Tributes have poured out from all corners of the sports world for Craig Sager since he was diagnosed with leukemia two years ago. The beloved TNT sideline reporter has beaten cancer twice, and is currently fighting it for a third time, for which he’s receiving the Jimmy V award for perseverance at this summer’s ESPYs.
But none of the many tributes will mean as much to Sager as the one on Wednesday, when he’s set to throw out the first pitch at Wrigley Field before the Chicago Cubs face the Los Angeles Dodgers. Sager, a lifelong Cubs fan, will also lead the seventh-inning stretch during the game, before heading back to Houston to resume chemotherapy treatments.
From the Chicago Tribune:
To help the Cubs commemorate “Conquer Cancer Day,” Sager, diagnosed with leukemia in April 2014, will throw out the ceremonial first pitch and sing during the seventh-inning stretch.
“I’ve done World Cup soccer, Wimbledon, the Olympics, the NBA, Super Bowls, everything … Kentucky Derbys, Indy 500s,” said Sager, 64, who has worked 34 years at Turner. “There really was nothing I could think of that I hadn’t done. Then I talked to the Cubs about this and said, ‘Oh my God, I hadn’t even thought about that.'”
This is going to be a great moment for Sager, his family, and everyone who goes to the game on Wednesday. Sager is an inspirational figure throughout the world of sports, and this is yet another way of recognizing how special he’s become to fans of all sports.
