Chicago Cubs visited by actual bear cubs at spring training

Published 3:28 pm Saturday, March 26, 2016

MESA, Ariz. — The Chicago Cubs have been visited by some actual cubs, playing with the baby bears at spring training before their daily stretching program.

The two male cubs spent time Friday with the front-office personnel, players and coaches, getting passed around before roaming on the grass.

The 10- to 12-week-old cubs were brought in from Bearizona, a wildlife park, the latest tactic by manager Joe Maddon to keep spring training light before the workday begins.

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The team will get to name the cubs by the end of its season.

Maddon said that’s a lot of pressure: “We are trying to come up with creative ways to name both cubs as they grow up to bears.”

First baseman Anthony Rizzo really took to the cubs, at one point sitting down with both in his lap.He said, “When are you ever going to get a chance to do this again?”