The curse of Big Tex is finally over. For the first time in the State’s history, Texas will play host to the World Series. In their 40 years+ existences, neither the Rangers nor the Astros had made it to the World Series. That had been the longest dry spell for any state with a MLB team. Last night in St. Louis, MO that curse was lifted . . . at least halfway.
The Rangers have the longest-running, most pathetic history of any MLB franchise in existence. Here’s what Wikipedia has to say about the Rangers:
The Rangers (when combined with their predecessor the Senators) are the oldest franchise that has yet to appear in a World Series; in fact, they have yet to win any playoff series. In their entire history the team has a combined one playoff win (on the road at Yankee Stadium of all places; they have never won a home playoff game).
The media talked a lot about the Curse of the Bambino with the Red Sox last year. They made such a big deal about how the Red Sox hadn’t won the World Series since 1918. That drought, however, was not nearly as long the Curse of the Billy Goat that the Cubs are under. They have not won the World Series since 1908 and haven’t been in it since 1945!!! Up until this year, the White Sox had not appeared since 1959 and their last championship was in 1917. Sensing an east coast bias, maybe?
There is a small list of teams that have never appeared in a world series. That list of five teams includes the Rangers, Devil Rays, Expos, Mariners, and Rockies. Teams that have appeared in but not won it are the Astros (this year being their first appearance), Padres, and Brewers. This is the list of the mediocre and sometimes downright lame MLB teams.
I think the saying “It is better to have loved and lost than to never have loved at all” can apply to Rangers fans. We don’t know what it’s like to see our team win the World Series. In fact, we only know the joy that comes from ONE PLAYOFF WIN EVER!!!
Thanks for bailing us north Texans out Houston. I have a feeling that the Rangers won’t be appearing in the World Series in a long, long time.
Unfortunate, especially after reading those stats, that Houston couldn’t have at least won one game. However, I was half-heartedly routing for the Sox to win simply because of the teams history. As for the curse of the Billy Goat…Go Cubs.