It’s no wonder fans of the Chicago Cubs bleed “Cubbie blue.” The baseball team has given its followers more than 100 years of riveting entertainment and sports history. In honor of this city’s iconic team and to remember the Cubs’ World Series win in 2016, we are looking back on the history of Chicago’s beloved North Side team.
The Beginning of a Legend
The Chicago Cubs’ history timeline begins before the team even had the name we all know bhem by today. The team is such an integral part of life in the Windy City that it’s hard to imagine it under any different name. However, the Cubs started in 1876 as the Chicago White Stockings, one of eight charter members of the newly minted National League.
Before the Cubs became the official mascot, this well-known team went by other names, including the Orphans and the Colts. In 1902, a newspaper first tossed around the Cubs name, and five years later, it became the official team name.
In 1907, the same year the Cubs took on the name that stuck, they won the World Series. The team won 107 games in the season and beat out the Detroit Tigers for the glory. Then again, in 1908, the Chicago Cubs claimed the World Series title. After two years in a row of winning the World Series, the Chicago Cubs and their fans would have to wait more than 100 years to taste the same victory.
The Good Years and the Bad Years
The Chicago Cubs started as one of the most dominant teams in baseball. Following their consecutive World Series wins in 1907 and 1908, the team continued to collect pennants and make World Series appearances. In 1910, the Cubs won a pennant, but the Philadelphia Athletics beat them in the World Series.
As time went on, the Cubs suffered more World Series losses. In 1918, the Boston Red Sox beat the Cubs out for the title. The Philadelphia Athletics defeated the Cubs in the World Series again in 1929. The Cubs also made it to the World Series in 1932. In 1932, the Cubs made it to the World Series again. This time, they faced off against the New York Yankees, a team that had just won 107 games that season. The Yankees team included baseball greats Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig. The Cubs did not win. Ruth even called his home run at Wrigley Field during Game 3 of the series.
In 1938, a famous moment in Cubs’ history drove the team onto the road to the National League pennant. Before Wrigley Field had lights for night games — the first nighttime game would not happen until 1988 — the Cubs and the Pittsburgh Pirates were tied 5-5 in the bottom of the ninth inning, and darkness was threatening to end the game. Cubs player Gabby Hartnett hit a home run — soon to go down in history as the “Homer in the Gloamin’.”
The Cubs made their final appearance in the World Series – or so many people predicted – in 1945. The Detroit Tigers took home the title. After that defeat, the Cubs entered the longest stretch of their drought years yet. The Cubs set some records, but not the kind teams want to add to their reputation. In 1962 and 1966, the Cubs set franchise records for the number of lost games, and for 20 seasons beginning in 1947, the Chicago team never ended above .500. It was a dark time in Cubs history for the team and its fans.
In 1967 and 1968, the Cubs briefly emerged from their slump to pull together some consecutive wins, but it was not enough to propel them to their former postseason glory. Then in 1986, the Cubs won the National League division with 96 wins.
The 1990s were not the Cubs’ time to win the World Series, but it was a historic time for the team. Famous slugger Sammy Sosa and indomitable pitcher Kerry Wood joined the lineup and helped create some of the most memorable moments in Cubs legend.
In the 2000s, the Cubs suffered near-misses for the pennant, but took home the National League Central title in 2007 and 2008. Meanwhile, loyal fans were still dreaming of the day the Cubs would be the top team in baseball.
Curse of the Billy Goat
Every Chicago Cubs fan — more realistically, every Chicagoan, Cubs fan or not — knows about the Billy Goat curse. In 1945, the Cubs’ luck took a turn for the worse. Tavern owner William “Billy Goat” Sianis arrived at the gates of Wrigley Field for Game 4 of the World Series with two tickets — one for himself and one for his companion Murphy. Ticket-takers turned the pair away because Murphy was no regular baseball fan, but instead a goat. As the story goes, Murphy’s smell kept him from entering the stadium.
As he turned to go, Sianis promised, “The Cubs ain’t gonna win no more. The Cubs will never win a World Series so long as the goat is not allowed in Wrigley Field,” according to the Billy Goat Tavern. His words of disappointment turned out to be all too prophetic.
The Cubs lost Game 4 and, ultimately, the entire World Series to the Detroit Tigers. Then began the Cubs’ long drought. In 1973, William Sianis’ nephew, Sam Sianis, brought Socrates the goat to the field to lift the curse, but Socrates did not make it past the gate. The Cubs continued to miss out on the World Series win. Perhaps decision-makers started taking the curse more seriously, because Wrigley Field’s owners — the Tribune Company, at the time — invited Sam Sianis and a goat into the field on opening day in 1984. Despite repeated goat appearances in the years to follow, the Chicago Cubs would not clinch another World Series win until 2016.
By the Numbers
Thus far, with 148 seasons, the Chicago Cubs team has a colorful history, ranging from championship and glory to struggle and defeat. Here are a few statistics on the Cubs’ top moments in baseball.
The playoffs are the road to baseball’s highest honor: the World Series. Here is where the Cubs stand on baseball’s toughest competitions:
Wins and Losses
Even the hottest teams in baseball experience defeat sometimes. Here are the team’s most notable seasons for wins and losses, according to the Chicago Cubs’ website:
- Most wins in a season: 116 wins in 1906
- Most losses in a season: 103 losses in 1962 and 1966
Teams change as players come and go, but some Cubs live on in their fans’ hearts and minds. Throughout the team’s long history, 50 of its players have made it to the Baseball Hall of Fame.
Wrigley Field
Wrigley Field is home to the Cubs and an iconic Chicago landmark. Construction on the ballpark began in 1914, making Wrigley the second-oldest ballpark in the country — it is just two years younger than Fenway Park in Boston. The Friendly Confines was not originally going to be home to the Cubs. Instead, Chicago Whales owner Charles Weeghman built the stadium for his baseball team.
The Whales went bankrupt within just a few years, and Weeghman bought the Cubs shortly afterward. The Cubs started playing at the ballpark, then known as Weeghman Field, in 1916. In 1920, the park’s ownership passed to William Wrigley, Jr. With new ownership came a new name: “Cubs Park.” Wrigley Field did not get its now-famous name until 1926.
Two of Wrigley’s most famous features — the ivy climbing its walls and its scoreboard — both date back to 1937. To this day, the original scoreboard remains, and someone still changes the score by hand at Wrigley Field.
Wrigley Field recently wrapped up a massive update known as The 1060 Project. The project, which began in 2014, neared completion at the start of the 2019 season. The project expanded bleacher seating, upgraded the park’s infrastructure and brought video screens to the field, among other improvements. And some upgrades remain under wraps. The project runners promised to honor the classic look of the ballpark while updating it for the modern age.
Famous Cubs Players
Over its 144 years, the Chicago Cubs baseball team has had more than a few incredibly talented baseball players. Some players only stayed with the Cubs for a few seasons, while others spent most of their careers in Chicago. The team has retired five numbers in honor of six players, ensuring fans will always remember those men and their jersey numbers.
The six Cubs who have earned a retired number include the following.
- Ron Santo (10): Ron Santo spent 14 years with the Chicago Cubs and one year with the Chicago White Sox. The third baseman has been a Baseball Hall of Famer since 2012. His induction took place two years after his death in 2010. Santo hit 342 home runs in his career and had a batting average of .277. Following his time as a baseball player, Santo became a radio commentator.
- Ernie Banks (14): Ernie Banks was a first baseman and shortstop for the Cubs for his entire 19-year career. Banks more than earned his “Mr. Cub” nickname — he secured the MVP title in 1958 and 1959. Banks hit 512 home runs, 407 doubles and 90 triples during his career. Mr. Cub became a Baseball Hall of Famer in 1977.
- Ryne Sandberg (23): Ryne Sandberg, inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2005, was a second baseman for the Cubs from 1982 to 1994. He briefly came back as a Cub from 1996 to 1997. Sandberg’s impressive career statistics include 282 home runs, 2,386 hits, 403 doubles, 76 triples and 1,061 RBIs.
- Billy Williams (26): Billy Williams played for the Chicago Cubs from 1959 to 1974. He was a left fielder and strong at-bat player. Williams hit 426 home runs, stole 90 bases, had 1,475 RBIs and a batting average of .290. He has been a member of the Baseball Hall of Fame since 1987.
- Ferguson Jenkins (31): Ferguson “Fergie” Jenkins spent most of his career with the Chicago Cubs, finishing with them in 1983. He has been a member of the Baseball Hall of Fame since 1991. Each year from 1967 to 1972, the pitcher won 20 games or more. Jenkins has a 3.34 career ERA and 49 shutouts.
- Greg Maddux (31): Greg Maddux spent 10 seasons of his career, 1986 to 1992, pitching for the Cubs. The Baseball Hall of Fame inducted him in 2014, and he remains one of the greatest right-handed pitchers in MLB history. He played 744 games and had a career ERA of 3.16.
A few other Cub greats include Mordecai Brown, Sammy Sosa and Kerry Wood. Brown earned fame for his curveball, thrown with just three fingers. The Cubs pitcher lost two fingers as a child in a farming accident, but his injured hand never held him back. He played 10 years for the Cubs, including the World Series-winning years of 1907 and 1908. Brown had 239 career wins and a 2.06 ERA.
Sosa hit 609 home runs in his career, including the years he played for the Cubs from 1992 to 2004. Accusations of steroid abuse and the use of a corked bat in 2003 have somewhat marred his legend. However, it’s impossible to ignore his strong performance as a Cubs player.
Wood earns a spot as a memorable and great Cubs player because of his strength as a pitcher. Wood struck out 20 at-bats during just his fifth career game start. During his time as a Cub, he earned an 80 to 68 record and a 3.67 ERA.
Top Cubs Managers
As of this year, 61 different men have managed the Chicago Cubs team. Some managers have led the Cubs to victory or through the long drought years, but it’s undeniable that the Chicago Cubs have had some great leaders. Here are a few widely celebrated Cubs managers.
- Cap Anson: Cap Anson led the Chicago Cubs as field manager from 1879 to 1897. During that time, Anson helped guide the Cubs to five National League Pennants and 1,282 wins.
- Frank Chance: Frank Chance regularly tops lists of great Cubs leaders. Chance led the team to 768 winning games in just eight seasons. He was at the helm when the Cubs won the World Series in 1907 and 1908. He is in the Baseball Hall of Fame for both his skills as a player and manager.
- Charlie Grimm: Charlie Grimm managed the Cubs from 1932 to 1938, from 1944 to 1949 and again in 1960. He led the Cubs to three World Series appearances and 946 winning games.
- Joe Maddon: Joe Maddon was manager of the Chicago Cubs until the end of the 2018 season. He led the Cubs to victory in the 2016 World Series, finally breaking the curse that plagued the Cubs for more than 100 years.
- Joe McCarthy: Joe McCarthy managed the Chicago Cubs from 1926 to 1930. Under his leadership, the Cubs won the 1929 pennant. The team owner William Wrigley fired McCarthy the following season after the Cubs failed to clinch the 1930 pennant. McCarthy went on to have an extremely successful career with the Yankees.
- Lou Piniella: Lou Piniella served as Cubs’ manager from 2007 to 2010. He earned a reputation as a memorable Cubs leader because he was the first manager to guide the Cubs to significant postseason victories since Frank Chance’s reign.
Crosstown Classics
“Are you a Cubs or a Sox fan?” Every Chicagoan has asked and received that question. Any history of the Chicago Cubs would be incomplete without talking about the team’s longstanding rivalry with the Chicago White Sox. The Cubs are part of the National League, and the White Sox are part of the American League, but interleague competition brings them together at least once per season. Since 1997, the two teams have played each other in the Crosstown Classic series, further fueling the North Side and South Side rivalry.
Long before the Crosstown Classic, the Cubs and Sox were sowing the seeds for an epic baseball rivalry. In 1906, the White Sox beat the Cubs in the World Series four games to two. The teams continued to cross paths during the City Series, which took place from 1903 through 1942. The White Sox again overtook the Cubs in this series with 91 wins to 60, according to SB Nation.
The energy at these games runs high for the fans and players. In 2006, the Cubs catcher Michael Barrett punched White Sox catcher A.J. Pierzynski during the second inning of a game played at the Sox’s home turf of U.S. Cellular Field. A contentious play sparked the confrontation. The two players collided as Pierzynski slid into home plate, but the drama didn’t end there. After the first punch, players from both teams streamed onto the field and commenced to have a no-holds-barred brawl. Players from both teams received a mix of fines and suspensions. While it called into question the sportsmanship of both teams, the fight made for a colorful addition to the longstanding Cubs and Sox conflict.
The Cubs and Sox have played each other 131 times since 1997. The White Sox have the upper hand, with 68 overall wins to the Cubs’ 63 wins. The White Sox might be on top, but nothing will stop fans of both teams from gearing up for each new season of classic Chicago baseball.
The 2016 World Series
The 2016 World Series is the most recent and triumphant piece of Cubs history. For the first time in 108 years, the Chicago Cubs won the World Series in a dramatic and tense series. The Cubs, carrying the weight of an entire city’s dreams on their shoulders, played the Cleveland Indians in seven games. The Indians won Game 1, Game 3 and Game 4, while the Cubs claimed Game 2, Game 5 and Game 6.
In the ninth inning of Game 7, the two teams had played to a 7-7 tie. As if fans weren’t already sitting on the edge of their seats, a rain delay brought the game to a halt. Victory was so close both teams could taste it. After the game resumed, second baseman and outfielder Ben Zobrist stepped up to the plate. He hit an RBI double, securing an 8-7 win for the Cubs. The Chicago Cubs are the first team since the 1979 Pittsburgh Pirates to claw their way back from three games down to victory. The 2016 team broke the longstanding curse, cementing the Chicago Cubs’ World Series win in history.
After the Win
Following the 2016 World Series win, the Chicago Cubs’ timeline continues — but not without a few struggles along the way. The 2017 season saw difficulties for the Cubs in the first half. Once they hit their stride, the Cubs pulled a five-game series win over the Washington Nationals. It was the Cubs’ third consecutive year advancing to the National League Championship Series. For the second time, the Chicago team went up against the Dodgers, where they lost four of five games to the Los Angeles team.
Before 2018, the Cubs changed their pitching staff, but injuries affected first baseman Anthony Rizzo and Kris Bryant, who played third base and outfield during the season. Yu Darvish, the new starting pitcher, only started eight games before suffering elbow and triceps injuries. Pitcher Brandon Morrow faced injuries before medical staff ruled him out for the season in September. Despite the circumstances, the Cubs held first place in their division for a good portion of the season. But they lost to the Colorado Rockies in the National League Wild Card Game, resulting in the earliest playoff exit for the Cubs in three seasons.
2019 saw an intact roster for the Cubs. Again, they started strong. The Cubs led the Central Division over the Brewers by a half-game. But as the final months of the season approached, the Cubs lost control over the Central Division and lost more players to injury. Rizzo and Bryant experienced injuries again this season, along with shortstop Javier Báez.
Every team has their ups and downs throughout the season, and following a century-long wait for a win put pressures and expectations on the team to keep it up. But Cubs fans are still riding the high of the team’s 2016 success and are eager to see them climb their way back to victory.