I couldn’t take it; I just couldn’t take it.
In 1984, for the first time since 1945 (when my lifelong-fan dad was 5 years old), the Cubs won their division championship & reached the postseason. I remember sitting in the living room with my dad watching Harry Caray call Rick Sutcliffe’s winning pitch on WGN. Holy Cow!!
The Cubs proceeded to take a two-games-to-none lead in the best-of-five series with the San Diego Padres. No problem! Just win one game—one of three!—and they were through to the Series. Then… then they went full-on Cub, and during that fateful game 5 my cousin Andy & I headed upstairs to play Lego boats in the tub while the team blew their lead, the series, their shot. I just couldn’t take it.
And then… this past Wednesday. You know what happened. We went insane.
I’ll be honest, though, and confess just a little melancholy. It’s not 1984, and I’m not a kid watching the game with my dad. I’m thrilled for the team, but I can still tell you more players’ names from ’84 than from ’16. I’ve long lived in California and won’t tell you I follow the game or the team as I once did. The victory is great—amazing!—but… you can’t quite go home again.
Ah, but what if you could, just a little? Thanks to some clever & lightning-fast editing, Budweiser brought back to life that iconic voice of my youth, Harry “Cub fan, Bud man” Caray. Just watch. I can’t stop.
And Harry, wherever you are, thanks. This Bud’s for you.
[YouTube]