Chicago Cubs

51 Pages·2014·6.454 MB·English

by  George Castle

CHICAGO
CUBS
bby GGeorge CCasttlle
An Imprint of Abdo Publishing
www.abdopublishing.com
www.abdopublishing.com
Published by Abdo Publishing, a division of ABDO, PO Box 398166,
Minneapolis, Minnesota 55439. Copyright © 2015 by Abdo Consulting Group,
Inc. International copyrights reserved in all countries. No part of this book
may be reproduced in any form without written permission from the publisher.
SportsZone™ is a trademark and logo of Abdo Publishing.
Printed in the United States of America, North Mankato, Minnesota
052014
092014
Editor: Chrös McDougall
Copy Editor: Nicholas Cafarelli
Interior Design and Production: Kazuko Collins
Cover Design: Christa Schneider
Photo Credits: Mark Duncan/AP Images, cover; Photo File/MLB Photos via
Getty Images, 1; John Bazemore/AP Images, 4, 43 (bottom); Morry Gash/AP
images, 7; Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images, 9; National Baseball Hall of Fame
Library/MLB Photos via Getty Images, 10, 15, 42 (top and bottom); FPG/Getty
Images, 13; AP Images, 16, 19, 21, 23, 24, 27, 42 (middle); Isaac Sutton/Ebony
Collection via AP Images, 29, 43 (top); Focus on Sport/Getty Images, 31; John
Swart, FILE/AP Images, 32; Mark Elias/AP Images, 35; Mark A. Duncan/AP
Images, 36, 43 (middle); Brian Kersey/AP Images, 39; Al Behrman/AP Images,
41; Kent Horner/AP Images, 44; Charles Rex Arbogast/AP Images, 47
Library of Congress Control Number: 2014932904
Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Castle, George.
Chicago Cubs / by George Castle.
p. cm. — (Inside MLB)
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978-1-62403-464-0
1. Chicago Cubs (Baseball team)—History—Juvenile literature. I. Title.
GV875.C6C25 2015
796.357’640977311—dc23
2014932904
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1
Chapter .............Breaking the Curse?, 4
2
Chapter .............B ecoming the Cubs, 10
3
Chapter .............The Cubs' Golden Era, 16
4
Chapter .............The Second Wrigley, 24
5
Chapter .............Coming Close, Again, 32
6
Chapter .............Still Trying to Get Back, 36
Timeline, 42
Quick Stats, 44
Quotes and Anecdotes, 45
Glossary, 46
For More Information, 47
Index, 48
About the Author, 48
1
CHAPTER
BREAKING
THE CURSE?
T
he 2003 Chicago Cubs were not expected
to be a serious contender for a World
Series title. Under new manager Dusty
Baker, they hung around .500 until early
September. Then they caught fire.
A pitching staff led by Mark
EEEExxxxttttrrrraaaa SSSSuuuuppppppppoooorrrrtttt
Prior and Kerry Wood sud-
OOOOnnnn JJJJuuuullllyyyy 22223333,,,, 2222000000003333,,,, tttthhhheeee CCCCuuuubbbbssss llllaaaannnnddddeeeeddd
denly became one of the best in
ttthhhiiirrrddd bbbaaassseeemmmaaannn AAArrraaammmiiisss RRRaaammmiiirrreeezzz aaannnddd
Major League Baseball (MLB). ccceeennnttteeerrr ffffiiieeellllddddeeerrr KKKKeeennnnnnyyy LLLooofffftttooonnn ffffrrrooommm
ttthhheee PPPiiittttttsssbbbuuurrrggghhh PPPiiirrraaattteeesss fffooorrr ttthhhiiirrrddd
After some inconsistency, the
bbbaaassseeemmmaaannn JJJooossseee HHHeeerrrnnnaaannndddeeezzz aaannnddd tttwwooo
Cubs’ lineup became more pro-
mmiinnoorr lleeaagguueerrss.. RRaammiirreezz aanndd LLooffttoonn
ductive, too. The Cubs started ssssppppaaaarrrrkkkkeeeedddd tttthhhheeee CCCCuuuubbbbssss ttttoooo wwwwiiiitttthhhhiiiinnnn ffffiiiivvvveeee oooouuuuttttssss
ooofff ttthhheee WWWooorrrlllddd SSSeeerrriiieeesss... LLLoooffftttooonnn hhhiiittt ...333222777
September by going 8–1. As the
wwwiitthh aa ..338811 oonn--bbaassee pppeerrcceennttaagggee iinn 5566
month—and season—came to ggggaaaammmmeeeessss.... RRRRaaaammmmiiiirrrreeeezzzz hhhhaaaadddd 11115555 hhhhoooommmmeeee rrrruuuunnnnssss
aaannnddd dddrrrooovvveee iiinnn 333999 rrruuunnnsss iiinnn 666333gggaaammmeeesss...
a close, they were right in the
LLLoooffftttooonnn llleeefffttt ttthhheee ttteeeaaammm aaafffttteeerrr ttthhheee 222000000333
mix for the National League ssseeeaaasssooonnn... RRRaaammmiiirrreeezzz wwweeennnttt ooonnn tttooo ssstttaaarrr iiinnn
CChhiiccaaggoo ffoorr sseevveerraall yyeeaarrss..
(NL) Central Division title.
MMaarrkk PPrriioorr rreeaaccttss aafftteerr ggeettttiinngg aann oouutt iinn GGaammee 22 ooff tthhee 22000033 NNLL
CChhaammppiioonnsshhiipp SSeerriieess aaggaaiinnsstt tthhee FFlloorriiddaa MMaarrlliinnss..
5
BREAKING THE CURSE?
The Cubs had a chance to North Side had not won a play-
win that title on the second- off series since winning the
to-last day of the season. They 1908 World Series. Some fans
were hosting the Pittsburgh believed the Cubs could never
Pirates in a doubleheader at win another World Series. That
Wrigley Field. When the Cubs is according to a curse suppos-
won both games, they were edly put on the team during
division champions. They were the 1945 World Series. When
heading to the playoffs for the a fan and his goat were kicked
first time since 1998. out of a game because the goat
The playoffs, however, smelled, he supposedly said the
were not known to be good to the Cubs would never win another
Cubs. The team from Chicago’s World Series.
Curse or no curse, the Cubs
TThhee CCuurrssee got off to a good start. They
edged the Atlanta Braves three
OOnn OOccttoobbeerr 66,, 11994455,, tthhee CCuubbss hhoosstteedd
tthhee DDeettrrooiitt TTiiggeerrss aatt WWrriigglleeyy FFiieelldd iinn games to two in the NL Division
GGGaaammmeee 444 ooofff ttthhheee WWWooorrrlllddd SSSeeerrriiieeesss... CCCuuubbbsss fffaaannn
Series (NLDS). Then they met
WWiilllliiaamm ““BBiillllyy GGooaatt”” SSiiaanniiss bboouugghhtt
ttwwoo ttiicckkeettss ffoorr tthhee ggaammee:: oonnee ffoorr the Florida Marlins in the NL
hhiimm,, aanndd oonnee ffoorr hhiiss ggooaatt MMuurrpphhyy..
Championship Series (NLCS).
HHoowweevveerr,, SSiiaanniiss aanndd MMuurrpphhyy wweerree
oorrddeerreedd ttoo lleeaavvee bbeeccaauussee tthhee ggooaatt Cubs fans were starting
ssmmeelllleedd bbaadd.. WWhheenn SSiiaanniiss wwaass lleeaavvvvvv--
to feel good about the team’s
iiinnnggg,,, hhheee rrreeepppooorrrttteeedddlllyyy sssaaaiiiddd,,, “““TTThhheee CCCuuubbbsss
chances. They had a 22–10
aaaiiinnn'''ttt gggooonnnnnnaaa wwwiiinnn nnnooo mmmooorrreee... TTThhheee CCCuuubbbsss
wwiillll nneevveerr wwiinn aa WWoorrlldd SSeerriieess ssoo lloonngg record since September 1. Then
aass tthhee ggooaatt iiss nnoott aalllloowweedd iinn WWrriigglleeyy
they took a three-games-to-one
FFFiiieeelllddd...””” TTThhheee CCCuuubbbsss hhhaaavvveee nnnooottt bbbeeeeeennn bbbaaaccckkk
tttooo aaa WWWooorrrlllddd SSSeeerrriiieeesss sssiiinnnccceee... lead over the Marlins in the
NLCS. Many fans and media
6
CHICAGO CUBS
Cubs outfielder Moises Alou is unable to catch a foul ball when a fan, in
headphones, deflects it during Game 6 of the 2003 NLCS.
members felt the Cubs were on foul ball down toward the left-
the verge of returning to their field box seats. Cubs left fielder
first World Series since 1945. Moises Alou leaped against the
The Marlins beat the Cubs wall to try to catch the foul pop.
4–0 in Game 5. Then the Cubs Several Cubs fans tried to grab
hosted the Marlins in Game 6 it, too.
on the evening of October 14. The ball deflected off one
Prior held a 3–0 lead with one fan’s hands. Alou was unable
out in the eighth. Then Marlins to catch it and record the sec-
second baseman Luis Castillo ond out. The outfielder threw a
hit what looked like a routine fit. Cubs fans were not happy
7
BREAKING THE CURSE?
KERRY WOOD either. The fan had to be
escorted out of the stadium by
Kerry Wood impressed Cubs
security for his safety.
fans not only with his strikeouts but
The Cubs then began to
also his determination. In spite of
unravel. Shortstop Alex Gon-
repeated shoulder injuries, he always
zalez bobbled a ground ball
tried to come back. In the spring of
that could have been turned
2007, however, his shoulder pain did
not improve. “I was one day away into a double play to get the
from quitting,” Wood said. Cubs out of the inning. Before
The pitcher said he was going long, the Marlins had scored
to tell the team he would retire and eight runs to steal Game 6.
undergo surgery when his physical The next night, Wood
therapist suggested he try throwing slugged a homer to thrill the
again. “He said why not just throw
crowd. But he did not have his
again to flare it up, make sure he [the
best stuff on the mound. The
surgeon] doesn't miss anything?”
Marlins completed the star-
Wood said. “I went to throw to make
tling comeback with a 9–6
it hurt. It felt good.”
victory. Then they went on to
Wood came back to pitch in
beat the New York Yankees in
the final two months of 2007. Then
the World Series.
he saved 34 games as Cubs closer
“I think they drained their
in 2008. Wood later pitched for the
tanks for us,” Cubs pitching
Cleveland Indians and the New York
coach Larry Rothschild said of
Yankees. But he was one of the
Wood and Prior. “It’s the first
most popular players in recent Cubs
time either one of them has
history.
pitched this long. Now they
tasted it, so hopefully in the
8
CHICAGO CUBS