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or... R to L: The 2016 Chicago Cubs celebrate winning the 2016 NLCS; The 1908 World Series Champions, Chicago Cubs It’s official, the Chicago Cubs have made it to the World Series, and the devil himself is pulling out a scarf and hat to survive the sudden storm.
For those of you not well versed in American Baseball, or I as call it, The Greatest Sport Known to Man, the Chicago Cubs have not been to a World Series since 1945. That’s 71 years between appearances. Not only that, the Cubs have not won a world series since 1908. That’s right, the Chicago Cubs have not won a world series in over a century. Let me say that again… THE CHICAGO CUBS HAVE NOT WON A WORLD SERIES IN OVER A CENTURY. Let’s put this into perspective, as much as we can, because let’s face it, unless you’re a die hard Cubbies fan, you don’t really understand the kind of drought that this team has had. Television, and the modern radio had yet to be invented when the Cubs last won a world series. You couldn’t even follow along to the game unless you were there in the stands or read the paper in the next couple of days. There have been 14 teams added to the Major League Baseball roster. That’s right, fourteen teams were not even in existence when the Cubs last won the series. Not to mention, that the NFL, NBA, and NHL weren’t even formed. That’s right, we have seen the creation of three major sports leagues and all of their participating teams, since the Cubs last won the series. Wrigley Field, home of the Chicago Cubs, had yet to be built when the Cubs last won the series. We added 4 states to make the complete union of the United States 50. That’s right, there were only 46 states when the Cubs last won the world series. Which states? New Mexico, Arizona, Alaska, & Hawaii. Basically, A LOT has happened since the Cubs won the series. But what I am super excited about (and I really mean this), is that my brothers and I have finally won the “Griffith Family Cable Debate”. You see, growing up my family never had cable. NEVER. We had the basic networks, and nothing else. We didn’t realize that this was not normal until we got to school and found out there were whole networks dedicated to kids, and cartoons. We were missing out, and we were not happy. We eventually got up the nerve to ask my parents if we could get cable. We had our arguments ready. We wanted cable for Nickelodeon, Cartoon Network, and the Disney Channel. Mom could have it for all those baking and cooking shows. And Dad would get ESPN, and every other sports channel. It was a win-win-win all around, … or so we thought. After much pestering on our part, my father finally gave us this ultimatum: We’ll get cable, when the Cubs win the Pennant. We didn’t really know what that meant, but we told everyone that the Cubs needed to win the Pennant in order for us to get cable. And all the adults that we told, laughed. We were soon schooled in the practicality of that qualification. We learned about the track record of the Cubs, and how they had not been to a series since before my dad was born. We learned that there was a curse, and that my Dad’s favorite team was (to no big surprise) the Chicago Cubs. We learned that we would probably never get cable. That was until Saturday, October 22, 2016. On that fateful evening, the Cubs won the National League Championship Series. (Personally, I prefer the term Pennant, but it seems to be a dying term.) The Cubs have won the Pennant, and are headed to the World Series. The excitement I felt was enormous! This was historic! This was something for the history books! This meant my father would have to get cable! Actually, it doesn’t mean that at all, because up until recently, my parents had at least one of their four beautiful children living at home with them. And as of September, all of us have moved out and onto our own apartments, and houses. My parents have finally been left alone in peace. It’s also a bit tragic. In a day and age where cable is becoming less, and less of a draw, due to the constant ability to stream almost anything online through your computer, tablet, or smart TV, cable is almost obsolete. The likelihood of my parents jumping onto the cable bandwagon is so slim, it could be compared to well … you get the picture. Not only that, they have their own lives, friends, and things to do. Plus, they have moved with the times, and have their own smart tv, Netflix account, and Amazon Prime. I really doubt that cable is actually coming into the picture. But the thought of my father finally getting to watch ESPN now that he doesn’t have to share it with a bunch of rowdy kids arguing over which team to root for, paints a beautiful, peaceful picture in my mind. Congrats to the Cubs and all the Cubbie fans. And congrats to my father, for waiting out his children, so he has the opportunity to watch as much of his cable (or lack there of) in peace. ...or I am a bit of a movie buff. I dabble in it. I say this knowing real movie buffs who can cite the cinematographer for that random film that you saw one time, with that guy you kinda liked, but didn't really like in the film because the set was wonky. I don't pretend to be a full on movie buff. I dabble. In my dabbling, I have been exposed to many amazing films from all different eras. Silent films of the early 20th century, to the blockbusters of Marvel fame. I have seen bad, horrible, brilliant, gut wrenching, magical, and despicable films. Some films have changed my view of the world. Some have changed my views on life. Some have temporarily destroyed any faith that I had in humanity. Some are just a good time and quickly forgotten. Some of these films are remakes, some are originals. One film that changed my life, in ways that are not always present and tangibly explained, is a remake. The funny thing is, they are remaking it again, and it’s coming out this year. Normally, I have an open mind about remakes and revivals. As an artist I accept and love them. It allows a story to be seen with a different point of view. It gives other artists a chance to explore characters, and moments that have different meanings from when they were first experienced and captured. That being said, there is something about the original, or in this case, the original remake. The Magnificent Seven (1960) was a remake. It was an adaptation/remake of The Seven Samurai (1954), a japanese film with the same plot. This major blockbuster was a remake. It's insane to think that this could be possible, and yet it is. One of the films that did so much to shape, me, my personality, and certain life choices was a remake. This has not dampened it’s impact.
The first time that I saw The Magnificent Seven I was very young. Elementary school young. My father had the habit of bringing home movies for my brothers and I to watch. There were four of us and the easiest way to keep us all occupied, and out of our parents hair, was to put us all in front of a movie. We had quite the collection. My father is a big fan of John Wayne's, so westerns were a staple in my house. But this was the one western that my father brought home that did not have John Wayne. It was about seven unlikely, washed up, heroes who band together to stand up to the bully, and do the right thing. How inspiring! How resilient! How unabashedly American! I wanted to shout from the rooftops. This was a great film! A new favorite of mine and my brothers. We could all agree that this was a tie breaker film. You know, when you’re arguing about what movie to watch, because there is only one tv with a VCR, this was the one we could break the war over. As I got older, I learned more about the film, the stories of the cast on set. How Yul Brynner and Steve McQueen were constantly trying to one up one another and draw focus. And how half the cast was a part of another great film “The Great Escape”. At it’s core, it’s about a group of men with different stories, different skill sets, and different motivations, coming together for a worthy cause. It could not be more patriotic. Then I got older. We moved from Arkansas to Montana. We were spread out across three different age groups, elementary, middle and high school. We didn’t agree on much, we fought about everything, and we had to start new schools, yet again. It’s always hard to do. But something magical happened. I started school at my second high school. It was a quarter of the size of my high school in Arkansas. It was different school colors, a different locker system, a different map to learn. I didn’t know which teachers to avoid, which ones to befriend. I didn’t know where the cool kids sat, or what was even considered cool. I didn’t have a friend, just a freshman cousin. But when the first pep rally of the year happened, the entire school gathered in the field house and I was welcomed by the theme of The Magnificent Seven - it was my new high school’s fight song. The magic of this film surpassed any expectation that I had ever had, and will always hold a special place in my heart. It will always mean that there is a place for me. |
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November 2017
AuthorLondon Griffith is an Alaskan born, Montana raised, Southern influenced, New York Actress. She occasionally writes about her life and experiences of being on the verge ... |