The Dodgers curse of ’88?
Baseball is a sport full of superstitious personalities and anecdotes. Most fans know the Boston Red Sox’s infamous Curse of the Bambino, which they finally broke in 2004.
In 2016 the Chicago Cubs ended the most absurd of all the curses, the Curse of the Billy Goat. The Cubbies reversed the curse with their own historic comeback to beat the Indians in a thrilling seven-game World Series, leaving Clevelanders to wonder what their curse is now that it has been 70 years since they’ve won the Fall Classic.
Although the legendary Fernando Valenzuela retired after the 1997 season, his historic career with the Dodgers still carries weight among Latinos. As a Mexican American who loves baseball I could not help but to get behind Valenzuela’s Dodgers in the 2017 World Series even if they beat my hometown and beloved Cubs in the National League Championship Series.
As I got into the last Fall Classic between the Dodgers and Astros, I found out that there were people in Los Angeles who believe their Dodgers are cursed.
Incredible as it may sound, in our superstitious game this belief exists. The last time the Dodgers won the Fall Classic was 1988 against the Oakland A’s. Who could forget the Series?
It was Northern California versus Southern California. It was Bash Brothers Mark McGwire and José Canseco’s A’s against Orel Hershiser and Kirk Gibson’s Dodgers.
The Dodgers weren’t expected to win the World Series against the heavily favored A’s. Going into the series who wouldn’t agree that Oakland should win with Canseco, McGwire, Dave Stewart and Dennis Eckersley?
Some would say they stole the 1988 World Series from the Athletics, who were deemed better on paper simply based on their lineup. It was the World Series of Gibson’s walk-off home run in Game 1 at one of baseball’s most beautiful ballparks, Dodger Stadium at Chavez Ravine.
Did the baseball gods condemn the Dodgers, a cornerstone American sports franchise, to suffer a World Series title drought? Some Dodgers fans like Gaby Plascencia of Long Beach sometimes feels that way.
“Call it a curse or a southern California drought, but it’s been a long life as a Dodgers fan,” Plascencia said. “You might get some good rainfall one season, but it’s never enough to end the drought. I was convinced last season was it, but maybe Dodgers Nation should hold a rain dance ritual every October for things to change.”
After another year without the World Series trophy coming back to Chavez Ravine one must wonder if the superstitious baseball Angelinos are on to something. The Dodgers are in the United States’ second largest media market. They own six World Series championships and are sixth on the World Series victories list.
Undoubtedly, they are accustomed to winning.
Nonetheless, one must wonder what Major League Baseball team has been as consistently successful as the Dodgers without celebrating the title since 1988.
The Dodgers have had postseason failures in 1995, 1996, 2004, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017. Let’s also consider that in that time their great rival from their humble beginnings in Brooklyn, the San Francisco Giants, have won three World Series.
The Dodgers’ neighbors and city rivals, the Angels, won their first and only championship in 2002. Meanwhile, the Dodgers have seen the White Sox, Cubs and Red Sox end their own curses.
That is suffering. I know this as a Cubs fan who watched the White Sox win the 2005 World Series and watched the rival Cardinals win the 2006 and 2011 World Series.
Fortunately for the Dodgers faithful, their team is again competing for a spot in the playoffs and continuing their winning tradition after a rough start to the 2018 season.
If baseball has taught us anything, it’s that all you need is chance in the playoffs. Perhaps this postseason could lead to World Series glory for the Dodgers, who haven’t had a taste of the ultimate champagne shower since 1988.
Featured Image: Andrew D. Bernstein / Getty Images Sport