(Re-posted from October 22, 2015)

It’s one of those timeless stories – one that you can imagine Vin Scully telling to your grand kids. You’ve probably heard it a dozen times and even more so within the last week or two because it involves the Chicago Cubs. But if you haven’t heard it before, it’s worth hearing (or in this case reading). Heck, even if you have heard it before it’s worth hearing (or reading) again. It’s The Curse of the Billy Goat.

Legend has it that a man named William Sianis, a Greek immigrant who owned a bar on Chicago’s South Side called the Lincoln Tavern, was in his establishment one day when a goat fell off a passing truck and wandered inside the tavern. Not knowing who the goat belonged to, Sianis adopted the animal, which became his pet.

Because of his fondness for his pet goat and because he was rarely seen out of its company, Sianis was given the nickname “Billy Goat” by his regular customers. In fact, he was so enamored with the goat that he grew a goatee and renamed his bar the Billy Goat Tavern. Before long, folks came from near and far to see Sianis’ goat – if for no other reason than to brag to their friends that they had actually been to the now famous tavern and had seen the goat with their own eyes.

Although Sianis’ tavern was actually closer to Comiskey Park – the former home of the Chicago White Sox – than it was to Wrigley Field, Sianis was a huge Cubs fan and bought two tickets to Game-4 of the 1945 World Series between the Chicago Cubs and the Detroit Tigers. The Cubs were up two games to one in the series and in search of their first World Series title since 1908 – a drought of 37 years.

As noted, Sianis took his billy goat with him everywhere he went and Wrigley Field was no exception. As he approached the turnstile to enter the historic ballpark – goat in arms – the attendant told him that he couldn’t bring his pet goat inside because its odor might bother other fans. Sianis was furious, arguing that he had a ticket for both he and his billy goat, but the attendant wouldn’t back down.

Although those around Bill Sianis seem to think that trying to bring a goat into Wrigley Field for Game-4 of the 1945 World Series was funny, no Cubs fans are laughing now. (AP photo)

As the argument continued, a large crowd (aka: witnesses) began to gather, causing Cubs owner P.K. Wrigley to come and see what all the commotion was about. After being informed of the situation, Wrigley replied, “Let Billy in, but not the goat.” When Sianis asked “Why not the goat?” Wrigley answered, “Because the goat stinks.”

At this, Sianis angrily hollered out his now immortal words “Them Cubs, they ain’t gonna win no more,” and left the ballpark (although some say that he tied his goat to a lamppost and went in and watched the game without his pet goat).

Although Billy Goat’s now famous words were certainly subject to interpretation, the Cubs ended up losing that day and the next but won Game-6. They then fell to the Tigers in Game-7, thereby removing any doubt as to what Sianis had meant – he meant that the Cubs would never win another World Series.

Don’t believe in curses? Well check this out:

The Chicago Cubs have not been back to the World Series since 1945 – a span of 70 years. And even though they were prophesized to win the 2015 World Series in the blockbuster movie Back to the Future II, they were swept in four games by the New York Mets in the 2015 National League Championship Series to stretch their World Series championship drought to 107 years.

In that NLCS, Mets second baseman Danial Murphy hit a record-setting six home runs in six consecutive playoff games (unfortunately, two of them were against the Dodgers in the Division Series). Murphy was 9 for 17 (.529) with four home runs, one double and six RBIs in the four game series against the Cubs.

Mets second baseman Daniel Murphy slugs his record-setting sixth home run in six consecutive postseason games to help the Mets sweep the Cubs in the 2015 NLCS.
(Video capture courtesy of TBS)

What does any of this have to do with William “Billy Goat” Sianis and his famed goat, you ask?

The name of Sianis’ goat was Murphy.