Quick History
The World Series for Major League Baseball was first played in 1903. The two teams that play each other in the World Series come from opposite Leagues; one from the American League and the other from the National League. Founded in 1876, The National League is the world’s oldest current professional team sports league. The American League was founded 25 years later. Within the past 111 years of the World Series matchups, teams from the National League have won 47 of those games. This year the National League team is the Chicago Cubs and their opponent from the American League is the Cleveland Indians.
World Series Matchup 2016
This year the Cubs and Indians played each other in the 7 game series to see who really is the best team of the season. Winning repeat World Series Championships is nearly impossible; the last team to do it was the New York Yankees in 1999 and 2000. What makes this year’s game so interesting? Both the Cubs and the Indians combined have not won a World Series Championship game in over 174 years. The Chicago Cubs have had 107 consecutive seasons without a championship whereas Cleveland Indians have had 67 seasons resulting in championship-free finishes. According to urban legend, the Cubs have been cursed ever since their last World Championship appearance in 1945 all because of a goat.
The Legend of the Cubs and the Billy Goat Curse
On October 6, 1945 the Chicago Cubs were set to play the Detroit Tigers in game 4 of the 7 game series for the World Championship title. A man named Billy Sianis had a ticket for himself as well as his bar’s mascot Murphy the goat. The establishment that he owned was called Billy Goat Tavern. He used the goat, which he rescued, as an advertisement and a staple at his tavern. He headed to Wrigley Stadium with tickets and goat in hand, and this is where the stories start to differ. Some people say they wouldn’t let him and the goat into the stadium at all, whereas others say he was in the stadium but it started to rain and fans began to complain about the goat’s stench. Either way, Billy Sianis was so upset that he couldn’t enjoy game 4 with his beloved pet goat that he cursed the Chicago Cubs, saying: “The Cubs will never win a World Series so long as the goat is not allowed in Wrigley Field.”
Game 7 World Series November 2, 2016 Recap
Going into game 7 both the Indians and the Cubs had won 3 games each. The highest scoring game was game 6 with the Cubs winning 9-3. At the start of the game the Cubs came out strong, getting a run on the board courtesy of Dexter Fowler with his home run (what an awesome way to start off Game 7, just sayin’). Inning 2 was uneventful with neither the Cubs nor Indians scoring. The Indians rally back in the bottom of the third tying up the ball game with a line drive from Carlos Santana.
The Cubs retaliated at the top of the fourth with Addison Russel up to bat and Kris Bryant bringing it home. Ben Zobrist is still on base from the previous play with Wilson Contreras up to bat. Ben Zobrist brings it home with a fly ball to center field from Contreras. Top of the fifth Cubs score twice with Javier Baez hitting a home run. During the bottom of the fifth, Indians score twice. Heading into the sixth inning with Cubs up 5-3, David Ross, a 39-year-old playing his last season in the MLB, is up to bat. David Ross hits a home run and is the oldest MLB player to ever hit a home run in game 7 of the series.
History continues to be made as the game goes on. As if the World Series game wasn’t intense enough right off the bat being the 7th game with two teams who have not won a championship in such a long time, in the 8th inning Indians Rajai Davis hits a home run with two guys on base. The score is tied up again at 6-6! Courtesy of a rain delay around the 9th inning and a tied score, which literally almost made me pull my hair out, the teams had another inning of baseball to play. Cubs then had two men on base and Ben Zobrist up to bat. He hit a ground ball to left field, and Cubs score again! Indians walked Addison Russel making the bases loaded and Miguel Montero up to bat. Rizzo scores and the Cubs are up 8-6.
Indians are now up to bat and if they do not tie up the game before they get three outs, the Cubs win the World Series for the first time in 108 seasons. On two outs, Cubs intentionally walk Brandon Guyer and Rajai Davis is up to bat again. He smacks a line drive to center field and Brandon Guyer adds another run to the Indians score board making the game 8-7 with the Cubs still in the lead. The entire stadium is on their feet. Indians Michael Martinez is up to bat with 2 outs already on the board. He hits a groundball to third baseman Kris Bryant, who throws to first baseman Anthony Rizzo and that’s it; Cubs win the World Series! You can check out some post-game interviews in the locker room while the team showers themselves in champagne and beer here.