Go Cubs Go!
Published in Chicago Flame 3/31/08
As we enter baseball fever, I am reminded of the stupefying history of the Chicago Cubs. Now I am sure there will be lots of talk about the Cubs’ lack of trophy production in the last century. People will go on and on saying that we have seen two World Wars, the invention of television, a moon landing and a Cold War since the Cubs last won a World Series. But I do not wish to bash the Cubs because of laughable lists such as these.
What I do wish to consider is this: Will the Cubs continue to be losers because of their long tradition of failure, or will they redefine their tradition by forming a team that is a force to be reckoned with?
It seems to me that people enjoy traditions. People celebrate holidays, not necessarily because they enjoy them per se, but because they have become tradition. But what exactly makes a tradition? Can a tradition be started over night, or is it something that happens over time?
Considering these questions, I think back to how people in the United State may have felt in 1914, when Mothers’ Day officially became a national holiday, thanks to President Woodrow Wilson. Did families across the America celebrate the second Sunday of May in 1915 because of their newfound appreciation of their mothers, or did society gradually begin to appreciate Mothers’ Day over time?
To determine my answer to the source of tradition, I turn to the interesting dichotomy that exists in a globalized world today. We are living in the modern information age, where globalization creates culture clashes and culture shocks on levels that the world has (possibly) never seen before. This means that old traditions may diminish and new ones may arise. If we ignore this idea, we are ignoring the fact the globalization has changed and transformed anything defined as traditional in cultures throughout the world.
Somehow this all leads me back to thinking about the lovable losers, the Chicago Cubs. Their rich history of failing at defining moments has been established by characters such as a goat, Leon Durham and Steve Bartman, which are all cogs in the giant wheel of the Chicago Cubs. By definition, they are “traditional” losers, and there is no denying this fact.
But I wonder what would happen if the Cubs actually won the World Series. Perhaps it won’t be this year, or even in the next decade. But the possibility certainly exists that they may win in my lifetime.
If the Cubs won the ultimate prize, people would glorify them. Fans from all over, young and old, would sport their Cubs flags, T-shirts and caps, and people would proudly pronounce them as kings. Either way, I, and I am sure many others, would still consider them losers due to their long and established tradition of failing. But I have begun to think, maybe I am wrong; I could be making too quick of a judgment.
People have nostalgia for elements of the old days. Tourists that went to France in the ’60s and go back today are nostalgic for the ’60s. Some people in the United States even say that they long for the values of the 1950s or elements of the Reagan years (this appears to be what much of the Republican Party’s platform is – at least it appeared to be during recent Republican debates).
I have begun to wonder whether I am one of these nostalgic-driven people that bash the Cubs because of their history, and am uncomfortable with the idea that they could be good. I will willingly admit that this year could be their year (although I highly doubt it). Whatever happens, I know that because we live in a globalized world, new traditions begin every day and traditions of the past are lost. This all gets me to think that perhaps I should not take it so harshly if the Cubs become a regularly winning team.
But I am a creature of habit, and I know that based on their history, I can look forward to an interesting year. A year that will undoubtedly see Loveable Lou’s explosions, Crazy Carlos Zambrano’s ridiculous prophesies, Wilting Kerry Wood’s fluctuating health and Ron Santo’s “aawwmans” and “goshdarns” whenever a mistake occurs.
Even if the Cubs have a successful campaign this year, and happen to make the playoffs, they will not be able to redefine their tradition of losing, unless they can win it all, and stay successful for years to come.
Until the Cubs prove me wrong, that their tradition of losing is not a tradition that defines them, I will comfortably consider them as such. Now let’s play ball!
Tags: Bartman, Chicago Cubs, Kerry Wood, Leon Durham, Republican Party, Ron Santo, World Series, Zambrano
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