Cursed of Simply Unlucky?

I am not one who believes in such superstitions as curses, especially in the realm of sports. However, one has to wonder what exactly has befallen the Cubs franchise throughout their history. To date, the Cubs are in their 133rd season, as they played their very first game on April 25, 1876. Throughout those 133 years, they have managed to win two World Series championships. Furthermore, the franchise made their last appearance in a World Series and last in the twentieth century in 1945, eventually losing to the Detroit Tigers. In total, the Cubs won the NL pennant four times in the twentieth century, which leads into my analysis of whether their losing ways is a curse or a simply a case of bad luck.

Undoubtedly, the most success that the Cubs franchise has ever had occurred from 1906 to 1908. The 1906 team won a major league record of 116 games, but would eventually lose to their cross-town rivals in the World Series. 1907 would bring the team 110 wins and their first ever World Series title by sweeping the Detroit Tigers. 1908 brought the team less wins in the regular season, only 99, but it was enough to propel them into the World Series against the Tigers once again. They would eventually win the series 4-1. But as we know, this was the last time the Cubs franchise would win a World Series title. Many forget about 1945, as the Cubs won 98 games and would go onto lose the World Series 4-3 against the Detroit Tigers (again).

Since 1945, the Cubs have never made it back to the World Series. In 1969, the team was the preferred choice to win it all, but a monumental collapse left the Cubs 8 games out. Obviously, we are all familiar with the NLCS collapse of 2003 against the eventual World Series champion Florida Marlins. Lou Pinella would lead the team to an NL central division crown in 2007. However, the team was easily dispatched in the first round (NLDS) by the Arizona Diamondbacks.

That of course brings us to this year, a 97 win season and another central division championship. Many thought that this would be year for a variety of reasons, mainly because it was the first time since the fabled 1907 and 1908 seasons that the Cubs had made the playoffs in back to back years. Dominant hitting and pitching have been key throughout the year, but just like last year, both the offense and defense have hit a figurative brick wall in the first round. At the time of this writing, the Cubs are down 0-2 to the LA Dodgers in the NLDS. Not to stick a fork in them too early, but things are not looking up and defeat is likely unless they can pull off a miracle.

As one can see from above, the latest teams to have made the playoffs had to play a 162 game regular season, while the other teams to make the playoffs and win the World Series only had to play a 154 game season. It is a long season and winning that many games is an incredible feat. Yet one has to wonder, especially this year, with such a dominant team, how are they are down 0-2 to a team who struggled to win their division? Is everyone tired? Has the figurative magic run its course? No one really knows or will ever know for that matter. Personally, I lean towards the theory that the team is tired from the long season and are simply out of the magic and luck that a great team needs to win it all.