What is a Curse?
It’s not dropping the f-bomb. That’s swearing, and your mama
doesn’t approve. A real curse is like a negative post-hypnotic suggestion reinforced
by circumstance. Effectiveness hinges completely on the gullibility of the
victim and involves a ritual to either enact or retract. All curses rely on
superstition and a certain whack-a-doodle mentality sadly lacking in modern
life. Fortunately, it’s still wildly abundant in the sports world.
Hows About Dem
Cubbies?
Only coma victims haven’t heard the news yet that The Billy
Goat Curse was lifted, and the Cubbies triumphed in the World Series. Hard to
believe, but the Chicago Cubs were once one of the winningest teams in
baseball. When known as the Chicago White Stockings they took the first National
League Championship and had six titles before 1887. Renamed the Chicago Cubs in
1903, success continued. Three years later the team won a record 116 games and
their first pennant. Another pennant and a World Series title came in 1907, and
the following year they were the first team in baseball with back to back World
Series wins. From 1876 to 1945, The Chicago Cubs had 51 winning seasons, 16
first place finishes, and 16 pennants. They racked up two World Series and six
Championship titles. Then it all went south with the dreaded Billy Goat Curse.
The Billy Goat Curse
Legend has it in 1945 William "Billy Goat" Sianis,
owner of the Billy Goat Tavern and a Cubs fan, bought two tickets to Game Four.
Hoping to bring the team good luck he took his pet goat, Murphy, to the game. The
ushers stopped him at the entrance because no animals were allowed. Billy Goat appealed
to the owner of the Cubs, P.K. Wrigley, who replied, "Let Billy in, but
not the goat." When Sianis demanded a reason, Wrigley replied, "Because
the goat stinks." Billy threw up his arms and shouted, "The Cubs will
never win a World Series so long as the goat is not allowed in Wrigley
Field." The curse was cast.
Rituals
A good paranormal writer knows a curse can always be broken.
You just need the right ritual and Cubs fans certainly tried. Over the years
clothing superstitions abounded. One fan website suggested wearing Cubs hats
24/7. Another swore by donning new Cubs apparel, still another only old. For
some, the road to victory was paved with dirty laundry. A smelly faction refused
to clean Cubs shirts or jerseys while the Series continued. A less aromatic
sect washed when the team lost to remove the bad luck. No wonder it took over
75 years to break the curse. The baseball gods were confused by conflicting
ceremonies.
Sacred Offerings
In primitive societies, breaking a curse often involved food,
animals, or magic potions. In Chicago, the closest thing to a magic potion is beer,
but food had its place as well. The 2015 attempt to break the curse featured
five competitive eaters scarfing down 40 pounds of goat meat in 13 minutes at Taco in a Bag on Chicago’s North Side. Fans
cheered them on. “If it works, we’re the smartest people in Chicago,” boasted co-owner
Patrick Bertoletti. It didn’t. The Cubs lost to the Mets. A group called Reverse the Curse Chicago urged fans to
donate dairy goats to impoverished Caribbean families while Heifer
International ran a campaign to raise money to send goats to needy families in
Third World countries.
In the end, what finally broke the curse? Nothing. There are
no curses, silly, only 75 years of lousy baseball followed at last by one
season where a team kept it together to the end. (And a certain writer never
washed a lucky shirt because you never know.)
Batter up.
L. A. Kelley writes fantasy/sci-fi adventure stories with
humor, romance, and a touch of sass. You can connect at
Email: l.a.kelley.author@gmail.com
4 comments:
Lol, loved the post! I wasn't familiar with the story, since I'm a hockey gal and not much into baseball, but oh so true! My hubby refused to wash his hockey jersey for way too long because of 'luck' and his buddies often have 'assigned seats' if their team is winning and they don't want to jinx them.
What a fun post. I didn't know about the Cubbies' curse, even though I am a baseball girl and lived in Chicago for 2 yrs. The whole concept of a curse is fascinating. Sleeping Beauty comes to mind. Revenge against a slight or hurt. How easily it would be to incorporate that concept into a story. Hmmm.
I might be a Mariners fan, but I was SO rooting for the Cubs this year - I really wanted them to break that dang curse! Fun post. :)
LOL! I live with one of the world's biggest Cubs fans (a former Rockford, IL resident), so this had me cracking up from beginning to end! He wears his Cubs jersey ALL THE TIME! And I think, despite what he says, that he had tears in his eyes that night...
Post a Comment