Chicago Cubs

The Chicago Cubs are one of the two oldest franchises in the National League, founded in 1876 as the Chicago White Stockings. They won back-to-back World Series in 1907 and 1908, then proceeded to not win another for 108 years -- the longest championship drought in North American professional sports. That drought became the franchise's defining narrative, fueled by the Curse of the Billy Goat, the Steve Bartman incident, and countless other episodes of agonizing near-misses that made the Cubs the patron saints of beautiful futility.

The 2016 World Series championship, clinched in a dramatic rain-delayed Game 7 in Cleveland, was one of the most-watched and emotionally overwhelming sporting events in American history. The Theo Epstein-built roster -- featuring Kris Bryant, Anthony Rizzo, Javier Baez, and Jon Lester -- ended the curse and triggered celebrations that stretched from Wrigleyville to every corner of the globe where Cubs fans had carried the faith. The parade that followed drew an estimated five million people, one of the largest public gatherings in human history.

Wrigley Field, built in 1914, is the second-oldest active ballpark in the majors and a living museum of baseball's past. The ivy-covered outfield walls, the hand-operated scoreboard, the rooftop seats across Waveland and Sheffield Avenues, and the neighborhood saloons that spill fans onto the sidewalks before and after games create an atmosphere that is utterly unique in professional sports. The Ricketts family's renovations have modernized the infrastructure while preserving the ballpark's soul. On the North Side of Chicago, the Cubs are more than a team -- they are a way of life, passed down through generations, argued about over Italian beef sandwiches, and celebrated under the summer sun in the most charming ballpark ever built.