Cubs laugh off goat-head delivery at Wrigley Field
BY GORDON WITTENMYER gwittenmyer@suntimes.com April 11, 2013 11:00PM
** FILE ** Billy Goat wanders around the Billy Goat Tavern in Chicago in this Oct. 16, 2003 photo. Many fans of the Chicago Cubs blame the curse of the Billy Goat for the team's 9-6 loss to the Florida Marlins in the final game of the NL Championship series.(AP Photo/Steve Matteo)
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Updated: April 12, 2013 12:01AM
The special delivery to Wrigley Field of a goat’s head in a box Wednesday drew more chuckles and ridicule than anything else from guys in the Cubs’ clubhouse Thursday morning.
Pitcher Jeff Samardzija said he hadn’t seen the reports of the incident.
“Oh, yeah?” he said, dismissively. “That’s very original, since it’s only been around for 60, 70 years. You’d think they’d come up with something new.”
The box was dropped off at Gate K at about 2 p.m. by a man who said it was intended for chairman Tom Ricketts, a team spokesman confirmed.
“Probably just an upset fan or a fan of another team,” first baseman Anthony Rizzo said. “But it’s kind of funny.”
Manager Dale Sveum, who called the act “pretty stupid,” was asked if knew what he was getting into with this club considering the events of recent days.
“I spent two years in Boston,” said the former Red Sox third base coach, “so you have a pretty good idea the passion of the fans.”
Cubs officials, by the way, continued to insist Thursday morning that Wednesday’s postponement of the Cubs-Brewers game – which was announced about 4 hours in advance of the 7:05 scheduled start – had nothing to do with the goat head.
