Story highlights Obama welcomes champs days before he leaves office

Cubs won their first World Series in 108 years in October

(CNN) President Barack Obama welcomed the Chicago Cubs to the White House on Monday, in one of his final acts as its occupant.

The team -- along with a strong showing of top presidential aides and allies -- celebrated their first World Series title in more than a century.

"There were a lot of sick days during the playoffs," Obama said, noting the heavy presence of Cubs fans in his administration. "One of my staff members was caught being interviewed at a bar outside of Wrigley."

The President, who began his political career in Chicago and will build his library in the city's Jackson Park, is not a Cubs fan. He roots for their South Side neighbors, the White Sox. For that, Cubs president of baseball operations Theo Epstein offered Obama "a midnight pardon for all your indiscretions as a baseball fan."

Obama also set political allegiances aside to congratulate the team whose co-owner, Todd Ricketts, was a donor to President-elect Donald Trump and tapped to serve as his deputy commerce secretary.

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