CUBS Opening Day...2009 "What if?"

What if? ... At the age of 8, my dad took me to my first Cubs game late in the summer of 1945... at beautiful Wrigley Field. A few weeks later, when the Cubs clinched the pennant, I asked him to take me to the World Series. He said I was too young, but he made me a promise... he would take me the next time the Cubs won the pennant! It was that "PROMISE" that made me a life long Cubs fan.

In 1984.. The Cubs were one game away from getting into the World Series, but somehow lost the next 3 games to the Padres. Based on that history, and cheap seats costing only a few bucks... I evolved into becoming the "Bleacher Preacher"for the next 25 years... looking for closure to my dad's PROMISE.(Harry Caray tabbed me as the Cubs #1 Fan in '87) In 2003, the Cubs were within 5 outs of getting "ME" the PROMISED LAND... but be that as it may, a guy named BARTMAN got between the World Series and "MY" destiny.For the last 2 seasons... the Cubs made the post season, only to be eliminated as fast as you can say "JACK ROBINSON"! Well cheap seats are no longer cheap... and I am 72 years old... and the other day I was thinking to myself the "WHAT IFS"?
What if the Cubs didn't get into the 1945 World Series, then my dad would of never made me "THAT PROMISE!" What if the Cubs won one more game in 1984... I would of have closure... and the same goes for the following "Close Seasons"... So I asked myself
the what if as Opening Day '09 was approaching, and wondered...
What If my Dad was a "Tiddly Winks" fan?

FOR 25 years, I was a fixture in the bleachers of the "Friendly Confines" of Wrigley Field... and often called the #1 fan of the Cubs. I was known for my life size Voodoo Doll, timely signs, special awards for fans and players, and conversion of fans of other teams into loyal CUBS fans. Today,I have been priced out of the ballpark at the face value of a ticket. I've been the subject of books, documentaries, and national and local print and broadcast media features. I now have a blog.

Dog day afternoon in the old Bleachers (c)J Pritikin-1985














With Harry Caray, as a guest on Harry's 10th Inning Show-1985




















Conversion of a Sox's Fan-1988 (c) J Pritikin






















Don Zimer holding up a Pritikin sign in 1984 (c) J Pritikin
(that sign was featured on the PUNKY BREWSTER TV SHOW!)


















A Great Cub Fan and side-kick Carmella Hartigan-2001 (c) Jerry Pritikin















With life size Padre Voodoo Doll-1984



















Harry Caray and Steve Stone on way to San Diego and Jerry's bumper Sticker...
just one game away from the 1984 World series.