By Sarah Hager
The halls may have seemed a bit emptier than usual on Fri., Nov. 4 as many students headed to Chicago to attend the Cubs World Series victory parade. The Cubs’ final defeat of the Cleveland Indians on Wed., Nov. 2 clinched the team the title of World Series champions for the first time in 108 years. The excitement of this momentous event called for a celebration of equal caliber.
“It’s history!” said Batavia High School senior Maddie Rea.
Fans young and old flocked to the city to watch the procession of double-decker busses filled with smiling baseball players.
“It was a once in a lifetime opportunity,” said Jordan Cafaro, a junior at BHS.
The parade fittingly began at the Cub’s regular stomping ground, Wrigley Field. The procession made its way through the streets of Chicago which were lined by an endless crowd of enthusiastic supporters cheering on their home team. Cafaro described the atmosphere as being “like a huge party”.
ESPN projected that as many as five million fans came to the city for the event.
“It was like a huge mob,” Rea said.
The sea of jubilant fans adorned in blue and white created a unique environment that could be only the result of waiting more than a century to celebrateawaited victory party.
“It was chaotic but in a fun way,” said parade attendee Aimee Czekajlo. “There were so many people there, but they were all there for a celebration, which created the upbeat and celebratory atmosphere.”
While the hordes of people were often overwhelming, the large crowds did not hinder fans’ overall enjoyment of the parade. Cafaro stated that being amongst the millions of other Cubs supporters was one of her favorite parts about the parade. Czekajlo shared much of the same opinion.
“That was part of the experience,” Czekajlo said.
Freshman Erin Golden summed up her experience at the parade as “crazy, kinda gross [due to the large amounts of people], but mostly fun.”
The celebration was capped off with a rally at Grant Park featuring speeches from the players, manager Joe Maddon, team president Theo Epstein, and others. The event was complete with the typical live organ music so characteristic to the Wrigley Field baseball scene.
Country singer Brett Eldredge closed the rally with one final performance of the Cubs’ well-known, beloved anthem.
“My absolute favorite part was at the end of the rally when Brett Eldredge, the Cubs, and everyone at the rally joined in singing ‘Go Cubs Go,’” Czekajlo said. “It was such an amazing thing to be a part of, and it was something I will remember forever.”
While the event was largely a success, there were some areas for potential improvement. The midday parade start time required many to leave their suburban homes and board public transportation very early in the morning.
“It was super early, so I wish it was a little bit later,” Rea said.
Rea also stated that the ground at the rally was “really muddy”.
Cafaro mentioned that the absence of available porta potties for the attendees was a bit of a drag, as well.
Despite minor inconveniences, the parade and rally ran smoothly and were thoroughly enjoyed by all in attendance.
“Overall, it was an awesome experience, and I highly recommend that sometime in your life you attend a Chicago sports rally or parade after a championship,” Czekajlo said.