The Cubs are in the playoffs and could make it to the World Series. Is this their year? They haven’t won the World Series since 1908 and haven’t played in a World Series since 1945. Some people have attributed the World Series drought to a curse by Billy Sianis, who was ejected from Wrigley Field for bringing his goat to game 4. The Unwritten Record takes a look back to 1945, the last World Series the Chicago Cubs played. Universal News covered the first and last games of the series. The footage was released to theaters October 4th and October 11th.
Game one, played in Detroit October 3rd, 1945, is shown in Universal News Vol. 18, Rel. 439, story 5. According to the release sheet, we see “The Chicago Cubs tee off on the Detroit Tiger’s ace pitcher, Hal Newhouser, for four runs in the first inning, then garner three more in the third, to salt away the game which they finally won 9 to 0”.
The final game of the series, played in Chicago, is shown in Universal News Vol. 18, Rel. 441 story 7. The outcome wasn’t great for Cubs fans: On October 10th, the Tigers took the series four games to three by beating the Cubs 9 to 3 in game seven. The release sheet states: “The Detroit American League pennant winners rout the Windy City’s Cubs in the 7th game, 9 to 3, to take the World Series. The flag winner was decided in the first inning when the Tigers pushed five runs across to take a commanding lead. More than 330,000 paid almost a million and a half dollars in admissions to make it the richest World Series in history.”
Also included in the Universal News production files is an original program for the games, narration scripts, and other related paraphernalia. A program from the series gives the names and photographs of the players from both teams. The last page of the program pays tribute to the 347 members of the Cubs organization who served during World War II, including four men who perished.
1945 World Series program for games hosted in Chicago:
I greatly admire the Cubs fans! Through thick and thin, they have stayed loyal! Here in south Florida, we have fickle-finger-of-fate Marlin-maybes and Dolph-fans. [ I myself remain die-hard Red Sox and Patriot]