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CHICAGO -- Chuck Logan heard about it from his dad for years. Bill Sianis was born into it. And Lennie Merullo was there the day it happened and lived with it for the rest of his life.The it is the Curse of the Billy Goat, the story of a Chicago tavern owner who supposedly put a hex on the Cubs after the team refused to let his pet goat into Wrigley Field during the 1945 World Series -- despite the fact that the goat had a ticket.The memories of those three men are about a real event that has turned into an enduring tale that has only grown taller throughout the years -- one that may not explain why the Cubs are returning only now to the World Series after 71 years, but one that does get at what it means to be a fan of a team with the longest championship drought in major American sports at 108 years.This story begins with Logan. His dad was a Wrigley Field usher and he mentioned a few times over the years that he refused to let a tavern owner named William Sianis into Wrigley for Game 4 of the `45 World Series, but he never made a big deal out of it.I just assumed he was one of 20, 30 guys saying, `No, you cant come in with that goat, said Logan, 73. A few years after his father died in 2001, Logans cousin spotted a newspaper photograph of a lone usher standing between William Sianis and Murphy the goat at a Wrigley turnstile, and called to say he thought the usher was his dad.The usher was, in fact, Olaf Logan.The photo dovetailed into the popular story about the curse: Sianis, hoping to bring the Cubs luck, showed up to the game with Murphy, with the goat even sporting a We Got Detroits Goat blanket on his back.There, in the photograph, the 32-year-old usher stood at the turnstile apparently telling Sianis he cant come in. Murphy is standing on its hind legs, its front legs draped over the railing, a look of apparent disappointment on its face. The Cubs, of course, lost Game 4 and the Series in seven games. They havent been back until now.The usher story is what Logan told Lennie Merullo, the last surviving member of the 1945 Cubs team, when the 97-year-old Merullo returned to Wrigley to celebrate the ballparks 100th anniversary.Merullo, his son said, ran with it.My dad was giving him all kinds of grief, telling him if he hadnt done that theyd have won, said Len Merullo Jr., who watched his father, who died last year, tease Logan.A Cubs historian tells a slightly different story. According to Ed Hartig, Sianis actually got into the ballpark with a goat, which is strange enough. Even more amazing, once inside -- and Hartig said there is a photo of this -- Sianis and Murphy somehow got onto the field to stroll among the players warming up for the game.Ultimately, they took their seats. The problems started when, after a rainy morning, the sun came out. That was good for the players but not so good for fans sitting near a drying goat.People started to complain about the smell, Hartig said. Sianis and his goat were shown the door.Bill Sianis, who backs the story about his great-uncle being turned away at the gate, said that whatever happened, his namesake was miffed and made sure he told the Cubs owner just that.He went back to the tavern and after they lost the Series he sent a telegram to P.K. Wrigley that read simply, `Who stinks now? said Sianis, whose great-uncle died in 1970.As the Cubs plummeted in the standings over the next few years, reporters asked Sianis if hed put some sort of curse on the team.He said as long as they dont let the goat in, they will never win the World Series, Bill Sianis said. And with that, a curse was born.Whatever happened at the gate was not captured by a photographer. Logan said the original photograph he saw showed his dad but did not identify him. A few weeks ago, he said, the same picture ran in the paper -- this time with his fathers name below it along with the words re-enactment.Hartig contends that what Sianis really wanted was publicity for his tavern and he recognized that getting kicked out of the ballpark could accomplish that goal just as much as being allowed to stay.Maybe, Hartig suggested, he told the Cubs, `Hey, take my picture and Ill go quietly.There have been many chapters since then, from black cats to fans eager to reverse the curse .Merullo said his dad didnt talk about the curse much, but he suspects he thought there was something to it. He was Italian, theyre all superstitious, he said, chuckling.Logan, who played football at nearby Northwestern, doesnt believe in curses. But, like many Cubs fans wistfully remembering the loved ones who died without ever seeing the team win it all, he finds himself thinking about his parents and siblings hes lost.I wish I could enjoy this story about my father with them, he said.As for Sianis, hes not about to let go of a curse thats been anything but a curse for business.We could say that its over, but whats the point if they dont win it? he said.Pittsburgh Penguins Gear .Y. - Rob Manfred was promoted Monday to Major League Baseballs chief operating officer, which may make him a candidate to succeed Bud Selig as commissioner. Penguins Jerseys 2019 . Then the Pacers gave Oladipo and his Orlando teammates the cold shoulder. Paul Georges buzzer-beating 3-pointer at the end of the third quarter spurred a 21-4 run, finally sending Indiana past the Magic 97-87 in a tougher-than-expected opening night matchup. https://www.cheappenguinsjersey.com/ . Now, correct me if Im wrong but I saw one official distinctly pointing at the net indicating a good goal but after an inconclusive review they overturned the goal. Shouldnt the ruling on the ice (good goal) stand after an inconclusive review? Why was this overturned? James Veaudry Pembroke, ON -- Hey Kerry, Youll get a lot of these, but why was the Montreal goal against Nashville Saturday night overturned? Eller puts the puck on net and the on ice ruling from the ref behind the net is a Montreal goal. Cheap Penguins Jerseys . Houston won 3-0 to advance to face New York in the Eastern Conference semifinals. Last in the game, Di Vaio and Romero got into a shoving match with several Houston players. Romero appeared to elbow and kick Houston defender Kofi Sarkodie. Pittsburgh Penguins Pro Shop . -- Nathan Pancel scored twice as the Sudbury Wolves defeated the North Bay Battalion 4-2 on Saturday in Ontario Hockey League action.SAINT-QUENTIN-EN-YVELINES, France -- In the midst of drastic changes to his swing, Rory McIlroy shot a level-par 71 at the French Open to lie five shots off the lead held by Lucas Bjerregaard after the first round on Thursday.McIlroy, currently in the spotlight because of his decision to skip the Olympics over concerns about the Zika virus, had four birdies and four bogeys around LAlbatros course at the Le Golf National, the 2018 Ryder Cup host.Ive got about four or five swing thoughts out there at the minute, the fourth-ranked McIlroy said, so thats why Im sort of happy with 71.McIlroy was asked what he was working on, and joked: Have you got 10 minutes?My left-hand grip is too strong. Takeaway was going on the inside. Wasnt holding my right elbow properly at the top of my swing. Wasnt getting my right knee out of the way on the downswing ... Ive been working on a few things.McIlroy said he is attempting to get his new swing all bedded in in time for the British Open, which starts July 14 at Royal Troon in western Scotland.Ive got another hopefully thhree competitive rounds here, the Northern Irishman added.dddddddddddd Ive got all next week and then obviously a few days leading up to the Thursday of The Open.Bjerregaard shot a 5-under 66, helped by his first ever hole-in-one -- a 7-iron from 202 yards downwind at No. 2. The 137th-ranked Dane was playing with a new set of clubs after his own was lost in transit, and also had five birdies.Maybe I should just keep these now and let the airline company keep my old ones, said Bjerregaard, who also is looking to claim one of the four qualifying places for the British Open up for grabs this week. They will go to the leading four players, not otherwise exempt, who finish in the top 12 and ties.Thomas Pieters of Belgium, Thongchai Jaidee of Thailand, Bernd Wiesberger of Austria and Adrian Otaegui of Spain were a shot behind Bjerregaard after 67s. Otaegui is the only one of that quartet yet to have qualified for the British Open. ' ' '