By — Joshua Barajas Joshua Barajas Leave your feedback Share Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/chicago-cubs-no-longer-loveable-losers Email Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Photos: The Chicago Cubs are no longer the ‘loveable losers’ Nation Nov 3, 2016 12:49 AM EDT Hallelujah! The curse of the goat has been destroyed, but not without a fight. The Chicago Cubs beat the Cleveland Indians in Game 7 on Wednesday night to win their first World Series in 108 years. But this came after a first-ever tie in the bottom of the 8th inning of a World Series. Indians outfielder Rajai Davis hit a two-run home run, tying the game 6-6. And then rain started to fall, going into the 9th inning. Cleveland Indians center fielder Rajai Davis (20) celebrates after hitting a two-run home run against the Chicago Cubs in the 8th inning in game seven of the 2016 World Series at Progressive Field. Photo by Ken Blaze/USA TODAY Sports Both teams failed to gain a winning run in the 9th inning, before the grounds crew rolled out the tarp on the field for an agonizing 17-minute rain delay. But then, as the teams headed into extra innings, Cubs second baseman Ben Zobrist hit a run-scoring double. Then Cubs catcher Miguel Montero added another run to the Chicago’s total when he hit a single. Chicago Cubs outfielder Ben Zobrist (18) celebrates after hitting a RBI double against the Cleveland Indians in the 10th inning in Game 7 of the 2016 World Series at Progressive Field. Photo by Charles LeClaire/USA TODAY Sports In the end, though, Cubs fans, some rubbing shoulders with the stunned Cleveland crowd in Progressive Field, rejoiced as their “lovable losers” broke the late-game tie against the Indians with an 8-7 victory. With the Series tied at three games each, tonight’s decisive winner-take-all game for the Cubs also meant a severely bittersweet loss for the Indians, whose last World Series win was in 1948. ESPN reminded us before Game 7 that the Cubs and Indians have 174 combined seasons of “broken hearts and shattered dreams.” Tonight, the Cubs shed decades of heartbreak, for a team that also hadn’t been to the World Series since 1945. Chicago fans, for once, will not have to utter “wait till next year” for a shot at the championship. Chicago Cubs players celebrate after defeating the Cleveland Indians in Game 7 of the 2016 World Series at Progressive Field. Photo by Charles LeClaire/USA TODAY Sports Maybe 108 was the team’s lucky number. (There are 108 stitches in a baseball, after all.) Hopefully, Hazel, Mabel and Vivian — three known 108-year-old Chicago natives who were alive the last time the Cubs won the World Series — were watching the historic game. With Cubs taking Game 7, they’ll be the first team the come back from a 3-1 World Series deficit since the Kansas City Royals in 1985, the Associated Press reported. Either way, raise your little “W” flags, Chicago. You earned it. Cleveland Indians starting pitcher Corey Kluber throws to Chicago Cubs center fielder Dexter Fowler in the first inning in game seven of the 2016 World Series at Progressive Field. Photo by David Richard/USA TODAY Sports Cleveland Indians first baseman Mike Napoli breaks his bat in the first inning against the Chicago Cubs in game seven of the 2016 World Series at Progressive Field. Photo by Tommy Gilligan/USA TODAY Sports Nov 2, 2016; Cleveland, OH, USA; Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Kyle Hendricks (28) throws to first baseman Anthony Rizzo (right) and picks off Cleveland Indians third baseman Jose Ramirez (11) in the second inning in game seven of the 2016 World Series at Progressive Field. Photo by Charles LeClaire/USA TODAY Sports Nov 2, 2016; Cleveland, OH, USA; Chicago Cubs player Kyle Schwarber (in blue) is tagged out by Cleveland Indians shortstop Francisco Lindor while trying to stretch a single into a double in the third inning in game seven of the 2016 World Series at Progressive Field. Photo by Ken Blaze/USA TODAY Sports Chicago Cubs third baseman Kris Bryant (17) scores a run past Cleveland Indians catcher Roberto Perez (55) in the fourth inning in game seven of the 2016 World Series at Progressive Field. Photo by David Richard/USA TODAY Sports Chicago Cubs second baseman Javier Baez (right) celebrates with player Kyle Schwarber (12) after a solo home run against the Cleveland Indians in the fifth inning in game seven of the 2016 World Series at Progressive Field. Photo by David Richard/USA TODAY Sports Cleveland Indians center fielder Rajai Davis (20) cannot catch a home run hit by Chicago Cubs catcher David Ross (not pictured) in the 6th inning in Game 7 of the 2016 World Series at Progressive Field. Photo by Ken Blaze/USA TODAY Sports Fans of American League baseball team Cleveland Indians react outside Progressive Field while watching Game 7 of their Major League Baseball World Series game against National League’s Chicago Cubs in Cleveland, Ohio. Photo by Shannon Stapleton/Reuters Chicago Cubs pitcher Jon Lester (34) reacts after retiring the Cleveland Indians in the 7th inning in game seven of the 2016 World Series at Progressive Field. Photo by Tommy Gilligan/USA TODAY Sports Cleveland Indians center fielder Rajai Davis (20) celebrates with teammates after hitting a two-run home run against the Chicago Cubs in the 8th inning in game seven of the 2016 World Series at Progressive Field. Photo by Tommy Gilligan/USA TODAY Sports Chicago Cubs relief pitcher Aroldis Chapman (left) talks with catcher Miguel Montero (right) in the 9th inning against the Cleveland Indians in game seven of the 2016 World Series at Progressive Field. Photo by Ken Blaze/USA TODAY Sports Francisco Lindor (12) of the Cleveland Indians jumps over Chris Coghlan (8) of the Chicago Cubs as Coghlan is out at second base in the 9th inning in Game 7 of the 2016 World Series at Progressive Field in Cleveland, Ohio. Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images Grounds crew members pull the tarp on the field in the 10th inning in game seven of the 2016 World Series between the Chicago Cubs and the Cleveland Indians at Progressive Field. Photo by David Richard/USA TODAY Sports Fans of National League baseball team Chicago Cubs celebrate their Major League Baseball World Series Game 7 victory against American League’s Cleveland Indians outside Progressive Field in Cleveland, Ohio. Photo by Shannon Stapleton/Reuters By — Joshua Barajas Joshua Barajas Joshua Barajas is a senior editor for the PBS NewsHour's Communities Initiative. He also the senior editor and manager of newsletters. @Josh_Barrage
Hallelujah! The curse of the goat has been destroyed, but not without a fight. The Chicago Cubs beat the Cleveland Indians in Game 7 on Wednesday night to win their first World Series in 108 years. But this came after a first-ever tie in the bottom of the 8th inning of a World Series. Indians outfielder Rajai Davis hit a two-run home run, tying the game 6-6. And then rain started to fall, going into the 9th inning. Cleveland Indians center fielder Rajai Davis (20) celebrates after hitting a two-run home run against the Chicago Cubs in the 8th inning in game seven of the 2016 World Series at Progressive Field. Photo by Ken Blaze/USA TODAY Sports Both teams failed to gain a winning run in the 9th inning, before the grounds crew rolled out the tarp on the field for an agonizing 17-minute rain delay. But then, as the teams headed into extra innings, Cubs second baseman Ben Zobrist hit a run-scoring double. Then Cubs catcher Miguel Montero added another run to the Chicago’s total when he hit a single. Chicago Cubs outfielder Ben Zobrist (18) celebrates after hitting a RBI double against the Cleveland Indians in the 10th inning in Game 7 of the 2016 World Series at Progressive Field. Photo by Charles LeClaire/USA TODAY Sports In the end, though, Cubs fans, some rubbing shoulders with the stunned Cleveland crowd in Progressive Field, rejoiced as their “lovable losers” broke the late-game tie against the Indians with an 8-7 victory. With the Series tied at three games each, tonight’s decisive winner-take-all game for the Cubs also meant a severely bittersweet loss for the Indians, whose last World Series win was in 1948. ESPN reminded us before Game 7 that the Cubs and Indians have 174 combined seasons of “broken hearts and shattered dreams.” Tonight, the Cubs shed decades of heartbreak, for a team that also hadn’t been to the World Series since 1945. Chicago fans, for once, will not have to utter “wait till next year” for a shot at the championship. Chicago Cubs players celebrate after defeating the Cleveland Indians in Game 7 of the 2016 World Series at Progressive Field. Photo by Charles LeClaire/USA TODAY Sports Maybe 108 was the team’s lucky number. (There are 108 stitches in a baseball, after all.) Hopefully, Hazel, Mabel and Vivian — three known 108-year-old Chicago natives who were alive the last time the Cubs won the World Series — were watching the historic game. With Cubs taking Game 7, they’ll be the first team the come back from a 3-1 World Series deficit since the Kansas City Royals in 1985, the Associated Press reported. Either way, raise your little “W” flags, Chicago. You earned it. Cleveland Indians starting pitcher Corey Kluber throws to Chicago Cubs center fielder Dexter Fowler in the first inning in game seven of the 2016 World Series at Progressive Field. Photo by David Richard/USA TODAY Sports Cleveland Indians first baseman Mike Napoli breaks his bat in the first inning against the Chicago Cubs in game seven of the 2016 World Series at Progressive Field. Photo by Tommy Gilligan/USA TODAY Sports Nov 2, 2016; Cleveland, OH, USA; Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Kyle Hendricks (28) throws to first baseman Anthony Rizzo (right) and picks off Cleveland Indians third baseman Jose Ramirez (11) in the second inning in game seven of the 2016 World Series at Progressive Field. Photo by Charles LeClaire/USA TODAY Sports Nov 2, 2016; Cleveland, OH, USA; Chicago Cubs player Kyle Schwarber (in blue) is tagged out by Cleveland Indians shortstop Francisco Lindor while trying to stretch a single into a double in the third inning in game seven of the 2016 World Series at Progressive Field. Photo by Ken Blaze/USA TODAY Sports Chicago Cubs third baseman Kris Bryant (17) scores a run past Cleveland Indians catcher Roberto Perez (55) in the fourth inning in game seven of the 2016 World Series at Progressive Field. Photo by David Richard/USA TODAY Sports Chicago Cubs second baseman Javier Baez (right) celebrates with player Kyle Schwarber (12) after a solo home run against the Cleveland Indians in the fifth inning in game seven of the 2016 World Series at Progressive Field. Photo by David Richard/USA TODAY Sports Cleveland Indians center fielder Rajai Davis (20) cannot catch a home run hit by Chicago Cubs catcher David Ross (not pictured) in the 6th inning in Game 7 of the 2016 World Series at Progressive Field. Photo by Ken Blaze/USA TODAY Sports Fans of American League baseball team Cleveland Indians react outside Progressive Field while watching Game 7 of their Major League Baseball World Series game against National League’s Chicago Cubs in Cleveland, Ohio. Photo by Shannon Stapleton/Reuters Chicago Cubs pitcher Jon Lester (34) reacts after retiring the Cleveland Indians in the 7th inning in game seven of the 2016 World Series at Progressive Field. Photo by Tommy Gilligan/USA TODAY Sports Cleveland Indians center fielder Rajai Davis (20) celebrates with teammates after hitting a two-run home run against the Chicago Cubs in the 8th inning in game seven of the 2016 World Series at Progressive Field. Photo by Tommy Gilligan/USA TODAY Sports Chicago Cubs relief pitcher Aroldis Chapman (left) talks with catcher Miguel Montero (right) in the 9th inning against the Cleveland Indians in game seven of the 2016 World Series at Progressive Field. Photo by Ken Blaze/USA TODAY Sports Francisco Lindor (12) of the Cleveland Indians jumps over Chris Coghlan (8) of the Chicago Cubs as Coghlan is out at second base in the 9th inning in Game 7 of the 2016 World Series at Progressive Field in Cleveland, Ohio. Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images Grounds crew members pull the tarp on the field in the 10th inning in game seven of the 2016 World Series between the Chicago Cubs and the Cleveland Indians at Progressive Field. Photo by David Richard/USA TODAY Sports Fans of National League baseball team Chicago Cubs celebrate their Major League Baseball World Series Game 7 victory against American League’s Cleveland Indians outside Progressive Field in Cleveland, Ohio. Photo by Shannon Stapleton/Reuters