CHICAGO (WLS) — There was a big celebration to welcome a long-time Chicago Cubs superfan to Sunday’s game.
Ronnie “Woo Woo” Wickers was mobbed by people and a some were holding signs. He had yet to attend a game so far this season.
The video in the player above is from a previous report.
ABC7 Chicago is now streaming 24/7. Click here to watch
Wickers is suffering from a lung disease and being treated at The Pearl of Evanston.
The facility arranged tickets to Sunday’s game and a suite for Wickers and and Pearl staff.
Wickers says he’s going back later in the season, as well, for the World Series.
RELATED | Former Chicago Cubs players Sammy Sosa, Derek Lee inducted into Cubs Hall of Fame
Wickers is probably the Chicago Cubs’ No. 1 fan. In fact, he’s probably more recognizable than many players.
His chant is a little softer these days, but the trademark enthusiasm is still there.
Wickers has been a lifelong Cubs fan, cheering on legends like Sammy Sosa and Ernie Banks since his childhood in the late 1950s.
Now 83, Wickers is just as enthusiastic about the Cubs as ever, even if he has to watch them on TV most days.
“I miss being out there, miss the fans, the people, the crack of the bat, the food,” Wickers told ABC7 last month.
His room at The Pearl of Evanston is fully decked out with Cubs paraphernalia: photos, logos, you name it.
He’s suffering from pulmonary fibrosis. He’s gotten hundreds of get-well cards from fans.
He also gets lots of visitors. Wickers’ close friend, Janet Tabit, helped decorate the room.
“I want it to feel like home, a cheerful place where they’ll come back and visit him,” Tabit said.
“He’s a Chicago icon. It’s been an incredible journey. The amount of fan mail he receives and the fascinating stories he shares are truly amazing,” said The Pearl Administrator Mark Hocuk.
Though his baseball playing days only extended through little league, Wickers credits the origin of his renowned chant to an elementary school challenge, where a teacher asked him to make the loudest sound possible. The rest, as they say, is history.
“I just have fun. God’s been good to me,” Wickers said.
Copyright © 2025 WLS-TV. All Rights Reserved.
