Cubs: Trevor Williams’ win was an emotional victory for everyone

Trevor Williams had the start of his life with the Chicago Cubs on Monday. Dueling against the Brewers’ Brett Anderson, Williams had a perfect game going into the sixth inning with his dad, a former usher at Wrigley Field and lifelong Cubs fan, watching in the stands. It was an emotional moment that wouldn’t be possible at this time last year and that alone is something to celebrate.

A year ago, we were all eagerly waiting and hoping that baseball would eventually receive the green light to play. It took until late July for the season to begin and the resulting 60-game season just wasn’t the same without fans.

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The magical moments at the ballpark aren’t quite the same without the roar of the crowd or the family members watching their sons, brothers, husbands, or fathers play on the biggest stage.

Well, we finally got that feeling back. Opening Day was special too, don’t get me wrong. Seeing fans back en masse at Wrigley Field for the first time since the shutdown was a breath of fresh air (even if it wasn’t the team’s best performance). It’s undeniable though that Williams’ start had that feeling of an iconic moment, not just for the Williams family, but for Cubs fans everywhere.

Trevor Williams’ Cubs debut reminds us how important these memories are.

The highlight of the night was, of course, the interview with Williams’ father Richard, who was scoring the game himself from the stands. Seeing the joy from the Williams family as their son pitched the game of his life was a reminder of the memories that can be made from the stands of a ball game. The crowd seemed to be just as much into the performance, as Williams left the game to a standing ovation.

"“Today was a beautiful day,” Williams’ father said during the game. “He’ll be emotional about this one. He put a lot into this start. And I’m so thankful the Cubs grabbed him. I’m so grateful that I got to see him.”"

Williams didn’t get his perfect game, but he got his win both literally and emotionally: the bullpen came through to shut it down and his family got a priceless experience that they’ll never forget. It represents baseball at its purest, something that was hard to focus on last year given the pandemic fears.

This game was more than just another notch in the win column for the Cubs. This was a message to all the fans, family, and the ballplayers themselves that there is a light at the end of the tunnel. For all that was lost and sacrificed in the past year, we are so close to getting back to making those important memories and enjoying the simpler things like watching a ball game with the ones we love.