Just 5 years removed from being the 2016 World Series Champions, the Chicago Cubs have returned to their accustomed place in the baseball hierarchy, as noble also-rans. We cross our fingers that they can someday once again catch lighting in a bottle as we celebrate the 113th Anniversary of the Cubs’ previous World Series win in 1908, known as
NATIONAL HELL FREEZES OVER DAY!
It was 7 years before Wrigley Field opened, and the new club owner was Jim Hart, who acquired the club from Al Spalding of Spalding pink rubber ball fame and a Hall of Fame pitcher himself.
The Cubs were appearing in their 3rd straight World Series, having lost in 1906 but winning in 1907, and this was the magic team of Tinkers-to-Evers-to-Chance.
They were facing Ty Cobb’s Detroit Tigers, seeking to avenge their loss to Chicago in 5 games the previous year. Well, the Cubs repeated the feat, winning again in 5, and it looked like they would be a dominant team for years to come, a perennial contender.
Guess again. The Chicago Cubs instead became a baseball legend of a very different sort, America’s living, breathing Reality Check.
Not that the Cubs were terrible, they had some terrific players and lineups over the past century. In those 108 years between championships, the Chicago Cubs made it to World Series 7 times, and 7 times they lost. Their last trip to The Show before 2016 was 75 years ago, the year World War 2 ended. Maybe Hell will freeze over again for the Cubs one of these days.
• Suggested Activities: Kielbasa and beer binges.