The Chicago Cubs have finally won the World Series for the first time since 1908. The curse of the Cubs has officially been broken. That all sounds impressive on its own, and then you realize that 1908 was actually 108 years ago. The Cubs had not won a World Series in baseball in over 100 years! That's the longest championship drought in sports history. Still not understanding just how long ago that was? I've got some key events that happened in 1908 to help you see just how monumental this event is.
In 1908...
1. We witnessed the 1st ball drop in Times Square on New Years Eve
Obviously, it didn't look like that. This is the one from 2015 actually. According to the Times Square website, people started celebrating New Years in Times Square in 1904 but there wasn't a ball drop until 1907/1908!
2. The 4th modern Olympics were taking place in London, England
Meanwhile, we were in London again just 4 years ago for the 30th Olympiad.
3. The first Mother's Day was observed
As if we really needed an excuse to pamper our mom, right?
4. The first horror movie premiers in Chicago; it was Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
5. The first passenger airplane flight took place
Additionally, this was the year that Orville Wright made the first one hour flight in Fort Meyer, VA.
6. Teddy Roosevelt was the sitting President
7. William Taft was chosen (yes, chosen) as Roosevelt's successor within the Republican party - he would later win the election
8. The first Model T car was built and introduced by Ford (being sold for $850)
Over the course of 1908, it went from being built, to being marketed and sold.
9. "Bank of America" was still called "Bank of Italy"
The Bank's headquarters had just moved to San Francisco, CA.
10. Football players at the University of Pittsburgh had numbers on their jerseys, which was a brand new idea
11. The 46th star on the US Flag was added - for Oklahoma
The other four states that still hadn't joined the U.S. were New Mexico, Arizona, Hawaii, and Alaska.
12. Harvard University approves the creation of Harvard Business School
Interestingly, the Harvard Business School was the first school to grant an MBA program - in 1908!
13. Converse shoes came into being when their business was created
The company, officially called the Converse Rubber Shoe Factory, opened its company in Malden, Massachusetts.
14. The FBI (originally called the Office of the Chief Examiner) was established
Under Teddy Roosevelt and Charles Bonaparte, the FBI got its start after the former President McKinley had been assassinated. To read more, check out the FBI's website.
15. The upright vacuum cleaner was invented
James Spangler was actually the inventor of the upright vacuum cleaner, because he was asthmatic and looking for a better vacuum cleaner, but was promptly bought out by the Hoover Company.
16. There were only 15 amendments to the U.S. Constitution
There had been no discussions of women voting, electing senators, or even prohibition!
17. Neither World War had happened yet (or the Great Depression... or the Roaring 20s!)
The first World War started in 1914 (6 years later), the second World War was in 1939 (31 years later)!
18. Russia was still ruled by Tsars
The system of Tsars would not be overthrown until 1917, which was a whopping 9 years later. Yes, Nicholas II, the current Tsar of Russia at the time, was still ruling through the beginning of World War 1.
19. The Ottoman Empire was still a few years from dissolving (they officially dissolved in 1922)
20. The first Super Bowl wouldn't happen for another 59 years!
Yes, that's right, the first Super Bowl didn't happen until 1967. The Green Bay Packers defeated the Kansas City Chiefs in the first football championship.
21. The University of North Carolina at Greensboro was only 17 years old - and only accepting women
UNCG was founded in 1891 with the intention of teaching teachers. It was an all female school until the mid-1960s when they began accepting men.
