The holiday season is a time for family. It is a time for feasting. A time for…oh let’s be serious, it’s all about the presents. So this year, I jumped at the opportunity to give a gift to a player/coach and to a fan base.
As much as I wanted to be selfish and give gifts-a-plenty to my Baltimore Orioles, I have decided to embrace the generosity of the season and give to those whom I feel need it the most.
I’ve decided to start with the fan base and grant a World Series Championship in 2013 to those “loveable losers” the Chicago Cubs. The longest championship drought in professional sports, the Cubs haven’t been World Champs since they won the title back to back years in 1907 and 1908 (104 years ago).
Courtesy: NY Daily News/Associated Press
The player/coach I’d like to reward might be a controversial one. He was both a player and a coach but found some trouble as a skipper. I would give a trip to Cooperstown to the “Hit King”, “Charlie Hustle”: Pete Rose. While many would keep him out because of the gambling controversy, his abilities on the field are above reproach. The all-time hits leader with 4,256, Rose was a 3-time World Series Champion (1975, 1976, 1980), an MVP (1973) 3-time NL batting champ (1968, 1969, 1973), a 17-time all star and NL rookie of the year (1963). In addition to the all-time hits record, Rose also holds MLB records for career games played (3,562) and at-bats (14,053).
