Cubs in the World Series: Who's Cursed Worse, Chicago or Cleveland?

For the first time since 1945, the Chicago Cubs are four wins away from the promised land: a World Series title. But to get there, the Cubs must face the Cleveland Indians, the American League champions who have home-field advantage in the series thanks to the AL's victory in the All-Star Game. Here's your quick guide to what you need to know before the first pitch of Game 1 is thrown.

2016 World Series: Cubs vs. Indians

A best-of-seven series to win the Commissioner's Trophy.

GAME 1

First Pitch: 7:08 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 25

Where: Progressive Field in Cleveland

TV | Radio | Streaming: Fox 32 Chicago (WFLD-TV) | 670 the Score (WSCR-AM), ESPNRadio 1000 (WMVP-AM) | Fox Sports Go

Pitching Matchup: Jon Lester (2-0, 0.86 ERA) vs. Corey Kluber (2-1, 0.98 ERA)

Series Schedule

• Game 2: 7:08 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 26
• Game 3: 7:08 p.m. Friday, Oct. 28
• Game 4: 7:08 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 29
• Game 5: 7:08 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 30
• Game 6: 7:08 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 1
• Game 7: 7:08 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 2

Which Team Is Unluckier?

The 2016 World Series marks the first time the two teams playing haven't won a championship in 50-plus years. To say the Cubs and the Indians have had their share of postseason misfortune is an understatement. If it wasn't for bad luck, these teams wouldn't have any luck at all when it comes to the playoffs and the World Series.

But which team — the Cubs or the Indians — has had it worse in October? We take a look at their disappointments and miseries.

The Droughts

Chicago: It's been 108 years since the Cubs have won the World Series, and the last time the team even played in the Fall Classic was 71 years ago in 1945. In fact, Chicago didn't play an inning of October baseball from 1945 to 1984.

Cleveland: The last time the Indians won the World Series was in 1948, nearly 70 years ago. Cleveland, however, has made it to the Fall Classic more recently, but the team lost to the Florida Marlins in 1997 and to the Atlanta Braves in 1995. The Indians also went through a postseason dry spell from 1954 to 1995.

The Curses

Chicago: The Curse of the Billy Goat. In 1945, Billy Sianis, owner of the Billy Goat Tavern, was kicked out of Game 4 of the 1945 World Series because of his smelly goat, Murphy (or Sinova, depending on who you ask). Naturally, that upset Sianis, who declared the Cubs would never win again. Chicago not only lost Game 4 but also the '45 World Series. The North Siders wouldn't make a return appearance to the Fall Classic until this year.

A second jinx — the Curse of the Black Cat — occurred when a black cat ran past the first-place Cubs' dugout at Shea Stadium during a September 1969 game against the second-place New York Mets. After that, the Cubs' season bottomed out, and the 'Mazing Mets went on to win the NL pennant and the World Series that year. We leave it to curse experts (jinxologists?) to decide if the black cat curse is its own curse or merely a symptom of the previous billy goat curse.

Cleveland: The Curse of Rocky Colavito. In 1960, the Indians traded slugger Rocky Colavito to the Detroit Tigers for Harvey Kuenn, a transaction that angered Cleveland fans. More importantly, that trade was used to explain the Indians' miserable decline from a competitive team to a team that couldn't finish within 11 games of first place from 1960 to 1993, according to Cleveland Plain Dealer reporter Terry Pluto, the author of "The Curse of Rocky Colavito: A Loving Look at a 33-Year Slump."

Some fans also recognize the Curse of Chief Wahoo, blaming Cleveland's bad luck on the team adopting a racist Native American caricature as its mascot in 1947. Interestingly, the mascot was commissioned by then-owner Bill Veeck, a Chicago native and future owner of the Chicago White Sox.

The Marlins Misery

Chicago: Two words, one name: Steve Bartman. His attempt to catch a foul ball in the eighth inning of Game 6 of the NLCS — blocking Moises Alou's chance to record the second out in the inning — still stings fans, even if they don't blame him for the collapse that followed. The Cubs gave up eight runs to the Florida Marlins that inning, and turned a 3-0 late-game lead into an 8-3 late-game deficit that they couldn't overcome. Chicago went on to lose Game 7 and miss a shot at the World Series.

Cleveland: Indians fans also have a name that haunts them. In this case, it's Jose Mesa. Up 2-1 in the ninth inning of Game 7 of the 1997 World Series, Mesa needed to retire only two more Marlins batters, and the Commissioner's Trophy would be able to call Cleveland home. Unfortunately, those were two outs too many for Mesa, and the Marlins tied the game. Florida would go on to win in 11 innings and become World Series champions for the first time in franchise history.

More Cubs Coverage on Patch

• Art Institute Lions Finally Get to Wear Cubs Caps
• Aldermen Must Buy Cubs World Series Tickets Like Regular People
• 'We've Lost Clark and Addison': Cubs Fans Overwhelm Chicago Police After Historic Win
• The Best Tweets From the Cubs' Pennant Winning Night
• Watch Bill Murray Give a Cubs Briefing From the White House: 'We've Got Too Many Sticks'

Images via Patch archives

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