Cubs Fan that was at a 1945 World Series Game is Hoping for Another

There are Cubs fans and then there are Die Hard Cubs fans, like Jack Leese.

He was at game four of the 1945 Cubs VS. Tigers World Series game and is now hoping and looking for another this year.

Jack Leese told DNAInfo, that he and a trio of friends slept on the sidewalk of Waveland Ave along the right field wall, that October 5th night, in order to be the first in line to get tickets for the 1945 World Series game between the Cubs and the Tigers.

"When the sun came up Saturday morning Oct. 6, 1945, they found the line had expanded from 100 to 300 deep to see the Cubs play the Detroit Tigers for Game 4 of the 1945 World Series. Paying $1.25 per person, Leese, Howie Dunn and Bill Malles, all freshmen at Schurz High School, and Jack Franz [at Lane Tech], enjoyed a view from the center field bleachers as Tigers’ace Dizzy Trout stifled the Cubs, going the distance and allowing five hits en route to a 4-1 win. The Tigers took the title in seven games."

At the time, no one, not even Jack realized that this world be the last time in a long while that the Cubs would be in the World Series. For almost a half of a century before 1945, the Cubs had been in the World Series. "Losing to the White Sox in 1906, winning titles by sweeping the Tigers in 1907 and 1908. In a 16-team league, the Cubs got to the World Series in 1910, 1918, 1929, 1932, 1935, 1938, losing each time. The loss in 1945 was the only series that went seven games."

Jack like many Cubs and baseball fans alike have the same sentiment, "You never thought it would take 70 years to get this close.”

However, Jack , a coach himself, has had his coaching eye focused on an outline of future success for the Cubs. He said  "We went to Arizona for spring training and you could see [Dexter] Fowler, [Jorge] Soler and other guys come through. Manager [Joe Maddon] is an old-school guy who has a special way of relating to the players. He’s pushing all the right buttons. He’s just a step above; I’ve never seen another coach like him."

He believes that the Cubs will have that World Series chance.

Well we all are hoping for that too Jack. This team has greatly taken many even the Die Hard fans by surprise with how well they play and much of that does go back Coach Joe Maddon.