That song was authored by folk singer, and Cubs fan, Steve Goodman. It just happened that he wrote that song for WGN radio before the 1984 season, which for many Cub fans, was a magical season. Magical? Yeah, in much the same way that the 1969 season is remembered by many Cub fans who are older than I am...a team that seamed to be destined to take us all to the promised land, only to, in the end, lead us to sorrow.
Well, Steve Goodman died of leukemia, a disease he lived with for a large part of his life. He died just a three days before the Cubs won the NL East division crown in 1984, clinching a spot in the playoffs for the first time since 1945. As I recall, he was even slated to sing the National Anthem at one of the playoff games that year.
For me, my favorite Steve Goodman song relating to the Cubs was this:
I usually play this song in a loop at the beginning of every season: therapy, dimming expectations, and reality.
So why am I bringing this up?
I saw this on the Tribune site today:
Rep. Mike Quigley, D-Ill., introduced the measure to have the Lakeview post office, 1343 W. Irving Park Road, renamed for (Steve) Goodman.
I love this idea...but then I started to think, is that enough? For a guy who's voice is blares out after every Cubs victory leading tens of thousands in singing its chorus, it seems like the Cubs should probably honor him in some way as well.
Hell, Harry Carey got 40,000 people to sing "Take me out to the Ballgame" when he was alive. Goodman gets people to sing "Go Cubs Go" and he's dead!
Look, "Go Cubs Go" has become a battle hymn for this franchise. Eddie Vedder's mumbled, whiny monstrosity that doesn't hold water next to Goodman's song. (Don't get me started on that...and Peter Gammons is an idiot.)
I was extremely happy when they replaced KC and the Sunshine Band's "Get Down Tonight" with "Go Cubs Go" as the Cubs victory theme, and that is a great tribute to Steve Goodman.
The state gave Goodman a day back in 2007, which was announced during the 2007 playoffs. But maybe it's time that the Cubs do something too. I'm not sure what...having some sort of event or naming something after him...
It would be really cool, though.
