Chicago Cubs: Interesting Questions, Facts, and Information

Chicago Cubs:  Interesting Questions, Facts, and Information

In what year did the Cubs begin playing at Wrigley Field in Chicago?


1916. At the end of the 1915 season, the Cubs moved across town to Wrigley Field. In their first season at Wrigley, they doubled their attendance to over 453,000. They finished 5th in the league. The franchise had played at West Side Park II since 1894, and South Side Park before that.


What Chicago Cub set a team record by striking out 274 batters in a season?


Ferguson Jenkins. Jenkins set the team record in 1969 when he struck out 273 batters. The following season he broke his own record with 274. He was 22-16 in 1970. In 1971, he won the Cy Young Award.


Cub slugger Sammy Sosa began his Major League career with what team?


Texas Rangers. The Rangers had their hands on him in 1989, but let him go to the White Sox before the season had ended. He hit 28 home runs for the White Sox in less than 3 seasons. In his first full season with the Cubs, he belted 33.


In what year did the Cubs win their first World Series?


1907. 1907 saw the Cubs make their second World Series appearance in consecutive years. They beat the Tigers 4-0-1. Their manager-first baseman Frank Chance, Joe Tinker, and Johnny Evers, created the historical saying of, "Tinkers to Evers to Chance", which was the most feared double-play combination in history. The following year in 1908 they beat the Tigers again, but this time 4 games to 0. 4 of the 7 seven years with manager Frank Chance, the Cubs went to the World Series.


What player was ranked 2nd behind Sammy Sosa in home runs for the Cubbies in the 2002 season?


Fred McGriff. After watching Sammy smack 49 big ones in 2002, the 'Crime Dog' got 30 of his own. Gonzalez hit 18, Bellhorn 27, and Alou 15.


What were the Cubs called before they became the Cubs in 1903?


Orphans. The Orphans (1898-1902), was the third name in the team's franchise history. They began it all in 1876 as the White Stockings until 1889, when they became the Colts until 1897. The Orphans were managed by Tom Burns, and played at West Side Park II.


Was Tony La Russa on the Cubs as a player?


Yes. La Russa appeared in one game as a Cub, as a pinch runner in 1973. He later scored the run.


Where did the Chicago Cubs play in 2002?


Wrigley Field. The Cubs played at Wrigley Field of course. If you picked Comisky Park, you mut have been thinking of the Chicago White Sox.


What year was the first year that Chicago Cubs won the World Series?


1907. The Cubs' ERA was 0.75. It was the lowest in the World Series until 1950, when the Yankees swept the Phillies and posted a 0.73 ERA. They beat the Tigers 4 games to 1, with 1 tie.


What year was the first year that Chicago Cubs went to the World Series?


1906. The Cubs were beat by cross-town rival White Sox 4 games to 2. The Cubs had the infamous Tinker to Evers to Chance combination.


What team did Ryne Sandberg play with before he was on the Cubs?


Philadelphia Phillies. He was drafted by the Phillies in 1981. He played lucky number 13 games with them. I guess the Cubs were the lucky ones to get him on their team for 15 years.


How many career homeruns does Ernie Banks have?


512. He hit 47 homeruns in 1958, the most in his career.


Was Bobby Bonds ever on the Cubs?


True. Bobby Bonds, the father of superstar Barry Bonds, actually was on the Chicago Cubs. He ended his 14-year major league career in Chicago in 1981, hitting .215 in 45 games with the Cubs.


Was Greg Maddux ever on the Cubs?


True. Believe it! He was on the Cubs in 1986-1992. In 1992, he even had 20 wins.


Who was the "creator" of the Chicago Cubs?


Albert Spalding. The Chicago Cubs were originally called the Chicago White Stockings, when they first were introduced to the public. They then were known as the Orphans, the Black Stockings, the Colts, the Rainmakers, the Cowboys, and then finally the Chicago Cus in 1902.


What Chicago Cub former player is known as "Mr. Cub"?


Ernie Banks. Ernie Banks hit more homeruns than anyone in the majors during 1955 to 1960, including Mickey Mantle, Henry Aaron, and Willie Mays, which was 248 homeruns in that time period.


The Cubs got Eric Karros from what team before the 2003 season?


Dodgers. Karros was a long time Dodger, and won a Rookie of the Year with them in 1992.


Cubs acquired Kenny Lofton in the 2003 season from what team?


Pittsburgh Pirates. He did play for all these teams, but came from Pittsburgh mid-season 2003.


Cubs traded Jeff Fasero to a team in their division later in the 2002 season. What team was he traded to?


Cardinals. Fasero was 5-6 for the Cubs, then 3-0 with the Cardinals.


The Cubs acquired Moises Alou from what team?


Houston Astros. Moises came to the Cubs in 2002.


Sammy Sosa was originally a Ranger, then traded to what team, who then traded Sosa to the Cubs?


White Sox. He was traded for George Bell.


What team did the Cubs lose to in the 1945 World Series?


Detroit Tigers. The Tigers, led by Hall of Famers Hank Greenberg and Hal Newhouser, beat the Cubs 4 games to 3. The Tigers and Cubs have met in the World Series 4 times, with the Cubs winning in 1907 and 1908, while the Tigers won in 1935 and 1945.


What team did the Cubs beat in the World Series in 1908?


Detroit Tigers. The Cubs won 4 games to 1, despite Ty Cobb's .368 series batting average for the Tigers. Hall of Famer Mordecai "Three Finger" Brown, tossed 2 shutouts and Orval Overall allowed only a total of 1 run in his 2 series victories.


Of that famous double play combo of Tinker (SS), Evers (2B), and Chance (1B), who was the 3rd baseman?


Harry Steinfeldt. Steinfeldt is the often forgotten man of the infield that help lead the Cubs to the World Series in 1906, 1907, 1908, and 1910.


What year did Wrigley Field add lights?


1988. The first night game ever at Wrigley, was against the eventual 1988 N.L. Eastern Division champion New York Mets.


How many consecutive years did Hall of Famer Ferguson Jenkins win at least 20 games for the Cubs?


6. Jenkins won between 20 and 24 games each season in 1967, 68, 69, 70, 71, and 72.


After the Cubs obtained this pitcher from the Cleveland Indians part way through the 1984 season, he went 16-1 to help the Cubs win the N.L. East title. Who was he?


Rick Sutcliffe. Sutcliffe, who was obtained for Mel Hall and Joe Carter, won the N.L. Cy Young Award in 1984.


Who did the Cubs trade to the White Sox in 1992 to obtain Sammy Sosa?


George Bell. This was the second time Cubs General Manager Larry Hines traded for Sosa. While GM of the White Sox in 1989, he obtained Sosa from the Texas Rangers for Harold Baines. Sosa hit only 8 home runs in his first year with the Cubs.


In what year was second baseman Ken Hubbs, the National Leaue Rookie of the Year?


1962. Hubbs was tragically killed in a 1964 plane crash at the age of 22.


Ernie Banks won the National League MVP award in what consecutive years?


1958 & 1959. Banks hit .313 with a league leading 47 HRs and 129 RBIs for the 5th place Cubs in 1958, He followed that up in 1959, by batting .304 with 45 HRs and a league leading 143 RBIs as the Cubs finished 5th again.


Whom did the Cubs obtain from the White Sox when they traded Ron Santo in 1974?


Steve Stone. The popular Santo was towards the end of his career, and was traded to the American League where he could be a designated hitter. Stone later won the American League Cy Young Award in 1980 while with the Orioles.