105-year-old Cubs fan roots for a World Series win

EAST MOLINE, Ill (KWQC)- 105-year-old Ray Styrlund has seen 18 presidents take office, and dozens of other teams head to the World Series. But, the century old Cubs fan has not seen his team take home the World Series crown.

“One day they’re good, the next day they’d lose,” Styrlund said.

He remembers watching those types of games inside the friendly confines when he lived in Chicago.

“I was working in the evenings,  and the Cubs back then didn’t have lights so all their games were during the day time,” he said, “So, I would go to the game in the daytime and go to work in the evening.”

He’s seen Ron Santo and Ryne Sandberg, he’s heard Harry Caray and Mr. Cub himself.

“I guess I’m the oldest Cub fan they say,” he said as he laughed. “I like the sport, and of course I’ve been with the cubs so long that it’s just natural for me to be a cub fan.”

What he heard on Saturday night from his room at Park Vista in East Moline, was far from natural. So far from natural, it hadn’t happened in 71 years.

“I stayed up for the whole thing,” he said.

Styrlund says he usually doesn’t stay up late to listen to all of the night games on his radio.

“They finally did it,” he said. “I felt relieved.”

Styrlund isn’t satisfied with just making it to the World Series, he wants to see the Cubbies win it all.

“I’ve lived long enough to see it then,” he laughed. “I’ve been waiting a long time.”

“I can’t wait another 100 years.”

Millions of other Cubs fans don’t want to wait that long, either.