“Game 7” are the best two words in sports. There’s nothing like it. And for the Cubs, this game marked the chance to end a 108-year World Series Championship drought.

The atmosphere at Progressive Field was electric. It was the Indians’ Corey Kluber vs. Kyle Hendricks for all the marbles. Kluber was starting on short rest, as he’d already started Games 1 and 4. He was just the seventh pitcher in the last 30 years to start three World Series games.

My brother Scottie, a freshman, and I arrived just in time for the first pitch. We met my uncle, a Cubs fan, and his two friends, one an Indians fan and the other a Cubs fan, at our seats, which were in between the dugout and first base, about 20 rows back. Little did we know, Dexter Fowler would go on to hit a leadoff home run just a few pitches later and give the Cubs an early lead.

The game was a roller coaster of emotions. Though the Cubs never trailed, it was either tied or a close game for much of the night. The biggest lead was four runs, but that didn’t even last half an inning. It was probably the most nerve-wracking game I have ever been to. The crowd was on its feet for almost the entire game–you could never ask for anything more in a Game 7 of the World Series.

During the regular season, the Indians averaged just 19,650 fans at each home game. Their stadium’s capacity is 35,225. The Cleveland fans sitting around me clearly didn’t know much about baseball and were quite obviously fair weather fans. This phenomenon was even more apparent when the stadium was nearly silent during some of the biggest pitches of the game. But that’s for a different article.

Luckily, I didn’t have to deal with being the only Cubs fan in a sea of Indians fans because, though the stadium was more than likely sold out, there were probably about 10-15,000 Cubs fans there. The stadium was rocking when the Indians scored, of course, but there were numerous “Let’s go Cubs” chants and many cheers when the Cubs scored.

It was great to see Cubs starting pitcher Jon Lester, also a Parker parent, come out of the bullpen. The crowd seemed to be happy with that move, as Lester was a reliable starter. However, that meant David Ross would come in at catcher. This is usually fine, but the crowd, myself included, became upset with Ross when he made two errors that resulted in two Indians runs. Though the Cubs still had the lead after the errors, the momentum was gone, and the fans were dejected.

Then Ross hit a homerun on a 1-2 count the very next half inning. That got the crowd back on its feet and gave life to the bench. All was forgiven.

Cubs Manager Joe Maddon brought in closer Aroldis Chapman with two outs in the eighth, and the crowd nearly booed him. We were unhappy with the move and felt it was too early to bring Chapman in. Nobody booed, though, because In Joe We Trust.

When Indians center fielder Rajai Davis homered off of Chapman to make the game 6-6, the stadium went nuts. Though there were plenty of Cubs fans, there were more Indians fans, and they were extremely obnoxious. “How do you like THAT one, Cubs fans?” they said. All we could do was sit there in silence. Now there was no lead and no momentum.

Fortunately, the Cubs held the Indians in the bottom of the ninth. We got out of the inning, and the game went to extras.

Before the top of the tenth could start, though, rain started to fall. The tarp came out, and the fans filed into the concessions areas to stay dry. Everybody was on their phones checking the radar. The rain was going to clear up soon but not for long, as a big storm was moving in.

The delay ultimately worked in the Cubs’ favor. It took the intensity out of the game, and when play resumed, it was hard to tell it was Game 7 of the World Series.

Ben Zobrist and Miguel Montero each drove in runs to put the Cubs up 8-6 in the top of the inning. We were out of our minds. None of us wanted to get ahead of ourselves or say anything and accidentally jinx it, but we could sense a victory coming. It was just a matter of time.

Then, after Carl Edwards Jr. and Mike Montgomery combined to get the final three outs in the bottom of the tenth, it happened.  It actually happened. The Chicago Cubs, after waiting 108 years, had actually won the World Series. The Curse of the Billy Goat was reversed. Steve Bartman was forgiven. In that moment, all was perfect.

The Cubs players stormed the field. The fans were overjoyed but in shock. Indians fans stormed out of the stadium in anger. The Cubs fans that stayed for the ceremony, and that was almost all of them, led an a capella rendition of “Go Cubs Go” that will forever be ingrained in my memory.

Walking to the car after the game, salty Indians fans were trying to talk trash about basketball. “Have fun with D-Wade as your centerpiece,” some said. “We have LeBron and are going to repeat this year,” others said. We Cubs fans, though, couldn’t be bothered. The Cubs had just won the World Series. Who cared about the Bulls? If anything was said back at all, it was just, “Go Cubs!!!!” We basked in the glory of the win.  

Game 7 of the World Series between the Cleveland Indians and the Chicago Cubs on Wednesday, November 2 was something I will never forget. It will be a story I tell for years to come. It was a legendary night.