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Wrigleyville Erupts After Cubs Clinch First World Series In 71 Years

By  Ariel Cheung David Matthews Ed Komenda and Justin Breen | October 22, 2016 5:18pm | Updated on October 22, 2016 9:57pm

 Cubs fans celebrate after the Cubs won the NLCS
Cubs fans celebrate after the Cubs won the NLCS
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Fox Sports 1

WRIGLEYVILLE — Generations of long-suffering Cubs fans had their prayers answered  Saturday night

The Cubs beat the Dodgers 5-0 to earn their first World Series appearance since 1945

RELATED: Cubs Are Going To The World Series For The First Time Since 1945

Saturday — with fans all over Chicago, the state, the country the world watched in angst — the Cubs' fate was different.

Fans erupted outside Wrigley and around the city after the Cubs victory, with fireworks being lit off in neighborhoods around the city.

RELATED: What The Cubs Mean To Me: Cub Fans Share Their Favorite Memories

"It's electric. It's very exciting. I just hope they can get it done," said Nick Kotas, 18, of Roselle before the game.

Outside the park, the scene was mobbed as there was a long line to get into Murphy's Bleachers.

"It's like a zoo," said Jim Gaines, 31, of Wicker Park.

"It's gonna be a huge party, and I'm just glad to be a part of it," said Kirk Sells, 31,  a comedy rapper and CEO of Chicago and Los Angeles-based group White Chedda.

Just prior to the first pitch, a fan proposed outside the ballpark near Murphy's Bleachers, and the women proposed to appeared to say yes.

The Cubs' championship series appearance drought is the longest in any of the four major professional sports: baseball, football, basketball and hockey.

The Cubs hold a 3-2 series lead in the best-of-seven NLCS. If they lose Saturday, a winner-take-all Game 7 is Sunday at 7:08 p.m. at Wrigley Field.

The American League-champion Indians await in the World Series, which begins Tuesday night in Cleveland. The Indians have a championship drought of their own, claiming their last World Series title in 1948. Only one player is still alive from that team.

Very few people on the planet are still alive who were here in 1908, the last time the Cubs won a World Series.

The Cubs have never won an NLCS, losing in 1984, 1989, 2003 and last year.

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