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The Curse of the Goat

As the Cubs move deeper into October baseball than they have for some time many in Chicago are wary of a “curse” they believe hangs over them. Supposedly, in 1945 a farmer was denied entrance into a game with his billy goat and put some sort of hex on the team which came to be known as the curse of the billy goat. I agree there may be a curse, but I strongly disagree as to its nature. The true curse of the Cubs has to do with the most odious chapter in the history of baseball; segregation.

       Until the late 1880’s black players were allowed to play professionally. That ended, in large part due to the resistance of one Cap Anson, the greatest of the early Cub players, a 3000 hit Hall of Famer. In the barnstorming games prevalent in that time, Anson refused to take the field against black players, and this type of exclusion became a very regretful custom. Any Cub or baseball historian worth his salt is aware of this, and the Chicago team has never apologized or even acknowledged it to this day, and they should. Because if you believe in curses you have to believe in the need for relief, and here's the one I propose. If the Cubs (hopefully) make it to the World Series, at game three in Wrigley Park they should invite every living member of the Negro baseball leagues. That would be an exorcism for the baseball ages and for tolerance. And as to the Curse of the Goat: baaaah