CHICAGO — Sam Sianis, owner of the Billy Goat Tavern, bought a younger goat with "more power" in the hopes that it would take the Cubs to their first World Series since 1945.

Well, it was worth a shot. But breaking the curse placed on the Cubs by his uncle 58 years ago wasn't so easy Wednesday night during Game 7 against the Florida Marlins in the National League Championship Series.

So, the Cubs have been on a losing streak all these years because of a goat and a hex? That's how the story goes.

In 1945, Sam Sianis' uncle, William "Billy Goat" Sianis, bought two tickets to last game of the World Series at Wrigley Field. One for him, and one for his goat.

"He got two tickets and went to the game and they wouldn't let him in," Sianis said, while sitting at the tavern off of lower Michigan Avenue during Saturday night's Game 4 of the NLCS.

P.K. Wrigley, then owner of the Cubs, told William Sianis "the goat smells" and would not admit the animal into the stands.

"Well, he left and went back to his tavern. He left and says, 'You guys turned me down and my goat got disappointed and you guys, you're not going to win anymore after I leave,'" Sianis said in his thick Greek accent.

When the Cubs lost that day against Detroit, Sianis said his uncle sent Wrigley a telegram the next day: "Who smells now?" The original telegram sits framed in the Michigan Avenue tavern, along with 58 years of Chicago history.

Like many legends, though, the exact details of the curse are unknown. William Sianis' nephew tells it differently each time.

Some say the Cubs were cursed to never again play in a World Series. Some say the team was damned to never win one again.

Fans hoped the curse would be broken in 1969 with the Cubs up 9 1/2 games over the New York Mets late in the season, but the older Sianis told three journalists, including famed Chicago columnist Mike Royko, "They're not going anywhere."

In the last month of the season, the Mets came back and claimed the National League East title.

William Sianis died later that year.

Some say the curse died with William Sianis.

Despite the younger Sianis' efforts to lift the curse over time — years of bringing a goat to Wrigley Field in support of the team — nothing seems able to push the Cubs through to the World Series.

"I remember 1984. That was the first time they invited me to the game," said Sianis about the Cubs' first postseason game since 1945. "They left me behind (when they played the San Diego Padres in San Diego) and they lost."

Sianis said he and his goat were called to the Cubs' opening day game in 1989. They won the National League East title that year, but were stopped short of the World Series by the San Francisco Giants.

The goat's presence couldn't help the Cubs in 1998 either. They lost in three straight games against the Atlanta Braves in the Division Series, the Cubs' last postseason appearance before this year.

Sianis brought his newest goat to his tavern's Wrigleyville location and visited Wrigley Field before Game 6 of the NLCS Tuesday to show his support for the Cubs. He said if his goat was not invited into the stadium, his goat would be very disappointed.

"If the Cubs want a little more help, they're going to have to invite me to the game," Sianis said.

Sianis did not get his invitation, but the Cubs were only five outs away from the World Series leading the Marlins 3-0 in the 8th inning.

Then, a fan's hand touched a foul ball that could have ended up in Moises Alou's glove, shortstop Alex Gonzalez fumbled when fielding a ground ball, and starting pitcher Mark Prior and two relief pitchers gave up eight runs before the inning was over.

The Cubs did not fare much better in Game 7 despite having Kerry Wood on the mound. They lost their last chance to play in the World Series 9-6.

Coincidence or not, it looks like Sianis, his goat and Cubs fans will have to wait another year — again.

And whether Cubs fans blame the team's past losses and potential future losses on the hex is an entirely different story.

"No team can be that bad for that long without a reason," said Tim Reynolds of Chicago. "What's wrong with letting a goat into the game?"

But some of those gathered at the Billy Goat on Saturday night couldn't bring themselves to give that much power to a goat.

Bill Klein of Nashville said the "nostalgic view of Chicago" and childhood memories of Saturday Night Live, which had often spoofed the menu of the tavern, brought him to the Billy Goat. He had not been aware of the curse until seeing the covered walls and hearing Sianis talk.

"I think it's a great story ... but coincidence," Klein said.

For the most part, Chicago seems to believe exactly that — coincidence.

"If there's going to be a curse, it needs to be something other than a goat. It needs to be a lion or something," said Jordan Benmeir of Chicago.

Of course, that's what the fans said before the Cubs blew this year's chance and turned back into Chicago's "lovable losers."

Believers in the curse were few and far between, but they do exist. And not all of them were too difficult to spot.

Dressed in a purple pimp suit, complete with a purple hat lined with leopard print, Israel Ceballos of Chicago was there on Waveland Avenue behind Wrigley Field at every home game during the postseason. Usually accompanied by his brother, dressed as Santa Claus, Ceballos showed his undying devotion with signs, cheers and, of course, his distinct clothing.

"To one point or another, we're all superstitious," Ceballos said. "If that's what it takes, why not?"

Some fans, dressed in "Goatbusters" T-shirts, advertised their hopes that this was the year the Cubs would beat the curse. But like every other Cubs fan at Wrigley, they left the stadium with looks of disappointment, wondering how much longer they would have to wait for a World Series in Chicago.

Well, Chicago has already waited 58 years, and it will have to wait at least one more.