He kicked a chair. But Washington University junior Andy Kennedy was mad, really mad. Pissed off that his Cubs had lost Game 1 of the National League Championship Series. So he took out his frustration on the nearest chair. And it hurt.
Such reactions to sporting events are extreme, but understandable this October. Because this October is different; the Cubs and the Red Sox, the two most star-crossed franchises in all of sport, are both one step from the World Series. This does not happen.
The last time the Cubs made the National League Championship Series was 1989 and the last time they made the World Series was way back in 1945. The last time they won the World Series? Teddy Roosevelt was president. It was 1908.
The Red Sox have made the World Series on occasion, but they last played in the Fall Classic in 1986. What has defined the Red Sox ineptitude has been how they have lost the big games. Remember the ball that went through Buckner’s legs? Indeed, the Red Sox have endured 85 championship-less years of heartache. The Red Sox have lived under the curse of Babe Ruth.
So here is what usually happens. The Cubs usually lose 100 games and are looking forward to trips to Hawaii, not trips to the World Series by July. On the other hand, the Red Sox usually finish right behind the Yankees just out of contention for the playoffs.
Success in New England is almost feared, but success in Wrigleyville is so rare that truthfully most Cubs fans do not know how to react. Take Andy. While on Tuesday Andy was kicking chairs and cursing Dusty Baker, when I caught up with him on Friday during Game 3 he was subdued, almost in shock. “By now,” he said, “I usually have moved on to rooting for the Bears, but not this year.”
As the game progressed, he fidgeted, unnerved by the lead changes, annoyed by the Cubs’ inability to put the Marlins away. When Todd Hollandsworth tied the game with a single in the eighth, Andy was on edge. Three excruciating innings passed, and by the time Doug Glanville put the Cubs up in the 11th, he was relieved. For Cubs fans like Andy, playoff baseball at this level is a new experience. There is no history. No reference. No bad feelings that Red Sox fans must endure. No confident swagger like the Yankees fans enjoy. But when Game 3 was over, Andy was happy-excited that his Cubbies might be able to become lovable winners this October.
While Andy and all of Cubs fans celebrated, Red Sox nation was a total wreck. On the eve of Game 3, one Red Sox fan on the South 40 even told me that he would not watch because there was too much pressure. Such is the psyche of the Red Sox fan. But over on Kingsbury, junior Jason Stringer and his friends watched the classic Pedro-Roger duel. Jason said, “Any close ballgame means nothing if we don’t win…it is just disappointing.”
That is the difference between the Red Sox and the Cubs: the Red Sox need to win this series to avenge demons of the past, but the Cubs are just happy to be here. By the 4th inning tempers flared in Beantown when Pedro hit Karim Garcia in the back. Then things got out of control. “It was really crazy,” said Jason, “I thought Manny overreacted, but Don Zimmer got what he deserved.”
Saturday was another let down for Jason and all Red Sox fans. Jason said, “There was not a whole lot of yelling…just more of the same frustration.”
However, like all Red Sox fans, Jason still has faith that his Red Sox can come back in the series. “I still believe,” he says.
Even Yankees fans sympathize with the plight of the Red Sox and Cubs; in the back of their minds, even they would not mind seeing a Red Sox-Cubs World Series. While sophomore Matt Goldman is a life-long Yankees fan, he would still be excited by a Red Sox-Cubs World Series. “I think that when you look at the history of these two teams,” Matt said, “You know that there is an infectious excitement that would preside over the Series.”
So we wait. We ponder what would happen if the Cubs and the Red Sox both made it to the Fall Classic. The last time these two teams met it was 1917. And the Red Sox won. Now the Cubs are looking for revenge or just a shot to extend their streak of futility.