The Day Billy Sianis Came to Chicago
January 4th, 1912, William Sianis arrives in Chicago with $5 in his shoe. Today, Sam Sianis has 8 Billy Goat locations under his belt.
It’s our 85th anniversary. Anybody know what that is in goat years?
Two Chicagoland zoos opened in 1934. One’s in Brookfield. It’s Billy Goat Tavern’s 85rd Anniversary!
Billy Goat was opened by a good man with a bad check.
Roy Rogers Visits Billy Goat
Our original location on West Madison was pretty far west! The “King of Cowboys” once visited Billy Goat Sianis at the original Billy Goat Tavern on West Madison Street. Chicago hosted an annual rodeo at the Chicago Stadium across the street from Billy Goat Tavern. Many of the biggest movie cowboys of the time paid The Goat a visit, and none were bigger than Roy Rogers.
“Where’s the Paws Button?”
In addition to its world famous goat, Billy Goat Tavern has been home to many other animal friends, including Ruby the Cat!
I left 15 minutes ago!
I thought it was beer.
The Billy Goat Curse – 1945
The Cubs entered game four of the 1945World Series leading the Detroit Tigers 2 games to 1, and needing to win only two of the next four games played at Wrigley Field. A local Greek, William “Billy Goat” Sianis, owner of the Billy Goat Tavern and a Cubs fan, bought two tickets to Game four. Hoping to bring his team good luck he took his pet goat, Murphy, with him to the game. At the entrance to the park, the Andy Fran ushers stopped Billy Goat from entering saying that no animals are allowed in the park.
Billy Goat, frustrated, appealed to the owner of the Cubs, P.K. Wrigley. Wrigley replied, “Let Billy in, but not the goat.” Billy Goat asked, “Why not the goat?” Wrigley answered, “Because the goat stinks.” According to legend, the goat and Billy were upset, so then Billy threw up his arms and exclaimed, “The Cubs ain’t gonna win no more. The Cubs will never win a World Series so long as the goat is not allowed in Wrigley Field.” The Cubs were officially cursed.
Subsequently, the Cubs lost game four, and the remaining series getting swept at home and from the World Series. Billy Goat promptly sent a telegram to P.K. Wrigley, stating, “Who stinks now?” For the next twenty years, throughout the remainder of Billy Goat’s life the Cubs would finish each season at 5th place or lower, establishing a pattern that would reverse the Cubs luck and term the team “The Lovable Losers.”
