And then I wrote...

by Dick Schilling, "Editor Emeritus"

... that after years of following the Chicago Cubs as they tried unsuccessfully to win the World Series, I missed it when it happened this year!

I have been accused of being a “fair weather” fan, and this year it was literally true! I was watching the final game on television, and was much aggrieved when the Cubs blew the lead and were tied going into the final inning. It was still tied when it started to rain, and I figured it would be an hour or so before they could resume, and then, the odds were in Cleveland’s favor, as the home team. Because they have the last “say” the home team wins a large percentage of extra-inning games.

So, I went to bed, and to sleep.

And was pleasantly surprised to learn next morning that the Cubs had won!

Chicago has a bad reputation, for its crooked political machine, and more recently for the number of murders.

I watched some of the events the morning of the victory parade and celebration, which it was claimed drew five million fans. That figure seems a little high, but there were bodies as far as the TV cameras could reach.

And they were well behaved.

In many large cities with much less to celebrate, there were instances of rioting and burning buildings and overturned vehicles. I have not heard of anything like that in connection with the long-awaited World Series win by the Cubs.

Good show, Chicago.

My fair weather fan attitude was confirmed again in that Saturday night game when Iowa’s football team was humiliated by Penn State. Based on what I was seeing on television, I was certain the “game” was over at halftime, so I adjourned to my room to listen to old time radio shows on public radio, which I frequently do Saturday and Sunday nights.

I flipped back to AM after an hour or more, in time to have my suspicions confirmed about the rout.

More bad news to follow?

Iowa’s foe at home the next week was Michigan, which earlier this year completely dismantled Penn State!

And they don’t have a “mercy” rule in college football, where the time continues after a team is 35 points ahead!

In my humble opinion, the fall leaf show here in northeast Iowa has been as confused as the weather.

The show should have been over by the first week of November. Public radio this morning, Nov. 7, said the low temperature in this area that morning in 1991 was three below!

But the first week of November this year, as I headed west on 11th Ave. from the city park pond toward Fareway, those young trees so thoughtfully planted by Trees Forever a couple years ago were all identical in shape and golden yellow color, and formed an alleyway much like a row of color guards, or candles on a birthday cake. I was so impressed I went around the long block and came through again.

Awesome!