Genetic Cubs Fans: The origin, naturally, from Mom!

During the conversion of BleedCubbieBlue to the ranks of SBNation, I never recovered my original screen name, and have tried since with no luck. Nonetheless, I re-registered with SBNation as GeneticCubsFan.

I initially was going to post this to a recent thread about whether the Cubs and/or their fans needed to be called "nation", or some other far-reaching descriptor.

What follows in my post is a five year anniversary tribute to my Mom, Florence, who died at age 87 (almost 88) as a lifelong dedicated Cubs fan. She always referred to herself as a "Diehard", long before Sears branded their batteries with this name.

During the summer of 2003, my Mom was in her last months of life. She was living in a skilled nursing facility and receiving hospice services. Her medical diagnosis was Alzheimer's, but I believe she was just dying of old age, and accompanying senile dementia.

Her "state of mind" however, NEVER wandered for even a microsecond when it came to her beloved Chicago Cubs. She would still remark that "It was the stupid "upper echelon" that traded Mark Grace (one of her favorite players), and that he showed 'em, 'cause now he has a World Series ring with the Diamondbacks!"

I faithfully visited Mom daily on my way home from work, and continued to visit her regularly during the summer when I was "off work" from my public school job. Late in the Spring of 1999, I sat with Mom before her dinner was served, and in the midst of our usual conversation about the Cubs, I casually announced to her ‘that I finally figured it out - that I was no longer a Diehard Cub Fan!’

Mom just looked perplexed and with a puzzled look on her face, she gently asked me, "Does this mean that you're a White Sox fan now?"

Florence was not only a great woman, but also a true humanitarian and raised her kids (at least my brother and I) to be Chicago fans - no matter what sport was represented. Nevertheless, she and my Aunt only took us to Cubs games, especially on Ladies Days, and our allegiance and history was forged forever with the Cubs and Wrigley Field.

My Dad favored the White Sox more, but worked during the day and never brought us to attend a game in Comiskey Park. Dad was more of an all around fan of baseball, as he had played baseball at Lane Tech High School, in Chicago, and later sandlot (semi-pro) baseball around Chicago.

Therefore, I tried my best to withstand the insults, taunting, and derogatory comments from peers and adults who never missed an opportunity to gloat about the perennially better record and performance of their Southside team, at the expense of ruthless remarks and jokes about my beloved Cubs.

Nonetheless, over the years I grew to appreciate the rich and glorious, if not sparse, winning history and tradition of Chicago's two major league baseball teams.

My unequivocal answer whenever asked was "ALWAYS and FOREVER I am a Cubs Fan!" But I never developed a deep-seated hatred for the White Sox, just pity toward many of the people who shallowly proclaimed themselves as "Sox Fans" (an oxymoron was the fitting descriptor that I learned later in High School to characterize these juvenile and uniformed tormentors!).

I can still vividly picture the perplexed look on my Mom's face as she waited for my answer and explanation. I realized that I had unintentionally foisted a cruel and unfair conversational announcement to her.

Daring to deny my lifelong allegiance to the Cubs must have registered as startling and possibly hurtful! A cruel and thoughtless attempt at my second-grade level of humor was so casually announced to the wonderful lady who had given me my love of baseball, life, and so much joy with a proud and positive outlook in following in her footsteps by remaining loyal to her childhood baseball heroes – the Chicago Cubs.

In my eyes, my Mom was not only a Saint, but she displayed the unconditional love, trust, understanding, and support for me in that moment, as she had nurtured for me in all of my formative years, and continued unfaltering into my adult years as well. "So does that mean you’re a White Sox fan now?"

Mom’s question was sincere, non-accusatory, and only asked to continue in this most unsettling pre-dinner conversation that I had started. Rather than delve too long into my cleverly prepared explanation, meant as a tribute to her, I simply blurted out, "No Mom, I finally figured it out, I am a Genetic Cubs Fan – you did this to me!"

I immediately realized that I should have stated more positively, "that you did this FOR me!" I was so overwhelmed by my Mom’s continued bewildered look that I quickly added instead, a rather quick retreat and hopefully faith-restoring and confirming apology-of-sorts, "No Mom, I’m still a Diehard Cubs Fan – you raised me right!"

Mom took my hand that she was holding the entire time, smiled lovingly, and brought my hand to her mouth to kiss and give me a huge life-affirming hug.

She only added, "Well that’s good, but you know the White Sox are a Chicago team too!" I tried to fight through my tears as I smiled and told her, "Yes Mom, I do love baseball and Chicago, just like you!"

Mom died on July 8, 2003 as I sat by her bedside doing my best to fulfill one of her last wishes - that she have music to listen to as she was dying. In my rush to get to the Nursing Facility when I got the call that she was slipping fast, I forgot to grab a CD player and her favorite songs.

The hospice nurses told me that Mom was no longer talking, but it would be very worthwhile to talk to her. After sharing more personal messages, I updated her on our daily Cubbies conversations, that I believed the Cubs were going to turn around the season, and finally get the chance to win the World Series this fall.

I did my best to sing her favorite song, "Always", by Leonard Cohen (the Bold-printed words/verses were not parts of the song that Mom and I knew or sang together):

Always


(Oh friends, .. don't matter if you're a man or a woman. 

If you're in love with somebody, 

these are the words that you got to learn to say. 

Now listen carefully. Here it comes...)

I'll be loving you always 

with a love that's true, always 

When the thing you've planned 

needs my helping hand, 

I will understand, always, always 

Days may not be fair, always 

Yeah but that's when I'll be there, always 

Not for just an hour, 

Not for just a day, 

Not for just a year, but always. 

I said that I'll be loving you, always 

with a love that's true, always. 

When the thing you've planned 

needs my helping hand, 

I will, I will understand, always, always 

(Oh that's pretty ... that's pretty too ... Oh darling) 

The days may not be fair, always 

Yeah but that's when I'll be there, always 

Not for just a second, or a minute, or an hour, 

Not for just a weekend and a shake down in the shower, 

Not for just the summer and the winter going sour, 

But always, always, always 

(Ok if you don't want to quit, 

let's try it one more time) 

I'll be loving you, always 

with a love that's true, always. 

When the thing you've planned 

needs my helping hand, 

I will understand, I will, I will understand, always, always 

The days may not be fair, always 

(Don't worry, baby) 

That's when I'll be there, always 

Not for just an hour, 

Not for just a day, 

Not for just a year, but always.

Mom was the original Genetic Cubs Fan,

even if she never understood what that meant.

It has been five years since I coined the term, to supplement "Diehard Cubs fan."

I wholeheartedly agree that the Cubs and their fans do not need a "Nation" or any other moniker to legitimize or provide a contemporary or clever descriptor of their uniqueness in baseball, sports, or life.

They are simply ‘our beloved Cubbies’ and every genuine Cubs Fan -

Genetic, Diehard, or Bleeding Cubbie Blue -

knows that this kind of love and devotion knows no boundaries,

and lives and dies in the hearts and souls of their beloved fans

– Forever and Always!