Carl,

Only after years of therapy am I able to admit that I am a product of a mixed marriage. I know I don't look it but yes my father was a Sox fan from the southside and my mother was a northside Cubs fan. This union was looked upon in the same manner that a marriage between a catholic and a jew or a black and white. Very few would accept this mixture of cultures.

It wasn't until I was born that the truth came out. As bad as this marriage was, it was accepted by my grandparents until my parents started breeding. God would only know what type of demon was being produced from this unholy union. My parents were banished to the leper colony of Plainfield. This was a strange place where Cub and Sox fans lived in harmony. The other strange custom that they practiced in this town was being Republican and admitting it.

I was able to watch either game on TV without the fear of the "Baseball Police" breaking down the door to ask if I was a Sox or Cub fan. I would watch as the broadcast team of Jack Brickhouse and Vince Lloyd filled my head with all the wonder numbers which was part of baseball. Jack would call the play by play. Being a true cheerleader, you could never tell by his voice if the Cubs were up by 7 or down by 12. Vince's job was the commericals, making sure that Jack had an open can of beer and take over the play by play when Jack had to go pee. This team also handled the Sox broadcasts. The only difference was the Cubs were sponsored by Hamm's beer and the Sox had Old Style. Jack would drink both with the same gusto depending on which game was being broadcasted. That was how my parent's secret was discovered. My father ordered an Old Style beer while being in a Cub's bar. Only true Cub fans drank Hamm's beer.

What finally locked my fate was 1959. The sox made it to the World Series. Being ten years old I had all the faith that they would in fact win. Of course after winning the first game by the score of 11-0, they would lose the next 4 out of 5 games. That was the last time any Chicago baseball team would be in the Series. Many times we have gotten close but no cigar.

After reading the bible, I have decided that the world will only come to an end when one of two things happen. If the Cubs or Sox ever win the Series the world would surely end. The other event to cause the end of the world would be a Republican becoming mayor of Chicago.