Sports have always been a realm where physical prowess and strategy are paramount. Yet, beyond sweat, strategy, and skill, a realm of superstitions and curses adds mystery to the games. These tales of hexes, jinxes, and supernatural forces have become part of sports culture and have left marks in sports history that are hard to forget. Read on to find ten infamous curses and superstitions that captivate and mystify the sporting world.
Curse of the Bambino
The Boston Red Sox controversially sold Babe Ruth to the New York Yankees in 1919, likely due to the financial needs of the Red Sox owner, Harry Frazee. This move led to the Red Sox enduring an 86-year championship drought while the Yankees achieved great success with Ruth. The curse was broken in 2004, and the Red Sox won the World Series.
Curse of the Billy Goat
In 1945, the proprietor of the Billy Goat Tavern in Chicago took his pet goat to Wrigley Field to see the Chicago Cubs play in the World Series. Due to complaints about the goat’s odor, they were asked to leave. In response, Sianis allegedly declared that the Cubs would never win “no more”—and they didn’t until 2016 when they won their first World Series in 108 years.
Madden Curse
Since the late 1990s, several Madden NFL cover athletes have suffered injuries, declines in performance, or personal issues shortly after their appearance, leading to the “Madden Curse” superstition. Examples include Garrison Hearst, who faced circulatory issues and Vascular Necrosis, and Michael Vick, who broke his right fibula the same year he was on the cover.
Curse of the Colonel
In 1985, the Hanshin Tigers won the Japan Championship Series. During the celebrations, enthusiastic fans threw a statue of Colonel Sanders into the Dotonbori River in Osaka, which was believed to have angered Colonel Sanders’s spirit, leading to an 18-year losing streak for the team. Several efforts to recover the statue failed. The curse was lifted in 2023, as Japan won the 2023 Japan Series Game 7 to clinch an NPB championship again.
SI Cover Jinx
Shortly after athletes or teams feature on the cover of Sports Illustrated, they may experience bad luck—sometimes injuries, other times, important game losses, and maybe death. Famous examples include Jill Kinmont, who injured her spinal cord and had quadriplegia until she died, and more recently, the Cavaliers, who became the first number 1 seed to lose to a number 16 seed.
Drake Curse
Canadian rapper Drake has shown support for various athletes and teams. However, over the years, a pattern emerged where teams and athletes got negative outcomes after being endorsed by Drake—wearing their jerseys, attending their games, or publicly declaring support. Examples include Serena Williams, the men’s national soccer team of Drake’s country, Canada, and one of Drake’s favorite teams, the Toronto Raptors.
Curse of Ramsey
This superstition has roots in the peculiar coincidence that significant public figures often pass away shortly after soccer player Aaron Ramsey scores a goal. People noted this pattern, with the deaths of countless individuals occurring around the time of Ramsey’s goals. Names that have fallen victim to his curse are Steve Jobs, Stephen Hawking, Muammar Gaddafi, and Whitney Houston.
Curse of Coogan’s Bluff
Fans placed a hex on the New York Giants baseball team after leaving the Polo Grounds at Coogan’s Bluff in Manhattan for San Francisco in 1957. The move upset them so much that they stormed the field at their last home game before the curse and stole Eddie Grant’s plaque. Fifty years later, the Giants had appeared in three World Series but won none. A new plaque was installed in 2008, and in 2010, they won the World Series—the end of the curse.
The Curse of the Socceroos
Australia’s national soccer team, Socceroos, hired a witch doctor to curse their opponents during the 1970 Mexico World Cup qualifiers. They reportedly didn’t pay the witch doctor what he requested, so he cursed them in return, causing them not to qualify. Australia did not qualify for the World Cup until they finally made it to the round of 16 in 2006.
The Benfica Curse
Portuguese football club Benfica is said to be cursed after former manager Béla Guttmann left the club in 1962 after leading them to two consecutive European Cup victories. Guttmann has expressed expectations that they will be the champions of Europe again, but that has not come to pass. Benfica has reached several European Cup finals but has failed to win any.
