It has been 71 years since the last World Series trip for the Cubs. Back in 1945, World War II was coming to an end, the cost of a gallon of gas was 15 cents, and hurricanes didn’t have names. That was then, and this is now — the Cubs are back in the Fall Classic, looking to put an end to the Curse of the Billy Goat.
No team in the four major pro sports has ever gone longer without an appearance in their sports’ championship game than the Cubs’ drought. The wait for the Cubs' next world championship is three decades longer: 108 years, to be exact.
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To give you some perspective on how long that has been, Orval Overall was the winning pitcher the last time the Cubs won the World Series in 1908. The losing pitcher in Game 5 against the Tigers? Wild Bill Donovan.
Chicago Cubs 1908 mascot was horrifying; possibly a giant squirrel. pic.twitter.com/kr8HcxOOvY
— Historical Images (@Historicalmages) June 29, 2015
Here are some other interesting historical milestones since the Cubs last won it all.
1. Alexander Graham Bell and Thomas A. Watson conducted the first telephone conversation.
2. Alaska, Arizona, Hawaii, Oklahoma and New Mexico were added to the Union.
3. Both radio and television were invented.
4. Halley’s Comet passed Earth, twice.
5. The NHL (1917), NFL (1920) and NBA (1946) were all formed.
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6. Insulin was invented.
7. Eleven MLB teams moved to different cities.
8. The Yankees have won 27 World Series.
9. Harry Caray was born, and died.
10. The Cubs have had 52 managers.
But that was then, and this is now — the 2016 preseason favorites are four wins away from throwing this history lesson out the window.
Game 1 of the World Series begins Tuesday in Cleveland.