\u201cAwesome,\u201d Lester said Friday after being announced as a new member of the Cubs Hall of Fame<\/a>. \u201cProbably a little bit too good of a time. I went to lunch with Lack and (Travis Wood) and we were talking about it. Ten years seems like a long time. In my mind, it was yesterday.\u201d<\/p>\n Some of the participants, such as Javier B\u00e1ez, Kyle Schwarber and Aroldis Chapman, are still playing and came back only for the reunion, skipping the Cubs Convention. Rizzo said he tried to convince his former partner in Bryzzo Inc,, Kris Bryant, to return, but said Bryant had a prior commitment with the Colorado Rockies.<\/p>\n \u201cHe was missed, and a few other guys, too, but the majority of the guys were here,\u201d Rizzo said.<\/p>\n And after all these years, the same old guys sounded exactly the same.<\/p>\n \u201cThe same energy showed up, the same voices are yapping and going back and forth with each other,\u201d Ben Zobrist said. \u201cThe joy of the moment returns\u2026 and 10 years later, it\u2019s the same chemistry.\u201d<\/p>\n Former manager Joe Maddon was at the party Thursday and the opening ceremony Friday, along with catcher and former manager David Ross. Their managerial stints both ended with the Cubs waving goodbye, with Ross replacing Maddon and Craig Counsell replacing Ross. But their presence was required to make it a true 2016 Cubs reunion.<\/p>\n \u201cHonestly, it\u2019s not easy coming back when you feel like it doesn\u2019t end up on the best of terms,\u201d Rizzo said of Maddon and Ross. \u201cFor them to come and be with that group, that\u2019s what that group means. When we were there (in \u201916), they put the group first.<\/p>\n \u201cJoe is the greatest human being on the earth, so for him to be back and get the love he deserves was amazing to see. For David to be able to handle everything he has is amazing, because he did get stabbed out of nowhere. The decision was made and Counsell is amazing. The team is in a great spot. But that\u2019s your friend. When something bad happens, something good is happening for someone else.<\/p>\n \u201cFor him to handle it the way he has has been amazing. That\u2019s just who he is. He\u2019s a great person and lights up every room he walks in.\u201d<\/p>\n Saturday\u2019s panel discussion with the 2016 champs was emceed by Ron Coomer and featured Rizzo, Zobrist, Mike Montgomery, Miguel Montero, Justin Grimm and Pedro Strop, who recreated his high-stepping trot from a famous Bryant walk-off home run.<\/p>\n There were plenty of laughs, as Montero imitated Lester\u2019s pickoff throw and the players told some clubhouse stories, including some fights.<\/p>\n \u201cTen years is the perfect amount of time to love each other again,\u201d Rizzo told the fans.<\/p>\n Zobrist admitted he had doubts after the Cubs blew a late lead in Game 7 of the World Series, and Grimm thanked fans for \u201cthe energy\u201d they brought every day. Asked how winning the World Series felt, Rizzo told a fan \u201ca million times better\u201d than when you pretended to win while playing in your backyard.<\/p>\n Former President Theo Epstein attended the party Thursday but left before the convention began Friday. Epstein is now a part-owner of the Boston Red Sox, so it might have been awkward to take a bow at the Cubs\u2019 big party.<\/p>\n \u201cIt would\u2019ve been cool,\u201d Lester said. \u201cBut obviously we all know Theo is Theo. He\u2019s got his hands in a lot of things right now.\u201d<\/p>\n Lester reintroduced Epstein to his son, Walker, and told him: \u201cYou\u2019ve got to thank Theo.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHe said, \u2018For what?\u2019\u201d Lester continued. \u201cI said \u2018For your lifestyle.\u2019 Theo looks back at him and says: \u2018You\u2019re (bleeping) welcome for your lifestyle.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n Lester credited Epstein for bringing the team together and said \u201ceverything Theo touches turns to gold,\u201d adding it wouldn\u2019t surprise him if Epstein became the commissioner of baseball down the road. Lester cautioned he would get in trouble with Epstein for saying that, but said it anyway.<\/p>\n Reunions of championship teams often follow the same script. But when you\u2019ve ended a famous drought to change a city\u2019s history, it\u2019s a very different feeling.<\/p>\n \u201cWe knew how much it was going to mean, and then we did it and it exceeded all expectations,\u201d Rizzo said. \u201cIt\u2019s like if you go to the most-hyped-up restaurant and you\u2019re always let down, but this blew away everything. Looking back, we know how much it means. We lived it.\u201d<\/p>\n Zobrist will always be remembered as being the World Series MVP and for being out and about in his North Side neighborhood after the Series win, meeting with any and all fans<\/a> to give back to the community that had embraced him and the Cubs on the journey.<\/p>\n![\"Former](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/1768742535_806_CTC-CUBS-CONVENTION-011726-65.jpg\")
Players from the 2016 World Series championhip team, including Justin Grimm, from left, Miguel Montero, Mike Montgomery, Anthony Rizzo, Pedro Strop and Ben Zobrist, participate in a discussion during the Cubs Convention on Jan. 17, 2026, at the Sheraton Grand Chicago Riverwalk. (John J. Kim\/Chicago Tribune)<\/p>\n![\"Former](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/1768742536_860_CTC-L-cubs-convention023.jpg\")
Retired pitcher Jon Lester is introduced during the opening ceremony of the Cubs Convention on Friday, Jan. 16, 2026, at the Sheraton Grand Chicago Riverwalk. (Chris Sweda\/Chicago Tribune)<\/p>\n![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/1768742537_996_CTC-CUBS-CONVENTION-011726-69.jpg\")
A standing-room-only crowd watches former Cubs players in a discussion about the 2016 World Series championship team during the Cubs Convention on Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026, at the Sheraton Grand Chicago Riverwalk. (John J. Kim\/Chicago Tribune)<\/p>\n