Chicago – In a rare interview aired live on the Cubs Network last night, Chicago Cubs star Ian Happ moved millions of fans to tears as he opened up publicly for the first time about a loss that has followed him for nearly a decade: the death of his beloved father, Keith Happ.
“He passed away just as I was getting drafted to the MLB. He heard me pitch all my life, but he didn’t get to see me hit a single hit in the big leagues.”
Happ choked up. His eyes were red as he spoke about the man who was his world.
“I carry him with me every game… in the form of a little radio.”
A Detail That Makes Fans Quiver
Few people know that under Ian Happ’s jersey, there is a small object he never leaves behind: an old radio that his father used to listen to his son’s high school games. Since Keith died of brain cancer in 2015, the radio has become a sacred memento that Happ carries with him – as a way to “hear his dad around.”
“I still hear him every time I go to the field,” Happ said. “Maybe it’s my imagination. Or maybe he’s not gone.”
“He’s always in the fourth row…”
When asked why Ian often looks up at the left corner of the bleachers at Wrigley Field every time he scores a run or makes a catch, he replies:
“My dad used to sit right in the fourth row, back left. No one sits there anymore. But I still look. It’s a habit. Or… I want him to know I’m still playing.”
Emotions flood social mediaWithin an hour of the interview airing, “Ian Happ’s radio” was trending on Twitter in Chicago. Thousands of emotional comments flooded in:
“I cried when I heard you speak. You were more than just a player—you were the heart of Wrigley.”
“Ian Happ’s story reminds me of my dad. Thank you for sharing.”
In an era where sports are often glamorized by fame and statistics, Ian Happ’s story is a reminder that behind every hit is a person—and the loss is never completely healed.
Today, at Wrigley Field, you’ll likely see Ian Happ looking up at the fourth stand again. Don’t ask why. Because now you know: he’s sending a hit to his dad.