SteveTaleofTwocurses

A Tale of Two Curses

By Steve Brooks

2/1/03

AT WRIGLEY FIELD on October 6, 1945 the Chicago Cubs were hosting the Detroit Tigers in Game 4 of the World Series. The Cubs were leading the series 2-1 and now had four straight games at home. A man named William "Billy goat" Sianis purchased two tickets for this particular game. One was for him and the other, strangely enough, was for his goat Murphy. The ticket vendors refused admittance to Murphy because of a strange odor that could disturb the other patrons. Sianis, out of anger, stormed out and supposedly placed a "hex" on the Chicago Cubs. The Cubs went on to drop three of the four in Wrigley and, in turn, proceed to lose the series in seven games. Philip K. (P.K.) Wrigley wrote a letter to Sianis five years after "The Billy Goat Incident" that stated, "Will you please extend to him (the goat) my most sincere and abject apologies, and ask him not only to remove the hex, but to reverse the flow and start pulling for wins?" Sianis, however, responded in this manner, "I never forgive. And I never forget. The goat died shortly afterwards of a broken heart." After that series the Chicago Cubs have yet to win a National League pennant.

HARRY HARRISON FRAZEE purchased the Boston Red Sox in 1918 from Joseph L. Lannin. Being a successful Broadway producer, Frazee had the money and the Red Sox were fresh off World Series victories in 1915 and 1916. The Sox proved to be the first Major League Baseball dynasty by appearing in and winning five of the first fifteen World Series competitions. Frazee's baseball production appeared to be a safe investment. In 1918 the Sox were to play against the Chicago Cubs in the Series. A young pitcher named George Herman Ruth pitched in two games, winning both, and posted an ERA of 1.06. The Red Sox went on to win the championship four games to the Cubs two. Ruth would go on in 1919 to hit twenty-nine home runs, shattering the previous record of twenty-seven, which was set by the Cubs Ned Williamson in 1884. (The outfield fence for Williamson was only 215 feet away.) After that season the second biggest story, the Chicago White Sox scandal took first, was the selling of Babe Ruth. Ruth headed for bright lights, endless parties, women, and the New York Yankees. And that's where Red Sox history stopped. The Yankees have since won twenty-six World Series while their neighbors down South have won zero. Since Frazee's selling of Ruth for $125,000 (that's it, no players included) and the subsequent failures of the Red Sox in World Series play, a legend has grown to unfathomable heights. "The Curse of the Bambino" would become as familiar around the nation as reality TV and Starbucks coffee.

"GRANT ME ONE sporting wish," wrote Hubert Mizell of the St. Petersburg Times. "I promise October delirium for two great cities with long, extraordinary, frustrating baseball histories." Of course, that wish is to see the Chicago Cubs and Boston Red Sox face each other in the same World Series. Both teams are never again supposed to win a World Series, so just what would happen if that wish were to be granted? "It would, without a doubt, be the single most amazing occurrence in baseball. If not all sports. Two teams that have not won a World Series in over 75 years" said Chris Martini of Boston, MA. "The world would explode," says Cubs fan Chris Risch of Naperville, IL. Fans of both teams are long suffering, the Cubs haven't had a World Series victory since 1908, and the Red Sox haven't won since 1918. "(It could be) the most stimulating, magnetic World Series ever" wrote Mizell.

THE LAST TIME Dusty Baker was seen on a baseball field was during Game 7 of the 2002 World Series. The San Francisco Giants lost, but the race for teams to sign Baker as their next manager was as competitive as the Series itself. During his ten years as the Giants manager he went 840-715 (.540 winning percentage), winning three Manager of the Year awards and has gained managerial respect achieved by no other. Baker will now bring his services to a team that is less successful. The "Loveable Losers." "You've got to eliminate the word 'losing'," says Baker, who brought the Giants into either first or second place every year he managed the team. The task ahead of him seems nearly impossible, even for a manager of his caliber. The Cubs have not had back to back winning seasons since the 1971-1972 seasons. "Why haven't they won?" Baker asks himself. "I don't know. It seems possible. We'll just see. I'm not the Messiah. I know how to win. Hopefully we'll win." Led by the slugging exploits of Sammy Sosa, who has hit 292 home runs the last five years (more than Barry Bond's 239) and a trio of fine young pitchers in Kerry Wood, Matt Clement, and Mark Prior. The future is looking bright for the Chicago Cubs.

THE RED SOX have improved as well, and maybe even more so. New general manager Theo Epstein has the brain, the tools, and the manager to get the Red Sox back into the playoffs. Grady Little, who in his rookie year as Boston's manager won 93 games, hopes key players can stay off the disabled list for the entire ride. Nomar Garciaparra, who committed 25 errors last season, was still recuperating from a wrist injury. Manny Ramirez broke a finger sliding into home plate in Seattle and played in only 120 games. Pedro Martinez was healthy last year and even won 20 games, but the hopes of Red Sox Nation are clinging to his right shoulder. If they can stay healthy that could mean a trip to their first World Series since 1986. As for the Cubs, they could be the surprise team of the year by gaining admittance to their first World Series since 1945. But wait, the Cubs and Red Sox in the same World Series? Together? It has been written in the unwritten Major League Baseball rulebook that neither the Cubs nor the Red Sox shall be entitled to a World Series victory. It's the "Law of the Two Curses." If they played against one another somebody would have to win.

Right?

Sources for this article include, chicagocubs.com; the St. Petersburg Times

If you would like to email Steve regarding his columns, he would love to hear from you.

MAIN



	A Tale of Two Curses By Steve Brooks 2/1/03 AT WRIGLEY FIELD on October 6, 1945 the Chicago Cubs were hosting the Detroit Tigers in Game 4 of the World Series. The Cubs were leading the series 2-1 and now had four straight games at home. A man named William "Billy goat" Sianis purchased two tickets for this particular game. One was for him and the other, strangely enough, was for his goat Murphy. The ticket vendors refused admittance to Murphy because of a strange odor that could disturb the other patrons. Sianis, out of anger, stormed out and supposedly placed a "hex" on the Chicago Cubs. The Cubs went on to drop three of the four in Wrigley and, in turn, proceed to lose the series in seven games. Philip K. (P.K.) Wrigley wrote a letter to Sianis five years after "The Billy Goat Incident" that stated, "Will you please extend to him (the goat) my most sincere and abject apologies, and ask him not only to remove the hex, but to reverse the flow and start pulling for wins?" Sianis, however, responded in this manner, "I never forgive. And I never forget. The goat died shortly afterwards of a broken heart." After that series the Chicago Cubs have yet to win a National League pennant. HARRY HARRISON FRAZEE purchased the Boston Red Sox in 1918 from Joseph L. Lannin. Being a successful Broadway producer, Frazee had the money and the Red Sox were fresh off World Series victories in 1915 and 1916. The Sox proved to be the first Major League Baseball dynasty by appearing in and winning five of the first fifteen World Series competitions. Frazee's baseball production appeared to be a safe investment. In 1918 the Sox were to play against the Chicago Cubs in the Series. A young pitcher named George Herman Ruth pitched in two games, winning both, and posted an ERA of 1.06. The Red Sox went on to win the championship four games to the Cubs two. Ruth would go on in 1919 to hit twenty-nine home runs, shattering the previous record of twenty-seven, which was set by the Cubs Ned Williamson in 1884. (The outfield fence for Williamson was only 215 feet away.) After that season the second biggest story, the Chicago White Sox scandal took first, was the selling of Babe Ruth. Ruth headed for bright lights, endless parties, women, and the New York Yankees. And that's where Red Sox history stopped. The Yankees have since won twenty-six World Series while their neighbors down South have won zero. Since Frazee's selling of Ruth for $125,000 (that's it, no players included) and the subsequent failures of the Red Sox in World Series play, a legend has grown to unfathomable heights. "The Curse of the Bambino" would become as familiar around the nation as reality TV and Starbucks coffee. "GRANT ME ONE sporting wish," wrote Hubert Mizell of the St. Petersburg Times. "I promise October delirium for two great cities with long, extraordinary, frustrating baseball histories." Of course, that wish is to see the Chicago Cubs and Boston Red Sox face each other in the same World Series. Both teams are never again supposed to win a World Series, so just what would happen if that wish were to be granted? "It would, without a doubt, be the single most amazing occurrence in baseball. If not all sports. Two teams that have not won a World Series in over 75 years" said Chris Martini of Boston, MA. "The world would explode," says Cubs fan Chris Risch of Naperville, IL. Fans of both teams are long suffering, the Cubs haven't had a World Series victory since 1908, and the Red Sox haven't won since 1918. "(It could be) the most stimulating, magnetic World Series ever" wrote Mizell. THE LAST TIME Dusty Baker was seen on a baseball field was during Game 7 of the 2002 World Series. The San Francisco Giants lost, but the race for teams to sign Baker as their next manager was as competitive as the Series itself. During his ten years as the Giants manager he went 840-715 (.540 winning percentage), winning three Manager of the Year awards and has gained managerial respect achieved by no other. Baker will now bring his services to a team that is less successful. The "Loveable Losers." "You've got to eliminate the word 'losing'," says Baker, who brought the Giants into either first or second place every year he managed the team. The task ahead of him seems nearly impossible, even for a manager of his caliber. The Cubs have not had back to back winning seasons since the 1971-1972 seasons. "Why haven't they won?" Baker asks himself. "I don't know. It seems possible. We'll just see. I'm not the Messiah. I know how to win. Hopefully we'll win." Led by the slugging exploits of Sammy Sosa, who has hit 292 home runs the last five years (more than Barry Bond's 239) and a trio of fine young pitchers in Kerry Wood, Matt Clement, and Mark Prior. The future is looking bright for the Chicago Cubs. THE RED SOX have improved as well, and maybe even more so. New general manager Theo Epstein has the brain, the tools, and the manager to get the Red Sox back into the playoffs. Grady Little, who in his rookie year as Boston's manager won 93 games, hopes key players can stay off the disabled list for the entire ride. Nomar Garciaparra, who committed 25 errors last season, was still recuperating from a wrist injury. Manny Ramirez broke a finger sliding into home plate in Seattle and played in only 120 games. Pedro Martinez was healthy last year and even won 20 games, but the hopes of Red Sox Nation are clinging to his right shoulder. If they can stay healthy that could mean a trip to their first World Series since 1986. As for the Cubs, they could be the surprise team of the year by gaining admittance to their first World Series since 1945. But wait, the Cubs and Red Sox in the same World Series? Together? It has been written in the unwritten Major League Baseball rulebook that neither the Cubs nor the Red Sox shall be entitled to a World Series victory. It's the "Law of the Two Curses." If they played against one another somebody would have to win. Right? Sources for this article include, chicagocubs.com; the St. Petersburg Times If you would like to email Steve regarding his columns, he would love to hear from you.

		MAIN