Security is high, streets are closed, lines are incredibly long, and prices have skyrocketed. Wrigleyville is a mad town and Cubs fans have never been so excited. Everyone in Chicago wants to make their way to Wrigleyville to celebrate, but the crowds are insane. Lines started at 5 a.m. for Game 3 of the series outside the popular Wrigleyville bar, The Cubby Bear. Many bars were charging fans at the door hundreds of dollars merely to get in. That is nothing compared to the price of a ticket for these series games. These tickets ranged from $1,800 to $19,000 for just one ticket.
It’s been 108 years since the Cubs won the last world series. Grandstand seats for those games only cost $1. The last time the Cubs won the world series, Theodore Roosevelt was president, and Alaska, Hawaii, New Mexico, and Arizona weren’t states yet.
Some blame this long draught on the Curse of the Billy Goat, where a goat was brought inside the field during the 1945 World Series. The Cubs were “cursed,” lost the series, and haven’t won since. Others blame it on Steve Bartman, a fan who interfered with a foul ball in Game 6 of the 2003 National League Championship. Since the interfered play, the Cubs lost the series and he has now been a symbol of the Cubs losses since.
The Cubs were last seen in the World Series in 1945. The Cubs hold the record for the longest time period going between winning the title, but they aren’t the only team with a long time period between winning. The Indians haven’t won since 1948, which is a 68-year drought.
Many have said that 2016 is the year. Cubs fans are very hopeful this year. Sayings such as “Just One Before I Die,” “Don’t Hate on 1908,” “I Ain’t Afraid of No Goat,” and “Rizzo Bryant 2016” have been prominent on t-shirts and signs, showing that fans are ready for a win this year. People are confident in the cubs this year. It’s not about “if” they win, but “when” they win in the eyes of many cubs fans.
And let’s be honest. The Cubs have had a huge drought for the past 108 years, and we have had die hard Cubs fans for all 108 of those. People will never give up on the Cubs. There may be lots of bandwagon fans among us, but there is a large portion of Chicago that will always be Cubs fans no matter the outcome. It’s not just a team, it’s a love for our hometown Chicago and all the things it represents. Tradition, Pride, Sportsmanship, and Home.
There’s no place like home, and Chicago is home to the most loving and dedicated baseball fans in the country.
