Vince Vaughn tells why Cubs' World Series win drew record TV viewers

Michael McCarthy

Vince Vaughn tells why Cubs' World Series win drew record TV viewers image

NEW YORK — Along with Bill Murray, Chicago native Vince Vaughn is one of the world's most famous Cubs fans.

Like all Cubs fans around the country, Vaughn was thrilled by the team's first World Series championship since 1908, a seven-game classic over the Indians. Beyond the quixotic quest to end a 108-year title drought, there were other reasons why a record number of TV viewers tuned in to watch Game 7, he said.

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At a time when there's so much bad news in sports, fans fell in love with the fresh-faced stars of both clubs, Vaughn said during a preview screening of the new Tom Brady-Michael Strahan-produced documentary, "Religion of Sports," on the AT&T Audience Network. 

"As  you get older in sports, you have your childhood team, and for me, it's the Cubs, but you also love the stories. This was both," said the 46-year-old star of hit films such as "Wedding Crashers" and "Swingers."

"I had a team that I love. It was just a great story. (Cubs manager Joe) Maddon has such a great bedside manner. All the players seemed real supportive and positive, so it was a great story on top of it. It was so much fun."

Watching the Cubs and Indians slug it out over seven nail-biting games was like watching two great fighters going the distance, he said.

MORE: Millions celebrate Cubs' triumph

The strategic moves by Maddon and Indians skipper Terry Francona only added to the drama. Vaughn, naturally, played his role by singing "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" during Game 4 at Wrigley Field.

"It does feel like the best of the game came to the forefront," Vaughn said. "It's why we love it as fans. It's why we like to play it when we’re kids. . . . It felt like you had a lot of guys having a lot of fun on both sides, really working toward something and playing hard. That was captivating. You really appreciated the game — and the strategy that came with it."

Vaughn, meanwhile, is getting some of the best critical reviews of his career for his role in the new Mel Gibson war movie, "Hacksaw Ridge."

MORE: Cubs players, Murray sing 'Go, Cubs, Go' on 'SNL'

The role is a far cry from his usual, fast-talking wiseguy persona. Instead, he's an Army drill sergeant who trains his young soldiers (including combat medic Desmond Doss, the first conscientious objector to win the Medal of Honor), then leads them into the bloody battle of Okinawa in 1945.

"I really played it like a father that loved their kids. It's their responsibility to keep them alive, so it's your job to reach them. A little sense of humor is good. Sometimes you have to be tough," Vaughn said.

When Sporting News asked Vaughn if his beloved Cubs will repeat in 2017, he just waved his arms in comic frustration.

"Someone on ESPN just asked me that. I said, 'We just won the World Series for the first time in 108 years, and people want to start kicking around the roster?' Can we have at least one day to just say, 'We won it, what’s there’s to talk about?' World champions."

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According to Nielsen, Fox Sports' telecast of Game 7 drew 40 million viewers. That made it the most-watched baseball game since Game 7 of the Braves-Twins World Series in 1991. 

Michael McCarthy

Michael McCarthy Photo

Michael McCarthy is an award-winning journalist who covers Sports Meda, Business and Marketing for Sporting News. McCarthy’s work has appeared in The New York Times, Sports Illustrated, The Wall Street Journal, CNBC.com, Newsday, USA TODAY and Adweek.