As our series on those supposed “Cubbie Curses” that have prevented the Chicago Cubs from winning the World Series all these years continues, one of the stops has to be Wrigley Field. After all, the Cubs have not won a World Series since they began calling Wrigley their home. Both World Series titles came while the Cubs played in the West Side grounds. Could there possibly be something about Wrigley which has stood between the Cubs and success all these years? Could the crowned jewel of the Cubs fan base be the reason they have not tasted post season glory in over a century? Most logical fans would say no, but this series is not about being logical.
In this look at Wrigley’s possible role in the Cubs century long failure, I will give you a couple of possible reasons why using Wrigley as the scapegoat could make sense to those who are looking for reasons other than the players, managers and owners.
Most Cub fans know their Wrigley Field history, and know where their prized ball park was built. Where the beautiful field now stands (on Clark and Addison), there used to be a Lutheran Seminary. The residents at the time would have been considered “Holy People” and they populated the area which at one time hosted the Theological Seminary of the Evangelical Lutheran Church.
One of the reasons Charles Weeghman particularly loved the location of the Seminary and wanted the place to be the home of his new stadium was because of how close the place was to public transportation. The El train was already there and would make coming to watch the Cubs very easy, just as they are today. With this visualization at hand, Weeghman decided to purchase the property to build his ball park. He made an honest offer to the lands owner, and the deal was agreed upon. There has never been an issue with the sale of the land by either side.
After the deal was made official, Weegman used a wrecking ball to knock down three buildings which were already standing on what was now his property. When all was said and done, Weeghman had knocked over the building used for the residents, as well as the school and library buildings. In a place which was once known for virtues and morals, a ball park was built. At that ball park they served alcoholic beverages to customers who would have been seen as the “unruly heathens“ and dirty “sinners“.
Now, can you think of Anyone who might have had some sort of beef with Weeghman and the Cubs taking over a land which was known to be holy, only to serve the wicked alcoholic beverages to the sinners of the day? Being a religious man who is somewhat familiar with the Old Testament prophets, you cannot drive out some of God’s servants without inviting into your lives a curse of some sort which will wreak havoc.
If that unusual aspect of Wrigley’s history does nothing for you, and you are able to easily brush that theory off, then I congratulate you. But let’s go back in time even farther. Let’s go back to a time well before the Lutheran Seminary was built.
Could the real reason why the Cubs have failed year after year to win a World Series at Wrigley be because the place is haunted? Forget for a moment that there are countless Cub fans who have found ways to sprinkle their departed relatives ashes on the ball park. One of which, is Charlie Grimm who managed the Cubs the last time they were in the World Series. After his death in 1983, his ashes were sprinkled in the infield.
Outside of the Cubbie Faithful’s ashes being scattered, could there potentially be some very angry spirits which are haunting the Wrigley grounds? Before you immediately say no, consider this, the Cubs could possibly be playing baseball over a sacred Indian burial ground?
Anyone who has been to Wrigley Field knows that there are some pretty old cemeteries near the ball park. You would have to try fairly hard to miss seeing them, unless you take the El down to watch the Cubs. But there are two cemeteries with in walking distance from the front doors of Wrigley.
Early American settlers were known to pick up on ideas from the local American Indian tribes. Back hundreds of years, there was an Indian Burial ground a few blocks away from Wrigley on Sheffield Avenue. That burial ground was wiped out, and a church was built there; as were a block of homes. While this is the only known Indian Burial ground, you do not have to imagine too much that there could have possibly been another one directly below where Wrigley Field now stands. If one was destroyed for a Church and a couple of homes, why not another one for a Lutheran Seminary? The possibility does exists.
What that leads to though, is this. Do you believe in ghosts? If the answer is yes, do you believe that there are some righteously pissed off Indian spirits causing these years of Wrigley disaster? If the answer is no, then there must be some other.
Stay tuned for next week