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The Cubs Honored By Sox Fan Obama At Playful White House Ceremony (PHOTOS)

By Kelly Bauer | January 16, 2017 11:55am | Updated on January 17, 2017 8:27am

CHICAGO — The Cubs continued their World Series championship celebrations, bringing the party to the White House on Monday.

The team broke a 108-year drought and won the World Series this year, earning itself an invitation to D.C. from President Barack Obama. A majority of the team's roster made the trip.

Needless to say, the social-media-loving Cubs cracked jokes and shared photos. Javier Baez teased that Obama, a Sox fan, should be "ready for the Cubbies," while Kris Bryant and Anthony Rizzo poked fun at David Ross' less-than-full head of hair.

Obama got a few of his own digs in, too.

"They said this day would never come," Obama told a crowd while welcoming the Cubs, garnering laughter. "I will say to the Cubs, it took you long enough.

"... Even I was not crazy enough to suggest that during these eight years we would see the Cubs win the World Series."

Obama told the crowd a "certain South Side team ... has my loyalty," but noted that First Lady Michelle Obama is a "lifelong Cubs fan."

Michelle Obama never attended a major sports team event at the White House during Obama's presidency until the Cubs visited, the president said. She told the team what it meant to her to win.

"It spoke, I think, to how people feel about this organization, and that it's been passed on generation after generation. It's more than just sports," President Obama said. Later, he added, "You can see all that love this season in the fans who traveled to their dads' gravesites to listen to games on the radio, who wore their moms' old jerseys to games, who covered the brick walls of Wrigley with love notes in chalk, to departed fans whose lifelong faith was finally fulfilled."

The president said many of his staffers were huge Cubs fans, calling in sick during the playoffs. One employee even called off work and then got caught on camera outside a Wrigleyville bar, Obama said.

In thanks, the Cubs said they welcomed Obama as an "honorary" Cubs fan and gave him a Cubs jersey (along with one that just said "Chicago" in case he couldn't bring himself to be a Cub). Obama's family was also given a lifetime pass to Wrigley Field and a signed, Cubs "W" flag, which the team hopes Obama will fly at his Jackson Park library.

"Even though it will be hard for me to wear a jersey, do know that, among Sox fans, I am the Cubs' No. 1 fan," Obama joked.

Obama also gave a shoutout to the Blackhawks, who he's hosted at the White House several times, and the Bears, Bulls and Sox.

Star pitcher Jake Arrieta, who made waves with a tweet suggesting that Hollywood should "pony up and head for the border" after Donald Trump's win in November, did not join the team in Washington. 

Comcast Sports Net reports that Arrieta couldn't make the trip due to family obligations, and insisted it had nothing to do with disliking President Obama. He told the site he didn't vote in November. 

"I don't consider myself a Democrat or a Republican," Arreita said, according to CSN. "I want a president who's going to do a good job. That's where I stand."

 

👦🏻👴🏻👦🏻

A photo posted by Kris Bryant (@kris_bryant17) on

 

Excited to be here in the White House. #JB9 #ElMago

A photo posted by Javier Báez ⚾ (@javy23baez) on

 

🇺🇸 #Blessed #WhiteHouse 🇺🇸

A photo posted by Addi Russell (@addison_russell) on

 

Thats to much Sauce #WhiteHouse #Saucey @jheylove22 @kris_bryant17 @dexterfowler #MettingObama

A photo posted by Addi Russell (@addison_russell) on

 

‪In about an hour, we will have a Facebook Live stream of the #CubsInDC: Facebook.com/cubs‬

A photo posted by cubs (@cubs) on

 

With My Boys At White House 😎 Dimeloooo @javy23baez @pstroop

A photo posted by Don Ernesto 💪 (@willsoncontreras40) on

Rizzo even shared a #ThrowbackThursday:

 

#tbt can't believe they're actually gonna let us in there tomorrow #bussy

A photo posted by Anthony Rizzo (@arizz_44) on