The Makings of a Legend

After a back-and-forth old-time baseball slugfest, the Chicago Cubs have victoriously emerged as the World Series Champions. This year’s fall classic was unlike any seen in the past 50 years. Both teams have been waiting for the chance to claim the throne. The Cubs and the Indians held the longest drought since collecting that coveted championship trophy. This aided in rejuvenating the spirit and competitiveness of the league, but more importantly brought a renewed love and passion for the sport as a whole.Going into Game #1, Chicago was sparking with electricity. The infectious enthusiasm was soon quenched, as the Indians came out with a strong two runs in the 1^st inning. The rest of the game was much of the same for the Indians, with Cory Cluber absolutely dominating the Cubbies offense. The final score, 6-0, was a wake-up call to the Cubs. They walked into the game with a freshmen-like attitude of invulnerability, but were soon awakened. The gravity of where they were, and how talented of a team they were playing, started to take root.This attitude carried into Game 2, where the Cub’s took a stand against the whirlwind Indian line-up. Contrasting the 1^st Game, the Cubs rallied offensively, in with three runs in just the 5^th inning. Key Cub players like Kris Bryant and Anthony Rizzo, both had solid performances, with a double apiece. The Cub’s needed their up-and-coming stars to play at full potential in order to even stand a chance of winning. The Cubs ended up dominating the Indians, 5-1.Unfortunately, the Cubs did not step up in Games 3 and 4. The Indians played like a well-oiled machine, holding up in both the nail-biter Game 3 and the butt-kicking in Game 4. Yet, not all was lost for the Cubbies. For some, the 3-1 Indians lead was reminiscent of the NBA Finals. Like the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Cubs had the talent, the depth, and the heart to win it all.The heart of the Cubs propelled them through Games 5 and 6. Game 5 was a battle of attrition, each run scrapped across the board drastically altering the outlook of the game. Kris Bryant stepped up when his team needed him to, he blasted a home run in the 4^th Inning that would give the Cubs the lead. Jon Lester and Aroldis Chapman worked harmoniously to shut out the Indians the rest of the day. Game 6 was when the Cubs came alive, driving in a jaw-dropping 9 runs. With this game, Chicago tied up the Series 3-3, and seized the momentum heading into Game 7. Addison Russell starred in this game, knocking in a clutch 6 RBIs.Game 7. It all came down to this. Back and forth, the game swung, and after every 5 minutes the lead would change. It was a fast paced, high intensity brawl between two outstanding teams. The ball was crushed over and over again, sailing out to Right Field, then to Left Field. It truly was a battle between the giants, seemingly normal men pulling off the phenomenal. The game continued into extra innings, when Ben Zobrist knocked in the game leading run. The rest of the 10^th Inning was quickly finished, and the world rejoiced. Chicago won the tight 8-7 game.The Cub’s took home the trophy to a city of hope, love and stuck on Cloud 9. The lovable losers had finally transformed into a powerhouse for years to come. Not only was the win good for Chicago, but baseball as a sport. All eyes turned to America’s Past time, and they loved what they saw. This World Series was a showcase for baseball at its finest. It was thrilling in every aspect of the game. So thank you to the Chicago Cubs and Cleveland Indians, for revitalizing an American Tradition.