There was a new voice echoing through Wrigley Field on Monday night, as 21-year-old Jeremiah Paprocki made his debut as the Cubs' new PA announcer.
Not only is he still a senior at the University of Illinois Chicago, but Paprocki is also the first Black PA announcer in franchise history.
“Who’s ever heard of a 21-year-old PA announcer?” Paprocki told the Chicago Sun-Times. “That truly means the world that the Chicago Cubs, my hometown team, the team that I love, is taking a chance on me. To be able to sit in that chair behind the microphone at Wrigley Field of all places, it’s truly an honor. I’m looking forward to that opportunity.”
Paprocki graduated from CICS Northtown Academy on the North Side of Chicago before attending UIC, where he's handled the PA duties for the Flames. He's not only been a lifelong Cubs fan, but his mom, Barbara, also worked as a parking attendant at Cubs games in the 1990s.
“Being the first African-American PA in Cubs history, it definitely means a lot,” Paprocki told the Sun-Times. “I hope that it inspires other African-American boys and girls out there that are interested in broadcasting that opportunities are available to you if you keep going, and to never stop and to never let anything discourage you from pursuing opportunities.”