"In his first season as Kerry Wood's teammate, Cubs outfielder Marlon Byrd last spring referred to Chicago's favorite pitcher as ''Mr. Cub,'' the

Ernie Banks of his generation.

That Byrd made the comment just a few weeks into Wood's second tour with the team only goes to show how obvious and persistent Cubs fans' affections remain for the one-time Kid K, the former Texas phenom whose promise of annual dominance and championships was betrayed by repeated injuries and adversity beyond his control.

And it remains one of the damn­dest love stories in sports.

What Byrd recognized almost immediately last year was on display again Friday night during Cubs Convention opening ceremonies. Engineering their own drama around a long-expected re-signing of the free-agent reliever, the Cubs announced the deal with a ''surprise'' appearance by Wood.

The result was a deafening roar from the crowd and a chant of ''Ker-ry! Ker-ry! Ker-ry!''"