Baseball is known as a classic American sport to many. Being one of the most watched sports today, you probably hear about the sport occasionally. And with such a big and old sport, there are many myths and curses around it. So I’m here to highlight some things which I have found interesting.
The creation of baseball has no specific date. Over the years, there have been many proclaimed creators, and they have all been disputed about. A popular theory is that Abner Doubleday, a later on Civil War hero, invented it during a summer in 1939, although this theory is one that I have significantly seen disproven and declared a myth. One thing that is agreed on is that the sport was created in the 19th century while originating from earlier games. I’ll settle with knowing that MLB (Major League Baseball) was founded in 1903 and that the Cincinnati Red Stockings were the first all-professional team in 1869.
Like myths, curses are obscure things that have happened over history, except curses usually seem more coincidental whereas myths are normally highly debated about. One of the most famous curses is the “Curse of the Billy Goat.” This curse was placed upon the Chicago Cubs on the fateful day of October 6, 1945, when Billy Goat Tavern owner William Sianis was asked to leave the stadium due to complaints about his goat’s smell (yes, he brought a goat to a ball game). William Sianis is said to have been made and declared that the Cubs would win no longer. The Cubs were playing at home against the Detroit Tigers that day while having a 2-1 game lead against them. They proceeded to lose that game and all World Series afterward (including the 1945 one), that is until they won the 2016 World Series and the curse was declared to be lifted. Although the curse was placed in 1945, the Cubs had not won a game since 1908, making it 108 years since their last game. Many other courses are in baseball lore, some even connected to players like famous Babe Ruth. On that note, here are some popular baseball players:
Babe Ruth: One of the most famous baseball players, George Herman “Babe” Ruth Jr. played in the Major Leagues from July 11, 1914, to May 30, 1935. He played for the Boston Red Sox from 1914-1919 and the New York Yankees from 1920-1934. He also played for the Boston Braves in 1935; it is the twilight of his career. Babe Ruth gained most of his fame being in the Yankees, where he had finalized his position as a batter and outfielder, although mostly having played as a pitcher earlier in his career. Babe Ruth currently holds 3rd place in career home runs as well as 3 of the longest standing records. Babe Ruth is one of the five initial Baseball Hall of Fame members and had his number, 3, removed from the Yankees’ playable numbers.
Jackie Robinson: Famously known for breaking the color line, Jackie Robinson played in Major League Baseball under the then Brooklyn Dodgers (Now Los Angeles Dodgers) from April 15, 1947, to October 10, 1956. The color line was a barrier made apparent in the early 20th century where professional teams wouldn’t make contracts with people of African descent. Robinson’s story wasn’t all happy, to no one’s surprise. Playing during a time where the United States was greatly racist and still had segregation laws was no easy feat. He had to go through things from name callings to death threats, but he couldn’t retaliate. Jackson had agreed with Branch Rickey, the Dodgers’ General Manager (who hired him), to not retaliate against any people abusing him, at least for his rookie year. Other than breaking the baseball barrier, Robinson was also a great player and won the first-ever Rookie of the Year award. After baseball, Robinson continued his life as a member of the NAACP, is a social activist, and helping lead and build businesses like the now-closed Freedom National Bank.
There are many movies about baseball, and it’s players, but one of the most popular ones is The Sandlot. The movie is based on the summer of 1962 and follows new kid Scotty Smalls’ struggle to establish his life and the adventures he has with his eventually found friends. The movie, made in 1993, was a quick classic and continues to get attention even today. In fact, the MLB Network will be airing it next Sunday (1/27/19). Although being a sports-comedy film, it is also a coming-of-age story that captivates “the good times” in someone’s life while hiding bigger troubles. The story it describes is a one that welcomes you into a world of nostalgia, which is probably the reasons many people love it today. And there’s always the memes.
Baseball Stories
By: Juan Lopez