SENTINEL WATCH November 10, 2003 Issue

No curse to reverse

By Jonathan McCardell

WHEN THE LEAVES START TO TURN in New England, the thoughts of many Americans turn to playoff baseball. This year was no different as the New York Yankees squared off against the Florida Marlins in the 100th anniversary of the World Series.

While this was exciting in itself, the country was even more enthralled in the week previous to the two League Championship series that featured the National League's Chicago Cubs and the Boston Red Sox from the American League. Not only was interest high because of the quality of play and the different personalities on the teams, but there was an underlying reason as well. For the past 50 years or so, much has been made of the "curses" that have seemed to befall these teams. Many baseball fans talk widely about how these teams are hexed and will never win another World Series (the Cubs last won the World Series in 1908, the Red Sox in 1918). Last month, it seemed every newspaper and every TV station asked: Would these two teams survive their cursed existence?

In their respective pennant-clinching series, each team was very close to going to the World Series, and, in each case, the teams gave up the lead and the chance to advance. Many around the US continued with talk of curses, but I refused to accept that concept, no matter how many people suggested it.