Sitting first-base side
at Wrigley Field, on a sweltering June afternoon, a 10-year old boy turns to
his father and confidently exclaims, "When Ryno makes the Hall of Fame,
I'm going to take you to Cooperstown!"
The year was 1984 and
"Ryno" was the fresh-faced Chicago Cubs second baseman in the midst
of a most unlikely National League MVP season. The father shook his head amused
by his youngest son, Steven, secretly wondering where he came up with such
nonsense. Yes, Sandberg was a solid player, having an exceptional year, but
with little more than a year-and-a-half in the big leagues, he was hardly seen
as a future Hall of Famer.
Twenty-one years later,
in July 2005, the boy made good on his promise, taking his father to
Cooperstown for Sandberg’s Hall of Fame induction. Ryno's speech brought father
and son to tears. Hands down, the best vacation these two men ever had. Period.
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Steven (left)
and James (right) standing in front of Ryne Sandberg’s Hall of Fame Plaque, Induction
Weekend July 2005, Cooperstown, NY
|
Every family that shares
the love of baseball can tell similar tales. From one generation to another,
baseball's beauty is not just in cathedrals, such as the one at the corner of Clark
and Addison on the north side of Chicago. Baseball is also perfectly beautiful
in that it allows for conversation. For this father and son, 365 days a year,
talk of the Chicago Cubs. “Wait ‘til next
year”, “Just one before I die”
and the name "Sandberg" seemed to be the centerpiece of most
conversations.
James “Pops” Olson was
born in 1941 and raised on the south side of Chicago - an unlikely place for a
Cubs fan, White Sox territory. Pops worked 25 years for the Chicago Tribune.
When his mailer's union lost a strike, he moved his wife, Janice, and three
children – Charlene, Jimmie, and Steven -- to San Jose, California, where he
worked 19 years for the Mercury News until retirement.
The father and son's
love of the Cubs and, of course, Ryne Sandberg grew even deeper in 1989, their
first full year in the San Francisco Bay Area. In enemy territory, they watched
the local team’s star, Will Clark, singlehandedly kill another dream of Cubs late-October
baseball at Wrigley Field. Living among Bay Area fans, many of whom seemed to
think Joe Morgan was the greatest second baseman ever, father and son stood
together to defend the honor of Ryno.
In August 2001, Steven
married a beautiful woman whose maiden name, by complete coincidence, was Sandberg
(no relation). Pops was the best man at the wedding and after his toast, he
peeled off his suitcoat and crisp white shirt to
reveal a Cubs jersey: Sandberg 23. That was his way of welcoming the beautiful
bride into the Olson family.
The 114-degree Las
Vegas heat was enough to sap most men’s stamina, but not Pops’, even bundled in
three layers of clothes – tux, shirt, Sandberg jersey. That day he danced with
his wife, new stepdaughter and four grandchildren. That marriage didn’t last,
but it produced two daughters (two more Cubs fans), Madeline and Addison. (The
youngest named as a subtle ode to the street on which Wrigley Field stands.) These
girls made their first pilgrimage to Wrigley Field in July 2015. Pops and their
father, Steven, were at their side.
The jersey Pops wore
under his tux that day in Vegas now bears Ryne Sandberg’s signature. Before a
spring training game in Arizona in 2004, his nephew, Harry, battled through a
crowd to get the autograph. While Sandberg was signing, the father and son
watched from their seats 20 rows up. “Ryne Sandberg Hall of Fame 2005,” Steven
shouted down toward the field. Ryno, who had fallen short of election on the
2004 Hall of Fame ballot acknowledged Steve’s words of
encouragement by smiling proudly and giving a thumbs-up. As Cub fans know all
too well, there is always next year. This devoted fan base seems to be in a
perpetual state of waiting… and waiting. As a reminder, the last time the Cubs
won a World Series was 1908. During that same period Halley’s Comet passed the
Earth. Twice.
This brings us to
2016. On the field, the Cubs performance
has produced the greatest results. The Cubs have won more than 100 games, a
first in both man’s lives. (Last happened in 1935.) On June 28, Steven
presented Pops with two special gifts for this 75th birthday. The
first was a walking cane in the form of custom a Louisville Slugger baseball
bat. Made from solid Northern White Ash, handcrafted to perfection with the
name “James J. Olson” proudly engraved.
The look of astonishment on Pops’ face that day might have mirrored a look he
had Opening Day 1969, the first time he saw Wrigley Field. “I had never seen
that color of green before,” he would often recall.
 |
James opening
up 75th birthday present, June 28, 2016
|
Chicago Cubs
broadcast June 28, 2016
Unfortunately, Pops’ health
failed where the Cubs have not, at least not yet. Pops passed away on September
30th. James Olson did not make October, as the Cubbies will. The
Cubs will challenge their 108-year World Series curse, and Steven will watch without
the greatest man he has ever known by his side. He’ll daydream about the
countless days where hope was shared with his Pops, and he’ll wish for just one
more day in the sunshine… like the one in June 1984 when the real Hall of Famer
was sitting right next to him on the first-base side at Wrigley.
-----------------------
EPILOGUE: The original account was posted prior to the
Chicago Cubs 8-7 Game 7 victory over the Cleveland Indians on November 2, 2016.
While Pops missed this historic World Series championship on earth, his family
is fully convinced he played a pivotal role negotiating with God up in heaven
to make this happen.
On July 4, 2017, a group of 30 family and friends traveled
from across the US back to Wrigley Field to celebrate Pops memory the way he
truly wanted. A luxury suite – one like Pops used to say was reserved for the “big
shots” – was rented for the day. (The suite was actually paid for with the only
money left over from Pops’ blue collar living “estate”.) The passionate group loudly
cheered in the middle of the 5th inning when “HONORING JAMES JOSEPH
OLSON JR. 1941-2016” was posted on the 42ft high by 95ft wide left-field video board.
After the game, the group was taken onto the field for a group photo. Steven
was able to avoid arrest by not-so-subtly leaving behind some of Pops’ ashes,
forever matching a part of him along with his soul at Wrigley Field.
The above was written by Steven A. Olson -- proud son
of James J. Olson -- Tempe, AZ,
Rev. September 18, 2018
