71 Years Later, the Return to Wrigley

— -- ubs fans began to mingle around Wrigley Field hours before the gates opened for the 7 p.m. start -- in fact, intersections were packed, bars were full and the crowds had swelled by mid-afternoon.

That's no surprise -- it's hard to ask fans to wait until evening to start celebrating something they've been waiting for since 1945. It's been 71 long years since Wrigley Field last hosted a World Series game, and fans were ready to bear witness.

The result -- a 1-0 win for the Indians -- didn't go according to plan, but fans kept their spirits up as the Cubs challenged into the ninth. Now if the Cubs can follow that close loss with a few home wins -- that will be a party that will be hard to stop.

This young Cubs fan is hoping the famous Wrigley winds will pull a few baseballs over the outfield wall during batting practice before Game 3.

Matthew Thomas

A father and son livestream their visit to Wrigley Field in the afternoon before the first World Series game at the Friendly Confines since 1945.

Andrew Hancock

Fans had been standing in line well before the gates opened to be among the first fans in the ballpark.

Matthew Thomas

When the gates opened two hours before game time, fans flooded in from the nearby bars and restaurants.

Matthew Thomas

A mother and son watch starting pitcher Kyle Hendricks try to get out of a jam in the top of the fourth inning.

Andrew Hancock

The game remained scoreless until the seventh, which left little room for Cubs fans to relax.

Matthew Thomas

The Cubs' sold-out crowd meant that many fans were in standing room only sections, still rallying around the Cubs.

Matthew Thomas

Much of the crowd was outfitted in throwback jerseys and clothing -- fitting for a team that's been waiting for this day since 1945.

Matthew Thomas

Wrigley went wild when Justin Grimm got the Cubs out of a bases-loaded jam in the top of the fifth.

Andrew Hancock

By the seventh inning, Wrigley was holding up quite nicely to its World Series moment.

Andrew Hancock

Just outside the ballpark, the crowds were still heavy -- particularly here on Waveland Avenue, where fans joined in for the seventh inning stretch.

Andrew Hancock

Still down 1-0 in the ninth inning, Cubs fans found themselves waiting for a miracle.

Matthew Thomas

The fans try to rally the offense late in the game.

Matthew Thomas

The Cubs' lack of offense in the postseason -- after yet another shutout last night -- has been frustrating for fans.

Matthew Thomas

After a number of close calls in the late innings, Cubs fans were growing restless as the game neared its end.

Matthew Thomas

By the bottom of the ninth, some fans even took extreme measures -- it's time for rally caps.

Matthew Thomas

Though the Cubs came close in the ninth, they couldn't get the tying run (at third base) and winning run (at second) home.

Matthew Thomas

The loss was more than a disappointing welcome back to Wrigley -- it also put the Cubs in a 2-1 hole against the Indians.

Matthew Thomas

The shutout loss was not the way most fans expected to end Friday's celebration.

Andrew Hancock

Many of the streets surrounding Wrigley were closed, so the massive crowd on hand filled Sheffield Avenue to head to the train or cabs.

Andrew Hancock

This young Cubs fan is hoping the famous Wrigley winds will pull a few baseballs over the outfield wall during batting practice before Game 3.

Matthew Thomas

A father and son livestream their visit to Wrigley Field in the afternoon before the first World Series game at the Friendly Confines since 1945.

Andrew Hancock

Fans had been standing in line well before the gates opened to be among the first fans in the ballpark.

Matthew Thomas

When the gates opened two hours before game time, fans flooded in from the nearby bars and restaurants.

Matthew Thomas

A mother and son watch starting pitcher Kyle Hendricks try to get out of a jam in the top of the fourth inning.

Andrew Hancock

The game remained scoreless until the seventh, which left little room for Cubs fans to relax.

Matthew Thomas

The Cubs' sold-out crowd meant that many fans were in standing room only sections, still rallying around the Cubs.

Matthew Thomas

Much of the crowd was outfitted in throwback jerseys and clothing -- fitting for a team that's been waiting for this day since 1945.

Matthew Thomas

Wrigley went wild when Justin Grimm got the Cubs out of a bases-loaded jam in the top of the fifth.

Andrew Hancock

By the seventh inning, Wrigley was holding up quite nicely to its World Series moment.

Andrew Hancock

Just outside the ballpark, the crowds were still heavy -- particularly here on Waveland Avenue, where fans joined in for the seventh inning stretch.

Andrew Hancock

Still down 1-0 in the ninth inning, Cubs fans found themselves waiting for a miracle.

Matthew Thomas

The fans try to rally the offense late in the game.

Matthew Thomas

The Cubs' lack of offense in the postseason -- after yet another shutout last night -- has been frustrating for fans.

Matthew Thomas

After a number of close calls in the late innings, Cubs fans were growing restless as the game neared its end.

Matthew Thomas

By the bottom of the ninth, some fans even took extreme measures -- it's time for rally caps.

Matthew Thomas

Though the Cubs came close in the ninth, they couldn't get the tying run (at third base) and winning run (at second) home.

Matthew Thomas

The loss was more than a disappointing welcome back to Wrigley -- it also put the Cubs in a 2-1 hole against the Indians.

Matthew Thomas

The shutout loss was not the way most fans expected to end Friday's celebration.

Andrew Hancock

Many of the streets surrounding Wrigley were closed, so the massive crowd on hand filled Sheffield Avenue to head to the train or cabs.

Andrew Hancock

A mother and son watch starting pitcher Kyle Hendricks try to get out of a jam in the top of the fourth inning.

Andrew Hancock

The game remained scoreless until the seventh, which left little room for Cubs fans to relax.

Matthew Thomas

The Cubs' sold-out crowd meant that many fans were in standing room only sections, still rallying around the Cubs.

Matthew Thomas

Much of the crowd was outfitted in throwback jerseys and clothing -- fitting for a team that's been waiting for this day since 1945.

Matthew Thomas

Wrigley went wild when Justin Grimm got the Cubs out of a bases-loaded jam in the top of the fifth.

Andrew Hancock

By the seventh inning, Wrigley was holding up quite nicely to its World Series moment.

Andrew Hancock

Just outside the ballpark, the crowds were still heavy -- particularly here on Waveland Avenue, where fans joined in for the seventh inning stretch.

Andrew Hancock

Still down 1-0 in the ninth inning, Cubs fans found themselves waiting for a miracle.

Matthew Thomas

The fans try to rally the offense late in the game.

Matthew Thomas

The Cubs' lack of offense in the postseason -- after yet another shutout last night -- has been frustrating for fans.

Matthew Thomas

After a number of close calls in the late innings, Cubs fans were growing restless as the game neared its end.

Matthew Thomas

By the bottom of the ninth, some fans even took extreme measures -- it's time for rally caps.

Matthew Thomas

Though the Cubs came close in the ninth, they couldn't get the tying run (at third base) and winning run (at second) home.

Matthew Thomas

The loss was more than a disappointing welcome back to Wrigley -- it also put the Cubs in a 2-1 hole against the Indians.

Matthew Thomas

The shutout loss was not the way most fans expected to end Friday's celebration.

Andrew Hancock

Many of the streets surrounding Wrigley were closed, so the massive crowd on hand filled Sheffield Avenue to head to the train or cabs.

Andrew Hancock

Matthew Thomas

Wrigley went wild when Justin Grimm got the Cubs out of a bases-loaded jam in the top of the fifth.

Andrew Hancock

By the seventh inning, Wrigley was holding up quite nicely to its World Series moment.

Andrew Hancock

Just outside the ballpark, the crowds were still heavy -- particularly here on Waveland Avenue, where fans joined in for the seventh inning stretch.

Andrew Hancock

Still down 1-0 in the ninth inning, Cubs fans found themselves waiting for a miracle.

Matthew Thomas

The fans try to rally the offense late in the game.

Matthew Thomas

The Cubs' lack of offense in the postseason -- after yet another shutout last night -- has been frustrating for fans.

Matthew Thomas

After a number of close calls in the late innings, Cubs fans were growing restless as the game neared its end.

Matthew Thomas

By the bottom of the ninth, some fans even took extreme measures -- it's time for rally caps.

Matthew Thomas

Though the Cubs came close in the ninth, they couldn't get the tying run (at third base) and winning run (at second) home.

Matthew Thomas

The loss was more than a disappointing welcome back to Wrigley -- it also put the Cubs in a 2-1 hole against the Indians.

Matthew Thomas

The shutout loss was not the way most fans expected to end Friday's celebration.

Andrew Hancock

Many of the streets surrounding Wrigley were closed, so the massive crowd on hand filled Sheffield Avenue to head to the train or cabs.

Andrew Hancock

The fans try to rally the offense late in the game.

Matthew Thomas

The Cubs' lack of offense in the postseason -- after yet another shutout last night -- has been frustrating for fans.

Matthew Thomas

After a number of close calls in the late innings, Cubs fans were growing restless as the game neared its end.

Matthew Thomas

By the bottom of the ninth, some fans even took extreme measures -- it's time for rally caps.

Matthew Thomas

Though the Cubs came close in the ninth, they couldn't get the tying run (at third base) and winning run (at second) home.

Matthew Thomas

The loss was more than a disappointing welcome back to Wrigley -- it also put the Cubs in a 2-1 hole against the Indians.

Matthew Thomas

The shutout loss was not the way most fans expected to end Friday's celebration.

Andrew Hancock

Many of the streets surrounding Wrigley were closed, so the massive crowd on hand filled Sheffield Avenue to head to the train or cabs.

Andrew Hancock

The loss was more than a disappointing welcome back to Wrigley -- it also put the Cubs in a 2-1 hole against the Indians.

Matthew Thomas

The shutout loss was not the way most fans expected to end Friday's celebration.

Andrew Hancock

Many of the streets surrounding Wrigley were closed, so the massive crowd on hand filled Sheffield Avenue to head to the train or cabs.

Andrew Hancock