Hundreds of individuals deserve credit for the Cubs’ success, from Chairman Tom Ricketts, whose decision to bring in Theo Epstein as president changed the course of the franchise, to the front-office personnel, scouts and coaches Epstein brought in over the years.
The players, of course, are the main reason, but they realize they couldn’t have done it without being surrounded by the right people.
“I look at it as Theo, (general manager Jed Hoyer), the front office and Tom had a belief,” Jon Lester said during Saturday’s pennant-clinching celebration on the field. “And I believe in that belief.”
As the Cubs prepare for their first World Series game in 71 years on Tuesday night in Cleveland, a doff of the chapeau goes out to everyone involved.
But there were others who made contributions along the way, whether big, like signing NLCS co-MVP Javier Baez, or small, like providing the soundtrack to the Cubs’ party.
Here are a few of those unsung contributors.
Jim Hendry, former general manager: Hendry changed the mindset of Cubs fans, making them settle for nothing less than winning. In the end it worked against him, but the Cubs won division titles under Hendry in 2003, ’07 and ’08, the most of any GM in franchise history. Not being able to win it all hurt Hendry’s image, and mistakes like the Milton Bradley signing overshadowed deft signings like Willson Contreras.
Hendry takes no credit and harbors no bitterness as to how he was treated by Cubs fans at the end.
“We really thought we could’ve won it in ’03 and ’04, and then we of course took a different path with the club going on sale in ’07 and ’08,” Hendry said. “I felt like if we didn’t do it by ’09, it was going to be hard, that things were going to have to change economically. So I don’t look at it like ‘Oh, poor me,’ but that we had two or three real good runs at it, did well and didn’t get over the hump. They will now, and I think they’re going to be the best team in the game for a few years.”
Tim Wilken, former scouting director: Wilken was the one who decided to draft Baez in 2011, when some thought Baez could not be harnessed.
“If Tim Wilken would’ve wanted to take somebody else, that’s who we would’ve taken,” Hendry said. “That’s the way you did it back them. It’s changed now. GMs are more involved in the draft than they used to be. That’s the way I learned, so Tim kept me posted.”
Tim Buss, strength coach: Buss has been around forever, but manager Joe Maddon let him do whatever was necessary to keep the team loose. Buss was central to the wacky spring training skits and gets players to bond with his group “kumbaya” encounters before games. If you can’t laugh at yourself once in a while, you’re probably a lousy player. Buss keeps everyone laughing.
Eddie Vedder, Pearl Jam frontman:Pearl Jam’s concerts at Wrigley added to the team’s revenue. The more money the Cubs had, the more they were able to spend on drafting and signing players. Like Hendry, Vedder declined to take any credit.
“Absolutely not,” he said with a laugh. “I contributed a big hole in center field that one of our guys stepped (in).”
Well, perhaps one concert helped sign a free agent?
“I’m maybe responsible for like, two Aroldis Chapman fastballs,” Vedder said. “I’ll take that. That’d be great. Every little bit. Whatever I can do.”
Dave Knickerbocker, Banner Collective founder: During a seminar at the 2009 Cubs Convention, former director of sales Matt Wszolek asked fans if they wanted a jumbo-sized video board at Wrigley Field. The crowd roundly booed him, and he quickly told them no plan was in place. The Cubs did not mention installing video boards during their initial discussions of the Wrigley renovation plan, apparently believing there would be some backlash.
There was a little, but not much. After an inconsistent first year of the video board in 2015, the Cubs figured it out in 2016. Knickerbocker’s creative pregame and in-game videos were a big reason why.
The videos helped pump up the crowds during the postseason, and it’s hard to imagine Wrigley Field without the video board now.
Dante the Don, Wrigley Field DJ: Anthony Rizzo brought the Wrigley DJ into the clubhouse to do his thing during the postgame celebration. The post-win party is central to the Cubs players’ state of mind.
“When you get the celebration music, it’s always better to get someone who knows how to play the music, rather than just having the full song playing,” Rizzo explained.
Whether you like the music “the Don” played or not, the players wanted a soundtrack for their victories, and he created the groove.
Steve Goodman, late folk singer: “Go Cubs Go” may not have been Goodman’s greatest song, and some find it annoying. Kids, however, love it, perhaps because it’s catchy and easy to learn.
When the entire ballpark sang “Go Cubs Go” after the Game 6 victory Saturday, it was almost as if Goodman wrote it for that specific moment.
Dante Deiana had just arrived at a tiki bar in Tampa, Florida, on an April day in 2013 when his phone rang.
It was a 617 number.
It was Rob Gronkowski.
The New England Patriots’ All-Pro tight end wanted Deiana, a professional DJ raised in Worcester, Massachusetts, to preside over a party he was throwing nearby that night.
“It was like he was asking a girl out to prom, he was all nervous,’’ Deiana said. “He was like, ‘Hey Dante, this is Rob Gronkowski. You’re friends with my brothers, and I was wondering if you wanted to come to my house and DJ tonight?’ I was like, ‘Done, I’m in. Let’s do it.’ I couldn’t say yes fast enough.’’
Deiana had partied alongside Gronkowski’s brothers a few months prior, but hadn’t yet been out with the NFL star himself.
A little confused after Gronkowski abruptly ended the phone call, Deiana called back to get the details for the party. This time Gronkowski’s oldest brother, Gordie, answered and took over the planning for what Deiana described as one of the craziest parties he has ever worked.
As requested, Deiana pulled into a gated community pulling a trailer loaded with a sound system and black lights.
When he walked into Gronkowski’s offseason home for the first time, he said it like walking into a scene from the movie Boiler Room.
“It’s like the part where he goes to Ben Affleck’s huge, beautiful house and there is no furniture inside. And he asks, ‘Oh did you just move in?’ and he says, ‘No, I’ve been here 10 months.’’’
The mansion, as described by Deiana, was filled with champagne-colored marble and was sparingly furnished apart from a single, cracked flat-screen TV hanging on the wall. There was also a saltwater fish tank.
“He had a bus pull up with two sororities’ worth of girls,’’ Deiana said.
With the house full of people, Deiana began playing music. Deiana played EDM for Gordie. There was hip hop for Gronkowski’s childhood friends from Buffalo. For Rob, Deiana spun some Top 40.
“Dante’s a man that can turn a library into a zoo, a man that can bring a cemetery to life,’’ said WWE professional wrestler Mojo Rawley, a friend of the Gronkowski brothers who was at the party.
The following day, Gronkowski and his brothers resumed partying at Deiana’s show at a Tampa bar. Gronkowski brought a surprise with him after Deiana refused to be paid for playing the party the night before.
Rob and Deiana at their Hogan’s Beach show in Tampa.—Dante Deiana
“He shows up and he is, like, giddy, nervous with something behind his back. If I was a girl, I would say it was pretty cute,’’ Deiana said. “And he comes up to me like ‘Hey man, I got something for you.’ And he pulls out this jersey that he signed to me.’’
The inscription on the jersey: “To my DJ.’’
“Whenever Dante is rocking the DJ set, it’s always a good time with all the music he knows,’’ Gronkowski told Boston.com in an email. “Dante has been a good friend.’’
DJ DANTE
After sneaking a radio into his childhood home, Deiana would save up to buy cassettes and CDs to add to his collection. Now he has opened for and shared the stage with artists like Miley Cyrus, Jamie Foxx, 50 Cent, and Kid Cudi.
Deiana played alongside Miley Cyrus.—Dante Deiana
Growing up, Deiana didn’t try his hand at mixing music until getting to St. John’s High School. Even when he was playing at school dances and friends’ parties, he never saw DJing as a career path. He moved to Chicago to study pre-law at Loyola University. After graduating in 2005, Deiana continued working 60 hours a week as a clerk at Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP, a corporate firm in Chicago where he worked full time his senior year.
“I wasn’t making good money at all and with student loans, I was getting my ass kicked,’’ Deiana said. “I thought, ‘Man, I need to start DJing again.’’
Tony and Nick Dimassi, owners of Reserve nightclub in Chicago, took a liking to Deiana, giving him a couple of nights a week, including a spot opening on Thursday nights when they would rotate in higher profile DJs, like DJ AM.
“It was basically like taking batting lessons from Mickey Mantle,’’ Deiana said. “To work with these guys, to watch them, to learn every night, to network with them, and to build relationships and trade music, it was just incredible. I would be nowhere if it wasn’t for those days. I got fast-tracked in the DJ circuit that way.’’
After gaining experience and building industry relationships in Chicago, Deiana began finding opportunities to bring his act to the Boston area, working shows at places like Hurricane O’Reilly’s and Julep.
“I remember at that time, we had turn tables for scratching—or whatever you call it—for all the DJs we had come through, but he was really working them,’’ Sheldon Cohen, operations manager for the Glynn Hospitality Group and general manager of Hurricane O’Reilly’s until 2013, said. “I remember going up to the DJ booth and he had a sweat going. He was really into it, and the crowd loved him. And the crowd back then was a lot busier than it is now. It could hold up to 600 people and the place was packed.’’
In 2010, Deiana got a call from David Portnoy, the founder of Boston-based Barstool Sports. The popular website was launching its first “Blackout Tour.’’ Up-and-coming Boston rapper Sammy Adams was the headliner for that inaugural run, and Deiana was invited along for the ride.
Over the three years that Deiana participated in the concert series, he travelled to college campuses across the country for more than 150 shows, and he’s working with Adams on the artist’s current tour.
Deiana and Boston rapper Sammy Adams.—Dante Deiana
“Dante’s knowledge of music databases and knowing what the crowd wants makes him a stand-out DJ,’’ said Devlin D’Zmura, then the tour’s social media and stage manager. “It’s a weird thing, but I have never seen anybody control a room like he does. He just always has the perfect track that gets people going and a lot of time it isn’t necessarily the newest Taylor Swift song, it’s like a DMX song from 1999.’’
In 2012, the youngest Gronkowski brother, Glenn, reached out to D’Zmura on Twitter for details about Barstool’s infamously raucous tour. After hitting it off, the 20-somethings exchanged video game screennames. D’Zmura said Glenn had a memorable one: “IgetChicks69.’’
Soon, D’Zmura was introducing himself over his headset the rest of the Gronkowski brothers, including Rob.
“I told Rob don’t worry about it. Whatever happens on the battlefield, stays on the battlefield,’’ D’Zmura said. “The game lasted a couple hours and we definitely got to know each other very well.’’
A few months later, Gronkowski’s four brothers met up with Deiana in Columbus, Ohio, at a “Blackout’’’ show, dressing up in mascot costumes and dancing on stage. Months later, Deiana would get that life-changing phone call in Tampa.
Aside from DJing for the Gronkowski family, Deiana has residency at a range of Chicago clubs, including Underground, Rockit Bar and Grill, and Parliament.
“His versitility makes him different because not many DJs can play the wide range he plays,’’ Arturo Gomez, President and Partner of Rockit Ranch Productions, said. “…Playing to such different crowds is not an easy task, and he does it at a high level.’’
Dieana has also worked with corporate clients including McDonalds, Playboy, Groupon, and Vita Coco, according to his official website. In August 2015, he opened a night club in Cleveland, FWD, a project he had been working on with his partners for over three years.
Their first event included 1,100 people dancing in the pouring rain, and ended with Deiana cannonballing into the venue’s outdoor pool.
“I mean, it’s a job, but I’m not going to lie and tell you it’s a job. I get to play music for a living. It’s a dream come true. Sometimes I have to remind myself how lucky I am,’’ Deiana said.
DJ for the athletes
Growing up, when Deiana wasn’t collecting music at his home in Worcester, he was the typical New Englander with a passion for all things sports.
“A lot of the DJs I work with will give me shit for liking sports,’’ Deiana said. “They say ‘All you tweet about is sports. I am ready to unfollow you.’’’
When Deiana crosses paths with professional athletes at clubs or restaurants, he makes it a point to go out of his way to make them happy, even inviting them up into the booth. That’s how Deiana came to DJ for Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler’s charity events.
It’s also how he met Chicago Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo, and ultimately found out about an opening to run audio at Wrigley Field.
Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo and Deiana at The Underground in Chicago.—Dante Deiana
Deiana got the job and worked as the DJ for the Chicago Cubs for the 2015 season. Part of his responsibilities included taking requests and playing walk up music for athletes, like Rizzo.
“Rizzo and I were joking around about if we played Taylor Swift for him as a walk up. He texted me one day and said, ‘I want to do it. Let’s play Bad Blood.’’’ Deiana said. “So we did it. And, of course, the Internet went nuts. Obviously, I don’t want or deserve all the credit for that, but being involved in that is pretty freaking cool.’’
While Deiana lives in Chicago and has been cheering on Rizzo and the Cubs as they’ve advanced in the 2015 MLB playoffs, his football allegiance remains firmly with the Pats.
Deiana even made a playlist for the Patriots’ locker room before Super Bowl XLIX in February.
“Being able to cheer on your friend every Sunday is one thing. It’s another when he’s one of the best players of all time on your favorite team,’’ he said.
After the Patriots’ victory over the Seahawks, the DJ also celebrated with them at their party post-Super Bowl in Arizona.
“Watching Rob have a dance-off basically with Robert Kraft while Rick Ross was performing a few feet away was priceless and a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,’’ Deiana said.
The DJ for Gronk Nation
Aside from Gronkowski’s personal parties, Deiana also DJs the NFL star’s charity events. Gronkowski has been involved with Friends of Carly , a Buffalo-based non-profit organization that raises money for children diagnosed with cancer and their families, since its inception. John Ticco, Gronkowski’s childhood friend, runs the charity’s events. He said Deiana has DJ’ed the non-profit’s two main events, the White Party and their Gift Gathering Christmas event, for over four years.
“He is the DJ of choice for our friends and for this charity,’’ Ticco said.
Dante has already played on Gronkowski’s party bus, and is scheduled to appear on his party ship during a three-day trip from Miami to the Bahamas in February. The cruise’s lineup includes Flo Rida, Waka Flocka Flame, Redfoo, Sammy Adams, and DJs 3LAU and Brooke Evers, as well as comedians, according to the event’s site.
“If we didn’t think [Dante] was a baller, we wouldn’t have him on the party ship,’’ Gordie Gronkowski said. “He was the first person we asked.’’
The Norwegian Pearl cruise, equipped with six stages, 13 bars and lounges, a massive spa, pool, hot tubs, fitness center, bowling alley, and 24-hour room service, is expected to host 2,500 partiers. Attendees will pay anywhere from $500-$3,500 for a room, a price that includes a photo with Gronkowski as well as an autographed item.
“Anytime you get that family together and throw in their friends, it’s wild,’’ Deiana said. “It’s gonna be a packed cruise ship of people that love to have fun and love to party.’’
It’s good to be Gronk
For Deiana, whether on a party ship or just going out to dinner, spending time with Gronkowski is always an experience. Gronkowski’s last visit to Chicago in June was no different.
On a Saturday night, Gronk and Deiana ended up in the kitchen at El Hefe, a Mexican restaurant and club.
“I got to talking to one the managers and when I turned around, Rob was in the back with the cooks making guacamole, and crushing a bag of tortilla chips,’’ Deiana said. “He was trying to ask the cooks how to say, ‘I need to carbo-load’ in Spanish.’’
Gronkowski then posed for pictures with the staff, before deciding to help wash dishes.
Rob Gronkowski washing dishes at El Hefe.—Dante Deiana
“Stories like that are par for the course with him, and everywhere he goes, he leaves everyone loving him,’’ Deiana said. “Everywhere he goes is a circus, but he’s the most humble and welcoming guy I’ve ever met, and he takes it all in stride with a smile on his face.’’
We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it.Ok
