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Cub Fan Who Saw 1945 World Series Hopes to See Fall Classic 70 Years Later

By Seth Schwartz | October 20, 2015 6:34am
 Jack Leese attended a 1945 World Series game at Wrigley Field.
Jack Leese attended a 1945 World Series game at Wrigley Field.
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Jack Leese

CHICAGO — Sleeping overnight along the left field wall on Waveland Avenue, Jack Leese and a trio of friends were in a rare position.

When the sun came up Saturday morning Oct. 6, 1945, they found the line had expanded from 100 to 300 deep to see the Cubs play the Detroit Tigers for Game 4 of the 1945 World Series. Paying $1.25 per person, Leese, Howie Dunn and Bill Malles, all freshmen at Schurz High School, and Jack Franz [at Lane Tech], enjoyed a view from the center field bleachers as Tigers’ace Dizzy Trout stifled the Cubs, going the distance and allowing five hits en route to a 4-1 win. The Tigers took the title in seven games.

For almost half a century, it wasn’t uncommon for the Cubs to be in the World Series. Losing to the White Sox in 1906, winning titles by sweeping the Tigers in 1907 and 1908. In a 16-team league, the Cubs got to the World Series in 1910, 1918, 1929, 1932, 1935, 1938, losing each time. The loss in 1945 was the only series that went seven games. 

“You never thought it would take 70 years to get this close,” Leese said.

Graduating from Lane Tech in 1949, he enlisted in the United Marines. Volunteering for Korea twice, he ended up serving stateside in Camp Lejeune, where he played football and wrestled. 

After two years at Wright Junior College, he married Georgia Lewis on Aug. 27, 1955. Leese was motivated as he entered Northwestern University. Working as a furniture mover on the weekends, he held a series of odd jobs during the week. Posting a 4.0 grade point average, Leese earned bachelor's and master’s degrees in education from Northwestern.

Becoming the head coach at East Leyden High School in 1963, Leese recorded a 98-29-4 mark with championships in 1971 and 1972 and went undefeated in 1977. Retiring in 1991, he and Georgia bought a 60-game Cubs season ticket plan.

Even diehard fans didn’t see the magic of the Cubs' 2015 season coming until September. Leese’s coaching eye focused on an outline of future success.

“We went to Arizona for spring training and you could see [Dexter] Fowler, [Jorge] Soler and other guys come through,” he said. “Manager [Joe Maddon] is an old-school guy who has a special way of relating to the players. He’s pushing all the right buttons. He’s just a step above; I’ve never seen another coach like him.

"Jerry Goldstein [who sits next to him in section 415 in the upper deck] said to me during spring training, ‘I think the Cubs have a chance to get to the World Series next year.’

“Before the season, there’s a group of us who bet on how many games the Cubs will win. I said 74, someone else said 80.”

A passionate sports fan who never missed any of her husband’s games as a coach, Georgia bleeds Cubbie blue. The two catch the bus to the game from their condo on Lake Shore Drive and return via cab. Attending 31 consecutive Cubs’ conventions, Georgia dissects decisions and dispenses managerial assistance when needed. They’re hoping 60 years of marital bliss translates into a World Series.

Like all devoted Cub fans, Leese still feels the wounds of painful postseason loses. He understands the enormity of the series and the contrast from 1945.

“If the sirens would’ve gone off in 1945, people would’ve thought it was an air raid,” he said. “It was a special time then, but it’s much different today.

“For the Cardinals games over the summer, you’d have almost half of the fans from St. Louis. Monday and Tuesday night [to clinch the series] you couldn’t see any Cardinal fans.

“I went to a White Sox World Series game, but there was nothing like the wins over the Cardinals. The energy level was incredible. The whole place was on their feet every time there were two strikes.”

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