The Cubs no longer are a punchline.
For decades, the Chicago Cubs baseball team served as an ultimate example of sports futility. After winning a World Series title in 1908 — one of several during a very successful decade — the Cubs and their fan base endured a series of bad trades, bad ownership and bad luck for more than a century.
But Wednesday night, that long stretch of bad road ended when the Cubs defeated the Cleveland Indians 8-7 in 10 innings to win the World Series title, rallying from a 3-1 series deficit to do so.
U.S. 66 began nearly 20 years after the Cubs’ previous World Series title. The highway was decommissioned, then underwent a 30-year renaissance — all before the club won another championship.
Many Route 66 travelers who begin their cross-country journey in Chicago take a short side trip to the city’s North Side to see the Cubs’ historic Wrigley Field and catch a game in those venerated bleachers.
So although the Route 66 connection is somewhat peripheral, it remains an indisputably strong one because the Cubs are so rooted in Chicago’s identity.
I grew up mainly in St. Louis Cardinals territory in central Illinois, and my fandom of the Redbirds became more cemented during the team’s miraculous rally in Game 6 of the 2011 World Series.
But I rooted for the Cubs this year to win the World Series partly because I favor the National League. And how could I root against a team and loyal fan base that has suffered for so long?
Finally, the Cubs winning a World Series is good for baseball, and I am a fan of baseball more than any one team.
Here are some reactions to the victory from Twitter:
1907. 1908. 2016.
108 years later, the @Cubs are #WorldSeries #CHAMPS! https://t.co/6rzYrj93OC pic.twitter.com/Zb0T8bkJJB
— MLB (@MLB) November 3, 2016
Cubs fans watch the final out in Wrigleyville https://t.co/o2KyLQYwZy pic.twitter.com/AP6UHqMmy1
— Chicago Tribune (@chicagotribune) November 3, 2016
People are writing the names of loved ones who didn't live long enough to see this all along the Sheffield wall at #Wrigley #FlyTheW #Cubs pic.twitter.com/VRkdaI6HzT
— Alex Nitkin (@AlexNitkin) November 3, 2016
Ryne Sandberg was right in the middle of it. #Cubs pic.twitter.com/zQ3skCUHvj
— Chris Kuc (@ChrisKuc) November 3, 2016
https://twitter.com/Budweiser/status/794061112723537920
Bill Murray overcome with joy the moment Cubs win World Series https://t.co/K3BNH7dyU5 pic.twitter.com/6kAAbtOTAX
— USA TODAY (@USATODAY) November 3, 2016
Chicago Cubs players partying like it's 1908 in the locker room after the team's historic #WorldSeries victory. https://t.co/uO3NhxCMbu pic.twitter.com/IIUV3a5PGU
— ABC News (@ABC) November 3, 2016
https://twitter.com/_claremoser/status/794045277782974464
(Image of Chicago Cubs World Series banner by Teresa Peek; image of the Cubs celebrating their World Series title by Arturo Pardavila III, via Flickr)
I am going to need a week to recover from he last month, especially this last week and a half, especially Wednesday night. Way too much fun, and I’m a Sox fan first, but back the Cubs unless they play us.
Two really good videos at WGN “Cubs release new music video for Eddie Vedder’s ‘All the Way’ after World Series Win.” There are two of them, but scroll down and see the one with the guy holding the “All the Way” sign first.
About Time Cubbies!! –RoadDog