Go Cleveland!
Very odd indeed. I’m going to remember not to insult a Greek with a pet billy goat just to be safe.
The cause was actually the Wrigley family’s refusal to install lighting in Wrigley Field. The Cubs had to play many more day games than the rest of the league as a result, and day games are more tiring — especially for pitchers.
It’s a one in 365 chance to fall on the same day. Really less since baseball is only played 7 months of the year and playoffs are only a month. That said, it seems like more than coincidence. Sort of like Founders dying on the 4th of July. Some things are more than coincidence.
It was a crass publicity stunt on the part of the tavern owner. He brought a pet goat to Wrigley Field telling people that the Cubs had the Tigers’ goat (Chicago was leading the Series 2-1 at the time, but lost in seven games).
Sianis was removed from the ballpark during Game 4 of the World Series. If his hex was so effective, how was it that the Cubs won Game 6 of the same series two days later?
The Billy Goat Tavern used to be a favorite watering hole of newspaper employees when the print media was thriving. They helped perpetuate this myth and the Cubs on field futility kept the story going on for decades.
Two words: Theo Epstein.