The Ricketts family were announced last week as the new owners of Major League Baseball team (and perennial losers…sorry, it’s true) the Chicago Cubs. With the news came the distinction that Laura Ricketts – one of four siblings who control part ownership – has become the first openly gay owner of a professional sports team.

The Ricketts family bought the Cubs and Wrigley Field from the Tribune Co. for $845 million in a deal that was finalized Oct. 27th.

Brother and fellow part owner Pete was formerly a candidate for the U.S. Senate in Nebraska, running on a socially conservative platform including opposition to gay marriage and abortion.

Hopefully, Ricketts can put the squash on the homophobic t-shirt campaign forged by cross-town rivals the Chicago White Sox last summer. And perhaps the wisdom of an equity-minded new owner can scrape some life into a club that has not won a World Series since 1908. Rainbow uniforms anyone? I keed, I keed (some of us remember the god-awful costumes donned by the ’70s-era Houston Astros…eek!). However, there is some merit in looking good while failing. ZING!

Go here to see the new owners meet the media for the first time. In all seriousness, this is a huge step forward for professional sports, especially in light of recent publicity concerning athletic bouts of bigotry. The clouds are lifting, in the Windy City at least.