Watch: Is this how the Cubs' World Series Trophy broke?
With Theo Epstein rocking out on stage alongside Pearl Jam’s Eddie Vedder during a benefit concert over the weekend, the president of the Chicago Cubs brought out both the 2016 World Series trophy and 2004 trophy that he won with the Boston Red Sox and urged the attendees to pass them around.
It’s a really cool gesture. It also seems problematic for such a detailed trophy that requires careful handling.
You see, in the rush to grab hold of the trophy, some in the crowd start grabbing it from the top of the flag poles. Those flag poles are not so sturdy. And some of the flags reportedly broke off.
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In the video obtained by Yahoo Sports above, you can see some people grabbing for the top of the trophy where the flags are located. It’s unclear if that’s when the damage was done, but does show how it could’ve happened.
According to the Boston Globe, pieces of the flag were later rescued and the trophy was able to get repaired before the Cubs-Red Sox game on Sunday.
The Commissioner’s Trophy is many things: beautiful, unique, shiny, pointy and elegant.
It is not, try as it might, the Stanley Cup.
Baseball is now reminded of that sad fact once again. Not because the Cubs’ trophy was damaged. Because it was repaired.
The Cup has been kicked around, beat up and had names crossed off it. It wears those bruises with honor. It’s as known for its flaws as its features.
It’s completely awesome that Epstein wants to share the experience of hoisting a trophy with as many of his club’s fans as possible. It’s commendable, really.
But you should take what comes with it. If that means the Cubs are known as the team with the busted trophy then so be it. When you’ve waited more than 100 years to collect that piece of hardware, you’ve earned the right to do with it what you please.
That doesn’t absolve you from living with the consequences of it. You wanna treat a trophy like the Stanley Cup? Expect it not to look so shiny and pointy anymore.
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Blake Schuster is a writer for Big League Stew on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at blakeschuster@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter! Follow @Schustee
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