World Series Issues: Why the Chicago Cubs Haven't Succeeded

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After 102 years of failure and disappointment, there have to be some excuses as to why the Chicago Cubs cannot win a World Series, let alone make it to one. Cubs fans have suffered, but remained loyal for inexplicable circumstances, including injuries and blunders. It has been a highlight reel of misfortune. This will discuss the top five reasons as to why the Cubs cannot win.

Management

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Terrible management decisions have led to the Cubs being unable to succeed in the National League. For example, Jim Hendry is on the hot seat in Chicago due to his failing trades and acquisitions such  as the Milton Bradley experiment, the monster seven-year contract given to Alfonso Soriano, and putting to much hope into Kosuke Fukudome. This, along with losing players like Mark DeRosa, who was a great utility player, have squandered the Cubs belief in Hendry.  

Injuries

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Mark Prior and Kerry Wood had the talent to become the best one-two punch in the MLB. However, after numerous Tommy John surgeries, neither remained the force they once had the opportunity to be. Kerry Wood's career highlight is still his twenty strikeout performance, which is tied for the most in a single game in Major League Baseball history, and Mark Prior's career never returned after it derailed. Prior is now trying a stint on the New York Yankees' farm system, and Wood has returned to the Cubs as a reliever. However, the oddest injury between these two would be when Kerry Wood slipped in a hot tub and went on the DL in 2007.

Another odd occurence would be when Sammy Sosa sneezed before a game, giving him back spasms.

Jose Cardenal, who has had two peculiar injuries, was once unable to open his eye after sleeping, and again was kept up by crickets all night, so couldn't play the next day.

 Mark Harkey, who was a promising pitcher in the early 90's, dislocated his knee doing a cartwheel. He had an injury-shrotened career.

Steve Trout, a key pitcher in the Cubs rotation of the 80's, fell off a stationary excersise bike and went on the DL.

Relief pitcher, Mike Remlinger, got his pinky stuck between two recliners, causing him to be unable to hold the baseball properly, putting him on the DL.

These, among other injuries, have been the ridiculous and abnormal injuries that have kept the Cubs from remaining competitive and eventually winning the World Series.

The Curse Of The Billy Goat

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There are many different rumors and assumptions about what happened in 1945 when the Cubs played the Tigers in the World Series. The most common told story is that a man named Billy Sianis brought his goat into Wrigley Field, purchasing tickets for both him and the pet. However, surrounding fans complained of the odor that the goat gave off. Sianis and his goat were thrown out of the building causing Sianis to "curse" the Cubs to never win another World Series in Wrigley Field. To this day, that curse has held true. Fans have tried many different remedies, even bringing a goat into the stadium multiple times to try and "ease the curse." Fans, in 2007, hung a deceased goat corpse on Harry Caray's statue, but the Cubs went on to be swept in the playoffs.

The Black Cat

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After decades of failure, the Cubs were having a winning season in 1969. They had an 8 1/2 game lead squandered to a 1 1/2 game lead over the New York Mets for the division. As they were playing a game against the Mets, a fan released a black cats. For reasons unknown, the cat ran directly towards Ron Santo, glared, and ran into the Cubs dugout. This began a Cubs collapse, as they went 8-17 through the rest of the season and lost the division. Nobody knows who released the cat, or why, but the symbolism is impeccable.

Steve Bartman

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During the 2003 National League Championship Series, the Chicago Cubs had a commanding three games to one advantage at one point over the Florida Marlins. The Cubs were up 3-0 with one out in the eighth, and a foul ball was hit down the left field line. It went slightly into the stands, but not where Moises Alou couldn't reach. Alou stretched his glove over the wall, only to have the ball stolen from him by a infamous fan named Steve Bartman. The man who had to change his identity, his number, and anything able to trace his whereabouts. The Cubs went on to have an abnormal amount of errors everywhere on the field and eventually left the eighth inning trailing 8-3. They lost the game 9-6, and the series. The Cubs haven't won a playoff game since.