Curses of the Cubs
One of the most infamous curses in sports history was finally broken in a thrilling, nerve wracking Game Seven of the World Series between the Chicago Cubs and the Cleveland Indians in extra innings. It took 108 years, but fans of "the lovable losers" can now call their team World Series champions. The team, with nearly a century of postseason woes, ended the 2016 regular season with the best record in baseball: 93 wins and 52 losses.
Here's a look at the curse that plagued the Cubs.
Curses of the Cubs
Until October 7, 2015, the Chicago Cubs hadn’t won a playoff game, since the notorious “Bartman” incident.
On October 14, 2003, the Cubs were just one inning away from going to the Series, when fan Steve Bartman reached out to catch a foul ball in the eighth inning during Game 6 of the National League championship series. In doing so, he knocked the ball away from Chicago Cubs left fielder Moises Alou, who was poised to catch it. That moment created an opening for the Marlins to come back. It also made Steve Bartman the most hated man in Chicago.
Curses of the Cubs
Embattled Cubs fans had desperately hoped 2015 would be the year they finally “raise the W” again... and Hollywood was on their side. The 1989 film, “Back To The Future Part II,” in which Marty McFly and Doc Brown travel to 2015, predicted that the Cubs would win the Series that year.
A number of predictions from the “Back to the Future” franchise had already come true, including the existence of wireless video games and the creation of a Major League Baseball franchise in Florida. So why not this one?
Curse of the Billy Goat
The film’s prediction is up against an awful lot of bad luck, though, beginning in 1945. That’s when Greek immigrant and diehard Cubs fan Billy Sianis attempted to bring his pet goat, Murphy, to Wrigley Field for Game 4 of the World Series. Sianis purchased a ticket for himself and a ticket for Murphy.
The two then watched the game together from the stands, until they were asked to leave because the billy goat’s odor was bothering other fans. On his way out, Sianis cursed the team, screaming, “Them Cubs, they ain’t gonna win no more.” They haven’t won a Series since.
Here, Sam Sianis, Billy’s nephew and the current proprietor of Chicago’s famous Billy Goat Tavern, appears at Wrigley Field with his goat in 1984.
Curse of the Billy Goat
Since that day in 1945, several attempts have been made to break the curse. None of them, however, have been successful.
Here, a live goat is brought onto the field prior to game four of the National League Division Series at Wrigley Field, October 4, 2003.
Curse of the Billy Goat
Meanwhile, as the Cubs' postseason losing streak has endured for more than half a century, their competitors do not hesitate to poke fun at the sore spot in Chicago lore.
Here, Billy the Marlin, runs a live goat onto the field to rattle Chicago players and fans before their game against the Florida Marlins in Miami on July 31, 2009.
Curse of the Black Cat
In 1969, the Chicago Cubs roster was stacked with baseball greats, like Ernie Banks, Ron Santo, and Billy Williams. Sports fans across the country assumed they were destined for the World Series.
Then, on September 9, 1969, during a pivotal series against the New York Mets, a black cat crawled out of the Shea Stadium grandstand, looped once around Ron Santo in the on-deck circle, then stopped and stared at fiery Cubs manager Leo Durocher in the dugout for what seemed like an eternity.
Curse of the Black Cat
The Chicago Cubs’ bench chuckled along with the rest of Shea stadium when that most traditional omen of bad luck, a black cat, wandered out in front of their dugout on September 9, 1969. They stopped laughing, though, when their season began to tank shortly afterward.
The 1969 Cubs went into September with a first place record of 84-52, and the Mets in second place at 77-55. By September 11, 1969, the Mets had pulled ahead, as a number of devastating losses doused the Cubs’ hopes for the Series.
Curses of the Cubs
Then, in 1984, the curse reared its ugly head again. The Cubs finished the regular season with a 95-64 record, and jumped to an early two-games-to-none lead against the San Diego Padres in the National League series.
Just when things were starting to look really good for the Cubs, the Padres came back and won the next two games. Then in game five, Cubs first baseman Leon Durham made a pivotal error in the seventh inning. With a runner on second, a ground ball came to Durham and, instead of making a simple out, the ball rolled between his legs, allowing the tying run to score. That error, blamed sticky Gatorade on Durham’s glove, was the beginning of the end for the ‘84 Cubs. The Padres won 6-3 and clinched the series.
Curses of the Cubs
In the 1986 World Series, yet another ball-between-the-legs error emerged as proof of the Cubs’ infamous curse. But wait. The 1986 World Series was between the Boston Red Sox and the New York Mets. That error was made by Red Sox first baseman, Bill Buckner..
What does any of that have to do with the Chicago Cubs?
Buckner's glove
It was later revealed that Buckner, a former Chicago Cubs player, had worn an old Cubs batting glove under his mitt for the entirety of the 1986 World Series, as good luck. The general consensus, though, is that it may have actually been the opposite of that... a way for the Cubs' age-old curse to affect a completely unrelated franchise on the East Coast.
Curses of the Cubs
In 1998, with home run king Sammy Sosa on the roster, the Cubs came close again. A favorite for the Wild Card, they needed to beat the Brewers on September 23rd to pull ahead of the Giants and the Mets. In the ninth inning, with a 7-5 lead and two outs on the board, the Brewers hit a routine pop-fly that should have ended the game.
The curse wouldn't have it, though. The ball was dropped and the Cubs' postseason hopes were dashed once again.
Curses of the Cubs
That brings us to October 14, 2003, when Steve Bartman, seen here wearing headphones, glasses and a Cubs hat, attempted to catch a foul ball and knocked it away from Cubs left fielder Moises Alou in the process.
A GoFundMe page, created by Cubs fan Keque Escobedo on September 28, 2015, attempted to make it all right by inviting Bartman to October 7's playoff game and paying his way there.
"Lifelong Cubs fan wants to make amends for 2003, lets make it happen," the page read. "If anyone knows where he is at, tell him we are looking for him. The money would pay for his expenses including his ticket, hotel room, flights and a little spending money."
Curses of the Cubs
Bartman, who has been vilified for the seemingly innocent incident for more than a decade, politely declined the invitation. So, the $3,735 raised on GoFundMe will be donated to the Alzheimer's Association instead.
"It's nice of these people to think of Steve, but he won't be taking advantage of the offer," Bartman's longtime spokesman, Frank Murtha, said in a statement. "He's perfectly capable of attending the game on his own, though he has no intention of being at the wild-card game."
Here, the infamous cursed foul ball sits on display at Harry Caray's Restaurant in Chicago, February 26, 2004.
Steve Bartman lookalike
While Steve Bartman declined the GoFundMe invitation to attend the Chicago Cubs' playoff game against the Pittsburgh Pirates on October 7, 2015, a Steve Bartman lookalike was in attendance. The fan seen here attended the contest at PNC Park, dressed as the notorious fumbler of the '03 foul ball that could've sent the Cubs to the Series. He likely spooked a few fans that he was the real deal.
Curses of the Cubs
In February 2004, the infamous foul ball was destroyed in front of a star-studded crowd by special-effects expert Michael Lantieri, who worked on both “Jurassic Park” and “Back to the Future,” and specializes in blowing things to smithereens.
“That ball’s gotta go,” Grant DePorter, who purchased the ball at auction for $113,824, told ESPN of the event. “It’s like the ring from ‘The Lord of the Rings’ and we’re kind of like Frodo, trying to get it over with.”
Curses of the Cubs
With the 2003 foul ball now obliterated, numerous billy goats welcomed onto Wrigley Field, and no more black cats in sight, Chicago Cubs fans hope the dreaded curse is finally behind them. And if “Back to the Future Part II” has anything to say about it, 2015 could in fact be their year.
