Key Facts

• The Curse of the Billy Goat began in 1945 when a bar owner was denied entry with his goat to a Cubs game, and the team then went decades without a championship.
• Superstitions in baseball include rituals by players and fans, such as eating certain foods or performing special actions for good luck.
• Baseball’s structure, with fewer scoring chances and the defense controlling the ball, creates a lot of uncertainty that leads people to rely on luck.
• The repetitive nature of the game, with many pitches seen by batters over a long season, also encourages superstitions.
• Other famous baseball curses include the Boston Red Sox’s long championship drought after selling Babe Ruth to the Yankees.
• Superstitions have spread to softball, with some players using unusual rituals like eating ladybugs for luck.
• The article is based on a new book called *The Magical Game* by Addy Baird, a journalist and Mets fan who became superstitious while watching baseball.
• Superstitious rituals are common among players, managers, and fans across different eras and teams.