Hot dog vendor from 1945 World Series recalls Cubs vs. Tigers games

FOX 32 NEWS - The last time the Cubs were in the World Series, 101-year-old Irene Mooney of Tinley Park was selling hot dogs in the bleachers. But what does she remember about the game?

“I know we prayed that they win,” Mooney said laughing. “We were too busy selling hotdogs and that to worry about what they were doing."

Mooney worked that entire season, mostly on Sundays.

“Everybody came early at 7 o'clock in the morning and they wanted a sweet roll. Well, all we were selling was hotdogs, we never had no sweet rolls. But they said oh I mean you don't have the sweet rolls, I said no, so they had to have a hotdog or nothing,” Mooney said.

How much did she get paid?

“Not very much,” Mooney said, adding, “It wasn't even $10. It was cheap, but we didn't care, we didn't go there for the money, we went there for all the enjoyment.”

Mooney recalled with great joy the time she switched her box of stale hotdog buns with a co-worker who had a fresh one.

“Somebody wanted a hotdog and she turned around with the buns and she went oh no, she said mister, these buns were soft 10 minutes ago but the wind came along and made them hard,” Mooney said.

She made it clear it's not the Cubs World Series drought that has given her gray hair.

“No they didn't, I earned this gray hair,” she said smiling.

When asked if she might want to be an honorary hot dog vendor this World Series, Mooney quickly answered no.

“I'm too old for that. I'm 101 years old,” she said.

As for her prediction for this World Series, she didn’t have one.

“I don't know who's going to win, I don't know who is going to lose. I just pray that the Cubs win, that's it,” Mooney said.