free.”

While the 1938 Cubbies proved no match for DiMaggio and the boys from New York, Greenstein forecasts a much different outcome this year.

“I think they can win,” he said. “Cleveland has a good team, but only one real good pitcher. I think Hendricks will do well and Lester will do well (in Game 4). If we can beat the Cleveland ace, that would turn it right there.”

For years, Greenstein never thought he’d have the chance to see another World Series game at the Friendly Confines.

“But I think that’s one of the reasons why I’m still living...to see the Cubs in the World Series. I’m really lucky to have reasonably good genes and health.”

And with the Cubs’ talented young nucleus and Greenstein’s continued health, it’s not a stretch to say 2016 won’t be the last time he’s at Wrigley in October.

photo: Charles Greenstein was back at Wrigley Field Friday night for Game 3 of the World Series. Submitted by Vicki Estrada