Chicago Cubs: Three years later, the memories are just as emotional

Chicago Cubs: The rain ended the drought

Thanks largely to Jason Heyward‘s motivational speech, the Cubs found one more burst of strength and rallied for two runs in the 10th. I went crazy when Ben Zobrist drove in the first run, and again when Miguel Montero drove in another. Still, it was only a two-run lead. A tense bottom of the tenth would surely follow.

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Carl Edwards, Jr. got the first two outs before the Indians started to rally again. Maddon brought in Mike Montgomery to try to finish the game, and I remember that commercial break seeming to last forever. I paced up and down my house at least several times. This whole night, and my whole lifetime of following this team, would all come down to this moment.

My heart sank when Michael Martinez hit that slow grounder to Kris Bryant. That play seemed to go in super-slow motion. At that moment, I thought that a cheap infield single would ruin everything. Thankfully, Bryant was able to field it cleanly and get the ball to Anthony Rizzo at first base in time. I jumped up and down screaming for a couple minutes or so. I’ve gone back and watched the video of the final out many times, but at the time I didn’t remember what happened on the TV screen. I was too focused on my own celebration.

Regardless of whether the Cubs ever win another World Series again – and I sure hope there are more championships coming in my lifetime – November 2, 2016 will always be the most important day in team history. It was the day that 108 years of frustration ended, the day that all the jokes and jabs I’ve had to hear about being a Cubs fan all would go away. Nothing would ever be the same.

I’m sure many of you fellow Cubs fans out there have great memories of November 2, 2016 just like I do. Hopefully, time will not diminish our memories of that day. Regardless of what happens for the rest of our lives with this team, we will always have 2016. And nothing can take that away.