You might have noticed that I’m beside myself with excitement about the Chicago Cubs in the World Series this year! The first game is tonight against the Cleveland Indians in Cleveland. They have home field advantage because they’re the American League team and the American League won the All-Star game this summer. Chicago media have been covering every aspect of the team and I’ve always enjoyed the story of the Billy Goat curse so I thought I’d share it with you.
Unless you’re from the Chicago area or a real baseball aficionado, you may not know about the supposed curse on the baseball team that dates back to 1945. A local tavern owner named William Sianis was the man who allegedly placed the curse on the Cubs.
A Greek immigrant who bought the old Lincoln Tavern, which is now the site of Chicago’s United Center, Sianis was working one day when a baby goat fell from a truck in front of his establishment. He rescued the animal, nursed the goat back to health, named his pet Murphy and became so fond of the animal that he grew a goatee and renamed his place the Billy Goat Inn, now called Billy Goat Tavern. You may remember an early SNL sketch about “cheezborger, cheezborger, cheezborger. No Coke, Pepsi,” that starred John Belushi and Bill Murray and was based on the Chicago comedians’ visits to the Billy Goat.
I’ve heard a few different versions of what happened that fall of 1945. One story is that because the smell of his pet goat, Murphy, was bothering other fans, Sianis was asked to leave Wrigley Field, the Cubs’ park, during game four of the 1945 World Series. (Apparently one could bring a pet goat into the ballpark back in the 40s.)
Another version says that Billy Sianis wanted to share his live good luck charm with the Cubs and brought him to the ballpark where he was promptly turned away by security, even though he’d bought two box seats, one for him and one for the goat!
Sianis was outraged and allegedly declared “Them Cubs, they ain’t gonna win no more,” which either meant the Cubs wouldn’t win another National League Pennant or else that they would never again play in a World Series. Other stories say that Billy said the Cubs would never win another series and that he even sent a telegram to Cubs owner Phillip K. Wrigley stating just that the following day.
Regardless, we know the Cubs lost that 1945 World Series to the Detroit Tigers, and have not won a World Series championship since 1908. After the incident with Billy Sianis and Murphy the goat, they haven’t even played in a World Series for 71 years. But this October 22, 2016, the Chicago Cubs advanced to the 2016 World Series after beating the Los Angeles Dodgers on the 46th anniversary of Billy Sianis’ death. Coincidence? I think not… 😉
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I may not be American or a Cubs fan but I can definitely appreciate a good story. Enjoyed this . 😊
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Thanks, Miri, I’m glad you liked it!
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AS STEVIE WONDERS SAYS, “Very superstitious, writings on the wall,”
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There are so many little quirks about this, all the players named Murphy who spoiled things…
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Such a great legend! I am happy to see the Cubs pull it off. I hope the break the spell!
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Thanks, Holly, me, too!
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Although I’m a Cardinals fan, I’m pulling for the Cubbies to take it all this year.
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Thanks, Rob. Maybe the stars will align just right…
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How great. They actually explained this on the BBC news last night. Truth be told…your version was far better! Respect. 😉
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Thanks, Sam. It’s a fun story!
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It is! 😉
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I have eaten at the Billy Goat Tavern and it is quite a place … it is down under the street as I recall. At the time I was there, no goats were on premises, but the story was included in the menu and pictures were everywhere. A fun time. GO CUBBIES!
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Yep, it’s on lower Michigan Avenue and was between the Chicago Tribune and the old Chicago Sun Times buildings, so many newspaper people used to go there.
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I’m with the goat…Sorry it’s either the Cubs or the marriage. I have to go with the marriage. Our first date was at Comiskey Park!!! I’m just laying low for now. Secretly I will wish all the best for the Cubs for you Mz. D…shhhhhh ❤ Love ya ❤
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Thanks, honey, I know! My brothers are both Sox fans and one won’t even talk about the Cubs with me! Hey, to each his own! Love ya too!
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OMG Enjoy this ❤ Like I said,shhhh 🙂
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I had no idea that’s where the SNL skit came from. That was one of my favorites.
I hope the Cubbies do well against the Indians, or those Indigenous peoples of the North American Continent, or That tribe, or whatever we are supposed to refer to them….hahaha.
What a fun post!
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Thanks, Wendy. Cleveland has had their own sports troubles, but the Cubs have a longer drought! And, yeah, I loved those SNL skits. I think their tavern was the Olympia…
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That’s a great story! I’d never heard that before. I’m rooting for the Cubs, too. This is their year, all the 108’s showing up all over the place? No coincidence! 😀
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Oh, there’s so much stuff! Opposing players named Murphy over the years, crazy coincidences, a lot of fun!
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That is fun! I’m excited!
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Cubbies!🐻🐻⚾⚾
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Go Cubs Go!
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It stops now! The bats are cured and the pitching is consistent. It’s our year! Finally. Go Cubs! I’ll be watching tonight too. 😃
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It’s just so much fun!
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I would LOVE to be at Cubbie Bears for the game tonight. This is the year, D! 😃
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I’m okay being home with my TV, but yeah, what a ride!
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I hear ya’. Home is where I’ll be tonight myself. That doesn’t suck either. 😃
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Omg! Well, that sucked. Thank god that dude won’t be pitching every game. 😕
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I know! But our Cubbies can’t leave all those guys on base either. Hope the home plate ump finds the strike zone…
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Yeah, the stranded on base percentage was woeful, and that ump was way off at times. That Cleveland pitcher was fantastic though. That’s one nasty breaking ball.
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They’re a great team, it looks like. But we are, too. We can do this!
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The Indians will probably try to have Kubler pitch two more games if this goes 7 games. They’ll definitely have to face him at least once more. The bats came alive against Kershaw in the previous series, so hopefully it’ll happen again. Surely Cleveland’s other pitchers aren’t that nasty.
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Hopefully! They’ve had a look at him now, which should help
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Lester didn’t pitch a bad game himself, but their guy was dominant. Fingers crossed that your right. 😃
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I’m a Yankees fan so of course I’ll be rooting for Cleveland. That makes sense, right? Lol. Congrats to your cubbies. The long awaited dream ⚾️
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Gosh, we hope so! You should be rooting for the NL team, not the AL team that beat out your Yankees! 😉
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Haha. I’m a huge Andrew Miller fan, so when the Yanks traded him , I was quite upset. Oh but sweet karma. Andrew’s in the World Series and they’re not
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That is perfect!
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🙂
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What a story!
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Lots of fun stories about why it’s been so long 🙂
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love it
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Love it! I’m a Yankees fan but who doesn’t love a good underdog story? Go Cubs, Go!
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Thanks, Kim!
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It seems you are enjoying the game wholeheartedly! Great… 🙂
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Well, tonight wasn’t too great for my Cubs, but it’s still fun!
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I can sense the enthusiasm from your posts… 🙂 We feel a similar vibe here with cricket and football…
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Oh, yes, sports are very big worldwide, I guess!
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It looks like the curse continues. It just shows, you should never mess with goats.
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Stop it, it’s one game! We couldn’t beat the Indians AND the home plate ump, too…
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You’re quite right, of course, The vengeful goats may yet relent.
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🙂 We are a little jumpy here in Chicago about this!
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A victory in the second game! Things are looking up! 🙂
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You betcha! And now three games in Chicago!
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Thanks for the explanation! I lived in Wisconsin for 29 years and never really understood the curse.
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You’re welcome! So many fun little coincidences surround the Cubs team
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I’m a football fan so…nope, I’ve never heard this story. It’s a good one. Congrats to your team for making it this far! 🙂
Nikki…from a A Kinder Way…I started a new blog. Pop in when you have a minute. 🙂
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Ooh, I will be over! And thanks
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I love the Cubs! Thanks for the info on the curse. I’d heard it before, but forgot the details. Hey Theo Epstein helped break to Curse of the Babe for Boston, so maybe he’s the Cubs good luck charm, too?
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You betcha! xo
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Wilson Contreras is looking’ good!
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I will be looking out for their results 🙂 Fingers crossed.
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It’s not looking so good…
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I saw. There’s still hope though.
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Absolutely!
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One Vasilios was born in the opening day of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City!
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Also, Vasili’s goat Murphy, the Murphy name came from MacMurrough, close to the Murrah name! Crazy world! Murrah was open on the Wednesday, closed on the Wednesday!
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All of the coincidences are so interesting. I think the curse is lifted for sure now!
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Chicago Cubs won on the very weekday (Wednesday) that Murrah was built and came down! Crazy World!
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Also, One Vasilios was born on Texas Independence Day, and one time Governor was Pendleton Murrah! Wow! That is a amazing. Ironically, one Vasili committed the worst mass murder in the history of the world and he died 43 years to the day Karla Faye Tucker was put to death!
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Thank you for your visit and also for the like. 🙂
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Of course, you are welcome!
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I don’t know if there was a curse or not, but that was an awesome series.
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It was! Last night against the Yankees, not so much!
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That was horrible. I don’t know what’s going on, but they need a change.
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