The Chicago Cubs won the World Series. The phrase "Cubs win the World Series" hasn't been said in a long time. More specifically, 108 years. I'm not mainly a Cubs fan, but I've always appreciated their players and got to give them credit for winning and breaking the "Curse of the Billy Goat". The Cleveland Indians also deserve credit too.
Just to put it in perspective of some of the things that were happening in 1908 (not in order):
- Teddy Roosevelt was President, until the 1908 election when William Howard Taft won by beating William Jennings Bryan
- The Ford Model T was first released
- The Progressive Era of political and social movements was still going on
- Women still couldn't vote
- The New Year's Ball in Times Square was dropped for the first time
The city of Chicago and the rest of the country has come a long way, but the Cubs between 1908 and their World Series victory this year had great teams, but came up short. The Cubs of the 1970s and 1980s were promising with players like Ernie "Mr. Cub" Banks (mostly played in 1950s and 1960s, but played until 1971), Rick Sutcliffe, Ryne "Rhino" Sandberg, Mark Grace, Mitch "Wild Thing" Williams, Greg Maddux, Sammy Sosa, Ron Santo, and Ferguson Jenkins. Unfortunately for Cubs fans, all these years with great talent like these individuals, never led to a World Series appearance.
The closest was 2003. 2003 was an ugly year for the Cubs, regarding their postseason. It looked like they were going to the World Series by defeating the Florida Marlins in the National League Championship Series...then came Steve Bartman. The infamous Cubs fan who interfered with Cubs outfielder Moises Alou who, had he caught it, would put the Cubs four outs away from the World Series. But the Marlins rallied to win the series, ending the Cubs hopes a dreams. Now I could probably say, Steve Bartman, we forgive you. Or they forgive you I should say. If the Phillies forgave Mitch Williams (the same Cubs reliever who gave up a walk off homerun to Joe Carter in the 1993 World Series with the Phillies) when they won in 2008, I think the Cubs can forgive Steve Bartman.
Now is the time to celebrate Chicago. A few years ago in the NHL, the Blackhawks ended a long Stanley Cup drought against another team who has a long Cup drought.....the Philadelphia Flyers. Ugh, Chicago. A love-hate relationship for me, I guess. Enjoy this one Cubs fans. You deserve this one!
