Gene Wojciechowski

Better than season tickets to Wrigley Field, this behind-the-scenes, vibrant, entertaining chronicle of the Chicago Cubs’ 2004 season (as well a retelling of one of the most interesting histories in baseball) takes readers into the clubhouse, onto the field, and into the nostalgic richness of the team that epitomizes pure baseball. The Chicago Cubs inspire a rare kind of devotion, a never-give-up, wait-till-next-year enthusiasm undiminished by ninety-five years without a World Series victory. In this thrilling day-to-day account of the 2004 season, celebrated sportswriter Gene Wojciechowski captures the indelible spirit of a team—and its astounding fans. With full access to players, coaches, front-office personnel, groundskeepers, and almost everyone else connected to the franchise, Wojciechowski opens the door and presents an inside perspective that all baseball fans will relish. From Ernie Banks, the legendary “Mr. Cub,” to Sammy Sosa, today’s record-setting sensation, CUBS NATION traces the history of a team that often had everything going for it and yet was so hampered by losses that it came to define the term “lovable losers.” Wojciechowski conjures up the classic ivy-covered stadium, its fabled manual scoreboard, and the ”ballhawks” who have caught literally thousands of home-run balls on the streets alongside Wrigley. In a wonderful blend of exciting moment-by-moment reporting, revealing interviews, and nostalgic vignettes, Wojciechowski pulls back the curtain to uncover the fascinating inner workings of a storied Major League Baseball team—and he shows why the Cubs stand for everything that is good about baseball, win or lose.