Obama may accept invite to visit Chicago Cubs training facility

Mesa (Arizona, US), Feb.18: President Obama is likely to visit the training facility of the Chicago Cubs on Wednesday morning, though they know that he is a diehard Chicago White Sox fan.

"He’s more than welcome. I’m a big fan of President Obama," said first baseman Derrek Lee, who contributed to Obama’s campaign.

"I just signed a baseball for him, so maybe that will help," the Chicago Sun Times quoted him, as saying.

Lee hasn’t met the President but was asked by someone after practice Tuesday to sign the ball for him.

The Cubs are well aware of Obama’s avowed love for the White Sox and aren’t saying they want him to waffle.

"He doesn’t have to like the Cubs. It seems like he’s a pretty die-hard Sox fan. I don’t think you’re going to convert that to a Cubs fun," Lee said.

Cubs manager Lou Piniella does seem to take exception, though, to seeing the President wearing that old, worn Sox hat he does so often.

"We got to get him a Cub hat over there. We can sneak Chief Wahoo over there," he said.

Either way, Piniella said Obama has an open invitation to Fitch Park.

"If he wants to come out here, we’d love to have him. I’m really happy to see that he enjoys baseball. I’m happy to see that he’s a White Sox fan, I really am. … But mention the Cubbies once in a while, too," he said. (ANI)