CLEVELAND (AP) – Following a parade choked to a crawl by a massive crowd, after proclamations, speeches and fanfare, Cleveland watched a symbolic passing of the trophy – and the torch.
When Browns Hall of Fame running back Jim Brown handed the Larry O’Brien Trophy to Cavaliers superstar LeBron James, the city’s long wait was officially over.
After 52 long years, this was a title town again.
Cheered for hours by a sea of adoring fans who first engulfed the downtown streets and then the Cavs, James and the newly crowned NBA champions were honored Wednesday with a parade and a once-in-a-generation party.
The Cavs chased down history by overcoming a 3-1 deficit to beat Golden State in a wild seven-game NBA Finals, a comeback that ended the city’s 52-year championship drought stretching back to Brown leading the Browns to a win over the Baltimore Colts in the NFL championship in 1964.