Billy Sianis and his Billy Goat Murphy are Ejected from Game Four of the 1945 World Series, Starting the 'Curse of the Billy Goat'
The curse was allegedly placed on the Cubs during the 1945 World Series by Billy Goat Sianis himself.
Sianis happened to be a Cubs fan and attempted to bring his goat "Murphy" into Game 4. Murphy even had his own ticket. The pair was let in and Billy Goat paraded Murphy around the visitors dugout but, as soon as owner P.K. Wrigley was told of the goat, P.K. had both Cub fans ejected because of the goat's smell. In retaliation, Sianis cast a hex over the Cubs by proclaiming: "Cubs, they not gonna win anymore." The Detroit Tigers went on to win the '45 Series and the Cubs have never been back.
October 6th, a sad day in Cubs history. The Cubs entered game four of the World Series leading the Detroit Tigers 2 games to 1, and needing to win only two of the next four games played at Wrigley Field. A local Greek, William "Billy Goat" Sianis, owner of the Billy Goat Tavern and a Cubs fan, bought two tickets to Game four. Hoping to bring his team good luck he took his pet goat, Murphy, with him to the game. At the entrance to the park, the Andy Fran ushers stopped Billy Goat from entering saying that no animals are allowed in the park. Billy Goat, frustrated, appealed to the owner of the Cubs, P.K. Wrigley. Wrigley replied, "Let Billy in, but not the goat." Billy Goat asked, "Why not the goat?" Wrigley answered, "Because the goat stinks." According to legend, the goat and Billy were upset, so then Billy threw up his arms and exclaimed, "The Cubs ain't gonna win no more. The Cubs will never win a World Series so long as the goat is not allowed in Wrigley Field." The Cubs were officially cursed.
Sianis, 33, sits down at one of the Billy Goat's dinette sets to explain that, no, his family holds no ill will against the Cubs. And Cubs fans understand that, which is why his restaurant has not been torched. The curse, he says, was his great uncle's beef with Cubs owner P.K. Wrigley over kicking out Murphy at Game Four of the 1945 World Series, even though the goat had its own $7.20 box seat ticket. For years, Chicago Stadium had allowed Sianis to bring Murphy to hockey games, boxing matches, the circus, or whatever else was going on there. So why not Wrigley?
