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Published Jan 17, 2022

Sports Curses

Gary Arndt delves into the captivating world of sports curses, exposing the role of probability and superstition in perceived hexes, from Japan's "Curse of the Colonel" to the Curse of the Bambino. The episode examines famous and obscure curses, revealing the surprising blend of chance and lore that has shaped sports narratives for decades.
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Episode Highlights

  • Bambino Curse

    The Curse of the Bambino is one of the most infamous sports curses in American history, affecting the Boston Red Sox for 86 years. explains that the curse began when the Red Sox sold Babe Ruth, one of baseball's greatest players, to the New York Yankees in 1919. This sale marked the start of a championship drought for the Red Sox, while the Yankees went on to win 26 World Series titles during that period 1.

    The 86-year championship drought of the Red Sox wasn't even the longest one in Major League Baseball.

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    The curse was finally broken in 2004 when the Red Sox won the World Series, ending decades of frustration for their fans.

       

    Cubs' Goat Curse

    The Chicago Cubs endured a 108-year championship drought, attributed to the Curse of the Billy Goat. The curse originated in 1945 when William Sianis and his pet goat were ejected from a World Series game, prompting Sianis to declare that the Cubs would never win again 2. Despite numerous close calls, including infamous incidents like the Steve Bartman interference, the Cubs' misfortunes persisted until 2016.

    As Cubs fans are fond of saying, anyone can have a bad century.

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    Their eventual victory in the 2016 World Series finally lifted the curse, bringing joy to long-suffering fans.

       

    Maroons & Cardinals

    The Pottsville Maroons' curse is a lesser-known but enduring tale in NFL history. In 1925, the Maroons were stripped of their championship after playing an unauthorized game, leading to a curse that supposedly affects the Chicago/St. Louis/Arizona Cardinals, who haven't won a championship since 1947 3. also highlights the Philadelphia curse, linked to the height of the William Pitt statue, which was believed to prevent the city from winning championships until a replica was placed atop new buildings 3.

    The legend says that until the results of the 1925 season are overturned, the Cardinals will never win another championship.

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    These curses illustrate how deeply sports lore can impact teams and their fans.

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