Let's Play Two

I’ve lived in Colorado a long, long time.  Still, when people ask where I'm from, I reply 'Illinois.'  I like Illinois as much as I like Colorado.  My dream job – had I finished Seminary – was to be a chaplain at Northwestern Memorial, Lurie Children’s Hospital or The Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago. 

If President Obama were to meet me and find out I was from DuPage County, he'd likely remark: ‘I bet you root for the Cubs.'  And he would be right.  When I was a kindergartener, I watched the Cubs on a black and white TV with my maternal great grandfather.  When I got bigger, I went to games at Wrigley Field with my paternal grandfather.

I love the Chicago Cubs.  Wrigley Field is an incredible place to watch baseball.  On the rare occasion that I eat red meat, it’s because I am craving a Chicago Dog.  Ernie Banks, who died of a heart attack January 23, 2015, is my favorite baseball player of all time.  The first 500+ page book I read was Banks’ biography, Mr. Cub.  

While Banks' statistics certainly were impressive, I was as impressed with his peaceful, positive demeanor as I was the 500+ home runs he hit. My mom volunteered for several non-profits that served special needs kids.  As such, I had the opportunity to meet a number of well-known Chicagoans.  Unfortunately, I never met Mr. Banks.

Do you have a Wrigley Field rubber stamp?  I bet not.