Cleveland have shaken off the mistake by the lake insult after winning the right to compete in baseball’s major league world series.
The Cleveland Indians last won the title in 1948 and have suffered the ignominy of suffering abject defeat in incarnations as the Browns, Cavaliers and Indians over the years.
Now, the mood has changed and as they line up against whoever wins the LA Dodgers/Chicago Cubs play offs.
The teams are tied 2-2 with three more matches to play.
The winners will take on the Indians at Cleveland on October 25 to start the seven match world series play off.
Cleveland curse
To reach the play offs, Cleveland had to beat the Boston Red Sox and Toronto Blue Jays.
They won seven of the eight ties to clinch a place in the final.
Players and fans have talked of a curse on the team, but are celebrating reaching the play-offs and the chance to smash their run of bad luck.
“The win over the Blue Jays did a lot for the city, and it lifted the grey cloud over us that Cleveland can’t win. If we are on the verge of winning two titles in the same year, you can’t ask for much more than that,” said second baseman Jason Kipnis.
“I got news for you. No one is picking us next series. And we don’t care. If it means we’re going to win again, none of us care.”
Although failing to win the series for 68 years, Cleveland last took part in the final play-offs in 1997.
Unfancied teams contest play offs
However, if the Cubs get through, two of the most unfancied teams in baseball will face off for the title of world champions.
The Cubs last won 108 years ago, when they picked up back to back titles in 1907 and 1908.
The team has played in 10 world series, but the last was in 1945.
If the Cubs break through the Dodgers, baseball will be celebrating a blast from the past whoever wins the world series this year.
The Dodgers last won the world series in 1988 – the sixth title lifted since 1955.