The Cursed Cubs

   This weekend the Chicago Cubs will face the Phillies for a four game series at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia.  For a team so rich in history, "The North Siders" haven't won a championship since 1908 and haven't even appeared in a Fall Classic since 1945.  This is currently the longest drought in Major League Baseball, but the loyal army of fans still don their blue caps with the red "c" each season in hopes that this will be the year to witness something that so many lifelong Cubs fans have died waiting for.  Year after year however, "The Lovable Losers" have found a way to live up to their nickname and leave grown men crying into their frosted mugs of Old Style brew.  Each October they reluctantly accept their fate and gather at Harry Caray's to watch some other team represent the National League in the World Series.  Cubs fans have been through a lot, and the stories of Ernie Banks, Ron Santo, Harry Caray, Ryan Sandberg, and a kid named Steve Bartman are enough to last until the snow melts and the ivy is once again green on the brick walls at Wrigley.  The warmth of spring is usually a sign of new beginnings, but on the North Side of Chicago the beginning of spring signifies another season of skeptical hope and the feelings that they are rooting for a cursed team. 
  A cursed team is the only way to explain the years of bad luck that has haunted the Cubs.  It all started in 1945, the last World Series appearance for the club, and is known as the Curse of Billy Goat.  That season, the Cubs played the Detroit Tigers in the Series, and Billy Sianis the owner of Billy Goat Tavern in Chicago purchased two tickets for Game 4 at Wrigley Field.  The Cubs were leading the Series 2 games to 1, and Billy took his goat to the game for good luck.  The ushers at the gate, however, did not grant the goat entrance to the stadium, and this prompted Billy to protest the decision to the team owner P.K. Wrigley.  Wrigley's response to the complaint was to let Billy in but not the goat.  When Billy asked why not the goat, Wrigley's answer was because the goat stinks and he didn't want to bother the other fans.  This upset Billy and he stated "The Cubs ain't gonna win no more.  The Cubs will never win a World Series so long as the goat is not allowed in Wrigley Field."  The Tigers went on to defeat the Cubs 4 games to 3 and the Curse of Billy Goat was set.  This change of luck inspired the tavern owner to send a telegram to P.K. Wrigley stating, "Who stinks now?"
   There have been many attempts to break the curse set in 1945, but as of now the Curse of Billy Goat still casts a dark shadow over "The Friendly Confines" of Wrigley Field.  Other curses in the game have been lifted such as The Curse of the Bambino in Boston, but the Chicago Cubs still remain "The Lovable Losers".  The fans are still waiting for that moment in October for the white flag with the blue 'W'  to be raised, and instead of crying because of sadness the "Bleacher Bums" can celebrate together and sing "Go, Cubs, Go!" as the Curse of Billy Goat is reversed forever.