The 1908 Cubs celebrated their World Series with a dinner, an exhibition game, and a 100-yard dash
The Cubs won the World Series on Wednesday (it really happened!), returned to Chicago early Thursday morning and will participate in a celebratory parade today. The last time the Cubs won a championship -- back in 1908, as you may have heard -- they won the World Series on a Wednesday and returned to Chicago early Thursday morning. But instead of a parade on Friday, they celebrated a little differently.
According to the Chicago Tribune archives, "a score of loyal, but unorganized Chicago rooters" planned a private and informal celebratory dinner for the World Series champion Cubs at the Tip Top Inn on October 16, 1908. The 2016 Cubs' informal celebratory dinner was a bunch of pizzas from last year's champs, the Royals.
The most incredible example of how things have changed, however, is the fact that the 1908 Cubs squared off against the Tigers again on Sunday after the World Series. Although there was nothing at stake but pride, this was not an event taken lightly. The Tribune described the Tigers' approach to the game like this: "[George] Mullin is expected to pitch the Sunday battle, as he is the only Tiger hurler who has beaten the world's champions in two years, and the Tigers believe he can do it again."
Additionally, prior to the game, "a program of field events will be run off … [including] a 100 yard dash for the sprinters of both teams, circling the bases, bunting and running to first, long distance throwing, accurate throwing to bases, and long distance fungo hitting."
Just imagine the Indians joining the Cubs in Chicago this weekend:
So, who won that 100-yard dash in 1908? A Detroit Tiger by the name of Ty Cobb. The speedy Cobb also won the "bunting and running to first" and "circling the bases" races, for good measure. As for the game itself, the Tigers won 7-3, but I doubt the "world's champion" Cubs minded too much. Flags fly forever, after all.
