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* From Chicago’s Wikipedia page…

Heh.

* Meanwhile, from Crain’s…

city officials say 5 million made their way to the parade route and downtown

That’s twice the city’s population, by the way.

posted by Rich Miller
Friday, Nov 4, 16 @ 1:49 pm

Comments

The crowd was enormous. I don’t know about five million, but it was an impressive number.

Comment by 47th Ward Friday, Nov 4, 16 @ 2:00 pm
Also, speaking of trains, you don’t want to be on any trains today. They are all packed tighter than the Tokyo subway.

Comment by 47th Ward Friday, Nov 4, 16 @ 2:01 pm
One of the best moments?

Rizzo pulling a Konerko, giving the ball to Ricketts.

Class act when Paulie did it, class act now.

Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Nov 4, 16 @ 2:04 pm
Bonus, headed to Cubs territory to shop and the stores are empty. it’s awesome.

Konerko can never be equaled. That 2005 team had some true characters…the AJ K is the greatest play…. and a ton of crazy fun. Don’t Stop Believin’

Comment by Amalia Friday, Nov 4, 16 @ 2:09 pm
Compare that to the crowd that was present for Obama’s acceptance speech in Grant Park- 240,000. Even his Inauguration in 2009 was only 1.8 million. But, the Cub crowd may not have been so partisan, but there sure was a LOT of blue!

Comment by Anon221 Friday, Nov 4, 16 @ 2:09 pm
That is an amazing attendance number, but it may be inaccurate. Nonetheless, it is the equivalent of two or three years attendance at many major league ballparks.

In 2016, the Cubs placed 5th in annual attendance. I was somewhat shocked to see that the Indians were 28th overall despite their good season.

Comment by Holy Cow Friday, Nov 4, 16 @ 2:15 pm
Five million?

Seriously?

They must be still be drunk from a few days ago…..

Comment by Dee Lay Friday, Nov 4, 16 @ 2:18 pm
Five million is not possible, that’s more than half the metro population. But it’s a Chicago tradition to grossly inflate crowd estimates.

I bet the suburban high schools will probably break a low-attendance record for a bright sunny day (CPS was already off). My daughter –who ditched to go downtown — said social media was burning up last night for a skip day.

Comment by wordslinger Friday, Nov 4, 16 @ 2:23 pm
Remember the episode of “Police Squad,” the television series that expanded into “The Naked Gun” films with Leslie Nielsen, when a distressed woman asked how she could explain her husband’s unexplained disappearance without a trace? Frank Drebin’s partner, Ed Hocken (Alan North), replied, “Tell her that he’s been traded to the Chicago Cubs.”

Comment by Frank Drebin Friday, Nov 4, 16 @ 2:27 pm
@wordslinger - I believe it. WGN had a big reach. Two hours+ south of Chicago and I would guess 10-20% of the work force is gone today. Anecdotally know of several making the trip up.

Comment by hisgirlfriday Friday, Nov 4, 16 @ 2:28 pm
I should say 10-20% of the work force at my workplace.

Comment by hisgirlfriday Friday, Nov 4, 16 @ 2:29 pm
“Konerko can never be equaled.” Please. This team has a lot of characters too. Seven regular players are 24 years old or younger. These characters will be around for many years to come.

Comment by Michael Westen Friday, Nov 4, 16 @ 2:33 pm
According to Wikipedia at 2:34 PM CST, the mayor of Chicago is Kris Bryant (W).

And my classmates wonder why the professor won’t allow Wikipedia as a source…

Comment by Silent Budgeteer Friday, Nov 4, 16 @ 2:36 pm
Lovin’ that (W) Party. Think they could get on the ballots next go ’round

Comment by Anon221 Friday, Nov 4, 16 @ 2:43 pm
A work friend who came in the train this morning from the northern suburbs said it felt like the invasion of the 108-year locust.

Comment by 32nd Ward Roscoe Village Friday, Nov 4, 16 @ 2:44 pm
Amalia, you don’t need to hijack every Cubs thread with plugs for the Down Arrow team. It’s fluke season was over a decade ago and no one cares.

Comment by Anonymous Friday, Nov 4, 16 @ 2:45 pm
I guess if you count the 2 million who go to work in the city anyway…
Don’t know the number, but it was very impressive by any measure. Baseball matters. And it makes sense when nothing else seems to. Congrats Cubs.

Comment by A guy Friday, Nov 4, 16 @ 2:48 pm
I am going to miss Old Man Ross. The boys sure love him. What a mensch.

That Three-Headed-Catcher the Cubs put out there was a monster; they all came up big at crucial times.

Heck, Miggy played the least, and he had the granny vs. the Dodgers and the game-winning RBI in Game 7 of the Series.

Comment by Anonymous Friday, Nov 4, 16 @ 2:50 pm
I was at Michigan and Huron to watch the parade relative close to my office. I had on my retro-1953 Cubs Roy Smalley jersey on, he was the Cub’s starting short stop until the last 10 games of 1953 when Ernie Banks replaced him. He was considered to have been the worst fielding short stop in Cubs’ history and held the National League record for errors three years running. He could however hit.

There were people around me from Iowa, Indiana, and Wisconsin. Many suburban families. Crowds were ten deep on both sides of Michigan Ave as far as I could see. Plus Addison street being packed starting at 4 am, and the massive crowd at Grant Park. Clearly much larger than the Black Hawks cup rally.

Javier Baez was the most fun, he was reaching out and throwing kisses to the crowd. Ryan Sandberg was crying when I saw him. Ross got the biggest cheers from the crowd by me. While a lot of people said the 2016 Cubs World Series title was for Ernie, I say it was also for Roy Smalley and many other suffering Cubs of the past.

Comment by Rod Friday, Nov 4, 16 @ 3:20 pm
I was in the crowd and my office overlooks Grant Park. 5 million seems a stretch, but it was definitely bigger than any of the three Blackhawks championship events

Comment by Joe Bidenopolous Friday, Nov 4, 16 @ 3:21 pm
“Fluke season” jeez. still bitter cubbies.

Comment by Amalia Friday, Nov 4, 16 @ 3:27 pm
I personally know five groups (family/friends) that travelled nearly three hours to go to the parade. A total of at least 22 people.

I’m a Cards fan, but Game 7 was exciting, and I’m very happy for all of you Cubs fans.

Comment by RIJ Friday, Nov 4, 16 @ 3:46 pm
Quite a few students were absent from our far north high school today. One parent called in with “family trip to Chicago”. Sorry, absence unexcused.

Comment by Wensicia Friday, Nov 4, 16 @ 3:55 pm
Sooo twice as many people than actually live in the windy city came to the parade? That is impressive. Well done Chitown and Cub faithful

Comment by NorthsideNoMore Friday, Nov 4, 16 @ 4:13 pm
I just saw a live shot of Union Station on the news. It’s packed, wall to wall, with Cub fans trying to get home.

Comment by Wensicia Friday, Nov 4, 16 @ 4:17 pm