Cubs Forever.

I never really knew what I was getting into when as a kid of 7 or 8, I was taken to my first Cubs game. The only way one in a family of 7 kids could see the Cubs when I was growing up was to go with Grandma and Grandpa. For some years, my grandparents were crazy enough to host each of us, one at a time, at their house for about 5 days. We got to eat what we wanted, watch TV "during the day", and do fun things that weren't plausible with 5-7 kids at one time. I had to hear about my brother and sister's good times for a few years, but soon enough I was going on my own "summer vacation" and planning my own trips. I can't remember the year, opponent, or much about the first few trips, but I do remember my grandparents being about as excited as I was, the hotdogs, the chocolate malteds, the souvenirs, and also the general feeling you get from being in Wrigley. Did the Cubs win? I've no idea... but a Cubs game isn't usually about that.

The Cubs Forever program was a great show and I couldn't help but think about the stories I've heard about Wrigley from older fans (My grandma saw a Bears game there), the memories of watching games in the cool basement during the hot summer months (My uncle has the Pirates vs. Cubs playoff series on VHS still), the good times I've spent seeing games there myself (I have a foul ball on my bookshelf), missing games b/c tickets were too expensive (Yankees vs. Cubs), and all the great players and staff over the years. I suppose it's a sign of me getting older, but I can rattle off many names, all of which bring up some memory or picture: Caray, Cey, Davis, Dawson, Dunston, Maddux, Matthews, Ramirez, Sandburg, Sutcliffe, Santo, Soriano, Sosa, Wood, among many. These are players that we've cheered for over years and Cubs staff that have made the games more memorable.

If you consider yourself a Cubs fan and missed the original airing of Cubs Forever (fan status now debatable), set your DVR to catch a re-airing or find the book/DVD at your local (or mega) bookstore.