Keeping the Faith
There are not too many people on this planet that can say, “I was alive the last time the Chicago Cubs won the World Series”. The last time the Cubs won the World Series Title was in 1908. As bizarre as it sounds, a curse could be the cause of it all.
The Curse of the Billy Goat, which originated in 1945 when Billy Sianis, cub fan, was asked to leave a World Series game against the Detroit Tigers at the Cubs home stadium Wrigley Field. He was asked to leave because of the goat’s bad odor. Sianis was outraged and screamed to everyone near him “Them Cubs, they aren’t gonna win no more.”
Sianis report that he sent a telegram to Phillip K. Wrigley that read “You are never going to win a World Series again because you insulted my goat.” But Wrigley ignored the message, assuming that the man was insane and Wrigley kept his focus on trying to win another World Series.
The Cubs were up two games to one on the Tigers, but it seemed as if momentum had shifted towards the Tigers. The Cubs went on to lose that World Series four games to three (7 game series). Believe the curse or not, all we know is that the Cubs have never appeared in a World Series since that year in 1945.
In 2003 (coincidentally the Chinese Zodiac’s Year of the Goat) the Cubs team and the fans believed that this was their year to end the curse. The Cubs finished the regular season with a record of (88-74), giving them their first NL Central Division Title since the formation of the the division in 1994.
The Cubs kept the dice rolling in the NLDS, as they defeated the Atlanta Braves 3-2 in a best of five game series. Moving them onto the NLCS to face-off against the Wild- Card qualifying, Florida Marlins team.
After five games the Cubs were leading in the Series three games to two. The Cubs were clinging to a 3-0 lead in the game, 5 outs away from reaching the World Series. Florida Marlins Shortstop Luis Castillo sent a towering fly ball down the left field line in foul territory. Cubs Left Fielder Moises Alou was sprinting towards the ball, he leaped up and reached out looking like he was on the verge of making a miraculous play.
Then, Cub Fan Steve Bartman had something to say about it. He reached out attempting to catch the ball, but all he managed to do was knock the ball out of Alou’s glove. There were arguments about fan interference but the call remained “foul ball.” This led to a series of unfortunate events.
On the next pitch Mark Prior walked Castillo on a wild pitch, putting runners on first and third with one out. Next Ivan Rodriguez hit a single to left, making the score 3-1. This was when the unthinkable happened, Miguel Cabrera hit a routine double-play ball to shortstop Alex Gonzalez. Gonzalez closed his eyes too early and muffed the ball allowing the madness to continue.
The Cubs went onto surrender 8 runs that inning. Momentum completely shifted to the Marlins side allowing them to win game 6 and 7 earning their spot in the World Series. The Florida Marlins went on to defeat the New York Yankees in The World Series and be crowned champions.
Knowing how ruthless Cubs fans are, of course Bartman was the first one to have the finger pointed at. Even though a lot of fans would have done the same thing if they were in his shoes; most of them don’t look at it that way.
But despite all of these tragic events, the Cubs Fans still believe in their Cubbies. The Cubs Bleachers still sell out all of their games, fans just hoping and praying for the curse to end.
Traditions occur all around sports, even though the Cubs tradition may not be “winning” every year, the real tradition is keeping their faith in those Cubs. Like every die hard Cub fan would say to you “there’s always next year.”