Sensing they will never be part of championship festivities as long as they’re a member of the team, several Cubs players cut into the parade line during the Blackhawks Stanley Cup celebration.
“As long as I’m with the Cubs, the closest I’ll ever get to anything like this is the checkout line at the Jewel store on Broadway,” pitcher Matt Garza mused.
“Wow. This is much bigger than the Little League opening day parade we’d have every year back in Little Rock,” Arkansas native Travis Wood said. “However, I am a bit surprised. There aren’t any clown cars here and I haven’t seen Jim Belushi yet.”
When asked what he enjoyed most about the parade, outfielder Alfonso Soriano, looking sharp in an Alexander Karpovtsev retro-jersey, said it was meeting coach Joel Quenneville.
“He’s such a handsome man, and so tall,” said the smitten veteran. “Plus I heard he brings energy to the team and is a great game-manager. What’s not to love?”
Perhaps the most discreet of all of the Cubs parade crashers was catcher and clubhouse practical joker Dioner Navarro, who was disguised as a city streets and sanitation worker.
Wearing a fluorescent orange safety vest, carrying a broom, large cup of coffee and a folding chair, Navarro took several breaks with at least two 10-minute snoozes having to catch up with the parade route a number of times.
