It Defies Logic... and the odds.

by Jer

Now, 0 for 50 would be a historic achievement on any other team, but on the Cubs it is usually called September. - Bernie Lincicome, Chicago Tribune

Growing-up a baseball fan in, outside, or anywhere near Chicago was a tall order as a kid. Unlike most cities - save LA, the Bay Area or New York - Chicagoans get to choose between two baseball teams. Generally speaking, your geography decides for you. Cubs fans live on the north side and White Sox fans live on the south side.

But for those of us who actually took the time to make a conscience choice between the two, we eventually found ourselves wondering, "Is there a third a option?"

Between the two franchises, the Chicago Cubs and the Chicago White Sox, they have 238 years of history and a grand total of 5 World Series, four of which came before the year 1918. That's a championship winning percentage of 2.1%.

Truly, it defies logic.

Like most kids, I loved baseball. I played it. I watched it. I collected baseball cards. And in spite of the lack of winning baseball in the city, I still benefited from its long history.

But my apathy turned to passion in 1984. That's the year the Cubs started to win again. And it wasn't just the winning that was fun, it was the players. For the first time in a long time, Harry Carry, wasn't the only personality on the team. There was Gary, 'the Sarge' Matthews, Rick 'the Red Baron' Sutcliff, Ron 'the Penguin' Cey, and many more whose cards I had to have and whose games I had to watch.

The Cubs won their division that year and went to the playoffs for the first time in 39 years.

They won the first two games against the San Diego Padres in a best of five series. They were one game away from their first World Series since 1945 and they had three opportunities to win it.

In spite of Cy Young Award winning Rick Sutcliff starting game five, they blew all three chances and San Diego went on to represent to National League in the series where they eventually fell to the Detroit Tigers.

I quite literally, cried.

A few years later, the south siders got themselves a new first baseman. His name was Frank Thomas, but they called him, 'The Big Hurt'. He was kind of a moody bugger, but could he hit the ball and hit it far. Not only was he one of the best hitting first basemen in the league, he was the best hitter, rivaled only by a Ken Griffey, Jr of the Seattle Mariners.

With the help of a new stadium, some decent pitching and new black retro uniforms, Frank Thomas helped turn the Chicago White Sox into a more compelling team than their counterparts to the north.

That is, until 1994.

As painful as 1984 was, 1994 was, in some ways, worse. Baseball was engaging that year for the Chicago fan. Individually, the unspoken Griffey and Thomas race were fun to follow. As a team, the White Sox were in a close division race with the Cleveland Indians and Kansas City Royals. Not a single division race was locked down by one team.

And then it abruptly ended. On August 12, 1994, the Major League Baseball players went on strike. The season was eventually canceled as was the World Series.

The worst part of the strike? It was, in large part, what led to the steroid era. So many jilted fans - angry at both the owners and the players - gave-up on baseball. Myself included.

What brought us back? For starters, the single season home run chase of 1998, which we can now safely assume was juiced. Players, who we once watched with awe, are now vilified. Sammy Sosa. Mark McGuire. Barry Bonds.

A decade later, I have a son of my own and already I look forward to the day that I can take him to a baseball game. Collect baseball cards. Watch him play on his own team. Cheer a professional team.

Or should I reconsider that last one?

With baseball's track record, especially in Chicago, am I just setting the kid up for some serious fandom heartbreak?

Some may argue that the White Sox are the safe bet. Their owner, Jerry Reinsdorf, has brought 7 championships to the city of Chicago, including the 2005 World Series and six NBA titles. It would stand to reason that he's going to bring more.

Others might argue the Cubs are now the safe bet. They have a new manager in "Sweet Lou" Piniella , they are about to be sold into private ownship, and frankly, they're due.

But are all those things enough? Baseball is still baseball; it's a poorly run league and their fans, frankly, get shit on a lot. Ticket prices are high. Baseball cards aren't cheap. Many players are jerks.

Is that what I want to encourage for my kid? Is that the sports I want to role model to my son?

"Stand here son and wait for MLB to crap on your head. It'll be fun! We can do it together!"

You know it's bad when they make NASCAR look inviting.