Ronnie Woo Woo facts for kids
Ronnie "Woo Woo" Wickers (born October 31, 1941) is a very well-known fan of the Chicago Cubs baseball team. He is a local celebrity in the Chicago area. People at Wrigley Field, the Cubs' home stadium, know him for his special cheers. He often shouts "Woo!" during games. For example, he might cheer, "Cubs, woo! Cubs, woo! Big-Z, woo! Zambrano, woo! Cubs, woo!" A famous Cubs announcer, Harry Caray, even called him "Leather Lungs." This was because Ronnie could shout loudly for many hours without stopping.
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Early Life and Finding His Passion
Ronnie Wickers grew up in Chicago on the South Side. His grandmother raised him. She took him to his first Chicago Cubs games in the late 1940s. This is how he became a fan. In an interview from 2004, Ronnie explained when he started his "wooing." He said it began around 1958 or 1959. He simply enjoyed doing it. Since then, he has been a regular at Wrigley Field. He even sang "Take Me Out to the Ball Game" during a game on May 24, 2001. In 2005, a filmmaker named Paul Hoffman made a documentary film about Ronnie. The movie was called WooLife. It first showed at the Chicago Historical Society.
Life and Challenges
For many years, Ronnie worked at night as a custodian at Northwestern University. In the 1980s, he faced some tough times. Both his grandmother and his girlfriend passed away. This made Ronnie very sad. He became homeless and did not have a steady job. From 1984 to 1990, he went to Cubs games using tickets that people donated to him.
There was a short time in 1987 when Ronnie was not at Wrigley Field games. Some Cubs fans worried that something bad had happened to him. But he soon contacted news reporters. He let everyone know that he was fine.
Continuing His Support
Since 1990, Ronnie has earned most of his money by washing windows. He works in the neighborhood around Wrigley Field. He also gets paid to appear at parties. He has even been in local commercials. In 2000, a Chicago entertainer named Erich “Mancow” Mueller helped Ronnie. He bought him a new set of dentures. This helped Ronnie look even better as a superfan. Mancow often talked about Ronnie on his radio show.
Recent Events
On April 18, 2005, Ronnie was hit by a car after a Cubs game. He was treated at Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center. Luckily, he was released and has since recovered fully.
A small issue happened on April 19, 2017. Ronnie was asked to leave a Cubs game because he did not have a ticket. Ronnie said his friend had his electronic ticket on their phone. The Cubs management said the friend became rude when asked to show the ticket. So, both of them were escorted out of Wrigley Field. After this, Ronnie continued to attend Cubs games without any more problems.
As of 2025, Ronnie is still a regular at Cubs games. He takes pictures with fans and tourists. He continues to cheer loudly for his favorite team.
See also
- Andy the Clown
- Robert Szasz
- Robin Ficker
- Wild Bill Hagy
- El Sammo
