The dream of any young Chicago Cubs fan growing up was to be a part of the team that brought the Cubs a long-awaited World Series championship. That dream was once shared by a man who will now try to thwart his favorite team growing up, second baseman Jason Kipnis of the Cleveland Indians.
“The Cubs are part of who I am,” Kipnis said Sunday, reflecting on the irony of experiencing the thrill of playing in the World Series and the internal struggle to come to grips with having to do it at the expense of his favorite team growing up.”The 10-year-old boy in me is saying, ‘Why does it have to be the Cubs?'”
It has to be a pretty strange feeling, but it is also one a professional ballplayer should have little trouble putting aside once the lights shine on the Fall Classic.
Kipnis watched Sammy Sosa. He tuned in to hear Harry Caray. He felt the agony that came with Steve Bartman. His friends are season-ticket holders for the Cubs.
“It’s intimidating a little bit, the idea,” Kipnis said. “You dream about it and you’re always excited, but then when it comes to fruition, you’re like, ‘Holy crap, this is actually going to happen. Everybody is going to be there watching.”
Kipnis says his friends are pulling for him and the Indians instead of the Cubs, but even deep down inside they must have a piece of them hoping the Cubs finally make this year the next year they have been waiting for.
“I always dreamed of playing in the World Series at Wrigley Field, full count, two outs,” Kipnis said. “I always thought it was going to be the bottom of the ninth, but it’s the top of the ninth now.”
