NLDS Game 2: Can the Cubs Reverse my Dodgers Curse?

As a fan, the Los Angeles Dodgers have always been a thorn in my side. Even though they have not won a playoff series since 1988, they somehow manage to spoil the fun of the teams I have followed over the years. I’ll give you a brief history of the pain the Dodgers have inflicted on me over the years. I grew up in the suburbs of San Francisco. Since Bay Area fans can be apathetic towards their home teams, there was no “you cannot root for the Oakland A’s if you are a Giants fan” as there is in Chicago. Thus, I rooted for both. Regardless of which side of the bay you lived on, we could all agree on hating the Dodgers rather than hating each other.

Then 1988 struck. The other bay area team, the Athletics, played the Dodgers in the World Series. The A’s were heavily favored over the Dodgers and I was convinced the A’s would win. However, with one swing of the bat Kirk Gibson hit his famous home run in Game 1 at Dodger Stadium and swung the World Series to the Dodgers favor. My hatred for the Dodgers increased.

Come 1993. The Giants and Atlanta Braves are tied with 103 wins apiece heading into the final Sunday of the season. The Braves win their final game meaning the Giants must beat the Dodgers to force a one-game tiebreaker which will be held at Candlestick Park Monday afternoon. I convince my father to wait in line with me for tiebreaker tickets while we listen to the Giants game on the radio. However, the Dodgers had other ideas and took an early lead, finally beating the Giants 12-1 – more disappointment.

Granted I was not attending those games in person. Over the years we would fight and yell with Dodger fans at Candlestick Park. However, it was not until April 30, 2007, when Dodger fans revealed their true selves to me when they stole my fleece blankets and vandalized the Cubs license plate holder on my car. This is a team that would resort to kicking puppies and mugging Santa just for sport.

Now it is 2008. The Cubs for the first time in awhile had the momentum coming out of the regular season to make a run in the playoffs. They were no longer a surprise playoff team. Sure they are playing the Dodgers. But earlier in the season the Cubs swept my historical nemesis.

But, of course, the Dodgers have continued their punishment of my teams. Wednesday night the Cubs lost Game 1. I was not too concerned at the time. However, last night the Cubs lost Game 2 and the concern set in that history was going to repeat itself. Only one team has come back in a best of 5 series after losing the first two games at home – the 2001 New York Yankees. However, that team was playing for the city of New York after September 11.

Can the Cubs somehow put the city of Chicago on their backs and win two games at Dodger Stadium before heading back to Wrigley Field for Game 5? If they can, they will not only begin to reverse their curse but my curse against the Dodgers as well.

The Game
Needless to say, there is not much to write about yesterday’s game. The Dodgers beat the Cubs 10-3 in the latest game time in the history of Wrigley Field – first pitch 8:37 pm. The game ended just before midnight. A few records were set last night:

1) Every Cubs infielder committed an error. The feat has now only been achieved twice in the playoffs. The Detroit Tigers successfully achieved the same milestone in Game 1 of the 1934 World Series.
2) Manny increased his postseason home run record by hitting his career 26th postseason home run.
3) Joe Torre won his 78th playoff game.