‘Joy in Wrigleyville’ to air on Network Thursday

NATIONAL HARBOR, Md. — Fans are, unwaveringly, a loyal, constant presence during a team’s march toward a World Series, regardless of the size of the city or the age of the franchise.

But in 2016 it seemed as if the fans rooting for the Cubs had a starring role during the team’s championship run, becoming as much of the story as the players whose responsibility it was to play near-perfect baseball in an effort to shed more than 100 years of city-wide angst.

That fan experience is the sole focus of the newest installment of the “MLB Network Presents” series. Titled “Joy in Wrigleyville,” this documentary, airing on MLB Network on Thursday at 7 p.m. CT, features several groups of fans, from all walks of life and all corners of Chicago, as they experienced the white-knuckle moments of an epic postseason that ended with a 10-inning Cubs win over the Indians in Game 7.

This isn’t just another garden-variety documentary about a team winning a championship. In fact, no players were interviewed. “Joy in Wrigleyville” is all about Cubs fans — those who celebrated the team’s fortunes with friends and family in present times, and those who viewed the Fall Classic as a chance to reflect and remember loved ones who had passed on and couldn’t revel in this particular feat.

“That was our goal — not to interview [Anthony] Rizzo, [Kris] Bryant and Joe Maddon, but to focus on the fans that are not known, that have compelling and emotional stories and connections to the team,” said MLB Network senior producer Andrew …

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