Eighty-Year-Old Cub Fan Pens "The Cubs Book of Rap"

    CHICAGO, IL, December 18, 2015 /24-7PressRelease/ -- What began as a series of emails to his grandsons, in an effort to rekindle their former interest in the Chicago Cubs, turned into an entertaining book, "The Cubs Book of Rap," describing in "rap" verses each game of the incredible final 49 Cub wins of the 2015 season.

This 80-year-old enthusiastic Cub fan and talented writer, Frank "Bud" Stedronsky, has captured the highlights of this amazing journey through accurate, yet witty recounts of these games, in what proved to be a successful attempt to regain something exciting and in common with those grandsons.

In the fourth year of the Cubs 5-year rebuilding program where few expected this talented, but inexperienced team to even get to the post season, the writer brings back the excitement of a period where the Cubs compiled a major-league best 45-18 record, then went on to win four out of the first five post season games.

These entertaining, tongue-in-cheek accounts have been collected and published as a book entitled The Cubs Book of Rap. It's a fun and original baseball journal that fans everywhere will enjoy, and it is unlike any sports book you have ever read. The book is available in paperback for $12.95 and e-reader for $9.99 at Amazon.com/books.

Stedronsky's raps were inspired by his desire to rekindle his grandsons' interest in Cubs baseball. "I've been a devoted Cubs fan since 1945, the last time the Cubs made it to the World Series. Two of my three grandsons, Trevor and Dylan, were Cubs fans when they were growing up," Stedronsky recalled. "As the kids got older and their interests drifted elsewhere, I began to miss the animated conversations we used to have. So this past year, because the Cubs were playing so incredibly well, I decided to share my enthusiasm and try to reignite their interest. I hoped, too, that this might instill some Cubs fever into my grandson Jack, who was never much of a baseball fan."

Stedronsky began to write emails to his grandsons with brief two or three-line Cubs game highlights in verse form. They were signed "Love, Papa Bud." He began writing longer, three or four-line raps and they really clicked. Soon his grandsons were responding and the conversations began to flow.

"Meanwhile," said Stedronsky, "my raps grew to be six or seven full verses. My grandsons found it hilarious that their Papa Bud had become a rapper. It dawned upon us that I was creating a new genre: baseball rap."

Stedronsky was encouraged by his daughter Jill to compile his raps into a book and that's how The Cubs Book of Rap was born. The book is a good example of how a bit of humor and creativity can help rebuild the connection between generations. Die-hard Cubs fans, as well as baseball fans in general, will love the humor and creativity that Stedronsky has brought to his recounting of the Cubs' season.

"We've made the book available in time for the holidays and we think it will be a fun gift for anyone who loves baseball," said Stedronsky, "and it's a must-have for die-hard Cubs fans." The Cubs Book of Rap is available in paperback for $12.95 and e-reader for $9.99 at Amazon.com/books.

With hopes high for the 2016 season, Stedronsky may have some more humorous Cubs riffs to spin off next fall.

September 19, 2015
Cubs 5 St. Louis 4

Hail, Hail Cubs Prevail

Cubs were cruising in the ninth
with a five to one lead
when the Cardinals scored three
and in my pants I nearly peed

Then a leaping, backhand stop
and a neat shuffle throw
Addison Russell and the Cubs
had defeated their foe

October 7, 2015
National League Wildcard Game
Cubs 4 Pirates 0

Cubs Win Wildcard!!!
Two Go "Yard"

For it's on to St. Louis
the Cubs do go
for another great battle
with a formidable foe.

For the Pittsburgh Pirates
that's all she wrote
Could they have inherited
the Cubs billy goat?

October 10, 2015
NL Divisional Series
Cubs 6 Cardinals 3

Cubbies Beat the Cards 6-3
Put it Up on the Grand Marquee!!!

Two safety squeezes
highlighted inning two
Is this the Cubs I'm watching?
Might be time for a brew

No ball left the infield
yet we scored three for our team
Don't wake me now
I think this is a dream

About the Author

Frank "Bud" Stedronsky began his career as an award-winning writer, producer and director of corporate communications media after graduating from the University of Iowa with a dual major in television journalism and motion picture/television production. He was co-founder and CEO of Motivation Media Inc., an audiovisual corporate communications firm specializing in media production and live business theater, which grew in the 1990s to become the largest company of its kind in Chicagoland and one of the biggest in the country.

Stedronsky is past president of the Chicago Audio Visual Producers Association and the national Audio Visual Management Association. Now retired, he continues to enjoy Cubs games while spending his spare time on the golf course, where instead of earning media production awards, he pursues golf trophies.

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