Behind the Scenes Video of Ian Happ's 1,000th Career Cubs Game is a Real Tear-Jerker

Hey, who's cutting onions in here??? Ian Happ played in his 1,000th career Cubs game this past weekend, making him the 32nd player in franchise history to reach the milestone and only the ninth to accomplish the feat since 1969. A special moment for Happ, who has spent his entire MLB career with one team and it might sound cheesy, but you can tell he genuinely loves being a Cub and playing in Chicago.

The Cubs social media team released a behind the scenes video of the team recognizing Happ's 1,000th game milestone in the clubhouse and it was none other than Happ's longest tenured teammate that gave the speech, Nico Hoerner.

Nothing but love and respect for Ian from his teammates.

All-Access Presented by @InvenergyLLC. pic.twitter.com/z5RxWSJZMl

— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) April 8, 2025

Happ, 30, was selected in the first round of the 2015 MLB Draft out of Cincinnati. He was called up in May 2017, had a stellar rookie season and a significant part of his Happ's journey in the majors actually came a few years later, when he reached a low-point early in his career.

The Cubs made a surprising decision at the end of spring training in 2019. Happ was optioned to Triple-A, demoted after playing in 142 games in 2018. Happ was pissed about the decision. The outfielder spent the majority of 2019 in the minor leagues and was called up until the final week of July.

Fast forward to 2025, Happ is now a cornerstone of the franchise. He's won three consecutive gold glove awards in left field and since the beginning of the 2022 season, when Happ became the every-day starter in left field, he's ranked as a top-10 hitting outfielder in the National League.

Ian Happ was demoted to Triple-A out of spring training in 2019. I'll always admire his drive and motivation that it took for him to get back and become a cornerstone of the franchise. pic.twitter.com/tofLBmw4Wv

— Aldo Soto (@AldoSoto21) April 8, 2025

Happ could have easily hit free agency following the 2023 season as a top-5 player in the market. However, the outfielder agreed to a modest, three-year contract extension worth $61 million.

Via Marquee Sports Network.

For Ian Happ and the Cubs, that push to finish a contract extension came from Happ’s desire — almost need — to be in Chicago.

“It’s the place I’ve always wanted to be,” Happ said, just a few hours after his 3-year contract extension had been made official. “Been pretty clear about that for a long time. I think just the fact that I have wanted to wear this uniform for as long as I possibly can made it pretty easy.”

We'll see what the future holds for Happ, who is currently set to become a free agent after the 2026 season.