Clark and Addison a sea of joyful humanity

The trio of elderly ladies could not move three feet on Clark Street without being stopped by other delirious Cub fans requesting a photo.

"(We have) 195 years of beings Cub fans among us," said Kate Keating, 71, smiling broadly, as she and her two companions stopped, unfurling the familiar "W" banner between them.

"And we're all nuns," she said, leaning forward and cupping her hand around her mouth to whisper the news.

"We will come down here for all the playoff games," the Chicago woman vowed of herself and her pals.

It was moments after the Cubs clinched the National League Central Division Championship Saturday by beating the St. Louis Cardinals. Hundreds of fans standing outside Wrigley Field knew the moment had arrived from the roar of the crowd inside - even before the words "Cubs Clinch" flashed on the electric sign above the main gate.

Clark and Addison became a sea of joyful humanity as fans snapped photos of each other on their cell phone cameras to record the moment.

"It's just thrilling to be here for the possible end of the drought," said Dave Stern of St. Charles. "When I was 16 I got a job as a peanut vendor here. Then I when I got to be 21 I sold beer."

Stern said he now gets to Wrigley Field once a year, and had his tickets for Saturday's game two months in advance.

"We were just lucky," he said.

It didn't take a ticket, though, to gain entrance to the Wrigleyville party.

"This is unique, winning back to back titles," said Richard Bongeorno, of Joliet. "I don't know if it's a sign, but it's unique."

"This is the biggest moment, hopefully..." he paused, as if afraid to jinx the Cubs' playoff hopes, before adding, "Maybe the 100-year-drought is over."

Bongeorno and his companion, Melanie Gorges, couldn't afford tickets to the game, but still made the trip to Wrigley for the celebration. Gorges was taking photos she planned to save for her 10-month-old son.

Many outside the park were without tickets.

Gerri and Rita Ruttendjie, of Wheaton, went to Wrigleyville for dinner and to celebrate.

"We were at two of the games they played in Milwaukee (last weekend)," Rita said.

"We saw Zambrano's no-hitter. It was wonderful," she said. "We were hoping when we were there that they would leave the goat in that clubhouse."

Some among the masses already sported celebratory attire.

Dustin Thelander, 12, and his brother, Bryce, 9, of Crystal Lake, were wearing t-shirts proclaiming the Cubs 2008 Central Division Champs. They had stopped at a sporting goods store with their father to get them as soon as the game concluded.

Asked if he thought he would always remember this day, Dustin grinned broadly.

"Oh yeah!" he said, echoing a legion of Cubs fans.

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