Cubs in World Series for first time since 1945
October 23, 2016
The long-cursed Chicago Cubs beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 5-0 on Saturday, clinching the best-of-seven National League Championship Series 4-2 at home to move on to the World Series against the Cleveland Indians.
The Cubs last played in the World Series in 1945 and haven't won the championship since 1908.
The team led the major leagues with 103 wins this year, more wins than any Cubs team since 1910.
According to baseball legend, the Cubs have been under the "Curse of the Billy Goat" since 1945, when the owner of the Billy Goat Tavern, Billy Sianis, was asked to leave the fourth game of the 1945 World Series because the smell of his pet goat was bothering other fans.
Sianis then cursed the Cubs and they haven't reached the World Series since, though they have come close.
In 1984, the Cubs were one win away from beating San Diego, but the Padres came back to win the final three games and advance to the final.
Then in 2003, the curse came back when the Cubs were ahead 3-2 in a best-of-seven series with the Florida Marlins. In that sixth game matchup, the Cubs were ahead 3-0 in the eighth inning when a fan tried to grab a foul ball in the stands and prevented a catch from outfielder Moises Alou.
The Marlins then scored eight runs in the inning, winning the game and the seventh final game to advance to the World Series.
Last year, the Cubs made it to the National League final but were swept by the New York Mets.
cw/cmk (AFP, Reuters)