EXTRA: Cubs – 4, Pirates – 0

Somewhere, I sense that the spirit of Ernie Banks is happy, while that of Roberto Clemente is appalled (and rattling off a rant in Spanish rivaling anything that ever came from the mouth of Desi Arnaz on "I Love Lucy"), at the Wednesday night playoff game that gave the Chicago Cubs the opportunity to be the team that gets included with the three National League division winners for a chance at the league championship.

Or if you want to take it back a few generations, Mordecai Brown is laughing it up a bit at Honus Wagner’s expense. Gabby Harnett feeling glee over the Waner brothers (both Paul and Lloyd).

MAYBE EVEN 19^th Century star Cap Anson is feeling some joy (although perhaps wondering who let all those “colored boys” out onto the playing field).

In my mind, I can see how all of them have been agitating (playfully, of course) over whose ball club was going to be successful this week.

Now back to the earthly realm of existence that we all occupy; the one where Cubs pitcher Jake Arrieta provoked a bench-clearing brawl Wednesday night after the Pirates hit him with a pitch.

ARNAZ: Hearing his laugh at Cubs win

I don’t know if the Cubs are capable of beating St. Louis, Los Angeles or New York in the rounds of playoffs that will resume for Chicago on Friday against the Cardinals. But I do sense that Wednesday’s victory will be enough for Cubs fans to feel some sort of moral victory that we’ll hear about for years to come!

  -30-