In the crazy world of sports, anything can happen. Some teams go through rough patches and others go through the extremes of a championship drought, or have their problems blamed on decade-long curses. The Cubs have been through it all, even Steve Bartman, and their fans deserve to see the Cubbies win it all this year.
It has been 108 years since the Chicago Cubs won a World Series in 1908. Although they made it to the World Series several more times, this is the first time since 1945.
In that 1945 World Series, the Cubs did not allow William Sianis, a tavern owner, and his goat, Murphy, to come into Wrigley Field even though they both had tickets. They were refused entry primarily because Murphy smelled really bad.
According to USA Today, Sianis proclaimed back in 1945 that, “You are going to lose this World Series, and you are never going to win another World Series again."
The "billy goat curse," among many other hardships, has Cubs fans constantly on edge.
“With Cubs fans, it's almost as if they’re waiting for something to go wrong,” ASU sports journalism professor Brett Kurland said.
Many fans are cautious following the infamous Steve Bartman, Moises Alou play in 2003 that seemingly robbed the Cubs of making the World Series that year. Alou, an outfielder, was reaching for the baseball that, if caught, would've resulted in an out against the Florida Marlins. Unfortunately, Bartman, a fan, interfered with the play and deflected the ball himself, resulting in a foul ball and stopping play. From that point forward, the Cubs performance declined until they ultimately lost, 8-3.
This year, fans can't ignore the number 108. There are 108 stitches on a baseball. The Cubs began their playoff run by getting a homer off Johnny Cueto on the 108th pitch. When the Cubs began this World Series, they were, potentially, 108 outs away from winning it all.
ASU mathematics professor Jenifer Boshes, Ph.D, is a die-hard Cubs fan from Illinois.
“(Being a fan) was just born into me. I was forced into this lifestyle as a child," Boshes said.
Loyal fans like Boshes have been through a lot as they’ve experienced disappointing season after season. Being a Cubs fan is, as Boshes would say, “not an easy path to take.”
Cubs fans love their boys, and they all deserve a championship. There are diehard fans that have gone their entire lives without seeing the Cubs go to the World Series, until now. There are a handful of fans who witnessed that 1945 World Series that are still alive, but even they have never seen their team win it all.
“The people I have a lot of respect for are the ones who are fans of a team no matter what,” Kurland said. “Whether the team is losing 100 games or winning 100 games, those to me are real hardcore sports fans.”
Even though it may get hard to keep believing through everything the Cubs have endured over the past century, these fans never lose their faith.
“(During the game 1 lose) my 10-year-old nephew texted me and said ‘Aunt Jen, I’m losing faith in the Cubs,'” Boshes said. “And I replied to him and said, ‘Bennet, you can’t lose faith because being a Cubs fan is what makes you a strong, loyal person.’ That’s what it’s like being a Cubs fan. It’s to constantly be on the edge of oh no, oh no, but this makes me a better person.”
Sports are often unpredictable. At one point, the Indians were up 3-1 in the series, but as of last night, are only up 3-2. We have already seen the Warriors win the NBA Western Conference Finals after Thunder blew a 3-1 lead in the series. Then the Warriors blew a 3-1 lead in the NBA Finals, handing the championship to the Cavaliers. Perhaps this year is the year of the 3-1 blown leads, and maybe the Cubbies will be the third team this year to overcome the obstacle and win the series.
These fans never stop believing in their team, and you know that they will continue to cheer on the Cubs no matter what happens. Regardless, I hope they get to see their team finally win the World Series.
