6 Oct 1945: Billy Sianis, goat “curse” Cubs

On this day in 1945, Chicago Cubs fan Billy Sianis brought a goat to Game 4 of the World Series at Wrigley Field. After his pet was denied entry, Sianis placed a curse on the team.

The Cubs lost that series to the Detroit Tigers, 4 games to 3, and have yet to return. They have not won a championship since 1908, the longest drought in professional sports.

Sianis owned a Chicago bar called the Billy Goat Tavern, which still exists today. According to legend, he sent a telegram to Cubs owner Philip Wrigley saying: “You are never going to win a World Series again because you insulted my goat.”

In 2003, the Cubs led the National League Championship Series 3 games to 2 against the Florida (now Miami) Marlins. In the eighth inning, with the Cubs up 3-0 at home, Cubs fan Steve Bartman interfered with a foul fly ball that could have been caught by Cubs outfielder Moises Alou. The Marlins scored 8 runs in the inning, won Game 7, and defeated the New York Yankees in the World Series.

Image: Billy Sianis, goat, and servicemen sharing a drink at the Billy Goat Tavern, Chicago. (The bar’s name predates the incident.)