The 1945 World Series Loss to Detroit

Lore & Background

The Curse of the Billy Goat originated in this Series before the start of Game 4. Having last won the Series in , the Cubs owned the dubious record of both the longest league pennant drought and the longest World Series drought in history, not winning (or appearing in) another World Series until . The Series was a rematch of the 1935 World Series. In that year's Game 6, Stan Hack led off the top of the ninth inning with a triple, but was stranded. The Cubs lost the game and the Series. Hack was still with the Cubs in 1945. According to Warren Brown's account, Hack was seen surveying the field before the first Series game. When asked what he was doing, Hack responded, 'I just wanted to see if I was still standing there on third base.' To date, the Chicago Cubs have had no personnel from this team elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame.

Reader's Guide

Game 1: The visiting Cubs began with a bang, scoring four times in the first. With two outs and runners on first and third, a passed ball by future Hall of Famer Hal Newhouser scored the game's first run. After an intentional walk, a two-run Bill Nicholson double and Mickey Livingston's RBI single made it 4–0 Cubs. In the third, after a leadoff double, Phil Cavarretta's single and Andy Pafko's double scored a run each.

One out later, Livingston's second RBI single of the game knocked Newhouser out of the game. Cavarretta's two-out home run in the seventh off Jim Tobin made it 8–0. Pafko then singled, stole second, moved to third on a passed ball, and scored the game's last run on Nicholson's single. Hank Borowy pitched a complete-game shutout despite allowing 12 base runners as the Cubs took a 1–0 series lead.

This was the first and only home run hit by the Cubs in the Series and Cavaretta's home run was the last postseason home run hit by a Cub until Bob Dernier did so in Game 1 of the 1984 National League Championship Series. Game 2: The Cubs struck first when Phil Cavarretta doubled with one out in the fourth and scored on Bill Nicholson's single. After 13 innings without a run, Detroit finally got going in a big way in the fifth. Hank Wyse got two outs, before allowing a single and walk.

Doc Cramer's RBI single tied the game before Hank Greenberg's three-run home run put the Tigers up 4–1. Virgil Trucks allowed no other runs in a complete game as the Tigers tied the series at a game apiece. Game 3: Claude Passeau pitched a complete game one-hitter. The Tigers' only hit of the game came with two outs in the second inning off the bat of Rudy York.

The Cubs scored two runs in the fourth off Stubby Overmire on RBI singles by Bill Nicholson and Roy Hughes after a leadoff double and one-out walk. They added another run in the seventh off Al Benton when Mickey Livingston hit a leadoff double, moved to third on a groundout and scored on Claude Passeau's sacrifice fly. They now led the series 2–1. Game 4: The Series shifted to Wrigley Field and the so-called Curse of the Billy Goat began.

Dizzy Trout went the distance for Detroit with a five-hitter. A four-run fourth against Cub starter Ray Prim gave Trout all the runs he needed. After a one-out walk and single, Hank Greenberg's RBI single and Roy Cullenbine's RBI double knocked starter Ray Prim out of the game.

Did You Know?

• The Cubs' World Series record at Wrigley Field after Game 5 stood at 1–10.
• The only other Wrigley victory before 2016 was Game 5 in 1935.