Baseball Home|Baseball Basics|Baseball History |Major League Baseball|Baseball Clothing & Apparel
Baseball Memorabilia|Baseball Books |Baseball Movies|Baseball Equipment

Chicago Cubs

The Chicago Cubs are a Major League Baseball team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are in the Central Division of the National League.

Founded: 1870, as an independent professional club. Joined the National Association in 1871. Became a charter National League member in 1876.
Formerly known as: White Stockings, in the 1870s. Colts, in the late 1890s. Orphans, 1898, after the firing of longtime manager Cap Anson. Remnants, in 1901, after a number of players deserted the team for the American League. The nickname Cubs was coined in 1902 when manager Frank Selee arrived and rebuilt the club with young, inexperienced players. The Chicago Tribune tried to call the team the Spuds around this time, but that name didn't stick.
Home ballpark: Wrigley Field, 1060 W. Addison Street, Chicago.
Uniform colors: Blue and red
Logo design: A red "C" on a blue field. Sometimes, the team will make use of a cartoon bear cub.
Wild Card titles won (1): 1998
Division titles won (3): 1984, 1989, 2003
League pennants won (16): 1876, 1880, 1881, 1882, 1885, 1886, 1906, 1907, 1908, 1910, 1918, 1929, 1932, 1935, 1938, 1945
World Series championships won (2): 1907, 1908

Chicago Cubs History

The Great Chicago Fire destroyed the club's ballpark, uniforms and records toward the end of the 1871 season. The club completed its schedule, finishing second in the National Association that year, but was forced to drop out of the league for the next two seasons as a result. In 1875, Chicago acquired several key players from the Boston Red Stockings, including pitcher Al Spalding and first baseman Cap Anson, who would later become the team leader and manager for almost twenty seasons. Anson was arguably the best player in baseball in his day, though he is chiefly remembered today for his role in establishing baseball's color line than for his playing and managerial skill.

After Chance took over as manager for the ailing Frank Selee in 1905, the Cubs won four pennants and two World Series titles over a five-year span. Their record of 116 victories in 1906 (in a 154-game season) has not been broken, though it was tied by the Seattle Mariners in 2001, in a 162-game season. The Cubs relied on dominant pitching during this period, featuring hurlers such as Mordecai "Three-Finger" Brown, Jack Taylor, Ed Reulbach, Jack Pfiester and Orval Overall, who posted a record for lowest staff earned-run average that still stands today.

It can't go without mention that the Cubs have the longest dry spell between championships in all of professional sports, having failed to win a World Series since 1908. To make matters worse, the Cubs haven't even been in a World Series since 1945, before there were divisions. They didn't win any playoff series between 1945 and 2003, when they beat the Atlanta Braves in the NLDS.

The Cubs 2003 playoff run ended in an emotional game 7 of the NLCS against the Florida Marlins. While at one point ahead in the 7-game series 3 games to 1, the Marlins came back to win the final three games. Marlins pitcher Josh Beckett shut out the Cubs in game 5. An implosion of the Cubs defense late in game 6, following a now-infamous incident of a fan named Steve Bartman touching a ball in foul territory, allowed the Marlins to score 8 runs in the eighth inning inning and tie the series. The Cubs were unable to win the final game at home, and the Cubs were without a pennant again. What may be the least known and cried over but possibly the most telling statistic of futility for the Cubs, though, is that they haven't had back-to-back winning seasons since 1973. Not division titles, not playoff appearances, just winning seasons. Yet, they still are perennially in the top 10 in the league in attendance.

Chicago Cubs Baseball Hall of Famers

  • Pete Alexander
  • Cap Anson
  • Richie Ashburn
  • Ernie Banks
  • Roger Bresnahan
  • Lou Brock
  • Mordecai Brown
  • Frank Chance
  • John Clarkson
  • Kiki Cuyler
  • Dizzy Dean
  • Hugh Duffy
  • Johnny Evers
  • Jimmie Foxx
  • Clark Griffith
  • Burleigh Grimes
  • Gabby Hartnett
  • Billy Herman
  • Rogers Hornsby
  • Monte Irvin
  • Ferguson Jenkins
  • George Kelly
  • King Kelly
  • Ralph Kiner
  • Chuck Klein
  • Tony Lazzeri
  • Fred Lindstrom
  • Rabbit Maranville
  • Robin Roberts
  • Al Spalding
  • Joe Tinker
  • Rube Waddell
  • Hoyt Wilhelm
  • Billy Williams
  • Hack Wilson


    • Chicago Cubs Retired numbers

  • 10 Ron Santo
  • 14 Ernie Banks
  • 26 Billy Williams
  • 42 Jackie Robinson (retired throughout baseball)


    • Cy Young Award Winners

  • 1971 Fergie Jenkins
  • 1979 Bruce Sutter
  • 1984 Rick Sutcliffe
  • 1992 Greg Maddux


    • Most Valuable Players

  • 1935 Gabby Hartnett
  • 1945 Phil Cavarretta
  • 1952 Hank Sauer
  • 1958 Ernie Banks
  • 1959 Ernie Banks
  • 1984 Ryne Sandberg
  • 1987 Andre Dawson
  • 1998 Sammy Sosa


    • Rookie Of the Year

  • 1961 Billy Williams
  • 1962 Ken Hubbs
  • 1989 Jerome Walton
  • 1998 Kerry Wood


    • Batting Champion

  • 1876 Ross Barnes (.429)
  • 1880 George Gore (.360)
  • 1881 Cap Anson (.399)
  • 1884 King Kelly (.354)
  • 1886 King Kelly (.388)
  • 1912 Heinie Zimmerman (.372)
  • 1945 Phil Cavarretta (.355)
  • 1972 Billy Williams (.333)
  • 1975 Bill Madlock (.354)
  • 1976 Bill Madlock (.339)
  • 1980 Bill Buckner (.324)


    • Chicago Cubs Resources:

    Chicago Cubs Merchandise, Clothing and Jerseys