‘I’ll get there again’: Ronnie Woo Woo fighting through health challenges, working on return to Wrigley

EVANSTON, Ill. — Iconic Cubs fan Ronnie “Woo Woo” Wickers is going through some health challenges but is working to return to his favorite place on Earth — Wrigley Field.

The 83-year-old’s guiding light has been Wrigley Field ever since he walked up the steps to witness the magic of the Ivy.

His first game wasn’t just any first game, the Back of the Yards native’s grandmother had something special up her sleeve one day in 1949 — to take little Ronnie to see the great Jackie Robinson at Wrigley Field.

“Half of the South Side would come up on a train to see Jackie Robinson,” Ronnie said. “It was the largest crowd, 43, 42,000 I think. That was a big thing man.”

Like millions of Cubs fans around the world, Ronnie never forgot the first time he saw the vines of Ivy on the outfield wall.

“You know, walking up the steps when I was a little kid. It’s just something that comes over you,” Ronnie said. “It is a magical experience. It’s some magic that you never forget.”

Ronnie started regularly attending games in 1957 and he absolutely fell in love with the Friendly Confines.

During the infamous 1969 season, Ronnie was a regular “Bleacher Bum.” He vividly remembers watching Willie Smith’s walk-off homer on Opening Day land into the right field bleachers from his spot in left after paying just a dollar to get in.

It was the first time he saw the Cubs truly dominate other teams and he calls the 1969 team his favorite ever next to the 2016 World Series club.

“That home run carried the team a long, long way in ’69,” Ronnie said. “It was 14 (Banks), 18 (Beckert), 11 (Kessinger) and 10 (Santo). Although the Cubs won the World Series in 2016, that ’69 team was a darling team.”

While continuously going to games, Ronnie fell on some hard times during the 1980s. But it was that decade that his signature look was born — his full Cubs uniform.

“I was so skinny. I wore some kid baseball pants, I was scared,” Ronnie said. “I wore kid pants to the ballpark and then I put on a jersey. I said to myself ‘I’m going to do that.’ I kept wearing it and then it stuck.”

Ronnie started his famous woo chants in the late 50s when he started attending games regularly, but in 1984 something changed. Led by budding young superstar Ryne Sandberg and Rick “Big Red” Sutcliffe, the Cubs won the NL East and had widespread media attention — so did Ronnie.

“(The night they won) I was swinging on a tv truck’s cable screaming “Cubs woo! Jody woo! Sandburg woo!,” Ronnie said with a laugh.

In 1990 at the Cubs Convention — an “angel” came into his life.

Janet Tabit was new to Chicago and loved the Cubs. Naturally, like a lot of fans, especially women, she wanted to meet Mark Grace.

Ronnie noticed her and took Tabit to meet his friend Mark. Little did they both know at the time it would mark a beautiful friendship that’s still going strong today.

“I didn’t realize what was going on because he is so cheerful at the ball games. At that time he was homeless but you would never know,” Tabit told WGN News. “Something magical about his personality is he didn’t have a place to go home too, sleeping in a restaurant booth, but was still going to games.”

Tabit, a Notre Dame grad and former school counselor, took it upon herself to help him and find Ronnie a place to live.

“He was happy. It’s a gift from God,” Tabit said. “No matter what comes his way — he is still able to remain positive.”

The two became best friends going to more games together than one could count and immersing themselves into the warm community that is Cubs’ fandom.

“It’s been so nice. I’m going through trials and tribulations and God sent Janet to help me with what I’m going through,” Ronnie said. “And I praise God and thank God for that.”

She took Ronnie to every home World Series game in 2016.

Tabit, just like she always did, brought Ronnie to the 2025 Cubs Convention. Excited by the arrival of Kyle Tucker and Sammy Sosa coming back, it ended up being a tough day for the 83-year-old superfan.

He fell ill and it was the start of a health journey, full of poking, prodding and procedures, that Ronnie continues to endure.

He was recently diagnosed with a serious lung disease and is required to be on oxygen 24/7.

Ronnie is leaning on his faith to get him through it. And of course it doesn’t hurt that the Cubs are off to a great start to the season.

“I take one day at a time. You just enjoy the day, day-by-day. Yesterday’s just like a home run ball, it’s gone and it won’t be back,” Ronnie said. “Jesus is the quarterback. He calls all the plays and you can’t strike him out.”

Just last year he was going to games, like always, and met Sammy Sosa at Club 400. Ronnie is working hard with physical therapy and has Northwestern’s pulmonary team in his corner to get him back around the people he loves the most — Cubs fans.

He’s elated that his friend Sammy is back on friendly terms with the club.

“We all make mistakes,” Ronnie said. “You have to learn how to forgive and let go.”

Tabit had been working to get him into a good facility with the help of Medicaid and he is currently at The Pearl in Evanston. Everyone’s goal around him is to get him back to Clark and Addison.

“His joy and positive energy comes from being around Cubs fans. It makes him the happiest, having fans interact with him at Wrigley Field,” Tabit said.

The Pearl knows this too.

“Every Chicagoan knows the Cubs are everything to Ronnie,” Pearl director Mark Hocuk said. “It’s an absolute honor to have Ronnie here with us, but not to worry Chicago — we’ll get him back to Wrigley Field soon!

Ronnie is so happy the Cubs’ offense has been booming and listens to every game on the radio. Superstar Kyle Tucker, who the club traded for in the offseason, has already become a favorite for Ronnie.

The Pearl’s staff are actively working on getting Marquee Sports Network so he can watch all of the games.

In the meantime, Cubs fans all over the country have been sending Ronnie cards to show how loved he is. When WGN News was visiting with him, former Cubs’ left-hander Glendon Rusch sent a lovely note with a signed baseball card.

Through the love of Cubs fans, Janet and so many others — Ronnie is fighting to get back to the place he loves so much.

“I’ll get there again. I will get there again,” Ronnie said. “You got to crawl before you walk and take your time. With God’s sprit, it will be okay.”

The visit ended with Ronnie as cheerful as ever belting out “Cubs woo! Cubs woo! Cubs woo!”

If you would like to send cards or visit with Ronnie, his address is below.

Ronnie “Woo Woo” Wickers

The Pearl of Evanston, room 519

820 Foster St.

Evanston, IL 60201