By Peter Valentino
Theo Epstein is the architect of the modern Chicago Cubs, one of the top franchises in baseball. (Courtesy of Wikimedia)
No matter what happens from here on out, the World Series will be entertaining. None of the four remaining teams have won a title in at least 23 years, and the last time one of these teams made the World Series was 1997, when the Cleveland Indians lost to the Marlins in seven games.
While these teams are suffering through World Series droughts, some are worse than others. The two most notable cases are the Chicago Cubs with their Curse of the Billy Goat and the Cleveland Indians with their city-wide curse. Neither team has won a World Series in the last 50 years, with the Indians’ last title in 1948 and the Cubs’ last title coming in 1908. With these two teams still in the hunt for this year’s championship, this could be the most interesting possible matchup. In fact, with many circumstances coming together, this could simply be destiny.
The Cubs’ story is well known. The team won it all in 1908 and lost six World Series before 1945, when a goat was denied at the entrance of Wrigley Field and the Cubs lost again. Since then, the team has not won a pennant, coming close in 1984, 1989, 2003 and 2015. From goats to black cats to Bartman, it’s probably the most notable curse in sports, but many believe that its end is nigh. This year’s team had the best pitching staff in baseball, the best lineup in baseball and, ultimately, the best record in baseball. The team beat a postseason juggernaut in the Giants in the NLDS and have moved on to the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NLCS. With Chicago measuring up favorably against the Dodgers, the Cubs are on the brink of returning to the Fall Classic. While the Dodgers have plenty of postseason experience, this budding Chicago dynasty has changed its mentality from the Lovable Losers to a force to be reckoned with, thanks to guys like Theo Epstein and Joe Maddon. This team certainly stacks up favorably against either AL team.
The Indians’ drought is much more interesting, especially recently. After getting swept by the Giants in 1954 (Cue “The Catch”), the team went on a 40-year drought where they didn’t make it to the postseason. The team was very good in the late 90s, however, winning the AL pennant in 1995 and 1997. The team also came close in 2007, but blew a 3-1 series lead to the Red Sox.
Now, the team has one of the best starting pitching rotations in baseball, along with a great manager in Terry Francona and a lineup that produces when it counts. Another factor in their playoff run is their city’s basketball team, the Cavaliers. The city hadn’t won a championship since 1964 — until this past summer, that is, when the Cavs brought home the Larry O’Brien Trophy. As a result, the morale of the city has been boosted and the mentality of success has taken hold of the city, much like how the front office of the Cubs has changed the thinking in Chicago.
With the two curses on the brink of converging at this year’s Fall Classic, it’s almost destiny knowing that one of these droughts could come to an end. This World Series has the potential to be one of the most important in history if the two teams with the longest World Series droughts meet. They’re certainly capable, but whether or not they can execute is another thing.
