Published May 20, 2011

The 1918 Boston Red Sox, including Babe Ruth, fifth from left. Click to enlarge. (Courtesy National Baseball Library)

Don’t do a double-take while watching the Red Sox game tomorrow night. There’s no Model T in your driveway, by George, the Sox and the Chicago Cubs will just be wearing throwback uniforms.

The Cubs are in town this weekend for the first time since 1918, when the Sox vanquished Chicago’s north-siders to win the World Series.

On Sept. 11, 1918, the Sox beat the Cubs 2-1 in the series’ deciding sixth game. Some allege the Cubs threw the series, just like the Chicago “Black Sox” did a year later. Regardless, the Sox brought home the banner.

Boston’s hero that day? Actually, it was Cubs rightfielder Max Flack — he committed the error that led to the Sox’ only runs.

Back then, there was no Curse of the Bambino. Instead, the Sox were somewhat of a juggernaut, according to the Boston Daily Globe of Sept. 12, 1918. Here’s the paper’s lede for “Red Sox Win Sixth Game And The Title”:

Boston is again the capital of the baseball world, history repeating itself yesterday when the Red Sox, who have never faltered in this great classic, defeated the Cubs, 2 to 1.

Besides, Babe Ruth pitched the Sox to wins in Games 1 and 4 of the series.

Boston has kicked the Curse of the Bambino, but star-crossed Cubs fans continue to suffer. Maybe facing up to the team’s traumatic Fenway Park experiences is just what The Babe, and the doctor, ordered.

Thanks to reader @nsmorrow for help in researching this post