On This Day: The Curse of the Billy Goat

Have you ever wondered why the Chicago Cubs haven’t won the World Series since 1908, and haven’t been to the World Series since 1945? Poor play? Nah, the Cubs have 37 players in the Hall of Fame. The reason the Cubs have wallowed in futility for so long is…a goat. That’s right, I said it. Baseball purists know that there is such a thing as luck, and superstitions can be your most powerful ally, or most frightful opponent. Let me tell you the story of how a goat ruined the lives of Cubs fans 74 years ago.

It was October 6, 1945, and the Chicago Cubs were set to play the Detroit Tigers in game 4 of the World Series. Billy Sianis, a well-known local bar owner and goat connoisseur, bought two tickets to the game; one for him, and one for his goat. Now before you go judging the man for trying to bring a goat into the stadium, let me tell you that this wasn’t a one-off experience. Sianis was a regular at Cubs games, and frequently brought his goat along with him. As a matter of fact, before the start of game 4, Billy Sianis and his goat were invited onto the field, and the goat wore a sign that said “We Got Detroit’s Goat.” After parading his goat around the field, Sianis and his goat took their seats to watch the game.

It was in the seventh inning that ushers at Wrigley Field asked Billy Sianis to leave because other spectators were complaining about his goat’s foul odor. Outraged that he would be asked to leave, Mr. Sianis said, “Them Cubs, they aren’t gonna win no more!” According to the Sianis family, Billy even went as far as to send a telegram to Philip K. Wrigley, owner of the Chicago Cubs, which said, “You are going to lose this World Series and you are never going to win another World Series again. You are never going to win a World Series again because you insulted my goat.”

Sianis attempting to enter Wrigley Field with his goat on October 12, 1945

And there you have it. The Cubs haven’t been to the World Series since they insulted Billy Sianis’ goat. In an effort to lift the curse, the Cubs invited Sianis and a goat of his choosing to a game in 1969, 25 years after that fateful autumn day, but it was to no avail. Since then, the Cubs have invited Sam Sianis, Billy’s nephew, to try and lift the curse on several occasions, but it obviously hasn’t worked. A curse really doesn’t affect you until you actually start believing in it. Maybe that’s why other “cursed” teams (the Red Sox, the White Sox, or the Phillies) have been able to get over the hump and win a championship, while the Cubs still wait for that elusive World Series.

You may also like:

1. A History of MLB Playoff Tiebreakers Unlike other sports leagues, Major League Baseball schedules an extra...
2. On This Day: The Game Boy is Born!!! I can't believe I missed this before, but I just...
3. 10 Incredible Facts About the 2010 Winter Olympics The Winter Olympics have come and gone, and it’s March...
4. 50 Years of 50 States: Illinois Nickname: Land of Lincoln Date Ratified: December 3, 1818 (21st)...