Fifteen days ago, Cubs fans who were viewing the 2016 World Series game 7 were a nervous wreck. It seemed like it would be now or never for the Cubbies to win their first World Series since 1908. None of us were alive back then, so nobody knew what a game seven felt like that could potentially end the sports world’s largest title drought. After the Cubs scored two runs in the top of the tenth and then only gave up one run in the bottom of the inning to seal the deal, the Cubs could call themselves World Series Champions for the first time since in over a century. As many already know, that was 108 years ago, but what many don’t seem to fathom is some of the major historical events that happened oh song long ago. It’s time to turn back the clock to 1908.

The Car That Changed The World

Today, the Cubs players cruise around in Lambos, Cadillacs, and even Teslas, but what about the players who were on the roster the last time the Cubs won it all? What did they ride to the ballpark every day? In 1908, Henry Ford invented a mechanism that many of us rely on on a daily basis, the car. The first car was the Model T and if you had the money like some baseball players did, you could strut around in the newly minted Model T while others were walking, riding their bikes, or were in a cart being pulled by a horse. Also, the invention of the new automobile brought along improvements to the assembly line that many factories use today. The Model T was invented 13 days before the Cubs won the World Series.

Titanic

If you haven’t already realized how long ago 108 years ago was by the invention of the Model T, here is another reason why the Cubs 2016 championship is so meaningful. No, the notorious Titanic didn’t sink in 1908; rather, construction on it began only for it to sink four years later in 1912.

Mother’s Day

1908 was the inaugural year of Mother’s Day, the day that we celebrate with our mothers, grandmothers, and even great grandmothers every May. The holiday didn’t become official until 1914, which, of course, is the year that Wrigley Field opened.

The Ball Drop

For the first time in U.S history the infamous New York City ball dropped signifying the start of a new year. The tradition has continued throughout the 108 year drought as citizens pile the New York streets in anticipation for the ball in NYC to drop.

So, needless to say, it’s been a while. It’s tough to imagine a sports organization unable to win a title for 108 plus years, but then again they are the Cubbies, the lovable losers, who have finally broken through into the championship circle. Since then we have been through a pair of World Wars, had nineteen different presidents, invented the internet in a garage, created rock and roll, and have accomplished a great deal as a nation. It’s refreshing to finally say that the drought is now over. The Cubs are back on top. Here is to 108 years in the making.