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After the Chicago Cubs won their first World Series since 1908 in dramatic fashion Wednesday, one reporter begged the question — is Theo Epstein a sorcerer?
Well, the Cubs president of baseball operations turned a franchise of perennial losers into world champions, snapping a historically long championship drought and breaking a famed curse that seemed destined to torture a city forever. 。
But here's the thing: Epstein just did all that for the。 But here's the thing: Epstein just did all that for the 。second 。
time. 。SEE ALSO:A Cubs fan's World Series diary: Champions at last 。
In 2002, Epstein became the youngest general manager in MLB history when the Red Sox hired him at 28 years old. Boston hadn't won a World Series since 1918, and blamed its misfortune on the "Curse of the Bambino," placed on the franchise after it sold Babe Ruth to the Yankees in 1919. 。
Epstein was instrumental in breaking that curse. He built a team that won the World Series in 2004 — ending the drought at 86 years — and again in 2007. 。
Theo Epstein has officially lifted two curses in two cities. #TrustInTheo pic.twitter.com/JN0VAtgflM。
— Bleacher Report (BleacherReport) November 3, 2016 。
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The Cubs hadn't been to a World Series since 1945, when William Sianis — owner of the local Billy Goat Tavern — brought an actual goat to Game 4 at Wrigley Field. Legend has it that the goat smelled so bad, Sianis and his pet were kicked out of the stadium. On his way out, an angry Sianis said, "Them Cubs, they ain't gonna win no more." 。 And so the "Curse of the Billy Goat" was born. 。Chicago hired Epstein in 2011, so Epstein headed West to reverse the fortunes of another hexed franchise. 。
"We're going to build the best baseball operation we can," he said in 2011, per。
"We're going to build the best baseball operation we can," he said in 2011, per 。
ESPN 。
. "We're going to change the culture. Our players are going to change the culture along with us in the major league clubhouse. We're going to make building a foundation for sustained success a priority. That will lead to playing October baseball more often than not. Once you get in in October there's a legitimate chance to win the World Series." 。
Well, they just did. The curse is broken. The Cubs are World Series champions. 。
Theo Epstein has now brought 194 years’ worth of #WorldSeries droughts to an end. pic.twitter.comZuiMJzj/1a7 。
— MLB Stat of the Day (MLBStatoftheDay) November 3, 2016。Between 2012 — Epstein's first season on the job when Chicago lost 101 games — and the Cubs' 103-win 2016 season, Epstein largely overhauled the entire Cubs roster. Sorcery or not, Epstein built a championship franchise, there's no denying that. 。This epic seven-game World Series gave us heroics from Addison Russell, cinematic moments from David Ross and laughs from Anthony Rizzo. But Epstein pulled the strings. He gave the Cubs all three of those players, and he just gave a cursed franchise a World Series. 。Again. 。Again. 。