Do you believe in baseball curses?

Question

The Curse of the Bambino for example…how do you explain the numerous times the Red Sox would be so close to winning, then the tide would turn all of a sudden. And get this: In 2004, when Manny Ramirez hit that foul ball that hit that kid in the face (who lived in a place that had been owned by Babe Ruth), the Yankees got demolished by the Indians 22-0 that same day. That was the day the curse broke. And how the Red Sox became the first team to come back from being down 3 games to 0, to defeat the Yanks in the ALCS, the final game of the World Series taking place during an eclipse, and the final out was Edgar Renteria, who wore number 3, Babe Ruth’s number with the Yanks…lots of strange things happened that year, it couldn’t have been coincidences there was definitely a curse. I wonder when the Cubs will break the Billy Goat Curse.

Answer 1

I see that the debating is well underway...

Let me first say; how curious it is that a Cardinal fan asks the question. It almost feels like regardless of the answer, its one more chance for you to take that dagger that's been placed nicely in our hearts for many years, and give it another turn. Thanx! ;-)

So to answer your question, I guess I'd have to say it depends on the day. Right now, sitting here in the off season, I'll pose that argument that any and all of the coincidences that people pick out are just coincidences. If you consider how many possible types or "things" slash “occurrences” slash whatever, if you reach hard enough you can find a coincidence for anything. I mean come on. You know, the Billy Goat was related to Jim the Goat, who was owned by Lou Brock’s uncle. …or something. With 40,000 or more people attending these games, 50 players, 15 to 20 coaches, etc, you’re bound to find some coincidences if you look hard enough.

For example, just recently we heard about the Ohio state lottery in which the pick 4 happened to be 4-2-3-9 on the day OSU beat Michigan. Okay, I agree that's interesting and realize the odds are 10,000 to 1. However, the probability of this coincidence happening is the same for every football game, and how often do you hear about it? ...oh, maybe about once in every 10,000 football games.

I do, however believe in "pressure" and that players think about these types of curses; and that it can impact the way they play. I'm sure as much as they would refuse to admit it, there were Cub players in Game 6 of the '03 NLCS thinking about the curse after the Bartman incident, for which I actually blame Moises-pee-on-your-hands-Alou for his blowing up more than anyone. I wonder what would have happened if he would have just thought "bummer," and ran back out into left field.

So in those terms, yes, curses certainly exist in some context. Regardless, its always a fun question and makes for an interesting debate, and I guess none of us will never really know the answer until we die and meet our Maker. I don’t know about you guys, but I’ll put seeing my dead relatives on the back burner until I get the chance to ask the big Guy the answer to this question.

...and now tha I’ve left my little place on the debate, it can now continue.

Answer 2

No curses just some really good baseball and some really suckass baseball. Except in the cubs case where they have played 110% crap baseball for almost 100 years, and then made excuses like some old greek walked a goat aroung the park some 65+ years ago, or it was the fans fault they lost in 2003 booo hooo
Completely
Useless
By the
Second inning

Answer 3

There is no such thing as curses. They are just coincidences that were magnified and overblown due to a book written by a certain Curly-Haired Bastard.

How about this: 2004 ALCS Game 3 Final Score:
19 - 8

Now let's turn that hyphen a little bit.
19 / 8

And a little more...
19 1 8

1918!

The last time they won the World Series!!

Lincoln had a secretary named Kennedy, Kennedy had a secretary named Lincoln!

Answer 4

I don't believe in any curses, but I think that the curses that are discussed do still have an effect. If you didn't believe in curses, then you'd think of something like, say... a fan interfering with a foul ball that's in the seats, as a pretty common occurrence, bad luck, something to move on from. If you do believe in curses, then you hang your head, say here we go again, and give up 8 runs to blow a late lead and lose the game big. Not naming any names, just something that I could see happening

Answer 5

I do not beleive in curses. But I do beleive that a lot of ballplayers beleive in curses and superstition, which can play with the mind, good or bad. If a player is on a roll or in the zone and folows the same superstition, wears the same socks or eats fish for dinner every night before the game while on a roll, it might loosen him up or give him confidence. Or just the opposite if a player truely beleives they or he is cursed, they may not be able to get it out of the mind, thus goes into a slump.

Answer 6

THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS CURSES. For the last 80 yrears, the Red Sox have come close but money always wins. They had a good team in '04 and after losing 3-0, the yankees started to let up and go easy and relax. BAD IDEA. The red sox come through in a close 1 and curses are no explination. It is a state of mind and thats it

Answer 7

The poor Cubs have to be cursed. I been a Cubs fan as long as I can recall and it's always a let down. I think 2003 was the worst. And that was not Bartmen's fault.

Answer 8

In 1986 Bruce Hurst became the first left handed pitcher to win a game for the Red Sox in the World Series since Babe Ruth did so. Rearrange the letters in Hurst's name and you get B RUTH CURSE.

Curse or no curse, try explaining away that one...

Answer 9

I'm not normally the superstitious type, however, I have a favorite shirt to wear on game day and if my team wins, I wear that shirt again, until they lose, then I might switch shirts, and because the Yankees had a tough time putting together winning streaks last year, I went through alot of shirts.

(I just realized that I am glad that there are no English majors here, because that posting was one, monstrous run on sentence)


Edit:

YIKES! I'm posting #13

Answer 10

I don't believe in curses. They are all myths that have come to the national spotlight. Playing hard, having good coaching and having the right players is what it takes to win a Series.