By Jay Cohen, AP Sports Writer
CHICAGO — Everything changed for the Chicago Cubs on a rainy November night. A century-plus worth of heartache washed away by a wave of pure joy.
There were hugs, cheers and tears — and bottles and bottles of booze, sprayed everywhere from Cleveland to the shadow of Wrigley Field.
Lovable losers, no more. The story of so many lifetimes is The Associated Press’ Sports Story of the Year.
“The burden has been lifted,” manager Joe Maddon said.
The Cubs’ first World Series title since 1908 is the runaway winner for top sports story of 2016, collecting 48 of 59 first-place votes and 549 points in balloting by AP members and editors.