If you have been on social media the last week or two, I bet you have heard about the World Series featuring the Chicago Cubs and the Cleveland Indians. The Chicago Cubs, as you have probably heard as well, have not won a World Series since 1908. Yes, you read that right. 1908. It’s been 108 years since the Cubs have held the title. Life in the U.S. was completely different 108 years ago. Let’s see just how different…
The year was 1908. The president of the United States was Theodore Roosevelt. The U.S. population was 88 million.
Here are some more crazy facts about the U.S. in 1908, the last time the Chicago Cubs won the World Series.
There were only 46 states in the United States. New Mexico, Arizona, Alaska, and Hawaii were not states yet.
Women could not vote.
Only 14 percent of homes had a bathtub.
Only 8 percent of homes had a telephone.
The maximum speed limit in most cities was 10 mph.
The average wage was 22 cents per hour.
There were 230 documented murders nationwide that year.
The average worker made between $200 and $400 per year.
Canned bear and iced tea? Not a thing yet.
Sugar cost 4 cents a pound.
Eggs were 14 cents a dozen.
Coffee was 15 cents a pound.
2 out of every 10 American adults couldn’t read or write.
There were only 144 miles of paved roads.
Diarrhea was in the top 5 leading causes of death, with pneumonia being number one.
Most women only washed their hair once a month. Borax or egg yolks were used for their shampoo.
The population of Las Vegas, Nevada, was only 30.
The Ottoman Empire still existed.
The Cubs played at West Side Park, not Wrigley Field.
The NBA, NHL, and NFL did not exist.
Man had not landed on the moon yet.
William Faulkner wasn’t born yet.
The famous Titanic was not built yet.
Radio and television weren’t invented yet, so you can forget about your previous Facebook.
This was the same year that the famous baseball song “Take Me Out to the Ball Game” was debuted.
95% of births took place at home.
Marijuana, heroin, and morphine were all available over the counter at your local drug store.
The Eiffel Tower was considered the “tallest building” in the world.
As you can see, life in the United States was completely different the last time the Chicago Cubs won the World Series.
Let’s hope the Cubbies can end the drought.
Go Cubs.
