CHICAGO – Barry Fiore, 59, has been waiting 51 years to see the Cubs win a World Series.

Fiore, who grew up in Chicago and attended NIU for two years, moved to Colorado 28 years ago. However, he’s owned season tickets ever since for an opportunity to see the Cubs go all the way.

“I have Cubs in my genes,” Fiore said. “It won’t come out, it will never come out. But, next week, the pacemaker in my chest is going to come out.”

Along with other Cubs fans lining the streets of Clark and Addison, Fiore had a good feeling going into Tuesday night’s game against the Florida Marlins.

Fiore was so positive the Cubs were going to beat Atlanta in the NLDS, he didn’t even come to the games. However, before the series was won, he arranged to fly to Chicago for the home games of the NLCS this week, and the World Series next week.

Attending more than 1,500 games in his lifetime, Fiore said he was one of the early die-hard Cubs fans.

For Fiore, a die-hard Cubs fan has what he calls “midwestern spirit,” which he said embodies “stamina, heart, loyalty and a lack of phoniness.”

John Heatly, 53, of Chicago, has been a Cubs fan for 40 years.

Heatly said he buys a pin at every game he attends, and the multicolored pins which envelop his hat prove it. He said he’s been to between 50 and 60 games over the years as a Cubs fan.

“This is a killer moment for me,” Heatly said before Tuesday’s game.

Heatly said loyalty is a defining factor of Cubs fans, but said the atmosphere may help bring fans back from losing seasons.

A Cubs fan should “probably like to drink, and hate the [White Sox],” he said.

Other fans didn’t know what has brought Cubs fans back year in and year out through losing seasons.

David Lyn, 37, said he came to his first Cubs game in eighth grade, and Tuesday was the first time he’s returned since.

“Everybody wants to be part of something when they’re a winner,” Lyn said.

Lyn said he paid $3,000 each for tickets for Tuesday night’s game. But, Lyn said he would’ve paid whatever the tickets would have cost, going so far as to say he would have sold his motorcycle to be at the game.