Kicker: Life-saving losers

MARY REICHARD, HOST: Before they ended a century long World Series drought two years back, the Chicago Cubs were known as the loveable losers.

Here’s a story about the Cubs as life-saving losers:

Kyle McAleer was sitting in the centerfield bleachers at Chicago’s Wrigley Field last week. His Cubs were trailing the Arizona Diamondbacks, so he put an empty plastic bubble gum pail on his head.

McAleer started wearing the pail as a rally cap after seeing a Cubs player wear one a few years ago.

A half-inning after placing it on his head, an 8-inch metal pin fell from the centerfield scoreboard. It made a direct strike on his head.

If the Cubs hadn’t been losing, he wouldn’t have worn the plastic pail. And he told CBS 2 in Chicago that if it wasn’t for that pail:

MCALEER: The doctors say it could have definitely been more serious – major head trauma, probably a fractured skull, brain injury most likely. And if anything, it could have very well been fatal.

Cubs spokesman Julian Green said a loose pin rolled out of the scoreboard as a tile was changed on the manual scoreboard.

Good thing it’s secure now: the Cubbies are atop the National League standings. They don’t lose so much these days.

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