. . . or so says Fox 32 News in Chicago, which showed the picture below of a celebration when the Cubs returned to Chicago after their World Series win. They add:
Officials estimate that 5 million people showed up to the Chicago Cubs parade and rally Friday, making it the 7th largest gathering in human history.
The Cubs celebration crowd even beat out the 3.5 million people who went to Rod Stewart’s 1994 concert in Rio.
Now that isn’t near five million people above, but I’m sure that’s not the official rally, as I don’t recognize the area.
And what were the rivals of the CubsFest? gathering? Fox adds this:
The following are the largest human gatherings in history:
1. Kumbh Mela pilgrimage, India, 2013 – 30 million
2. Arbaeen festival, Iraq, 2014 – 17 million
3. Funeral of CN Annadurai, India, 1969 – 15 million
4. Funeral of Ayatollah Khomeini, Iran, 1989 – 10 million
5. Papal gathering in the Philippines, 2015 – 6 million
6. World Youth Day, 1995 – 5 million
Live and learn.
h/t: Orli
This five million figure is probably just wishful thinking as this Chicago Tribune article suggests. I believe the actual rally took place in Grant Park.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-cubs-crowd-estimate-20161104-story.html
This figure is about twice the population of Chicago proper and the metropolitan area is only about seven million. Still, the crowd was quite impressive and the Cubs win provides a welcome respite from what happens this coming Tuesday.
Speaking of respites and the Chicago Cubs, the Chicago cast of “Hamilton” sang “Go Cubs Go” at the end of its performance I believe on Thursday night. It is sheer joy! I’ve watched it about ten times.
Sorry for the embedding. I thought I just entered the link.
It would do that. Of course you need to enter the right magical symbols before and after the url.
Vaguely related, but amusing: a Trump supporter shared a photo on Twitter of a Cubs celebratory gathering which he claimed was a giant crowd of Trump supporters in Philadelphia that the media was refusing to show, despite others pointing out to him that most of those gathered were wearing Cubs colors, and the skyline matched Chicago, including the Sears Tower, which he then claimed could be seen from Philadelphia.
Does this mean sports is a religion?
For all too many people sports does take on the trappings of religion. It is one thing to get caught up in the moment, such as the exultation of the Cubs victory, but it is another when one’s ego and self-worth is determined by the success or failure of a group of worshiped entertainers. Like religion, sports provides many people with meaning for their lives. Sports, however, is more innocuous than religion. It is relatively rare when a sports fan physically attacks a supporter of a competing team.
Either.
Aaah the Old Firm, here’s Billy Connollys take on it.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SMzbbK9vmaM
Gladly gone for several years, but sadly they’re winding up for a re-hash that would make Peter Cushing and the whole casting department of Hammer Films sooo nostalgic.
You’ve never been to Glasgow, have you?
The pernicious effect spreads across the whole country. When I was on the train back from the hearing aid clinic yesterday, there was some pissed-up Weegie shite (technical term, common in La Belle Ecosse, rather tautological) growling away about how he’d murder any Celtic fan he met, and any Papist scum too. Typical Weegie.
So an official group of Glaswegians who direct some endeavor would be a Weegie Board?
… and better informed than many such “boards”.
The membership fees vary. Attendance can be spotty. Prayers were said. Even at the parade.
May be the closest thing to it.
The 5 million number, while still questionably large, also included everyone along the parade route which began with a huge crowd at Wrigley, went through the neighborhood, down Lake Shore Drive and over to Grant Park. The picture you show above is the Grant Park rally…not anywhere near 5 million.
And, no, sports is nothing like religion. Sports, after all, is about something real.
Yes, it’s from the entire parade route.
Sounds like more bragging from the Windy City.
They’re just letting off. Vapours. Steam. something.
There was an American comic on the UK radio a couple of days back making some joke about a basketball (baseball? I’m sure a ball was involved) team who only won [whatever] competition in years when a Republitard won over a Democrook. Or something like that. It’s going to be an interesting night on Wednesday. Probably more interesting than Tuesday.
Yeah, we brag about the death toll here a lot.