updated 9:29 p.m. ET Oct. 6, 2007

CHICAGO - Holy Cow! This is no way to exorcise the billy goat curse.

A grainy 14-second video posted on YouTube this week shows Chicago police cutting down what looks like a skinned goat’s carcass from the right arm of the Harry Caray statue outside Wrigley Field.

Gary Yamashiroya, commander of the Chicago Police district that includes Wrigley, told the Chicago Sun-Times in a story posted Saturday on its Web site that officers were called out to the ballpark at 5:35 a.m. Wednesday to check out reports of something hanging from the bronze statue.

Yamashiroya told the paper the goat appeared to be from a butcher but added: “I certainly hope someone didn’t kill a goat for a practical joke.”

A Cubs spokesman said the organization was aware of the incident but declined comment.

The curse dates to the 1945 World Series, when the Cubs refused to let the owner of the famed Billy Goat tavern bring his goat to the game.

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