He was born and raised on the north side of Chicago and the northwestern suburbs (attended Maine East in Park Ridge), so it was only natural that Steve Goodman became a Cubs fan.
His music career began the same year his beloved Cubs had one of their most memorable seasons, 1969, but his disappointment with the way that season ended was put into perspective by much more dire news he received that summer. He was diagnosed with leukemia.

That was something he lived with throughout his music career. He was suffering from leukemia when he wrote "City of New Orleans" for Arlo Guthrie, which became a top 20 hit. And he knew his time left on this earth was limited when he penned a song that has become beloved by Cubs fan everywhere: "A Dying Cub Fan's Last Request."

Here he is performing that song on a rooftop overlooking Wrigley Field.

The Cubs commissioned Goodman to write “Go Cubs Go” in early 1984, as the opening theme for WGN’s game broadcasts. That very season the Cubs clinched the NL East Championship and made their first post-season appearance since 1945.

Sadly, Goodman didn't live to see it.

He died at age 36 on Sept. 20, 1984, four days before the Cubs clinched the Division title — and 17 days before the Cubs blew a two-game lead and lost the NL pennant to the Padres.