Why Does Cubs Fan Wear Pink Hat To Every Cub Game?
CHICAGO (CBS) -- At Tuesday night's Game 3 of the NLCS, there will be one Cubs fan who's always hard to miss. That's because he'll be sitting behind home plate wearing a pink hat.
He's known as "The Pink Hat Guy." and he's been at pretty much every home game since 1967.
CBS 2's Mai Martinez caught up with him before the game and asked him about that hat, and the reason he wears it might surprise you.
Jim Anixter has had a front row seat to all of the Cubs' highs and lows for decades here at Wrigley Field, and as you can imagine, he's loving every moment of this postseason run.
Anixter has had season tickets since 1967 -- front row right behind home plate. His favorite memory so far?
"Opening Day 1969," Anixter said. "The greatest Opening Day ever. I remember it like it was yesterday."
But there's no shortage of other highlights.
"May 12, 2:15 in the afternoon on a 1-2 count, Ernie Banks off of Pat Jarvis of the Atlanta Braves, hits his 500th home run," Anixter said. "Hank Aaron was playing first that day. Hank Aaron stopped and shook his hand and he came right around."
To Anixter, Cubs players are like family.
His love of the Cubs has meant many long days at Wrigley Field. So many that, in the '90s, his wife started wondering if that was where he really was. So Anixter came up with a plan to prove it on TV.
"I wore green shirt and a pink hat just so she could see him in the first row," Anixter said. "Yes, I'm really at the ballpark. Yes, I'm very loyal.
Since then, Anixter's become known world-wide as "The Pink Hat Guy"-- arguably the most recognizable Cubs fan.
If the Cubs win the World Series, Anixter says, "I don't want my wife to take this wrong way, but it could be better than my honeymoon."
He jokes about his wife, Lesley, but they've been married for almost 45 years. As for his trademark pink hat, he gives them away to anyone who wants one for free but asks that they make at least a $25 donation to the American Cancer Society.