MURPHY – THE HERO
Daniel Murphy – THE HERO.
Yesterday, the Mets ended the Cubs 2015 post-season run in a four-game sweep, winning the NLCS and punching their ticket to the World series behind some powerful arms and the bat of a hero named Murphy. Mets’ second baseman Daniel Murphy went 4-for-5 (two runs and two RBI) in the New Yorkers’ 8-3 Game Four victory. Murphy went 9-for-17 (.529) with four home runs, six RBI and six runs scored in the NL Championship Series. He homered in all four games, in the process setting a new MLB record by going yard in six consecutive post-season contests. His performance earned Murphy the NLCS 2015 Most Valuable Player Award.
Through yesterday’s game, Murphy’s 2015 post-season stat line reads, .421-7-11 (with 11 runs scored). He stands just one home run shy of the HR record for a single post season. For a look at the single and career post-season records, click here.
The 30-year-old Murphy’s power surge is a bit of surprise. In his seven MLB seasons, he has accumulated a regular-season batting average of .288 and hit just 62 home runs (about one HR every 14.5 games) and collected 402 RBI (one every 2.1 games). Still in 2015, he did enjoy perhaps his best season at the plate, going .281-14-73.
That a player named Murphy should doom the Cubs, however, is no surprise. Read on.
MURPHY-THE GOAT
Chicago Cubs on way to reversing the curse – behind the arm of Jake Arrieta.
On October 6th,1945, with the Cubs up two games to one in the World Series (having beaten the Tigers two out of three at Detroit’s Briggs Stadium), happy Cubbies’ fans were lined up to get into Wrigley Field. One of those fans was Greek William “Billy Goat” Sianis, owner of the Billy Goat Tavern. Sianis purchased two tickets to the game – one for him and one for his “lucky” pet goat – named Murphy. As he moved to enter Wrigley – this well-documented legend has it – Murphy was turned away and Sianis was informed that animals were not allowed in the ball park.
Sianis reportedly appealed the usher’s ruling all the way up to Cubs’ owner P.K. Wrigley, who reportedly told the tavern owner the goat could not be let in because of its less than appealing odor (only in stronger terms). As the popular and oft-told story goes, Sianis put a curse on the Cubs – vowing they would not win another World Series until Murphy was allowed in the ballpark. The Cubs, without Murphy in the stands, lost game four (4-1) and the Series (four games to three). After the Series, Sianis sent Wrigley a telegram reading “Who stinks now?” Sianis’ curse appears to have worked long and well – as, over the years, the Cubs have become affectionately known as the “Loveable Losers” – and have not captured another World Series title.
A side note: How seriously is the curse taken in some quarters? On the Fourth of July, 1973 – with the Cubs in first place (six games up on second-place Saint Louis) – William Sianis’ nephew (and new Billy Goat Tavern owner) Sam Sianis and Chicago Tribune columnist Dave Condon arranged to bring one of Murphy’s descendants (a goat name Socrates) to Wrigley in an attempt to lift the curse. The goat arrived at Wrigley Field in a limousine accompanied by Sianis and a sign that read “All is forgiven. Let me lead you to the pennant. Your Friend, Billy Goat.” Well, not all lessons are easily leaned. Like Murphy before him, Socrates was denied entrance to the Wrigley. The Cubs? They faded to fifth place- five games out. Over the years, Murphy’s descendant has been allowed on the Wrigley Field more than once and even made a pennant race road trip (to Houston) in attempts to break the curse.
Second side note; The Billy Goat Tavern reportedly was the inspiration for the Saturday Night Live’s Olympia Cafe – “Cheezeborger – No fries. Cheeps – No Coke. Pepsi.”
I tweet baseball @DavidBBRT
Member: Society for American Baseball Research; The Baseball Reliquary; Baseball Bloggers Alliance.
