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Not-So-Great Moments In Cubs History

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: June 17, 2008

NOT-SO-GREAT MOMENTS IN CUBS HISTORY

THE CURSE OF THE BILLY GOAT (1945): In 1945, tavern owner Billy Sianis bought box seat tickets for Game 4 of the World Series and brought his pet goat to Wrigley Field. When it began to rain, the odor of wet goat prompted Cubs officials to eject Sianis and his pet. Enraged, Sianis purportedly placed a curse upon the franchise; no Cubs team would appear in the World Series until the franchise demonstrated the proper respect to all goat-kind. The Cubs haven't been to the World Series since, despite many attempts by fans and even Sianis' descendents to break the curse.

THE CURSE OF THE BLACK CAT (1969): Chicago led the NL East by nine games on Aug. 16. On Sept. 9, with the lead cut to a half-game, the Cubs played the second-place Mets at Shea Stadium. While Cubs 3B Ron Santo was on deck, a black cat got loose on the field and paraded around the visiting dugout. Tom Seaver gave New York the victory and first place, and the Mets never looked back.

ONE WIN AWAY (1984): After taking a 2-0 lead in the best-of-five 1984 NLCS, the Cubs traveled to San Diego and lost three in a row. It was an anticlimactic finish to Chicago's first postseason experience since '45.

THE CURSE OF STEVE BARTMAN (2003): With the Cubs leading the Marlins, 3-0, in the eighth inning of Game 6 in the NLCS, a World Series berth seemed all but assured. But with one out, Luis Castillo lifted a foul ball down the left-field line and history was changed. Cubs fan Steve Bartman rose to his feet and tried to catch the ball as LF Moises Alou thrust his glove over the bricks and into the first row. No fan interference was called, but Alou's subsequent tantrum turned Bartman's fellow fans against him. As he was escorted out under guard, the Marlins took advantage of an error by SS Alex Gonzalez and scored eight runs to force a Game 7. The Cubs lost that one too, and Bartman became anathema on the North Side.

SAMMY'S CORKED BAT (JUNE 3, 2003): With the Tampa Bay (Devil) Rays in town for the first time, Cubs RF Sammy Sosa faced RHP Jeremi Gonzalez in the first inning. Gonzalez sawed off the slugger, and Sosa's bat shattered. Rays C Toby Hall was the first to spot the odd, corky substance imbedded in the cracked barrel of Sosa's bat. Sosa was ejected and his bats were confiscated. No further cork was found, and Sosa insisted the corked bat was just for putting on a show for fans during batting practice.

GREAT ACHIEVEMENTS IN CUBS HISTORY

1876 NL CHAMPIONSHIP: Behind the batting of Cap Anson (.356) and the pitching of Al Spalding (47-12, 1.75 ERA), the then-White Stockings went 52-14 and won the inaugural NL championship.

1907-08 WORLD SERIES: With Tinker, Evers and Chance turning double plays, and Three Finger Brown on the mound, the Cubs defeated the Detroit Tigers in consecutive Fall Classics.

HACK WILSON'S RBI RECORD (1930): Three years after Lou Gehrig set the major-league record with 175 RBIs for the Yankees, the Cubs' center fielder shattered the record with 191 RBIs in 155 games. Gehrig made a run at the record in 1931 with 184 (still the AL record), but Wilson's major-league record still stands.

HOMER IN THE GLOAMIN': The Cubs trailed the Pirates by a half-game on Sept. 28, 1938. As the sun set on Wrigley Field, the teams were tied at 5 in the bottom of the ninth. Cubs catcher Gabby Hartnett gave Chicago the game and first place with a walk-off home run into the gloom.

1984 NL EAST CHAMPIONSHIP: With 24-year-old 2B Ryne Sandberg coming into his prime and with P Rick Sutcliffe going 16-1 after a midseason trade with the Indians, Manager Jim Frey guided the Cubs into the postseason for the first time since 1945.

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