FYI.

This story is over 5 years old.

Sports

Cubs Sneak White House Visit In Just Before Obama Leaves Office

Everyone is scrambling to get things together before Donald Trump's inauguration, including the World Series champion Chicago Cubs, who managed to schedule their White House visit for President Obama's last week in office.
Yes we can! Photo by Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports

If it seems like everyone is scrambling to get their lives together before Barack Obama leaves the White House, you're not wrong. Count the Chicago Cubs in that group.

The World Series champions want to visit D.C. for their ceremonial visit with the president before Obama gets out. This probably has everything to do with the fact that Obama is from Chicago and nothing else. Heck, Obama was the one who threw out the invite after they won the Series in November.

Advertisement

It happened: — President Obama (@POTUS)November 3, 2016

Well, it's happening. According to multiple reports, the Cubs are sneaking in their trip Monday, January 16, just before Obama leaves. Just in the nick of time—Donald Trump's inauguration, in case you haven't heard, is that Friday.

"Once we actually got invited, it was a scheduling thing for a while, so that kind of left it a little up in the air for a few weeks," Cubs co-owner Todd Ricketts told the Chicago Sun-Times.

Ricketts, for what it's worth, happens to be a big Donald Trump backer (after he was first a big Never Trump-er) and has been picked to serve as the Deputy Secretary of Commerce in the new administration. Awwwwkward.

"It's really just about, 'Hey, when you get invited to go to the White House, you just say yes.' We're excited about it," Ricketts said. "Certainly it's a plus that President Obama is a Chicagoan – although I hear he's a Sox fan. Other than, I think it's perfect. We're excited."

The new guy in the Oval Office might not take kindly to any perceived slight here, but that's a Ricketts problem, not a Joe Maddon and Kris Bryant problem. Maybe he'll tweet about it or something.