CHICAGO _ Fifty minutes before the first pitch of Game 5 of the World Series, David Ross popped out of the Cubs' dugout and slowly made his way down the left-field line to begin his stretching routine.
As they have throughout this season, the bleacher bums saluted Ross _ who has announced he is retiring following the season after 14 years in the major leagues _ with cheers as he warmed up on a blustery Sunday night at Wrigley Field.
When Ross came to bat against Indians starter Trevor Bauer in the third inning, many in the crowd got to their feet and gave the veteran catcher an ovation before he grounded out to third. Near bedlam ensued in the fourth inning when Ross knocked in a run with a sacrifice fly and raised his arms in triumph as he trotted back to the dugout.
It is moments like those that Ross has cherished this season and they were never more poignant than during Game 5 _ his last at Wrigley Field as a big-leaguer.
"I'm trying to tell myself a lot, 'Take this in, take this in,' " Ross said. "I'll look up in the stands a lot, just because there aren't too many times you get to be in front of 40,000-50,000 people on the field and they're all cheering for a team and you're able to look up. I'm just trying to take those pictures in my brain and hold onto those nice things."
It has been a career of nice things for Ross, including a World Series championship with the Red Sox in 2013, and it is being capped by another trip to the Fall Classic and a chance to bring the Cubs a title for the first time since 1908.
Along the way, he has drawn admiration from teammates, opponents and fans for his ebullient personality, leadership and for the joy with which he plays the game.
"You talk about guys who have influence in the locker room _ everybody talks ... all the time veteran influence (and) I'm telling you, veteran influence can be bad if you have the wrong veteran _ he's absolutely the right veteran," Cubs manager Joe Maddon said of Ross. "And he's passionate about the day. He's passionate about his craft and I think he makes everybody around him a little bit better. Honestly, he does.
"He's just a different cat. He has earned the right to be in these moments. He's going to make a very good scout, coach, manager ... whatever he chooses to do. He has been a huge part of us being successful."
