An explosion of pride and joy among Cubs fans that hasn't been felt since October 14, 1908 has finally been experienced again. On Wednesday, November 2, 2016, Cubs fans everywhere erupted with every emotion from relief, to incomprehensible joy. Though this win meant the world to Cubs fans and Chicago residents alike, it's hard to deny that the incredible events of Game 7 weren't felt across the entire country. Many things have changed since 1908. Baseball wasn't even broadcasted on the radio until the 1920s, now, in 2016, it is accessible almost anywhere. The transformation of technology, culture, and the human race in the last 108 is astonishing. However, the one thing that has stayed true to itself is the game of baseball.

Jake Sheley, Generation Y/ Millenium

Jake and friends enjoying aCubs game at Wrigley Field

I'm from Rockford, Illinois and live in Davenport, Iowa now. My favorite moment besides the World Series, is probably watching Arrieta's no hitters. My favorite Cubs players are Ernie Banks and Jon Lester. I'd say the defining moments is the comeback against the Giants and the 10th inning double in game 7 to retake the lead. I had no idea they were going to win until KB fielded the ground ball cleanly. This win means the world to me, I remember going crazy and pointing to the sky for all of my family members who taught me how to be a Cubs fan who aren't alive to see it. It solidifies why I fell and continue to fall in love with the game of baseball.

Anthony and his dad, Bill, together at Game 1 of the World Series

Bill Rendina, Generation X

I was born in Gary, IN, and grew up a Cubs fan from NW Indiana. I have great memories of my Father taking my brother, sister and me to Wrigley and watching the "1969" Cubs with all the "greats". After college, I moved to the suburbs of Chicago, and two years later, we all enjoyed the 1984 Season. Through the years, wherever I travel, people always feel compelled to share their support for the Cubs, even if they have a hometown favorite of their own. I believe the Cubs are really "America's Team".  No other team could maintain such a fan base and fill the stadium even during the struggling seasons. That's pretty special. Going to a Cubs game at the Friendly Confines is always a great event. The atmosphere generates energy that cannot be felt at newer stadiums. In 2014, my brother, sister, and I took Dad back to Wrigley for the 100 Year Celebration. We sat in the same section we sat during Billy Williams Day on June 29, 1969. We have continued the family tradition of taking our next generation to Cubs games, and I had the good fortune of taking my son Anthony to Game 1 of the 2016 World Series. Anthony plays baseball at the collegiate level, and really loves watching Major League Baseball. I have had many favorite Cubs over the years, but one day, Anthony had a chance to see one of my favorite players as he left Wrigley after broadcasting a game. Yes, Ron Santo came out to his car, waving to all the fans with the same enthusiasm and appreciation he had as a player. Only this time, he stood there with a prosthetic leg, waving and smiling after putting in another day at Wrigley. I was so impressed and inspired by Ron Santo as he continued to work even as his health declined. While there are many stand-out players on this Cubs team, I would have to say Rizzo, Bryant and Zobrist are among my favorites. For me, it's not only what a player does on the field, it's equally important how they are off the field, and I believe these three men are true role models. From what I can tell, they realize there is something bigger, someone bigger, than the game and their fame, and that's what makes them great. You couldn't ask for a better World Series, and even at 6-6, I believed the Cubs were going to maintain their composure, find their inner strength and win Game 7. I wasn't really thinking it through any other way, so the win was big, but I was ready for it! This World Series "W", is something great for all the loyal Cub fans over the years, and for these players and coaching staff who truly developed and worked as a team. It's a model for other sports teams as well as corporate teams in the business world.

Anthony Rendina, Generation Y/ Millennium

My name is Anthony Rendina and I am from Naperville, IL and go to school at Millikin University in Decatur, IL. I was a Cubs fan since I discovered baseball and my first little league team was the Chicago Cubs. The Cubs mean so much to me because of the tradition that Wrigley brings and the loyalty that all of the fans have. It is tough to find many people who will stick with a team that has not won a World Series since 1908. It is amazing that even during the Cubs awful years they still were in the top 10 in attendance every year.They are (were) called the loveable losers for a reason! My favorite Cubs memory was October 25, 2016. My father and I went to game 1 of the World Series and we finally had a team to root for! My dad and I have a tradition ever since the San Francisco Giants swept the Detroit Tigers in game 4 in Detroit. Since that World Series my dad and I have made it to St. Louis, Kansas City twice, and now Cleveland. This year just meant a whole lot more being able to watch a team that means something to us. My favorite player has turned out to be Javier Baez. As an infielder he is someone who many people are going to want to model their game after. He shows that baseball is fun no matter what level. It seemed that when he was doing well the whole team rallied behind him. My favorite past Cub would be Tony Campana. One major memory I have from him would be his inside the park homerun in 2011 against the Cincinnati Reds. The defining moments of the Cubs this season was how well they were able to hit a pitcher the second game seeing them. It was amazing how they came back down 3-1 to win 3 of their games in Cleveland. I went to game 1 of the World Series and I could tell that the Cleveland fans were going to be a tough crowd to win in front of. I was in a bar in Iowa City when the Cubs clinched and it was easily my greatest feelings since I knew what baseball was. I was with my close friends and we instantly dog piled celebrating that the wait is almost over. Almost immediately Go Cubs Go started playing and there was a sense of unity with every person there. That's when the celebration of the century began. This win means so much for the city and every fan out there. The Cubs fans travel well and you can see a good amount at every game around the country. This win was felt around the United States for people of all ages. And plus, now there will be bandwagon Cubs fans everywhere coming out to add to the Chicago Cubs tradition!

Cary and his two sons, Kegan and Kyle, pictured at the Cbus v. Nationals game

Cary Anderson, Generation X

I’m from Converse, Indiana and still live there today. I was always a pseudo-Cubs fan, but I was really drawn to the Cubs in the 1980s when I attended college at Purdue. The location of the university was in close proximity to Chicago, so that played a part in it as well. The Cubs mean a lot to me for many reasons, they are the epitome of the lovable losers. The team itself has so much history and meaning behind it, and I’ve always loved the feeling of tradition that it holds. Wrigley also plays a role in how important the Cubs are to me. The stadium is not only beautiful, but it also holds an unmatchable sense of nostalgia. Those factors along with the fans, the city, the legend, and the curse make Cubs Nation what it is. Aside from the World Series, my favorite Cubs moment is all the times Harry Caray sang “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” for the 7 ^th Inning stretch. My favorite past Cubs player is Ryne Sandberg and my favorite present Cub is Kris Bryant, they both play the game with such intensity and talent. To me, one of the defining moments for the Cubs this season was picking up Aroldis Chapman midseason. Once I knew the Cubs were going to win I felt a rush of relief, exuberance, and excitement. Hopefully this win means more wins, playoffs, and World Series appearances in the future. On a personal level, the win meant a lot to me. I thought about all of my friends and family who weren’t able to see it and all of the ones here who finally were able to. It was a big day for Cubs Nation.

Kyle Anderson, Generation Y/ Millennium

I'm from Converse, Indiana, but live in Indianapolis, Indiana now. I've been a Cubs fan for as long as I can remember... But I guess I really started watching back in the Sammy Sosa days. I grew up watching them, seen so many good and bad seasons, been to Wrigley quite a few times, and there's just no where like it to watch a ball game, not to mention all the good friends I've spent time at games with! My favorite all time Cubs moment was a couple nights ago in the bottom of the tenth inning when we won the World Series. Outside of this year's World Series, it was last year against the Nationals with Drew, Ricky, my dad, and my little brother. We were sitting in the first row of the outfield, watching a great game between the Nats and Cubs, and Addison Russell hit a walk off double right in front of us, the place went nuts, and we got to leave singing Go Cubs Go! My current player... man, so many guys on this team are awesome, but I'm gonna go with my boy Kris Bryant. Past would probably have to be Sammy Sosa cause that's what really got me interested! I feel like Kyle Schwarber making it onto the World Series roster was absolutely huge! Also, our pitchers knocking in some runs in the divisional series was pretty awesome! I think I was the only person who still had a whole lot of confidence even when the Cubs were down 3-1 against the Indians, I was still pretty outspoken about the pitching matchups we had... I'll also say that I was pretty confident after we got eliminated from the playoffs last year... confident enough that I actually put some money down on the Cubs to win the World Series before the World Series even started. This was always going to be our year! This win is absolutely huge, and all I could think about after we won, was the fans who had waited their entire lives for this... then the next day seeing videos of 70, 80, 90 year old fans who had waited their whole lives for this literally brought tears to my eyes. It was an amazing win for an entire city. And the parade Friday turned out 5 million+ people! Wow!

Kate Nostrum, Generation Y/ Millenium

Kate's family dog helping Fly the W after a Cubs win

I was born in Chicago, Illinois and that is where most of my family is still living today, and I now live in Jacksonville, Florida. My parents both lived in Chicago, and I've been forced to be a fan since birth during the good times and the bad. The cubs not only mean a lot to me, but they mean a lot to my family, because we have been cheering them on for my whole life. It's been 108 years since they won the last World Series and we have been patiently waiting for so long for them to finally get what they deserve. My favorite past player would definitely be Sammy Sosa. I think he was one of the greatest players of all time. As of now, my favorite player is Kris Bryant for obvious reasons. I think the Cubs picked up an excellent line of pitchers during the postseason, I really think that is what made them stronger this year. Usually I don't get super into sports, but knowing that they were finally about to "break the curse" I couldn't help but get extremely nervous. The rain delay made it awful because I had a 10 a.m. the next day and I needed some sleep, but I had to stay up and watch the 10th inning and I'm so glad I was able to see history made. A win like this means a lot to me. It had felt like for the longest time I had been cheering for an awful team who could barley pick up wins.This means a lot to my family, especially my dad. He has been flying his "W" flag in our front yard in Florida for six years and none of our neighbors understood it until this year. It's just awesome to say they have finally won.

Father (Rick) and son (Drew), pictured at the June 21st game against the Cardinals

1. The NLCS against the Dodgers beating the best pitcher in the game (Clayton Kershaw) to win it and advance to the World Series.

2. Winning game 5, after being down 3 games to 1 in the World Series to send the series back to Cleveland.

The short rain delay in Game 7 gave the Cubs a chance to get it right and in my mind, I knew that was the Baseball Gods way of resetting the game for us. This win will forever be a reminder to all Cub fans that, "Wait Until Next Year" does mean something. It also means that I never again have to see that stupid shirt that says "Ps" Cubs, this is God. Don't do anything until I get back"!

Drew Flatford, Generation Y, Millennium

I was originally born in Sarasota, Florida but currently live in Kennesaw, Georgia!. I've always loved the Cubs from the time that I can remember being around baseball games in Florida. The Cubs mean so much to me because my dad has always been a Cubs fan so it's something that he passed down from father to son and I wanted to carry on that tradition. I can remember him telling me not to like the Cubs or Purdue Boilermakers, so I only chose the Cubs and it has finally paid off! It's something that I want to pass down to my children as well! Other than the Cubs finally winning a World Series, my favorite moment of all time would have to be Kerry Wood's 20 strikeout game or watching Addy Russell hit a walk-off double right in front of my dad and three close friends against the Nationals in '15. Kerry Wood is my all time favorite Cub. His competitive nature was second to none and he was a flame thrower before that was the norm in baseball. Jon Lester is my favorite current cub. He became a favorite of mine when I heard about his battle with cancer when he was with the Red Sox and I've loved him ever since. In my opinion, the defining moment during the postseason was Jon Lester's game 5 performance to ensure we could take the series back to Cleveland. That is the EXACT moment we signed him for! The moment I knew the Cubs were in reach was absolute chaos. I drove an hour to watch the game with my little sister and a bar closed on us during the rain delay, so we sped across town racing to another one. The moment I knew the Cubs had won was only when KB fielded the ground ball, before then it was a back and forth nerve wracking affair. This win is something that I can't even begin to put into words. Once the ball left KB's hand absolute chaos ensued that's a moment that can't be put into words. We are no longer the lovable losers! We are the Lovable Champions.

Any Cubs fan knows that a love for the team runs deep, these fans have stuck with the lovable losers for 108 years. You grow into loving the Cubs, it gets passed down for generations, not only because the love and support of this team is so strong, but also because if your great grandparents, grandparents, or even parents couldn't be witness to another World Series win, they'd be dammed if you weren't there holding that W for everyone else who couldn't be.

Sandy and Deb lost Butch, a husband and father, just 66 days before the big win. Butch was the truest Cubs fan through and through and he knew this season would be the one for the Cubs. To the Magers, and many others who knew Butch, this was more than a win. This was something they could hold onto, something that fans who had lost loved ones before the win of the century could look up and say "This one's for you". This is for every fan who has continued the tradition to love the Cubs and every fan who shared this win with the loved ones who couldn't be there with them.

Sandy Magers, Baby Boomer

I'm from Marion, IN and now live in New Port Richey, FL/Marion. My dad was a Cubs fan when I was growing up, but when I married my husband, Butch, I really became a Cubs fan. I have just been a fan for many years and always loved going to Wrigley Field to watch the Cubs. Butch and I, our girls, and my cousin’s family went to watch the Cubs often. Butch was an AVID fan and to live with that much of a fan it was impossible not to love the Cubbies. My past favorite Cub is Rick Sutcliffe, and my present favorite is Ben Zobrist.

Deb Magers Randall, Generation X

I'm from Marion, Indiana and that is where I still live. I became a Cubs fan the day I was born. The Cubs have a special place in my heart, because my mom and dad have always been Cubs fans and often took me and my sister to watch the Cubs at Wrigley. I remember as a young girl traveling with my parents, sister, 2 cousins and their parents to Chicago. Us girls would be in the hotel room for hours making up our posters for the game. We all loved Ryne and couldn't wait to get there to see him. Being a Cubs fan has just been in my blood since I was a little girl. My past favorite Cubbie is Ryne Sandberg, and my current favorite is Anthony Rizzo.

What Sandy and Deb had to say about the moment they knew the Cubs were winning it all:

A flood of emotions were happening at that moment. We were in Florida with friends and one of our best friends, Rick Flatford. We felt such happiness that the Cubs had finally won The World Series. Such sadness that Butch didn't get to see the win. Such selfishness because all we really wanted was for us to see them win with Butch by our side. One of the songs we played at Butch’s funeral was by Cole Swindell, “You should be here”, that is exactly how we felt. Such a peaceful feeling knowing he was there watching over us, and I'm sure smiling down at our celebration- especially knowing Rick was there with us. We had watched every game of the World Series in Indiana with our closest friends. Then, we traveled to Florida for the last game. I think it was very appropriate for us to see that game and the win in the place Butch wanted to spend his last years in. Everyone we knew said they were sure he was the angel in heaven pulling strings up there. I think some non Cubs fans even cheered them on in his memory.

Butch’s youngest grandson, Derrick once remarked that he didn't think there was any more loyal fan then his grandpa. He said it didn't matter whether it was or win or lose, you knew if the Cubs were on TV that gramps would be watching them and scratching his head. Butch always scratched his head when he got nervous.

Thank you to the Chicago Cubs for not only quenching the longest drought in MLB history, but for doing it in true Cubs fashion.

Fly the W