World Series Tickets for WWII Vet

Jim Schlegel really wanted to go to the World Series. And now, thanks to the kindness of a stranger, he can.

Like so many Chicago Cubs fans, Schlegel has waited for decades to see his beloved team make it that far. Even more amazing, he can remember being at Chicago’s Wrigley Field when the Cubs went to the World Series the last time — in 1945.

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He had been in the Army and was at Pearl Harbor in 1941. He came home to Chicago a few days before the 1945 World Series began, according to Fox32.com — and hopped a street car to Wrigley Field on the morning of Game Six, looking for tickets.

But while the World War II veteran could afford the $7.50 for a box seat ticket back then (although he wound up scoring free tickets that morning, as many servicemen did) — he didn’t have the thousands of dollars now required for a secondary market ticket.

Stubhub’s price for Game 3, the first one of the series to be played in Chicago, start at just over $1,600.

His granddaughter suggested setting up a GoFundMe post. Their goal was to raise $10,000 for two tickets. Money began pouring in.

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And word of the fund made its way to Marcus Lemonis, who is host of CNBC’s “The Profit.” He had been looking for the perfect baseball fan to send to the World Series. He connected with Schlegel and donated two front-row seat tickets to the veteran for Friday’s Game Three.

After Lemonis offered the Elgin, Illinois, veteran the tickets, the veteran’s family said it plans to donate the funds already raised to the Purple Heart Foundation.

Donning a Cubs cap, Schlegel took to Twitter to thank Lemonis: “I appreciate your generosity, and hope we bring in a winner.”

Schlegel’s World Series prediction, by the way, as he told Fox32, is this: “The Cubs will win it seven. Or earlier. All right?”