The streets of Chicago erupted in cheers last night. Shouts of jubilation were raised in sports bars across the country.
And in comfy chairs in living rooms across America, the grandmas and grandpas and great-grandparents of Cubs Nation took to their feet, held their faces in shock, grabbed their telephones, collapsed into gleeful laughter and chugged champagne straight from the bottle.
All the Cubs fans on Earth have been waiting their whole lives for this. (Even those few fans who were alive for the last World Series win were too young to possibly remember it.)
94 year old grandma partying like it is 1908! #Cubs #WorldSeries pic.twitter.com/r7I0vgS1Oi
— Charlie Kirk (@charliekirk11) November 3, 2016
But the oldest fans have, of course, been waiting the longest — and on Wednesday night, as their patience was rewarded, their glee was shared with the world through the magic of social media.
Like these grandmothers, who just didn’t think the Cubs could do it.
My grandmother the moment the @Cubs won the #WorldSeries @WaddleandSilvy pic.twitter.com/8TKimtopLf
— Just Kyle (@OneEarthPilot) November 3, 2016
Or this gentleman, whose glee — 81 years in the making — has gone viral.
my grandpa has been waiting 81 years for this? #GoCubbies pic.twitter.com/K5GIl4TpZr
— clare (@_claremoser) November 3, 2016
One grandpa had been saving a special beer (long since gone funky) for the occasion.
my grandpa put this beer in his fridge 32 years ago and said he would open it when the cubs won the world series. today was that day. pic.twitter.com/LPsNMQZCpp
— gracejo (@GraceJohnso) November 3, 2016
“Grandpa was 14 the last time the cubs were in the world series,” one tweet read.
happiest men in the world❤️ grandpa was 14 the last time the cubs were in the World Series So happy I got to experience this w/ u 2 #FlyTheW pic.twitter.com/KkAilJAof7
— gracie (@gracieegirl23) November 3, 2016
(NPR has not independently confirmed the ages or team loyalties of any of the people pictured. But we think the joy speaks for itself.)
happiest men in the world❤️ grandpa was 14 the last time the cubs were in the World Series So happy I got to experience this w/ u 2 #FlyTheW pic.twitter.com/KkAilJAof7
— gracie (@gracieegirl23) November 3, 2016
Others shared the victory with loved ones who were gone. (On a similar note, many Cubs fans were chalking the names of those who didn’t live to see this day onto the walls of Wrigley Field, so they could share in the moment. And at least one fan listened to the game in a cemetery, to share the moment with his father.)
Til this day my grandma and grandpa have always been role models to me for love…. (& true cubs fans) ?❤️? pic.twitter.com/Vj0omtwlrn
— madz (@mads_heiar) November 3, 2016
More photos are available at npr.org.