The best highlights of the World Series champion Chicago Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo.
Thursday, December 22, 2016
2016 Anthony Rizzo Highlights
The best highlights of the World Series champion Chicago Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo.
Monday, November 21, 2016
Kris Bryant MVP 2016 Highlights,
Kris Bryant received 29 of 30 first place by the BBWAA to earn the 2016 National League Most Valuable Player award. Bryant became the first Chicago Cub to win the award since Sammy Sosa in 1998. It was the 11th time a Cub has won the award. Bryant hit 39 home runs with 102 RBI this season with a slash line of .292/.385/.554/.939. His WAR (wins against replacement) was 7.7.
Bryant was the National League Rookie of the Year in 2015. Only three other players have won the MVP award the year after being Rookie of the Year (Cal Ripken Jr., Ryan Howard, and Dustin Pedroia). The award was just icing on the cake for the young third baseman after the Cubs won their first World Series championship since 1908 this season.
Monday, June 27, 2016
Sweet-Swinging Billy Williams
Sweet Swinging Billy Williams, he was tagged early in his career with the Chicago Cubs. Williams, who was the 1961 National League Rookie of the Year made his mark in baseball history with his durability, and bat.
Williams spent sixteen seasons in the major leagues fourteen of those with the Cubs, and his last two with the Oakland Athletics. Williams was an iron man his day playing 1,117 straight games from 1963-1970. His streak currently ranks sixth in major league history. He was a six-time National League All-Star, won the battling title in 1972. He was snubbed for the All-Star game in 1970 when had a 26 home runs and 80 RBI at the all-star break.
His best season was 1972, when he hit 37 home runs with 122 RBI, and hit .333. He finished second to Johnny Bench of the Reds in the MVP voting. His career numbers of 426 home runs, 1475 RBI, and a .290 batting average were enough to get him elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1987.
Often over shadowed in recent years by fellow Hall Fame players Ferguson Jenkins, Ron Santo, and Ernie Banks, but Williams was a key member of the solid Chicago Cubs teams of the late 60's and eaarly 70's.
Sunday, June 26, 2016
Gentleman Jim Hickman Passes Away
Former Chicago Cubs outfielder Jim Hickman has passed away according to reports. Hickman is remembered for delivering the game winning hit in the 1970 All-Star game in which Pete Rose blew up Ray Fosse at home plate.
Hickman broke in to the big leagues with the New York Mets after being selected in the expansion draft from the St. Louis Cardinals, and played with them from 1962-66. While in New York, Hickman became the first Met to hit for the cycle, and it was Hickman that hit the last home run in the Polo Grounds. He played the 1967 season with the Los Angeles Dodgers before being sent packing to the Chicago Cubs.
He enjoyed his most productive year in 1970 with the Cubs. Hickman blasted 32 home runs with 115 RBI, and finished with a .315 batting average. They were career highs in all three categories. He would provided the Cubs two more solid seasons before tapering off in 1973, and spent 1974 with the Cardinals.
As a young fan of the Cubs Jim Hickman was always one of my favorites among the non-star players. In my young mind, it seemed he was always delivering in the clutch. Rest in peace Gentleman Jim.
Saturday, June 25, 2016
Willson Contreras Impresses
Chicago Cubs catcher Willson Contreras has impressed at the major league level in his first week in the show. It started with slamming the first pitch he saw against the Pittsburgh Pirates for a home run, In his first week in the show Contreras has three home runs with nine RBI.He has eight hits in first 23 plate appearances with three walks, and a double.
Contreras possesses a sweet line drive type swing. He will hit the long ball, but should provide the Cubs with an extra base threat. He will not only provide the Cubs with more pop, but he has a keen eye at the plate. Last season, at AA Tennessee Contreras walked 57 times while striking out only 62.
Contreras has not only shown his ability to hit, he has been flexible in the field catching for the injured Miguel Montero, playing first base, and left field. Contreras was signed by the Cubs as an infielder, but was converted to a catcher in 2012. Being flexible in the field is something that Cubs thrive at with several players able to play multiple positions. His catching skills need some work, but he has improved with experience.
National pundits called for the Cubs to include Contreras in trades for starting pitching, or a centerfielder before the Cubs re-inked Dexter Fowler. Contreras could be a valuable asset to the Cubs in their attempt to break their World Series drought. Montero has struggled with minor injuries, and at the plate this season making the call up of Contreras important to post season run.
Monday, June 20, 2016
Chicago Cubs Rookie Willson Contreras Homers In First At-Bat:
Ernie Banks Hits 500th Home Run
May 12, 1970. Chicago Cubs great Ernie Banks hits his 500th home run of his career off Atlanta Braves hurler Pat Jarvis. Rico Carty of the Braves retrieves the ball after it bounces back onto the field.
Kyle Farnsworth-Paul Wilson Fight
Cincinnati Reds pitcher Paul Wilson doesn't like an inside pitch, and charges Kyle Farnsworth of the Chicago Cubs. It doesn't end well for Wilson. <
Sammy Sosa-Tony Womack Hit Inside-The-Park-Home Runs
May 26, 1997. The Chicago Cubs Sammy Sosa and the Pittsburgh Pirates Tony Womack both hit inside-the-park home runs in the 6th inning at Three Rivers Stadium in Pittsburgh. The Cubs win the game 2-1.
Ferguson Jenkins Records 3,000th Strike Out
May 25, 1982. Chicago Cubs right-hand pitcher Ferguson Jenkins whiffs Gary Templeton of the San Diego Padres to record his 3,000th career strike out.
Ken Hubbs Has Eight Straight Hits
May 20, 1962. In a doubleheader sweep of the Philadelphia Phillies, Chicago Cubs second baseman has eight straight singles. Hubbs would go on to be named Rookie of the Year. Hubbs would tragically die in airplane crash on February 13, 1964 at the age of 22.
Cubs-White Sox Brawl
May 20, 2006. At U.S. Cellular Field, A.J. Pierzynski makes a hard, but clean slide into Chicago Cubs catcher Michael Barrett. Barrett then punches Pierzynski, which ignites a brawl between the two teams. Who won the fight may be in dispute, but the White Sox won the game 7-0. Join Amazon Third Party Video Subscriptions Free Trial
Sammy Sosa Hits Two Home Runs In One Inning
Sammy Sosa Hits 400th Career Home Run
May 16, 2001. Sammy Sosa of the Chicago Cubs hits his 400th career home run of Houston Astro righthander Shane Reynolds at Wrigley Field. The home run makes Sosa third on the Chicago Cubs all-time list, and the 33rd player in MLB history to hit 400 career home runs. Shop Amazon - Top Rated Products
Dave Kingman Hits Home Run Over Waveland
Dave Kingman was known for his majestic home runs, poor defense, and surly disposition. In his career he blasted 442 home runs with 1,210 RBI. Kingman was a three time All-Star, and won home run twice in 1979, and 1982 in the National League. Kingman became the first player with over 400 home runs that wasn't elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame. Shop Amazon - Top Rated Products
Javier Baez's Walk Off Home Run 05/08/2016
May 8, 2016. Javier Baez crushes a walk-off home run against the Washington Nationals. The extra inning win gives the Cubs a four-game sweep over the visiting Nats. The Cubs continue their best start since 1907.
Starlin Castro Hits First Home Run
May 7, 2010. Starlin Castro in his first big league at bat hits a home run. He is the sixth Chicago Cub to accomplish that feat. Castro will also drive in six runs in a 14-7 win over the Cincinnati Reds. He became the first player to have six RBI in his first game in the major leagues.
Kerry Wood Whiffs 20 Houston Astros
1876 Chicago White Stockings
April 25, 1876, the Chicago White Stockings when their opening game in the inaugural season of the National League. The beat the Louisville Grays 4-0 in Louisville. The White Stockings would change their name first to the Colts, Orphans, and now known as the Chicago Cubs. They would win the National League championship in the first year of the the league.
Mark Grace's First Major League Hit
May 2, 1988. Chicago Cubs rookie Mark Grace gets his first hit against the San Diego Padres. Grace would go on to notch 2,445 hits in a sixteen-year career with the Cubs and Diamondbacks. He would win four Gold Glove Awards playing first base. Grace was a three time All-Star, and played on the 2001 World Series champion Arizona Diamondbacks.
Ross Barnes Hits First Home Run
May 2, 1876. Ross Barnes of the Chicago White Stockings hit an inside-the-park home run against the Cincinnati Reds. It is the first home run in the history of the National League. Barnes would have a triple, single, two stolen bases, and scored four times.
Cubs-Reds Historic Pitching Duel
Bottom pitcher is Fred Toney, and the top is Hippo Vaughn.
May 2, 1917. Fred Toney of the Cincinnati Reds, and southpaw Hippo Vaughn both throw nine innings of no-hit ball in of the greatest pitching duels in the history of the game. In the tenth inning the Reds get on the board when Larry Kopf singles, a error by the Cubs, and an infield hit by Jim Thorpe push across a run, and Toney mows the Cubs down in order in the bottom of the 10th to preserve his no-hitter.
Chicago Cubs No-Hitters
A recap of the Cubs no-hitters over the last forty-three seasons. Jake Arrieta has added to the total in April.
Jack McCarthy Sets Record
April 26, 1905, Chicago Cubs outfielder Jack McCarthy throws out three runners at home plate preserving a 2-1 Cubs victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates. All three out resulted in double plays. The 36-year old journeyman outfielder played for Chicago Cubs, Brooklyn Superbas, Cleveland Naps, and the Cincinnati Reds, He finishes with a slash line of .287/.333.365.
Chicago Cubs Ryne Sandberg
On this date in baseball history, Ryne Sandberg of the Chicago Cubs hits his 267th home run. Breaking Joe Morgan's record, Sandberg would end up with 282 career home runs. He retired with .285 batting average with 2,386 hits. Sandberg was a 10 time All-Star, 1984 National League Most Valuable Player, 9 time Gold Glove Award winner, 7 time Silver Slugger Award winner, and his #23 has been retired by the Chicago Cubs. In 2005, he was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame.
Chicago Cub Ferguson Jenkins
On this day April 21, 1966. The Chicago Cubs send pitchers Larry Jackson, and Bob Buhl to the Philadelphia Phillies in return for future Hall of Fame pitcher Ferguson Jenkins, outfielder-first baseman John Herrnstein, and outfielder Adolfo Phillips. Jackson and Buhl would combine to go 47-53 for the rest of their careers. Starting in 1967, Jenkins would win 20 plus games a season for six consecutive seasons. He would finish with a record of 284-226 with an ERA of 3.34, striking out 3,192. He was a three time All-Star selection, and won the 1971 Cy Young Award. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1991. He pitched for the Chicago Cubs, Philadelphia Phillies, Boston Red Sox, and Texas Rangers. His #31 has been retired by the Chicago Cubs, where he ended his career in 1983.
In Memory Of Milt Pappas
April 19, 2016, former Chicago Cubs pitcher Milt Pappas passed away. Pappas pitched seventeen years in Major League Baseball. He was 209-164 with an ERA of 3.40. He was a three-time All-Star, and had 43 career shutouts. He tossed a no-hitter on September 2, 1972, missing a perfect game when umpire Bruce Froemming squeezed the plate with Larry Stahl at the plate. He pitched for the Orioles, Reds, Braves, and closed out his career with the Cubs from 1970-1973.
Burt Hooton No-Hitter Vs, Phillies
April 16, 1972, on this day in baseball history Burt Hooton no-hit the Philadelphia Phillies striking out Greg Luzinski to end the game. We huddled around with dad to listen to every pitch after the fifth inning. Hooton would be traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1975, and would be a solid member of their rotation for ten seasons, and finished his career with the Texas Rangers. He was 151-136 with an ERA of 3.38 for his career.
2016 Chicago Cubs Hype Video
The 2016 season could be a historic one for the Chicago Cubs. A good video to get the blood pumping for any Cubs fan. In my 48th year following the Cubs, I hope this is "the year." It should be a season filled with fun, and many highlights. Enjoy.
Baseball's Sad Lexicon
Baseball’s Sad Lexicon
RELATED POEM CONTENT DETAILS
These are the saddest of possible words:
“Tinker to Evers to Chance.”
Trio of bear cubs, and fleeter than birds,
Tinker and Evers and Chance.
Ruthlessly pricking our gonfalon bubble,
Making a Giant hit into a double—
Words that are heavy with nothing but trouble:
“Tinker to Evers to Chance.”
It Ain't Easy Being A Cubs Fan
It was spring. I was 9 years old, and was playing catch with my younger brother Jay. I had just finished reading “The Baseball Life of Mickey Mantle”. We went in for supper, and in all excitement of having made a lifetime choice, I announced to my dad: “I am going to be a Yankees fan!” My dad, who was skeptical of all book readers, answered just with a blunt “No.” Okay, I had been prepared – and had my second choice. I had admired the uniforms of the St. Louis Cardinals. So, gathering my courage, I proclaimed: “Well, then I will be a Cardinals fan.” The response of my dad was short and sweet: “You aren't a kid anymore. If you are going to eat at my table, we are Cubs fans in this house.”
In 1969, I thought I had caught good fortune and was onboard for the big win. I remember the old 50's radio that dad got into working order. We would listen to WGN, by August we were sweating out these young upstart New York Mets, who seemed to never lose. I remember the anguish of September as the Cubs couldn't seem to win, and the Mets couldn't lose. It cemented my dad's hate for the New York Mets forever.
The 70's made us skeptics. In the early 70's we always appeared to be contenders… all the time… only to be felled by the June swoon, or July goodbye.
And then in 1977, the Cubs announcer Lou Boudreau declared that “when a team reaches 25 games over .500, they will never see .500 again.” It was a poignant moment for my dad and me: We both just looked at each other and laughed. We had become skeptics. Never again would we dare to believe the Cubs could win. Leading by 8 ½ games, we finished 20 games out. On the last day of the season, we laughed about the notion we could ever win. After all, we were just the Cubs.
My only outward rebellion against my dad came during the 1977 collapse. Keith Hernandez robbed a Cubs hitter by snagging a line drive. I got up and turned off the television and refused to turn it on again notwithstanding dad’s orders and threats.
By 1979, I had enlisted in the Air Force, and was gone until the summer of 1982. My enlistment was up, and dad told me of this kid Sandberg, who was struggling at the plate, and that he didn't think that the kid would ever make it. My first game I saw him play he had a couple of hits. It became a point that I never let my dad forget.
1984. The Cubs were in post-season for the first time since 1945. We used to joke and pretend to press a magic button whenever we needed a hit or double play. It was a magical time for us. Leading in the playoffs up 2-0, and going to San Diego. The moment that haunted our lives was the ball going between Leon “Bull” Durham's legs. We never blamed Durham but always felt we were screwed by the Major League Baseball for giving San Diego the home field advantage because the Cubs didn't have lights at the time.
After the 1984 season, we both never again dreamed the Cubs would win. We loved, cussed and discussed the Cubs season after season. In 2002, my dad, a heart transplant recipient, was losing his battle. His kidneys were failing, and we spent his final days laughing and discussing the miserable existence of a lifetime Cubs fan.
When pitchers and catchers report, I always think of dad. It is spring again, and I am 9 years old. The Cubs radio broadcast plays “It's the Beautiful Day for a Ballgame,” concluding with the announcement the Chicago Cubs are on the air. We stretch on the bed to listen to the game, with me acting at times as the human antenna for that old radio. Miss you pops.
In memory of Perry Dale Glasgow, a diehard lifetime Cubs fan
(10/2/1940 – 12/13/2002)
Ron Santo's Road To Cooperstown
Glenallen Hill's Rooftop Home Run
Jake Arrieta No-Hits The Reds
April 21, 2016. Jake Arrieta's no-hitter in the 16-0 rout of the Cincinnati Reds is the 15th in Chicago Cubs history. He becomes the third pitcher for the Cubs to register multiple no-hitters. Ken Holtzman did it in 1969, 1971. and Larry Corcoran did it three times in 1880, 1882, and 1884. No Chicago Cubs pitcher has ever hurled a perfect game.
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