Christina Taylor Green

I remember that night in 1984. I was still a Cub fan, and had in hand a World Series ticket that my father-in-law had gotten for me. Cubs were up two games to none against the San Diego Padres, and only needed to win one out of the next three, to be played at Jack Murphy Stadium.

Cubs lost Game 3. And then Game 4. It all came down to one final game, and the Cubs had the lead late in that game when Leon Durham let a grounder dribble through his legs. A gimme, and he booted it. Padres scored a couple there, and a couple more, and before I knew it, the Cubs had lost. Three in a row they lost. And my World Series Ticket is now framed on the wall next to my desk. The ink has faded.

Everyone here heard the details after Tucson, and when they said "Christina Taylor Green, 9 year old granddaughter of former Cubs General Manager Dallas Green." you could almost feel the city's fucking shoulders droop even more.

A fucking gut punch.

The local connection. I don't know why we do it, but we do it. We get attached. We adopt. Family.

Dallas hasn't lived here in a long time, but the time he spent here rubbed off on us, and us on him I think.

I thought back and remembered Dallas being interviewed all those years ago, that night at Jack Murphy Stadium, in San Diego. Crushed, like every Cub fan.

Dude wears his heart on his sleeve. Volatile. Dallas was the guy who traded Ivan DeJesus to the Philadelphia Phillies for Larry Bowa. The trade would never have been made if the Phillies didn't include a AAA guy that Dallas had seen coming up through the Philly farm system. Throw him in, or there's no trade said Dallas Green.

They threw him in.

Ryne Sandberg.

Dallas always smiled about that. A little digging just now and I discovered that trade was made 29 years ago today.

He's 76 now and Dallas has been keeping a low profile since his granddaughter Christina was murdered in Tucson, but he gave an interview to the Tribune today. I thought you folks might like to read it.

I guess Dallas didn't expect the outpouring of support, but he appreciates it. He's most concerned of course with his son John, John's wife Roxanna, and their 11 year old son Dallas.

Little D.

If you want to drop a note to John and Roxanna Green, the Dodgers have set up an email address..

greenfamily@dodgers.com