CHICAGO — It didn’t take long for Chicago Cubs fans to welcome the first American pope into their arms.
When Pope Leo XIV’s election was announced Thursday, ABC News reported Robert Prevost of Dolton was a Cubs fan.
The jokes were flying on social media, many of them suggesting Pope Leo XIV was a perfect choice to heal the world’s suffering, thanks to his allegiance to the Cubs.
That begged the question: Would the Cubs ask the new pope to throw a ceremonial first pitch at Wrigley Field?
A message to the Cubs got a quick response.
“Not only would we welcome Pope Leo XIV to Wrigley Field, he could sing ‘Take Me Out to the Ballgame,’” Cubs Chairman Tom Ricketts said in a statement.
“Or, since three of his predecessors visited Yankee Stadium, including Pope Paul VI, who delivered the 1965 ‘Sermon on the Mound,’ we would invite the Pontiff to do the same at the Friendly Confines.”
The Wrigley Field marquee changed to “Hey, Chicago, He’s a Cubs fan!” after the news Thursday afternoon.
But the Sox might have a better claim. According to his brother, John Prevost, the new pope was a Sox fan growing up. “He was never, ever a Cubs fan,” he told WGN News.” So I don’t know where that came from. He was always a Sox fan.”
If that’s true, Pope Leo XIV would be the second representative of the Vatican after former Sox pitcher Donn “The Pope” Pall.
The Cubs have had many celebrities perform the stretch after Harry Caray’s death in 1998 began the tradition of guest singers, from Mike Ditka to Hillary Clinton. But they’ve yet to have a pope in the booth singing and then imploring the Cubs to “get some runs.”
If his North Side fandom is confirmed, Pope Leo XIV would automatically become the world’s most famous Cubs fan, eclipsing Bill Murray for the top spot.
The Cubs have a team chaplain, Rev. Burke Masters, who celebrates mass at the ballpark on Sundays with Wrigley Field employees, including players, team personnel and ushers. During the Cubs’ playoff run in 2016, Rev. Masters was asked if praying was going to help the Cubs win the World Series.
“Ultimately, I don’t think God cares who wins or loses,” Masters said. “But it can’t hurt.”
The Cubs are in first place in the National League Central and now might have a connection with the Big Guy in Pope Leo XIV.
If he really is a die-hard Cubs fan, Pope Leo XIV probably can let his followers know with a familiar Latin phrase that every fans knows:
“Eamus Catuli”… “Let’s go Cubs.”
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