History
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. The team played its first game in the history of the Chicago National League Ball Club on April 25. The first run for the team was scored by center fielder Paul Hines. In September 1876 the team won their first National League pennant. The team changed its name in 1890 and was now known as Chicago Colts for the next eight years. The team moved to a new home in 1893 and played there for the next 18 years. The team began playing at West Side Grounds. In 1898 the manager of the team Cap Anson retired. The team was once again renamed and for the next two years was known as the Chicago Orphans. During this time the fans also nicknamed the team as the "Cubbies." In 1900, disaster struck the team and a few players left the team. In 1902 manager Frank Selee joined the team and he built the team with a new set of players and the team was renamed as Chicago Cubs. In the first decade of the new century the Cubs was the best team in baseball. The team won a record of 116 games in 1906, 107 games in 1907, 99 games in 1908, and 104 games in 1909 and 1910. In the last five seasons the team also won National League pennants, garnering World Titles in 1907 and 1908. The next decade saw a mix response, the team changed six managers but they all failed to show good results. The team's fate changed when the owner of a chewing gum company William Wrigley bought the team. In 1945, the team made its last appearance to the World Series. The 1970s brought continued disappointment.
The 70s lineup consisted of Bill Madlock, Manny Trillo, Rick Reuschel, Bill Buckner, and Dave Kingman. The best player on the Cubs in the 1980s was Ryne Sandberg, a slick second baseman who won the 1984 Most Valuable Player award and plugged the middle infield spot for Chicago for 15 seasons. In 1984, the organization won their first National League Eastern Division championship, and returned to post-season play for the first time since 1945. The Chicago Cubs have the longest dry spell between championships in all of professional sports, having failed to win a World Series since 1908. The Chicago Cubs have not even been in a World Series since 1945, and finished in the second division, or bottom half, of the National League for twenty consecutive years beginning in 1947. They did not win any playoff series between 1908 and 2003, when they beat the Atlanta Braves in the National League Division Series (NLDS). Despite having their first back to back winning seasons since 1973 in 2003 and 2004, the cubs are still perennially in the top 10 in league attendance. The Cubs' home ballpark, Wrigley Field, played host to only day games until 1988, because the stadium owner donated the lights to the war effort in the 1940s, and it then became tradition. The first night game was scheduled to be played August 8, 1988, versus Philadelphia, but it was rained out after three and a half innings.
The first official night game later occurred the following evening, August 9, 1988; the Cubs defeated the New York Mets, 6-4. While night games are now possible at Wrigley, the Cubs still play more day games at home than any other Major League team. The Chicago Cubs have retired the following numbers; #14 worn by Ernie Banks, #26 belonging to Billy Williams, #10 worn by Ron Santo and #42 belonging to Jackie Robinson which has also been retired throughout baseball. The Chicago Cubs are a Major League Baseball team based in Chicago, Illinois. The Cubs are one of six teams in the Central Division of the National League. The uniform color of the team is red and blue and the logo design is a red C on a blue field. The following Chicago Cubs players were honored by being inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame, they are; Ernie Banks, Mordecai Brown, Roger Bresnahan, Kiki Cuyler, Dennis Eckersley, Pete Alexander, Richie Ashburn, Jimmie Foxx, John Clarkson, Lou Brock, Cap Anson, Clark Griffith, Gabby Hartnett, Frank Chance, Ferguson Jenkins, Chuck Klein, Rabbit Maranville, Ralph Kiner, Rogers Hornsby, Burleigh Grimes, Hugh Duffy, King Kelly, Al Spalding, Joe Tinker, Freddie Lindstrom, George Kelly, Billy Herman, Robin Roberts, Monte Irvin, Dizzy Dean, Tony Lazzeri, Johnny Evers, Hack Wilson, Billy Williams, Hoyt Wilhelm and Rube Waddell.