The Chicago Cubs are off to a dreadful 1-4 start this season, bad enough to be tied with division rival Cincinnati for the worst in the National League. Only the L.A. Angels, who have started the season 1-5, have a worse record in all of baseball. That’s the bad news.
The good news? Chewbacca is coming to town! Yes, everyone’s favorite wookie, hailing from the planet Endor, will throw out the first ball for the Cubs’ second home game of the season. Or at least the guy who plays Chewbacca, in the new trilogy, not Peter Mayhew from the classic trilogy, will be doing so.
A snippet from a Cubs official release:
Wednesday, April 10, Chicago Cubs vs. Pittsburgh Pirates, 7:05 p.m.
First pitch: Actor Joonas Suotamo, best known for his role as Chewbacca in “Star Wars: The Force Awakens,” “The Last Jedi,” “Solo” and the upcoming December release of “Star Wars: Episode IX”
Now remember, baseball is a very long season, and hence there is no point in complaining a lot about how bad the Cubs, who average seven runs allowed per game, are right now. You have the entire season to complain about the Cubs being bad, so just pace yourself.
More good news comes later next week when the second opponent to come to Wrigley Field is…drumroll please…the L.A. Angels! That means somebody should see their record improve significantly when two of the three worst teams in baseball get together for a three game set next weekend.
You’ll notice that one of the games in the set will keep the Star Wars theme going on this home stand.
Saturday, April 13, Chicago Cubs vs. Los Angeles Angels, 1:20 p.m.
· Promotion: Cubs and Star Wars Blanket
· First pitch: Jon Favreau, writer and executive producer of the Star Wars series “The Mandalorian”
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net, which is partnered with News Now. Banks, a former writer for NBC Chicago.com and Chicago Tribune.com, regularly appears as a guest pundit on WGN CLTV and co-hosts the “Let’s Get Weird, Sports” podcast on SB Nation.
He also contributes sociopolitical essays to Chicago Now. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram. The content of his cat’s Instagram account is unquestionably superior to his.