My name is Stephanie and I am a Cubs fan.
There, I said it.
While it might not seem like that big of a deal coming from someone who has lived on Chicago's North Side for 25 years, I wasn't born in Chicago–I'm originally from St. Louis aka Cardinals Nation.
For the past 23 years it was easy–every baseball season I could blend in. I had my stealth Cubs “C” hat in Cardinal red,
my original Lou Brock Brockabrella,
my vintage Ozzie Smith t-shirt, and my Stan Musial collectibles (given to my dad, Robert Edwards, after he painted Musial’s portrait).
What baseball fan doesn’t love Lou Brock, the Wizard of OZ and Stan The Man?
Then, when the post-season came every October, I could root for the Cardinals. Even some die-hard Cubs fans could root for the National League Cardinals to beat the Padres (or the Mets or the Red Sox), right? After all, it’s not like the Cubs were ever going to play in a World Series, much less win one! It was TANY (There’s Always Next Year). And I was covered. I didn’t have to pick a side. I could watch the Cubs all year, and root for the Cardinals in the playoffs.
Then, it happened. After a 108-year drought, the Chicago Cubs won the 2016 World Series! The city of Chicago went WILD. Suddenly I remembered how fun it was to live in a city celebrating in the post-season. It was like I was a 12-year-old kid again squealing watching Ozzie Smith do backflips during the 1984 Cardinal World Series.
So to Cardinals Nation, please don’t think of me as a defector, I’m still an upstate ally–I’ll never root against the Redbirds. St. Louis is my hometown, Chicago is my home.
It took 25 years, but I finally jumped on the Cubs bandwagon because I like watching baseball in October.
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The Cubs didn’t make it to the postseason, but there’s always next year. We have some great Cubs merch to get you ready for 2019!