In a paragraph, tell us the circumstances around how you became a Cubs fan.
James: June 1998. My 4th grade class did an end of year fling to a Cubs game. They lost to the Marlins, but Wrigley was such a cool place I was interested. Sammy Sosa going off for 20 home runs, grabbed my attention. Then him battling back and forth with McGwire for the single season home run record that year had me hooked.
Steve: Much like James, 1998 got me excited about the Cubs when I was a kid. However, it was the 2002 season that finally got me hooked. It wasn't the team's success (HA) that got me, it was the pitching. Wood, Prior, Clement, and Zambrano is who I would tune in to watch. And then the 2003 season was the final nail in my coffin of me becoming a die hard Cubs fan.
Tina: I was born into it, I suppose. I couldn't really tell you "when". We were south side Cubs fans. I went to my first game in 1969 (I'm older than AssMatt!) when I was not yet 5, when Dad brought the whole family to a game. I remember sitting in the upper deck somewhere, cause it was far from the action, and dark. I cheered when Dad cheered. It was another fun family activity, as far as I was concerned. I never did ask Dad why we liked the Cubs and not the Sox, since we lived close enough to see the fireworks at Comiskey. We just were... and that was good enough for me. (Nice year for your first game - AssMatt)
Brooke: I grew up a Phillies fan actually! I'm from Newark, DE so you either are a Phillies fan or an Orioles fan (The Nationals didn't exist yet). But I've always known about the Cubs through WGN. Ryne Sandberg was a legend growing up. I remember I was at my Grandparents house when I heard about Kerry Wood's 20Ks and of course the Sosa vs. McGwire home run chase. But I moved to Chicago near Wrigleyville in 2012 and quickly realized that Cubs are part of the culture on the Northside.
Matt: I'm not sure I can pin point an exact year, but it's when I was in high school. Growing up my mother played softball, so we were at the fields a few times a week and I just loved being around that team and the sport. We didn't have cable for the longest time (single mom, not a lot of extra money), but I think we finally got cable in 1993 because I remember Assenmacher (shut up, DNA crew) and Buechele. Been a big fan ever since.
Staci: In 1988, I was home all summer babysitting my younger cousins. My family were A's fans, and my uncle had me at the Coliseum every summer rooting for the boys in kelly green and gold. In fact, at the time my walls were covered in posters of Mark McGwire and Jose Canseco, and Dave Stewart was my ace. That summer WGN changed it all, though, because the network and the Cubs helped me babysit two baseball loving boys. Funny thing, tho--I fell head over heels for Ryno, the Hawk, Gracie, the Red Baron and the rest, and of course the irresistible Harry Caray. I realized over the next few years that the Cubs had permanently chosen me and I've been here ever since.
