CHICAGO -- Eden Tropp walked up to the Ron Santo statue near the celebration outside of Wrigley Field on the corner of Sheffield and Addison on Tuesday night and asked the late Cubs legend what he thought with a broad smile.
Tropp was beaming because the Cubs had closed out a 9-3 Game 6 victory over the Indians at Progressive Field to force a decisive World Series Game 7 on Wednesday night. Tropp, who made the trip from San Diego for this week's festivities, was supremely confident in the Cubs' chances to win it all partially because of a lucky Cubs T-shirt she was wearing underneath a newer Cubs shirt.
"My dad, who was born and raised a Cubs fan, this is one of his T-shirts," said Tropp of her late father, Harold. "It's like 35 years old. He died in '90 so he never got to see the Cubbies after '89.
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"He sat through that Cub busters series in San Diego. We lived north of Los Angeles, and he came back sad with his head hanging down. I knew I had to come for him and bring his shirt, which I wore on Sunday and today and definitely am wearing [Wednesday]."
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This trip for Tropp was booked two months ago, but after Saturday's tough loss, she wasn't sure how long the trip would last. The same goes for Shashwat Chitnis, a college baseball player from San Francisco, who not only was watching Tuesday's game in Wrigleyville, but saved up to spend a small fortune for a rooftop seat this past Saturday.
His dad was a Cubs fan before him, and his grandfather has been a Cubs fan since 1946. They are all hoping to see that first championship since 1908 on Wednesday night.
"As a Cubs fan, you always have that hope," Chitnis said. "You know there's going to be some sort of disappointment. You are used to it, but you always have that hope. It's a beautiful thing about being a Cubs fan. You can't say that about any other team in any professional sport."
Tuesday's crowd wasn't overwhelming in nature, but fans filled up the local establishments, including the Wrigley Field club next to the Billy Williams and Santo statues. That club will be open at 4 p.m. CT on Wednesday with a first-come, first-serve seating arrangement.
At the Sports Corner across the street, fans went crazy when Anthony Rizzo launched a two-run ninth-inning homer, despite that blast raising the Cubs' lead to seven. They chanted "one more out" when Jason Heyward nailed Roberto Pérez trying to stretch a single into a double and belted out the "Go Cubs Go" anthem after Jason Kipnis popped out to end the game.
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Car horns blared. W flags flew. Strangers hugged. And that celebration was for a win, evening the Series at 3. Just think what Wrigleyville will be like if the Cubs finish the job.
"The Chicago Cubs are going to win [Wednesday] night. The curse is over. This is our year," Chitnis said. "I'm in heaven right now."
"I've seen '84 and 2003 and all of the crazy things that have happened," said April from Chicago, whose first Cubs game was in 1966. "And this is the most incredible team the Cubs have ever had."