Baseball is full of superstitions. There have been plenty of “curses” on teams throughout history, but the Chicago Cubs’ Billy Goat Curse is certainly one of the more peculiar ones.
ScreenRant’s Eidhne Gallagher went into detail about this bizarre story, which began in 1945 when a tavern owner and his pet goat weren’t allowed into Wrigley Field during the World Series. What followed was decades of heartbreak, near-misses, and one of the most dramatic championship droughts in sports history.
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The Origins and Legacy of the Cubs’ Billy Goat Curse
In 1945, William Sianis, owner of the Billy Goat Tavern, purchased tickets to Game 4 of the World Series between his Cubs and the Detroit Tigers. His plan included bringing his pet goat Murphy along to enjoy the contest. Stadium ushers had different ideas, refusing entry to the four-legged fan due to concerns about disturbing others.
Sianis didn’t take the rejection quietly, allegedly declaring that the Cubs would never win another World Series. At this point, Chicago had already gone nearly 40 years without a title, last winning it all in 1908. The immediate impact of Sianis’ declaration was swift – Chicago lost that 1945 series to Detroit, and what followed was an unbelievable drought that seemed to defy statistical probability.
The curse evolved into a cultural phenomenon. Fans embraced the legend, sometimes bringing goats to games in attempts to reverse the hex. The Billy Goat Tavern became a pilgrimage site for Cubs faithful, while the curse explanation provided a convenient scapegoat for decades of struggles and near-misses.
Baseball’s Longest Championship Droughts in History
The Cubs’ suffering wasn’t unique in baseball, but its duration was unmatched. Here are the five longest championship droughts in MLB history:
- Chicago Cubs, 108 years (1908-2016): The Cubs beat out the next closest drought (also a Chicago team!) by 20 years, which makes it even more impressive. And this drought began after back-to-back World Series victories in 1907 and 1908.
- Chicago White Sox, 88 years (1917-2005): The White Sox experienced their own lengthy wait before finally breaking through with a dominant World Series sweep of the Houston Astros in 2005 (no matter what ESPN thinks).
- Boston Red Sox, 86 years (1918-2004): Boston had to deal with the Curse of the Bambino, along with their own set of near-misses/heartbreak over the years. And heck, they had to overcome a 3-0 deficit in the 2004 ALCS against the New York Yankees before sweeping the St. Louis Cardinals in the Fall Classic.
- Philadelphia Phillies, 77 years (1903-1980): Philly’s 1980 title was their first since being established in 1883. However, their drought was “only” 77 years because the first World Series wasn’t played until 1903. A bit of a loophole there.
- Cleveland Indians/Guardians, 76 years (1948-present): Ah, yes — the only active drought among this list. They’ve had opportunities to break it but have come up short in 1995, 1997, and 2016.
Today’s Longest Active Championship Droughts
The current landscape of championship droughts tells a different story, with several franchises still chasing their first titles. Here are the longest active droughts from most to least painful:
- Cleveland Guardians, 76 years (1948-present): Even though they’ve only been the Guardians for a few years, the weight of this organization’s drought still weighs on the team and city.
- San Diego Padres, 56 years (1969-present): The Padres are doing what they can to win their first title, but for now, this is the longest drought for a team still searching for its first championship.
- Seattle Mariners, 48 years (1977-present): Seattle entered MLB in 1977 and still hasn’t even reached a World Series, making their existence without a championship one of the most notable.
- Milwaukee Brewers, 53 years (1970-present): Milwaukee did celebrate a championship with the Braves in 1957, but they haven’t had the pleasure of seeing the Brewers go all the way since they were established.
- Colorado Rockies: 31 years (1993-present): The Rockies are one of MLB’s newer franchises, but the Marlins have won two titles despite being established at the same time. And with Colorado potentially enduring a historic season of futility in 2025, they don’t seem any closer to getting over the hump.
Breaking the Unbreakable: Chicago’s 2016 Miracle
Chicago’s 2016 championship rewrote the narrative of what seemed impossible in sports. Their victory over the Cleveland Indians in seven games provided the perfect Hollywood ending, which included dramatic late-game homers, a rain delay, and extra innings before Kris Bryant slung the ball across the diamond to record the last out and send an entire fan base into a frenzy.
The curse-breaking element added layers of meaning beyond a typical championship. Fans who had waited generations finally witnessed their team reach the promised land, while the Billy Goat Tavern became ground zero for one of Chicago’s greatest parties.
Today, the Cubs’ Billy Goat Curse serves as a reminder that in baseball — possibly more than any other sport — hope springs eternal, and even the most incredible obstacles can eventually be overcome.
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