How one Cubs fan got the opportunity of a lifetime to honor his family and Ryne Sandberg at Wrigley Field
Jun 23, 2024; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Ryne Sandberg waves to the fans during the Ryne Sandberg statue dedication before the game between the Chicago Cubs and the New York Mets at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-USA TODAY Sports
Photo Credit: David Banks-Imagn Images
On a sunny afternoon at Wrigley Field, lifelong Chicago Cubs fan David Frey belted out the National Anthem in front of nearly 40,000 people in his favorite stadium, with his family and Ryne Sandberg on his mind.
Frey is the lead singer of the band the Sidewalk Prophets, and a lifelong Cubs fan who developed a special bond with the recently passed away Sandberg, who was his favorite player from his childhood. Frey watched Sandberg’s Hall of Fame career on WGN while growing up in Indiana, where he and his stepdad shared their love of the Cubs.
Frey said singing at Wrigley was nothing short of surreal, keeping his stepdad, Sandberg, and the millions of United States military veterans in mind.
“Man, it was sureal. You know, you just don’t want to mess up the words,” Frey said with a chuckle. “I found my key and I just let it rip. Really, my heart was full. I was a huge Ryne Sandberg fan growing up, and seeing all the 23s and all the honoring of him.”
Like Sandberg, Frey’s stepfather recently passed away after a battle with stage-4 pancreatic cancer. Although Sandberg and his dad weren’t there to see him sing in person, Frey said he was proud to honor them both in a bucket-list moment in his favorite stadium.
“It still filled my heart up to be out there representing and honoring them,” Frey said.
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Before Frey’s own journey as a father began, he was touched by Sandberg’s unwavering kindness. Just before his son was born, Frey was surprised to receive a video from his favorite Cubs legend, who wished him a happy birthday and congratulated him on becoming a father.
The idea for the video came from Frey’s wife, who messaged Sandberg’s daughter, Lindsey, to set up the special birthday present. Although Sandberg had never met Frey, he was honored to make the video for his daughter’s college classmate. Lindsey and Frey attended the same college and even graduated together.
Frey said the video shocked his world, but he was even more touched when Sandberg mailed him an autographed jersey signed to his son.
“Ryno had sent an autographed jersey signed for my son, ‘To a future Hall of Famer William.’ And it was just like, man, this is a guy who goes above and beyond. It made me feel grateful to call him a hero. It was awesome.”
Frey’s story is one of many examples of how far Sandberg’s legacy stretches, and the funny quality that baseball has of bringing people together in unexpected ways. Frey’s son William was with him on the field to watch him sing, making his performance a full-circle moment for his Cubs fandom and his legacy as a father.
“I think that life is full of bitter-sweetness, man,” Frey continued. “There’s high highs, and low lows, and sometimes those things collide. And you just let it all out. I definitely had a tear in my eye at the end of the anthem just thinking about all that’s going on.”
When asked what he’d do if his dad and Sandberg were there, Frey said he would give them both big hugs and tell his dad how much he loves and misses him.
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