Billy Goat Curse
The 71-year curse that began with a goat and ended with a championship.
The Curse of the Billy Goat was a sports curse supposedly placed on the Chicago Cubs MLB franchise in 1945 by Billy Goat Tavern owner William Sianis. The curse lasted 71 years, from 1945 to 2016.
Quick Facts
- Event context
- World Series vs. Detroit Tigers
Lore & Background
During Game 4 of the 1945 World Series at Wrigley Field, Sianis's pet goat, named Murphy, was bothering other fans, and the pair were asked to leave the stadium. Outraged, Sianis allegedly declared, 'Them Cubs, they ain't gonna win no more,' which had been interpreted to mean the Cubs would never win another National League pennant, at least for the remainder of Sianis's life. The Cubs lost the 1945 World Series to the Detroit Tigers and did not win a pennant or World Series championship again until 2016.
The exact nature of the curse differs in various accounts; some state Sianis declared no World Series games would ever again be played at Wrigley Field, while others believe his ban was on the Cubs appearing in the World Series. Sianis's family claims he sent a telegram to owner Philip K. Wrigley reading, 'You are going to lose this World Series and you are never going to win another World Series again. You are never going to win a World Series again because you insulted my goat.'
Reader's Guide
The curse was broken on the 46th anniversary of William Sianis's death when the Cubs defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers 5–0 in Game 6 of the 2016 National League Championship Series to win the NL pennant. The Cubs then defeated the AL champion Cleveland Indians 8–7 in 10 innings in Game 7 to win the World Series, 108 years after their last win.
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