The Chicago Cubs, who have picked up the title as America’s Team during the MLB Playoffs thanks to their run towards the NLCS, are absolutely doing everything that they can in hopes of turning their bad luck around against the New York Mets.
Trailing in the series 3-0 to New York, the team first brought longtime Cubbies fan Bill Murray to the park prior to Game 3—which didn’t work—and are now going even deeper in hopes of becoming just the second MLB team to overcome a three games to none deficit, joining the ’04 Boston Red Sox.
According to ESPN, the team plans on actor Thomas Ian Nicholas being in attendance for the game tonight, the actor who played flame-thrower Henry Rowengartner in the movie based on the Cubs in the movie Rookie of the Year way back when.
Of course, in the flick, the team beats the Mets to advance to the World Series, which, fictionally, ended their longtime curse of not playing in a Fall Classic since 1945, so why the hell not try and bring back the same magic, right?
Nicholas won’t be tossing out the first pitch, but he does have a surprise that is lame, but, for Cubs fans, will hopefully bring some luck, per ESPN:
“Usually when I go to the game, I wear the jersey the Cubs made for me with my last name, Nicholas, on it, but I called the team and I said, ‘Can you make a Rowengartner jersey for me?,'” Nicholas told ESPN.com late Tuesday night. “I’ve never done that. I haven’t worn a Rowengartner jersey since the movie, but I feel like we kind of need it right now. It’s kind of like my rally cap.”
Who knows how in the hell this is all going to end up—I personally think the Cubs are doomed and will get swept tonight. Then again, the only other team who has come back from this type of hole had the same man orchestrating it, Theo Epstein, who’s the current President of Baseball Operations in Chicago.
I’m REALLY digging for hope here, Cubs fans, so maybe Hen- Hen- Hen-ry, Row- Row- Row-en, Gar- Gar- Gartner will be the one who helps break the misery.
[H/T ESPN]