The Chicago teams of the 1880s were far more successful than those of the previous decade. The franchise captured the league pennant in half of the decade’s seasons; thus, despite losing the World Series in ‘86, the teams of this decade achieved one of the most successful periods in franchise history. Crafted by both A.G. […]
Tag: Cubs history
The 1969 Cubs and How to be Happy
The question of what constitutes human happiness is one that has attracted the attention of many philosophers throughout history. The Ancient Greeks understood it by the term eudaimonia, the combining of the words “good” and “spirit,” and though there was no real consensus of how to achieve it, they generally believed, as Aristotle stated, that […]
Billy Jurges: The Literal Replacement Player
Billy Jurges burst onto the baseball scene in likely the most unexpected and mysterious manner possible. In his first full year with the Cubs, Jurges played well enough to garner the appreciation of Cubs fans, but it was not until two months into the season, on July 6th, 1932, that Jurges cemented himself as a […]
Hack Wilson vs. Edward Young: How to Milk a Fight
The task of driving a milk wagon was a particularly dangerous affair, as drivers had to contend with delicate glass bottles, disgruntled customers, disgruntled horses, and careless drivers all too willing to slam into the poor wagons. By the early 1920s, milk wagon drivers had added another name to the long list of perils: the […]
Punching Up: Jack Doyle And Leadership
In baseball, leadership is often viewed as critical to a team’s success, but it is also incredibly difficult to quantify, taking on many forms and adapting to the particularities of the game. There are both silent and vocal leaders, ones who allow their play to speak for them and others who distinguish themselves in their […]
The Riot That Nobody Predicted
On August 25th, 1948, the House Un-American Activities Committee first televised one of its sessions, a stand-off between former State Department official, now-accused Soviet Spy Alger Hiss and former US Communist party member, now-Time Magazine editor Whittaker Chambers. The day, dubbed “Confrontation Day,” grabbed national headlines across the country, promising to be the first of many […]
Bill Nicholson, The Unconventional Wartime Hero
Several days after a massive typhoon wiped out a number of US ships and officers in the south Pacific, Bill Nicholson found himself in the office of the Draft Board, waiting to hear whether his draft exemption would continue. As his teammates, one by one, joined the nameless masses fighting against fascism in Europe and […]
The Cubs and Moby Dick
“Weeghman, Weeghman, Federal man Make me a contract as fast as you can, Pad it and sign it and mark it O.K. And I’ll go to the majors and ask for more pay.” It’s no secret that Theo Epstein has been enamoured by Anthony Rizzo for the entirety of Rizzo’s career, first drafting him with […]
That’s Orphan? And Other Almost-Names
Much has been made about the Cubs’ youth, and rightfully so. The team boasts an excellent crop of youngsters who are more concerned about the greatness of the future than the heartbreak of the past. They are helping to introduce a new brand of Cubs baseball that is unfamiliar to any fan under the age […]
Trey Mancini will never be Frank Ernaga
This piece, previewed here, comes courtesy of BP’s Bryan Grosnick. While everyone is (rightly) excited about Eric Thames and his extreme early success after years playing in Korea, there’s another bat-first 1B/DH type who is raking. Trey Mancini of the Orioles has capitalized on a tremendous cup of coffee last September and snuck into seven […]