When the Cubs celebrated with a parade Friday in Chicago, it was on World Champion Chicago Cubs Day in Illinois. Gov. Bruce Rauner issued a proclamation making the designation official.
The Cubs winning the World Series is bigger than baseball" Rauner said in a statement. "This is a celebration for past and present fans along with all the Cubs' legends who never gave up hope.”
The team's victory also means that some of Illinois' top politicians are due for some brews.
When it became clear the Cubs would be pitted against the Cleveland Indians in the series, Rauner -- via YouTube -- issued a challenge to Ohio Gov. John Kasich.
"This is the Cubs year. Team of destiny. So we thought let's have a little friendly wager on this game with the folks over in Ohio," he said.
Since the Cubbie's won, Kasich is on the hook for sending Great Lakes Brewing Company beer and Bertman Original Ball Park Mustard. (Rauner had offered Chicago-style pizza and local beer).
Rauner's office didn't have an update on Kasich will make good on the bet.
Nor, really, did the offices of Illinois two U.S. Senators, though Republican Mark Kirk and Democrat Dick Durbin are each owed microbrews from their counterparts in Ohio.
Kirk's office says the exchange will likely wait until mid-November, when senators are back in Washington.
Durbin's spokeswoman says it has a call in to Ohio Senator Sherrod Brown's office, but adds "we will let them lick their wounds a little bit!"
Rauner attended three games throughout the playoffs series; he was not in Cleveland Wednesday when the Clubs clinched the championship.
