Photo Credit: 99.9 KTDY
The year of 2016 was a year in sports where notable “curses” were broken. Most notably, the Cleveland Cavaliers won their first NBA championship in franchise history and brought Cleveland its first major professional sports championship since 1964. Then, the Chicago Cubs won their first World Series title since 1908, ending a 108-year drought. One thing that did not end, however, was the infamous Andretti Curse, which you can read about in more detail HERE.
Despite being down 3-1 in the NBA Finals series against the Golden State Warriors, the Cavaliers rallied back to win their first NBA championship in franchise history and bring Cleveland its first major professional sports championship since 1964. They did it despite having next to no chance to come back and win the series, and they did it despite critics saying that the curse would not end, and Cleveland sports teams would continue their losing ways.
Despite being down 3-1 in the World Series against, ironically, the Cleveland Indians, the Cubs rallied back to win their first World Series title since 1908, breaking what critics called the Curse of the Billy Goat, which spanned 108 years. They did it despite having next to no chance to come back and win the series, and they did it despite critics thinking that the Curse of the Billy Goat would grow to become a 109-year curse that would exist to this day.
What did not end in 2016 was the Andretti Curse. Once again and for the 11th time, Marco Andretti failed to win the Indianapolis 500. Legendary IndyCar driver Mario Andretti’s Indianapolis 500 victory back in 1969, which took place before man had ever walked on the moon, remains the only Indianapolis 500 victory earned by anyone in the Andretti family, despite a combined 56 Indianapolis 500 races driven in by Mario, Michael, and Marco Andretti. With two of the top three all-time IndyCar drivers in terms of wins being in the Andretti family, it is shocking that only once in a combined 56 attempts has an Andretti been able to win the “Greatest Spectacle in Racing”, making it what critics label a curse.
Since Alexander Rossi’s Indianapolis 500 victory last May, however, things have changed. When that happened, the Cavaliers had not won the NBA championship yet, nor had the Cubs won the World Series. Now, both of those infamous curses have been broken. Will the now 48-year Andretti Curse be the next to fall this May, or will it continue on for yet another year?
-Asher Fair
SportsPress 