Jerry Pritikin

Early life

Pritikin became a Cubs fan in 1945 at the age of eight, when the Cubs were in the World Series and he begged his father to take him to a game. While his father denied the request, he did promise to take Pritikin the next time the Cubs made it to the series (a feat the Cubs accomplished in 2016). Pritkin did start going to Cubs games with his brothers and sisters. In 1960 he moved to San Francisco, where he worked as a photographer, selling his photos to wire services and local newspapers. He started attending baseball games at Candlestick Park, where he gained notoriety as a Cubs fan. In 1981, he became a paid consultant for a production of Bleacher Bums, coaching the cast on how Chicago Cubs fans acted.

The Bleacher Preacher

Pritikin moved back to Chicago in 1985 and began to attend Cubs games at Wrigley Field regularly. Pritikin admired the Cubs fan known as "Slow Motion Happy" in the mid-40s and decided to put together his own character, which would later be called the "Bleacher Preacher". The Bleacher Preacher became famous around Chicago for his routine.

Routine

During Cubs games at the "Friendly Confines," Pritikin would sit in the bleachers. He would attempt to convert fans of opposing teams as the "Bleacher Preacher".

Attire

As the Bleacher Preacher, Pritikin wore a solar-powered propeller pith helmet. He carried around a lifesize voodoo doll that would be dressed in the uniforms of various visiting teams. Pritikin also carried around "The Ten Cub-Mandments", a sign fashioned after the Ten Commandments.

In 2014, Jerry Pritikin was named the recipient of the HILDA Award given by Baseball Reliquary in Pasadena Ca. Hilda was named after the fabled fan of the Brooklyn Dodgers, known for her cowbell. The Award is given to fans who have contributed to the game of Baseball.

In popular media

Pritikin is largely the subject of the Lonny Wheeler book Bleachers. Edgar Lenze interviewed Pritikin for his documentary about Chicago Cubs fans entitled Keep the Faith. During the 1980 his name and likeness would often appear in newspapers. Broadcaster Harry Caray once called Pritikin "the world's greatest Cubs fan".