Father's Day 2020

On Father’s Day I usually re-post my post from nine years ago, but I saw this on Facebook via my brother Tom Needham so I figured I’d share this instead. I’ll let him tell this story.

"They Patrol Outfield" - this was in one of the Chicago newspapers during the summer of 1956. My Dad is on the right. He was a rookie Chicago police officer and the Department had a baseball team that he played on. They played two games that summer against a U.S. Navy team (one at Wrigley and the other at Comiskey) and one of the Navy pitchers was Johnny Podres. He was the star of the World Series the year before, in 1955, when the Brooklyn Dodgers won their only championship. Then he had to go into the service for a year, that's how it was back then. I don't know if Dad was able to get a hit off Podres, this old newspaper clip didn't have a box score and of course Dad didn't talk much about it.

John P. Needham

Father’s Day, June 21st, 2020

Spring, TX

World Series Champs

So, yes. The Chicago Cubs have won the World Series. Obviously, we're pretty happy about that.

It was very cool to watch the games - especially Game 7 - with my two sons. We had some Chicago-style hot dogs for dinner as the game was starting, trying to send some good mojo to the Cubs, playing in Cleveland, by way of Spring, TX.

Also obviously, being long-suffering Cubs fans, it was a little bittersweet. Many die-hard Cubs fans have left this earthly plane since the last time the Cubs hoisted a World Series trophy. Whole generations have come and gone since then.

In addition to my kids, and myself, I was very happy for a handful of Cubs fans I've known my whole life, fans who lived a LONG time without seeing this, but got to see it last night. Aunt Kathleen in California, my ol' man's little sister; her brother Mike, my uncle, and Aunt Boots. My dad's brother Jack and his wife, Aunt Agnes, who still live in a bungalow on Chicago's northwest side. My ma's sister, Aunt Betty, who lives in the Chicago suburbs. 

So while Patrick and Marion, and Jerry and Phelim, Abmrose, and so many others cheered from heaven, I'm glad there were a few old-timers left who got to see this, to experience it, last night.

Watching the series with my sons was special, particularly last night's game, an extra-inning, rain-delayed thriller. Thinking of family, life-long Cubs fans, being able to watch the same thing in far-flung places, made the experience all the more special.

Baseball truly does span generations, and even if the Cubs never win another playoff series - I hope they do, mind you! - I'll always be glad that they won last night. And I'll always be glad that these people got to experience it.

John P. Needham

Spring, TX

November 3, 2016