The Chicago Cubs: More than a World Series win

It is a well known fact that when I moved to New York City 5 years ago, I actually DID pick the worst sports teams in America.

Being a die-hard Nottingham Forest fan from the UK, technically it was the right thing to do. Like most sports fans, I’ve only ever known heartbreak so why at 35 stop now, right?

The life of a Forest fan means simply just that.

Season after season you convince yourself that this could be the year… alas, it never is…

With the glory days behind us, the success and the silverware including the two back to back European Cups now long gone, the good times at the City Ground are few and far between… I knew I’d struggle to watch The Reds even more so being in a foreign country so what exactly would I watch?

For those who know me, to say I dived head first into US sport, is somewhat of an understatement.

“You should totally be a New York Jets fan” said no one ever! If I did bump into the guy who sold me the green NY beanie hat in Mansfield when I was 11 years old, I would give him a slap. It is because of this man that I am indeed a Jets fan.

Following the Jets came the Knicks, the Mets, the Islanders, the South Carolina Gamecocks and my beloved Portland Timbers.

Correct, the Portland Timbers did win the MLS Cup in Ohio last December but trust me, the second I landed back on the tarmac at JFK – no one gave two shits about the prized jersey I was wearing nor that the Timbers were Kings of Major League Soccer.

This obviously is not the case with baseball in Chicago right now…

Whilst all of my teams are stuck in the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s, this doesn’t compare to the fact that the Cubbies haven’t won a World Series since 1908. 108 years later and they took the Indians to Game 7 and WON.

I can’t even begin to understand how it felt to be a Cubs fan last week. Quite literally a lifetime of waiting. A lifetime of the word ‘someday’ constantly being in your vocabulary. Tears of both joy and sorrow as fans that could and couldn’t share with loved ones that after all those years of talk and hope, the holy grail was finally back in the Windy City.

According to the internet, had Cleveland won, a certain hat company would have sold around 300,000 extra units. That same internet pointed out that should Chicago win, they would sell an extra 3 million units. It turns out that post World Series merchandise sales are allegedly shattering MLB records. Good business if you can get it, or should I say win it.

I for one have purchased a Chicago Cubs pennant and intend to hang it by my desk.

Just to be clear, they are NOT my team and I am not a Chicago fan. People will point out to me that they thought I was a Mets fan. I am indeed a Mets fan and always will be. “Is that yours?” people will ask… I will simply point out that pennant for me is a daily reminder that hard work pays off, a visual metaphor to believe in what you do and strive to be the best you can be.

For me, yes you could say I chose poorly. Would I change it? NOT for all the tea in China… Yeah we don’t win all the time but when we do it gives us a ray of hope that good things are about to come.

The Chicago Cubs can remind everyone – sports fans or not, that there is always hope. A constant belief that one day, ‘some day’ could actually be right around the corner.

#believe

Karl Hudson is Creative Director at New York-based design and branding agency, The Forest Studio.

If you want to talk sports or design, come stop by our office. Our bar, Diablos, is on the 3rd floor and the fridge is always stocked.

No Derby County, Patriots, Seattle Sounders, Clemson, Phillies or Rangers fans required…