Cubs, Indians give us our first all-Great Lakes region World Series in 71 years

There's been a lot of talk about how long it's been since the Chicago Cubs and Cleveland Indians have been in the World Series.

But there's another thing making this year's Fall Classic special: It is the first time since the Detroit Tigers defeated the Chicago Cubs, four games to three in 1945, that both World Series opponents are from the Great Lakes region.

See this for a historical timeline of World Series opponents and the series outcomes. http://atmlb.com/1ixVRNX

Forty million people live in the Great Lakes region, 30 million in the United States and 10 million in Canada.

For purposes of discussion, let's think of the Great Lakes region in terms of its natural watershed, not the states and provinces that touch the lakes.

I live in Toledo. I've long argued people here have more in common with Toronto than Tennessee, both of which are about as far as a drive away.

What gives us that symbiosis/brotherhood?

Water.

This psychological component is something I'd like to get into for a book chapter someday.

But Ithere's an innate human attraction to water that goes beyond simple hydration and other obvious physical needs.

Water brings us together and binds us psychologically.

So even though the Detroit Tigers are my favorite team, I'm jacked about this upcoming World Series because - for the first time in 71 years - it'll be an all-day Great Lakes region World Series.

I'm also torn over which team I want to win the most, happy that whoever does prevail will be from the Great Lakes region.

Interestingly enough, three of this year's four semi-finalists were from the Great Lakes region.

If the Cleveland Indians hadn't won this year's AL pennant, the Toronto Blue Jays would have been in the World Series.

It's hard to quantify how much the Great Lakes region will reap financially in hotel and motel receipts, restaurant and tourism sales, and so forth.

But sports talk to us - and the World Series is one of Earth's biggest stages. This year's World Series will, in many immeasurable ways, raise the profile of a region that needs it on the environment and other issues.