Singer - ballad maker Steve Goodman died in 1984 , but he is still present at every Chicago Cubs plate biz . That ’s because he ’s one of a prime few people who have been able to accomplish the ultimate lover laurels : score Wrigley Field as a terminal resting place .
Goodman wasdiagnosedwith leukemia when he was in college , and though it break into remitment , he seemed to know that he needed to make the most out of life while he could . After the diagnosing , Goodman pursued a career in euphony with a fervor . And he was successful — though you may not make love him by name , you probably lie with some of his songs , such as " City of New Orleans , " which was made notable byArlo Guthrieand also read byJohnny Cash , John Denver , andWillie Nelson . He also write the David Allan Coe bar favorite " You Never Even Call Me By My Name . "
In 1984 , calendar month before he die at the age of 36 , WGN radioaskedGoodman to write a little wireless jingle that would recoil off their program . He wrote a tricky tune , they played it , and that could have been the end of “ Go , Cubs , Go . ” Butin 2007 , someone in the Cubs organization decided that it would be a great celebratory song to wager every clip the Cubs chalked up a W.
Whether it was the nostalgia for the old melody that start off the WGN program , or Chicago ’s undying passion for Goodman , the local male child gone too shortly , the love for “ Go , Cubs , Go ” was now re - ignited . If you ’ve never seen or heard more than 40,000 multitude sear in pure glee , it ’s a sight to behold :
But little do most sports fan know that when they ’re sing along with Goodman , they ’re actually sing alongwithGoodman . In 1988 , some of the songster ’s friends and family talkeda friend of a friendinto let them into the arena to honor Goodman ’s wishes of having his ash break up at Wrigley Field . Though they had intend to provide at least part of him at home shell , they ended up going up to the bleachers and releasing his ash there .
“ One problem , the wind was blow in that 24-hour interval and instead of coming to pillow on Waveland Avenue , Stevie down jus ’ a little little , ( on the ) warning track under the 368 mansion , ” Steve ’s brother , David , laterwrote .
But how did Goodman ’s have a go at it one know where he wanted to domicile for all eternity ? Because he wrote a Sung about it , of line . Check out “ A Dying Cubs Fan ’s Last petition ” :
