WWII veteran in Pasadena remains diehard Cubs fan

PASADENA, Calif. (KABC) -- Although born in Salt Lake City, Utah, and raised in Pasadena, 92-year-old veteran Calvin Tajima remains an unashamed Chicago Cubs fan.

"Chicago Cubs has always been my favorite team ever since I was a kid in Pasadena," Tajima said.

He became a fan when the Cubs held their spring training in Pasadena.

When he was 19 years old, Tajima was forced to flee California as a result of the eviction of Japanese Americans from the West Coast during World War II. He arrived in Chicago and said he was greeted with a warm welcome.

"They opened up their homes too, jobs and things like that. So we didn't have any discrimination," Tajima noted of the city. "They have good beer, good food, good hamburger. What else do you want?"

He was later drafted into the war, and upon his return from Germany, he raised a family in Chicago. They relocated back to Southern California, yet Tajima continued to be a fan of all things Chicago.

Tajima's remaining family in Chicago knows of his love for the Cubs, and over the years have helped him build his sports memorabilia collection.

They provided him tickets to watch Game 3 of the World Series at Wrigley Field.

Tajima does not hope for a Chicago victory: "They're going to beat them; you don't hope, you know they're going to beat Cleveland."