CHICAGO - They danced in the aisles Tuesday at Wrigley Field, screamed until their lungs ached, clapped until their hands were raw, and shook the joint with unadulterated joy.
The Chicago Cubs, those loveable losers of the past, are now the powerful winners of the present, knocking off their rival St. Louis Cardinals, 6-4, and moving onto the National League Championship Series.
It was the first time in the 139-year history of the franchise that the Cubs clinched a playoff series at home, turning Wrigleyville into the world’s biggest outdoor party.
The Cubs, who will play the winner of the New York Mets-Los Angeles Dodgers NL Division Series, now are four victories away from winning their first pennant in 70 years, keeping the dream alive of winning their first World Series since 1918.