CHICAGO - Billionaire Sam Zell announced that he has agreed to buy the Tribune Company, owner of the Chicago Tribune, Los Angeles Times and Chicago Cubs baseball team, for about $8.2 billion.
A key component of the deal calls for the so-called "Billy Goat Curse," which is widely credited with keeping the Cubs out of not only the World Series since 1908 but completely out of contention, to remain with the current owners, the Chandler family. The Chandlers announced they plan to move the curse to the Pittsburgh Pirates, a move that Pirate owner Bob Nutting confirmed. Nutting noted that the Pirates not only will get the curse but the notoriety that goes with it, an undisclosed amount of cash as well as an excuse for their win-loss record.
