Cubs Convention Part One

This was my first ever trip to the Cubs Convention, and I wasn't really sure what to expect. I found Angela right away, of course. I hate doing anything Cubsie without her. And then I ran into so many members of my summer family, including one of my favorites, Dennis. He likes to tell me I do EVERYTHING wrong. But I know he actually misses me. He was one of those autograph hunters who went after the guy who mugged me outside Wrigley. I also met several of my Twitter followers, people I felt a great closeness to merely through our 140 character posts to each other.

I said to Angela, "I promise not to scream when I see Steve," and then, right on cue, who came through the lobby but Steve Clevenger and his beautiful, sweet, very patient fiancee Tiffany. I ran up to him and just squealed. At least I didn't scream. Here we are with Steve, and also you can see Dennis in the background acting like a fool. I love him.

I asked Steve how much he missed us on a scale of 1-10 and he said, "10." Obviously, he knew there was no other acceptable answer.

We wanted to catch up on his life, but we also wanted to let him eat, so he promised to talk with us when he got back.

A few minutes later, who walked by but James Russell, Shawn Camp, Andy Lane, and Travis Wood, and their faces lit up when they saw us. There were hugs galore. I know I sound like I'm bragging, but that's because I am. Seriously, though, it must show them our dedication when we are out there day after day, night after night, no matter the weather or the score, cheering our hearts out and waving our signs.

Can you see tell whose back this is?

If you said, Anthony Rizzo, you are correct! First he walked by Angela and me with a big smile and said, "Hey, guys!" It had been a long time since I had been a part of these boys' lives, and I guess I had underestimated our impact on them, that they would remember us after these months. But we are super loud, so I guess it's to expected.

As he was assaulted by fans on all sides, he introduced Angela as his first Chicago fan. I think that's why he's always extra nice to us--he remembers Angela from last year's Convention, and he's an Italian like us, so he is loyal.

Then I saw Cubs Chairman Tom Ricketts. I informed him that I would be on his payroll someday. He smiled and said he looked forward to it.

Well, Steve came back, and I monopolized his time. I also got to talk to Tiffany a little. I'm always impressed by baseball wives. They don't have much of a choice other than to let their lives revolve around baseball, which means they don't have much time for themselves, their friends, and their families. And of course, they can be uprooted at any time. Tiffany is one of the most supportive gals--I saw her at many, many games.

Steve took a break for his adoring public.

I reluctantly let Steve leave and concentrated on the suited-up men standing in the lobby. They were all prospects, I assumed. The only one I recognized was outfielder Matt Czcur.

So I just walked up them and said, "Hey, I'm the biggest Cubs fan ever, but I don't see you guys enough to recognize you. So who are you guys?" So they all introduced themselves graciously. This is pitcher Robert Whitenack.

And this is pitcher Zac Rosscup.

And this is infielder Javier Baez.

And this is pitcher Nick Struck.

And this is infielder Jae-Hoon Ha.

And this is pitcher Marcus Hatley.

And this is pitcher Trey McNutt.

 And this is pitcher Barret Loux.

And this is pitcher Dallas Beeler.

And this is pitcher Tony Zych.

Remember those faces, people. They are the future of the Cubs!

Oh, and then I ran into one of my favorite people, ex-student, fellow Cubs fan, and aspiring PR extraordinaire Mike Bruce!

Other Cubs staff, players, coaches, and the like filtered in and out of the lobby, but really, these people at the bottom were the people I wanted to see. Andy on the far left and Katie on the far right are avid Cubs fans and great people. Follow them on twitter: @katiecernak and @andyrussell299.

Soon afterwards, we headed down for the Opening Ceremonies. Stay tuned!

My MLB Fan Cave video submission

My Fan Cave Essay

Tell us why you would be the ideal fan to live out your baseball dreams at the MLB Fan Cave in 2013.

As a Cubs fan, I have been the object of ridicule and pity, and I have had my heart broken, but I have also been immeasurably rewarded. I have had the privilege to listen to a poor kid from St. Louis who became the most famous man to ever sing the seventh-inning-stretch.  I have watched a kid pitch a 20-strikeout game, and I have watched him throw the last strikeout of his too-short career. I have seen a man who was driven out of San Diego ushered into the open arms of Chicagoans who were willing to give him a second chance, and I have watched him thrive. When we lost our dear Ronny last year, I had a summer family to mourn with. I am proud and honored to be a part of the Cubs family. I am the first one in the park when they open the gates, and I am the last one shooed out at the close of the day. The boys in blue know that, at least once a week, they can count on me standing on the third base line watching batting practice, cheering them on, pumping them up, and believing.

But I appreciate baseball beyond the Cubs. I appreciate the beauty of the sport, the talent of the opponents, and the intricate skill it takes to be successful in the game. While many of the Cubs players know me by name, I have spoken with players from every team. I have devoted my time to studying the sport, its players, its fans, its history. I make it my mission to convert baseball-haters into baseball enthusiasts, and my passion for the sport has ignited a flame in many others who are now dedicated fans to the greatest game ever played.

It’s impossible to show you in words and a short video what baseball means to me, the enthusiasm I will bring to The Cave, and the desire I have to make this the best Cave season yet. To be in the Cave would be the culmination of every dream I have ever had, that a poor girl from Northwest Indiana could get the chance to live baseball for an entire season. But I guarantee you, I am made for The Cave.

Flu Fan Cave Video

Flu Fan Cave for the World Baseball Classic

The last game

 Game #73. Last game of the season. This is always tough for me. I try to go in person every time. Anyway, the boys were very friendly and signy.

Here's Alberto Cabrera.

And Rafael Dolis

And Jaye Chapman

These are the Sprinkles cupcakes Angela had made for Danny the equipment boy. The Cubs players loved it.

Michael Bowden

This woman on the left is someone we met at the games earlier in the year. She had never been to Wrigley before, but since meeting us, she had been to two more. I would like to believe that I help people love the game.

Jeff Beliveau

Michael Bowden gave us his shoelaces!

Anthony Recker, who said, "I don't fist bump--let me show you what I do." So this is our secret handshake. Guess it's not a secret now.

Josh Vitters

Before the game, all the players came on the field with backpacks filled with autographed balls, and they threw them to the crowd. It was awesome. What a great idea!

Here's Joe Mather, who said, "How about one last picture?"

The lineup was weird, mostly young guys.Houston scored one in the first. In the bottom of the second, LaHomer did what he was known to do earlier in the season--he homered. The game was tied.

Josh Vitters walked.

Then Vitters stole second.

Here's Travis Wood on the mound for the Cubs.

Campana reached on an infield single in the third.

Then he went to second on an error.

Then he stole third. I love watching this guy run the bases.

Here's Anthony Recker.

Here's Josh Vitters.

Here's Tony Campana.

I remember when.....

In the fourth, Sappelt reached on an infield single, then Vitters singled.

Brett Jackson walked to load the bases.

Here's Anthony Recker.

He walked to drive in a run, and the Cubs lead 2-1.

Travis Wood singled, because he is an amazing hitting pitcher, and Vitters and Jackson scored.

Cubs left the fourth up 4-1.

Here's LaHomer. He grounded out in the fifth.

Dave Sappelt and Josh Vitters also ground out.

Hi, Jeff.

Anthony Recker

I will miss seeing Garza's head peeking out all the time.

And I will miss Anthony Recker's face.

Jaye Chapman came on to relieve Wood in the seventh.

Sorry about this hand, but the crowd was excited that the groundscrew would sing the 7th inning stretch!

Angela and me at our last game of the season.

Shawn Camp came on to pitch the 8th.

Sadly, the Astros scored three runs off Camp and tied the game at 4. It's usually not Camp who does this, poor kid. But Recker did throw Corporan out stealing.

Another Garza picture.

And a Danny picture.

And a Vitters picture.

Marmol came on to pitch the ninth. With a tied game, of course I was nervous. But he did a great job, and we headed into the bottom of the ninth, still tied at 4.

In the bottom of the ninth, Anthony Recker walked. Darwin Barney came in to run for him.

Then Steve Clevenger came in to pinch hit. Oh, how I wanted him to win the game for the Cubs. But he popped out bunting.

Campana reached on a bunt single, pushing Darwin to second.

Castro walked to load the bases.

Bryan LaHair came up to bat. LaHair, who had such a great start to the season but had been largely forgotten when Rizzo was called up to take his place at first. LaHair, who couldn't seem to hit lefties. LaHair, selected to the All-Star team by the players but who let another player use his glove at first. I am not a baseball mind, but I didn't understand why he sat the bench so much and didn't even get a chance. I was pretty sure he wouldn't be on the Cubs next year--they could trade him and get a lot for him. And I really wanted this for him.

And he singled.

As the run scored, the Cubs ran on the field and mobbed him.

It was a great way to end the season, since it did in fact have to end. You could see it on everyone's faces. They loved him.

We met this girl Jenn who loved Joe Mather. We told her for sure she could meet him. And she did. I think I feel more joy when other people meet the people they love than when we do.

I was pretty excited to meet Theo Epstein again, and this time he posed for a very blurry picture.

And here's David DeJesus.

When we went outside, there was a mob of people. I didn't want to stand there with all these people who didn't even know these boys. I didn't want to watch them push little kids out of the way to get close to the players, only to ask me three minutes later, "Who was that?" Because they should know. They should know that Steve Clevenger is the back-up catcher who had a great start until he was injured. They should know that Adrian Cardenas is the back-up second baseman, an unenviable job because who wants to back up Darwin Barney? And they should know who Blake Parker was, since they pushed me out of the way to get to him. They should know these things. It wasn't hard. You just have to watch a few games, have your heart broken, and allow your hopes to be brought up only to be trampled on.

It wasn't that I didn't want to share these boys with anyone. I just didn't want to share them with people who didn't really care. I had put in so much time, sat through rain delays and freezing weather and boiling weather and enormous losses. I had come six hours early and stayed three hours after the game. I had put in my time, and now these strangers were just going to push me out of the way to get autographs of players whose names they didn't even know?


But the players came to us, including Jeff Beliveau.

I wanted photos with the roommates Jeff and Blake. There are a lot of Jeff and Blake pictures, as they are two of my favorites.

Here's Adrian Cardenas's bat. Steve Clevenger had bats for us, but he didn't see us, so he gave them to strangers. He's in big trouble for that.

Dave McKay

The shirts Jeff Beliveau gave us.

Dale Sveum

Darwin Barney, who promised us bats next year. And then he made fun of the way we talk.

The season is over. And yes, I am wearing a Dodgers shirt that I got at the airport in L.A.

Angela and I would be there next year when the gates opened. Guaranteed. Clean slate. I can't wait. See you then!




All of my photos from this day can be found at http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10151097592428786.442993.511233785&type=3