Chicago Cubs facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Chicago Cubs |
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 2025 Chicago Cubs season |
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| Major league titles | |||||
| World Series titles (3) |
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| NL Pennants (17) |
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| NA Pennants (1) |
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| Central Division titles (6) |
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| East Division titles (2) |
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| Wild card berths (3) |
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| Principal owner(s) | Thomas S. Ricketts Laura Ricketts Pete Ricketts Todd Ricketts Joe Ricketts |
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| President of baseball operations | Jed Hoyer | ||||
| General manager | Carter Hawkins | ||||
| Manager | Craig Counsell | ||||
| Mascot(s) | Clark the Cub | ||||
The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team from Chicago, Illinois. They play in Major League Baseball (MLB) as part of the National League (NL) Central Division. Their home games are at Wrigley Field, located on Chicago's North Side. The Cubs are one of two MLB teams in Chicago, the other being the American League’s Chicago White Sox.
The Cubs started as the White Stockings and were a founding team of the NL in 1876. They officially became the Chicago Cubs in 1903. The team has played in 11 World Series. In 1906, the Cubs won 116 games, which is still a modern record for wins in a season. However, they lost the 1906 World Series to the Chicago White Sox. The Cubs then won back-to-back World Series championships in 1907 and 1908. They were the first team to play in three World Series in a row and the first to win two in a row.
Most recently, the Cubs won the 2016 World Series. This ended a 71-year wait for a National League pennant and a 108-year wait for a World Series championship. Both of these were the longest droughts in baseball history. The 108-year drought was also the longest in any major sport in the United States and Canada. Since 1969, the Cubs have made it to the postseason 11 times.
The Cubs are often called "the North Siders" because Wrigley Field is on the North Side of Chicago. This is different from the White Sox, whose stadium is on the South Side. In 2017, the Cubs won the Laureus World Sports Award for Team of the Year. The Cubs franchise has played the most games in MLB history.
Contents
- The Chicago Cubs: A Team's Journey
- Wrigley Field: The Cubs' Home
- Cubs Culture and Traditions
- Cubs Rivalries
- Cubs Uniforms
- Images for kids
- Team Information
- Media Coverage
The Chicago Cubs: A Team's Journey
How the Cubs Began
From White Stockings to Cubs (1876–1902)
The Cubs started in 1870 as the Chicago White Stockings. They played their home games at West Side Grounds. Six years later, they became a founding member of the National League (NL). The owner, William Hulbert, signed star players like pitcher Albert Spalding and infielders Ross Barnes, Deacon White, and Adrian "Cap" Anson.
The White Stockings quickly became one of the best teams. Spalding won 47 games, and Barnes led the league in hitting. Chicago won the first National League pennant, which was the top prize back then. After winning pennants in 1880 and 1881, Hulbert passed away. Spalding, who had stopped playing to start his sporting goods company, took over the team.
With Anson as player-manager, the White Stockings won their third straight pennant in 1882. Anson became the game's first true superstar. In 1885 and 1886, the White Stockings played against the champions of another league, the American Association. They tied in 1885 and St. Louis won in 1886. This was the start of the big rivalry we know today.
Anson's team won six National League pennants between 1876 and 1886. By 1890, the team was known as the Chicago Colts, or "Anson's Colts." Anson was the first player to get 3,000 career hits. In 1897, Anson left the team after 22 years. Local newspapers then called the Colts the "Orphans."
After the 1900 season, the American Base-Ball League started as a rival league. A new team on the South Side of Chicago took the old White Stockings nickname, which was shortened to White Sox.
A Golden Era: The Cubs Dynasty (1902–1920)
In 1902, Albert Spalding sold the team to Jim Hart. The Chicago Daily News started calling the team the Cubs in 1902 because of their young players. The name became official five years later. During this time, known as baseball's "dead-ball era," Cubs infielders Joe Tinker, Johnny Evers, and Frank Chance became famous. A poem called "Baseball's Sad Lexicon" was written about their amazing double-play skills.
Key pitchers for the Cubs included Mordecai "Three-Finger" Brown, Jack Taylor, Ed Reulbach, Jack Pfiester, and Orval Overall. With Chance as player-manager from 1905 to 1912, the Cubs won four pennants and two World Series titles. In 1906, they won a record 116 games, but lost the 1906 World Series to the White Sox.
With most of the same players, Chicago won the World Series in 1907 and 1908. They were the first team to play in three World Series and the first to win it twice. However, the Cubs would not win another World Series until 2016. This was the longest championship drought in North American professional sports.
In 1914, Albert Lasker became a major owner of the club. Before the 1916 season, he teamed up with Charles Weeghman. They moved the team from West Side Grounds to the newer Weeghman Park. This park was built for another team, the Chicago Whales, just two years earlier. The Cubs still play there today.
The Cubs won a pennant in 1918, a season shortened by war. They lost the 1918 World Series to the Boston Red Sox. This was Boston's last Series win until 2004. In 1916, Bill Wrigley (from the chewing gum company) started buying shares in the Cubs. By 1921, he was the main owner. Bill Veeck, Sr. became team president in 1919. Wrigley and Veeck were known as the "Double-Bills."
The Wrigley Family Era (1921–1945)
Pennants Every Three Years (1929–1938)
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Under the "Double-Bills," the Cubs won the NL Pennant in 1929. Then, they did something unusual: they won a pennant every three years! They won in 1932, 1935, and 1938. Sadly, they lost to their AL rivals in the World Series each time.
The 1932 series against the New York Yankees featured Babe Ruth's famous "called shot" at Wrigley Field. The Cubs also had historic moments. In 1930, Hack Wilson hit 56 home runs and set the record for runs-batted-in (191). That 1930 team had six future Hall of Fame members. They also set the team batting average record of .309.
In 1935, the Cubs won the pennant by winning a record 21 games in a row in September. The 1938 team, led by pitcher Dizzy Dean, had a memorable moment. Gabby Hartnett hit a walk-off home run against the Pittsburgh Pirates. This became known as "The Homer in the Gloamin'" in baseball stories.
After Bill Wrigley and Bill Veeck passed away, P.K. Wrigley (Bill Wrigley's son) became the main owner. The Cubs didn't have as much success after 1938. The Wrigley family owned the team until 1981.
The "Curse of the Billy Goat" (1945)
The Cubs won another pennant at the end of World War II in 1945. They finished with a 98–56 record. Because of wartime travel rules, the first three games of the 1945 World Series were in Detroit. The Cubs won two games there. The last four games were played at Wrigley Field. The Cubs lost the series to the Detroit Tigers. They would not return to the World Series until 2016.
After 1945, the Cubs played poorly for many years. From 1947 to 1966, they had only one winning season. Star shortstop Ernie Banks became a great player, but the team struggled to find other good players. Poor decisions by the owners, like the "College of Coaches" and a bad trade of future Hall of Famer Lou Brock, hurt the team.
The Fall of '69
In the late 1960s, there was new hope for the Cubs. Third baseman Ron Santo, pitcher Ferguson Jenkins, and outfielder Billy Williams joined Ernie Banks. After losing 103 games in 1966, the Cubs had winning records in 1967 and 1968. This was the first time they had done that in over 20 years.
In 1969, the Cubs, led by manager Leo Durocher, had a big lead in their division by mid-August. But then, they started losing games while the New York Mets started winning. The Cubs lost eight games in a row. The Mets caught up and passed them. The Mets went on to win the World Series. The Cubs finished with a good 92–70 record, but they were remembered for losing a huge lead.
The "June Swoon" (1977–1979)
After 1969, the Cubs had a few more winning seasons but didn't make the playoffs. In the 1970s, the team declined and became known as "the Loveable Losers." In 1977, the team started strong, leading their division by a lot in June. But they started to lose many games after July 31. This pattern of starting strong and then fading is called the "June Swoon." Many thought it was because the Cubs played so many day games.
P.K. Wrigley passed away in 1977. In 1981, the Wrigley family sold the team to the Chicago Tribune for $20.5 million. This ended the family's 65-year connection with the Cubs.
The Tribune Company Years (1981–2008)
Heartbreak in 1984
After many more losing seasons, the Cubs hired Dallas Green as General Manager in 1981. Green had led the 1980 Phillies to a World Series title. He made big changes to the Cubs, including bringing in a young player named Ryne Sandberg.
The 1984 Cubs, managed by Jim Frey, were a very strong team. They had great defense, solid pitching, and clutch hitting. Ryne Sandberg became a superstar in a famous game against the St. Louis Cardinals on June 23. He hit two game-tying home runs, and the Cubs won. This game helped make the Cubs the team to beat in their division.
The Cubs easily won the first two games of the NLCS against the San Diego Padres. They only needed one more win to reach the World Series. But the Padres came back. The Cubs lost Game 4, and then Game 5 after a critical error by Leon "Bull" Durham. This loss ended a great season for the Cubs and kept them out of the World Series.
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The 1985 season started with high hopes, but injuries hurt the team. They went on a 13-game losing streak and fell out of contention.
Division Championship in 1989
In 1989, the Cubs, managed by Don Zimmer, won the NL East division again. This was the first full season with night games at Wrigley Field. The team had veteran stars like Ryne Sandberg, Rick Sutcliffe, and Andre Dawson. Young players like Mark Grace, Shawon Dunston, Greg Maddux, and Jerome Walton also helped.
The Cubs played the San Francisco Giants in the NLCS. After winning one of the first two games at home, the Cubs went to San Francisco. They had leads in the next three games, but their bullpen struggled. The Cubs lost three straight games and were eliminated.
Wild Card Race and Home Run Chase (1998)
The 1998 season began sadly with the death of broadcaster Harry Caray. The Cubs signed Henry Rodríguez to help Sammy Sosa in the lineup. Sosa had an amazing season, hitting 66 home runs. He was in a famous home run race with Mark McGwire of the Cardinals. McGwire hit 70 homers, but Sosa won the National League MVP Award.
Pitcher Kerry Wood also had a great rookie season. He struck out 20 batters in one game, tying a major league record. He earned the nickname "Kid K" and won the 1998 NL Rookie of the Year award.
The Cubs tied with the San Francisco Giants for a Wild Card spot. They won a one-game playoff at Wrigley Field to make the postseason for the first time since 1989. However, the Cubs' hitting struggled in the playoffs. They were swept by Atlanta in the National League Division Series. The home run race helped bring many fans back to baseball after a strike in 1994.
"Five More Outs" in 2003
The Cubs had high hopes in 2003. They traded for outfielder Kenny Lofton and third baseman Aramis Ramírez. Their pitching, led by Kerry Wood and Mark Prior, was dominant. The Cubs won their first division title in 14 years. They then beat the Atlanta Braves in a dramatic five-game series. This was the team's first playoff series win since the 1908 World Series.
In the NLCS, the Cubs took a three-games-to-one lead over the Florida Marlins. In Game 6, the Cubs were leading 3–0 in the 8th inning. Then, a famous incident happened. A fan, Steve Bartman, tried to catch a foul ball and accidentally stopped Moisés Alou from catching it. After this, the Marlins scored eight runs and won the game. The Cubs then lost Game 7 and failed to reach the World Series. This incident is seen as a turning point, and the Cubs didn't win a playoff game for the next eleven seasons.
Back-to-Back Division Titles (2007–2008)
After finishing last in 2006, the Cubs improved greatly in 2007. They signed Alfonso Soriano and hired new manager Lou Piniella. After a tough start, the Cubs overcame the Milwaukee Brewers to win the NL Central. They met Arizona in the NLDS but were swept in three games.
The Cubs won their division again in 2008, making the postseason in back-to-back years for the first time since 1906–08. They had the best record in the NL and sent eight players to the All-Star game. Pitcher Carlos Zambrano threw a no-hitter. The team clinched the division by beating St. Louis at Wrigley. However, they were swept by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NLDS, ending their season suddenly.
The Ricketts Family Era (2009–Present)
The Ricketts family bought most of the Cubs in 2009. This ended the Tribune Company's ownership.
Rebuilding the Team (2010–2014)
The Cubs started a rebuilding process. They hired Theo Epstein as club President in 2011. Epstein had helped the Boston Red Sox win World Series titles. He brought in Jed Hoyer as General Manager and hired Dale Sveum as manager. The team had a tough 2012 season, losing 101 games. This was expected as they focused on developing young players like Anthony Rizzo and Starlin Castro.
The 2013 season was similar, with another last-place finish. The Cubs drafted future Rookie of the Year and MVP Kris Bryant in 2013. In 2014, the Cubs hired Rick Renteria as manager. They finished in last place again but showed improvement. After the season, the Cubs hired Joe Maddon as their new manager. Hall of Famer Ernie Banks passed away in 2015, and the team wore a special patch on their uniforms to honor him.
The Championship Run (2015–2019)
On November 2, 2014, the Cubs announced that Joe Maddon would be their new manager. They also signed star pitcher Jon Lester. Many other new players joined the team. Young stars like Kris Bryant, Addison Russell, and Kyle Schwarber joined the starting lineup.
In 2015, Jake Arrieta threw a no-hitter. The Cubs finished with 97 wins and earned a wild card spot. They beat the Pittsburgh Pirates in the Wild Card game. Then, they defeated the Cardinals in the NLDS. This was the first time the Cubs clinched a playoff series at Wrigley Field. However, they were swept by the New York Mets in the NLCS. After the season, Arrieta won the National League Cy Young Award.
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Before the 2016 season, the Cubs signed Ben Zobrist, Jason Heyward, and John Lackey. Jake Arrieta threw another no-hitter. Kris Bryant won the MVP award. The Cubs finished with the best record in MLB, winning 103 games. This was their most wins since 1910.
The Cubs defeated the San Francisco Giants in the NLDS. They then beat the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NLCS. This was their first NLCS win since 1969. The win sent the Cubs to their first World Series since 1945. They faced the Cleveland Indians in the 2016 World Series. The Cubs came back from being down three games to one and won the series in seven games! This was their first World Series win since 1908. Chicago held a huge victory parade and rally, with over five million people attending.
In 2017, the Cubs struggled in the first half but recovered to win the NL Central. They won a five-game series against the Washington Nationals in the NLDS. However, they lost to the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NLCS.
In 2018, the Cubs signed pitchers Yu Darvish and Brandon Morrow. But the team had many injuries to key players like Anthony Rizzo and Kris Bryant. They finished tied for first in their division but lost a tie-breaker game to the Milwaukee Brewers. They then lost to the Colorado Rockies in the Wild Card game.
In 2019, the Cubs missed the playoffs for the first time since 2014. They had a nine-game losing streak in September. The Cubs announced that manager Joe Maddon's contract would not be renewed.
Post-Maddon Years (2020–Present)
On October 24, 2019, the Cubs hired David Ross as their new manager. In the 2020 season, shortened by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Cubs finished first in the NL Central. Pitcher Yu Darvish had a great season and was runner-up for the NL Cy Young Award. However, the Cubs were swept by the Miami Marlins in the Wild Card round.
After the 2020 season, Theo Epstein resigned as president. Jed Hoyer took over his role. The Cubs traded many star players like Yu Darvish, Javier Báez, Kris Bryant, and Anthony Rizzo. This was part of a rebuilding effort. By the end of 2021, only Willson Contreras, Jason Heyward, and Kyle Hendricks remained from the 2016 World Series team.
In 2021, the Cubs hired Carter Hawkins as the new general manager. They signed Marcus Stroman and Yan Gomes. In 2022, the Cubs finished third in their division. Jason Heyward was released, and Willson Contreras left as a free agent. This left Kyle Hendricks as the only player from the 2016 championship team.
In 2023, the Cubs made big moves, signing Dansby Swanson and Cody Bellinger. They also extended contracts for Ian Happ and Nico Hoerner. Despite low expectations, the team played well in July. They acquired Jeimer Candelario and José Cuas to try and make the playoffs. The Cubs had a strong offense, scoring 36 runs in two games. They were close to a wild-card spot but lost 15 of their last 22 games and missed the playoffs. On November 6, the Cubs fired Ross and hired Craig Counsell as their new manager.
Wrigley Field: The Cubs' Home
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The Cubs have played their home games at Wrigley Field since 1916. It is also known as "The Friendly Confines." The park was built in 1914 as Weeghman Park. It has a manual scoreboard, ivy-covered brick walls, and smaller field dimensions. The Chicago Bears of the NFL also shared the park for 50 years.
Wrigley Field is in Chicago's Lake View neighborhood. The area around the ballpark is called Wrigleyville. It has many sports bars and restaurants. Some apartment buildings around Wrigley Field have built bleachers on their rooftops. Fans can watch games from there. One building has a sign that says "Eamus Catuli!" which means "Let's Go Cubs!" in Latin. On game days, many residents rent out their yards for parking.
In 2013, the Cubs announced plans for a five-year, $575 million renovation of Wrigley Field. This project, called the 1060 Project, included big improvements to the stadium. It added a large video board in left field and another in right field. The city approved the plans in July 2013, and work began after the 2014 season.
The Bleacher Bums
The "Bleacher Bums" are fans who sit in the bleacher section at Wrigley Field. They are known for cheering loudly and sometimes teasing opposing teams. They were called "bums" because they attended most day games, and people joked they didn't have jobs. The group started in 1967. A 1977 Broadway play called Bleacher Bums was based on these dedicated Cubs fans.
Cubs Culture and Traditions
The "W" Flag
Since 1937, a flag with a "W" or an "L" has flown from the scoreboard at Wrigley Field. A white flag with a blue "W" means the Cubs won. A blue flag with a white "L" means they lost. If they play two games and split them, both flags are flown.
This tradition has grown, and fans now bring white "W" flags to games. They wave them after a Cubs win. The flags are very popular and are even sold on T-shirts. The Cubs also use the phrase "Fly the W!" to encourage fans.
Meet Clark the Cub!
The official Cubs team mascot is a young bear cub named Clark. He is described as a friendly cub. Clark first appeared on January 13, 2014. Before Clark, the Cubs didn't have an official mascot. The idea of a bear cub has been linked to the team since the early 1900s. It even inspired the Chicago Staleys football team to change their name to the Chicago Bears.
Another well-known unofficial mascot is Ronnie "Woo Woo" Wickers. He is a longtime fan and local celebrity in Chicago. He is known for his unique cheers at games, often ending with "Woo!" Longtime Cubs announcer Harry Caray called him "Leather Lungs" because he could shout for hours.
Cubs Music
In 1969, a song called "Hey Hey! Holy Mackerel! (The Cubs Song)" became popular. It used phrases from the Cubs' TV and radio announcers. Several Cubs players even recorded an album called Cub Power.
The song "Go, Cubs, Go!" by Steve Goodman was recorded in 1984. It is played over the loudspeakers after every Cubs home victory. Goodman passed away shortly after recording the song.
In 2007, Pearl Jam singer Eddie Vedder wrote a song for the team called "All the Way". Vedder is a lifelong Cubs fan from Chicago.
Tinker to Evers to Chance
"Baseball's Sad Lexicon" is a famous 1910 baseball poem. It's also known as "Tinker to Evers to Chance." The poem is about the talented Chicago Cubs infielders: shortstop Joe Tinker, second baseman Johnny Evers, and first baseman Frank Chance. They were known for completing amazing double plays.
The poem describes how frustrating it was for opposing teams, especially the New York Giants, to face them:
- 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."
The poem helped make Tinker, Evers, and Chance very popular. It is even credited with their election to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1946.
Cubs Rivalries
St. Louis Cardinals
The Cardinals–Cubs rivalry is a big one in baseball. It's also called the "Downstate Illinois rivalry" or the "I-55 Series." This is because both cities are along Interstate 55. The Cubs have won more games overall in the rivalry. However, the Cardinals have won more National League pennants and World Series titles. Many fans travel to watch games between these two teams. They have only played each other once in the postseason, in 2015, which the Cubs won.
Milwaukee Brewers
The Cubs also have a rivalry with the Milwaukee Brewers. This is known as the I-94 rivalry because their ballparks are close to Interstate 94. The closeness of the two cities and the Bears-Packers football rivalry add to the excitement. In 2018, the teams played a special Game 163 to decide the division winner, which Milwaukee won.
Chicago White Sox
The Cubs have a long-standing rivalry with their crosstown rivals, the Chicago White Sox. This rivalry has many names, like the Crosstown Classic or Red Line Series. It's about which Chicago team is better. "North Siders" refers to the Cubs, and "South Siders" refers to the White Sox. This is because of where their stadiums are located in the city.
Their only postseason meeting was in the 1906 World Series. It was the first World Series between two teams from the same city. The White Sox won that series, even though the Cubs had won a record 116 games that season.
Cubs Uniforms
Home Uniforms
The Cubs wear white uniforms with pinstripes at home. This design started in 1957. It has the Cubs logo on the left chest and blue pinstripes. A patch with a cub head logo was added to the left sleeve in 1962. Over the years, the design has been updated. The current uniform has thicker letters and numbers with red outlines.
Road Uniforms
The Cubs' gray road uniform has been used since 1997. It says "Chicago" in blue letters with white outlines across the chest. The numbers on the front are red with white outlines. The back has player names in blue with white outlines and numbers in red with white outlines. This uniform also has the "walking cub" patch on the left sleeve.
Alternate Uniforms
The Cubs also have a blue alternate uniform. The current design, from 1997, has the "walking cub" logo on the left chest. It has red letters and numbers with white outlines. These blue uniforms are usually worn for away games.
All three uniforms are worn with an all-blue cap that has a red "C" outlined in white. In 2024, the Cubs added a sponsor logo, Motorola Mobility, to their sleeves.
City Connect Uniforms
Since 2021, MLB and Nike have created "City Connect" uniforms. These special uniforms are inspired by each city's community. The Cubs' City Connect uniform is navy blue with light blue accents. It features the "Wrigleyville" name, inspired by the Wrigley Field sign. The caps are navy blue with a light blue brim and a "C" logo with a red six-pointed star inside. The left sleeve patch has the team name and a special design from the Chicago city flag.
Images for kids
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Kris Bryant in the current home uniform
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Cody Bellinger in the current road uniform
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Javier Báez in the current alternate road uniform
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Mark Prior wearing the road red-brimmed blue cap (now retired)
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Aaron Miles in the alternate home uniform (now retired)
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Cubs players wearing the pinstriped pullover home uniform in 1988 with President Ronald Reagan
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1990 road uniform worn by Paul Assenmacher with the All-Star Game patch
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Phil Regan in 1969 wearing the pinstriped home uniform
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Harry Chiti in 1953 wearing the road uniform
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Ron Santo
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Kiki Cuyler
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Team Information
Retired Numbers
The Chicago Cubs honor their retired numbers on flags at Wrigley Field. These flags fly from the foul poles. For example, Ernie Banks' number 14 flag is on the left-field pole. Jackie Robinson's number 42 is retired for all MLB teams.
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* Robinson's number was retired by all MLB clubs.
Hall of Famers
Many great players who played for the Cubs are in the Baseball Hall of Fame.
| Chicago Cubs Hall of Famers | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Affiliation according to the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum | |||||||||
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Cubs Hall of Fame
In 2021, the Cubs started their own Hall of Fame exhibit. It includes members from previous Cubs Hall of Fame groups. To be inducted, a person must have spent at least five years as a Cub and made important contributions. The exhibit is located at Wrigley Field.
| Bold | Member of the Baseball Hall of Fame |
|---|---|
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Member of the Baseball Hall of Fame as a Cub |
| Bold | Recipient of the Hall of Fame's Ford C. Frick Award |
| Cubs Hall of Fame | ||||
| Year | No. | Player | Position | Tenure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | — | Albert Spalding |
P/Owner/Manager | 1876–1878 |
| 10 | Andre Dawson | RF | 1987–1992 | |
| 48 | Andy Pafko | CF / 3B | 1943–1951 | |
| 22 | Bill Buckner | 1B / LF | 1977–1984 | |
| — | Bill Lange | CF | 1893–1899 | |
| 2 | Billy Herman |
2B | 1931–1941 | |
| 26 | Billy Williams |
LF | 1959–1974 | |
| 42 | Bruce Sutter | P | 1976–1980 | |
| 40 | Charlie Grimm | 1B / Manager | 1925–1936 1932–1938 1944–1949 1960 |
|
| 17 | Charlie Root | P | 1926–1941 | |
| — | Clark Griffith | P | 1893–1900 | |
| 11 | Don Kessinger | SS | 1964–1975 | |
| — | Ed Reulbach | P | 1905–1913 | |
| 14 | Ernie Banks |
SS / 1B | 1953–1971 | |
| 31 | Ferguson Jenkins |
P | 1966–1973 1982–1983 |
|
| — | Frank Chance |
1B / Manager | 1898–1912 | |
| — | Frank Schulte | OF | 1904–1916 | |
| 9 | Gabby Hartnett |
C / Manager | 1922–1940 | |
| 18 | Glenn Beckert | 2B | 1965–1973 | |
| 31 | Greg Maddux | P | 1986–1992 2004–2006 |
|
| — | Grover Cleveland Alexander | P | 1918–1926 | |
| — | Hack Wilson |
OF | 1926–1931 | |
| 9 | Hank Sauer | OF | 1949–1955 | |
| — | Harry Caray | Broadcaster | 1982–1997 | |
| — | Heinie Zimmerman | 3B / 2B | 1907–1916 | |
| — | Hippo Vaughn | P | 1913–1921 | |
| — | Jack Brickhouse | Broadcaster | 1941–1944, 1947–1981 | |
| — | Jimmy Ryan | CF | 1891–1900 | |
| — | Joe McCarthy | Manager | 1926–1930 | |
| — | Joe Tinker |
SS / Manager | 1902–1912 1916 |
|
| — | John Clarkson | P | 1884–1887 | |
| — | Johnny Evers |
2B / Manager | 1902–1913 1921 |
|
| 30 | Ken Holtzman | P | 1965–1971, 1978–1979 | |
| 3 | Kiki Cuyler |
RF | 1928–1935 | |
| — | King Kelly |
OF / C | 1880–1886 | |
| 46 | Lee Smith |
P | 1980–1987 | |
| 2 | Leo Durocher | Manager | 1966–1972 | |
| 5 | Lou Boudreau | Broadcaster/Manager | 1958–59, 1961–1987 1960 |
|
| — | Margaret Donahue | Executive | 1926–1958 | |
| — | Mordecai Brown |
P | 1904–1912, 1916 | |
| — | Orval Overall | P | 1906–1910, 1913 | |
| — | Philip K. Wrigley | Owner / Executive | 1932–1977 | |
| — | Pat Pieper | Public address announcer | 1917–1974 | |
| 44 | Phil Cavarretta | 1B / OF / Manager | 1934–1953 | |
| 9 | Randy Hundley | C | 1966–1973, 1976–1977 | |
| 48 | Rick Reuschel | P | 1972–1981, 1983–1984 | |
| 40 | Rick Sutcliffe | P | 1984–1991 | |
| 5 | Riggs Stephenson | LF | 1926–1934 | |
| 9 | Rogers Hornsby | 2B / Manager | 1929–1932 | |
| 10 | Ron Santo |
3B | 1960–1973 | |
| 23 | Ryne Sandberg |
2B | 1982–1994, 1996–1997 | |
| 6 | Stan Hack | 3B / Manager | 1932–1947 1954–1956 |
|
| — | William Hulbert | Executive | 1876–1882 | |
| — | William Wrigley III | Owner | 1977–1981 | |
| — | William Wrigley Jr | Owner | 1916–1932 | |
| — | Yosh Kawano | Clubhouse manager | 1943–2008 | |
| 2022 | — | Buck O'Neil |
Scout Coach |
1955–1988 1962–1965 |
| 1 | José Cardenal | Outfielder | 1972–1977 | |
| — | Pat Hughes | Broadcaster | 1996–present | |
| 2023 | 12 | Shawon Dunston | SS | 1985–1995 1997 |
| 17 | Mark Grace | 1B | 1988–2000 | |
| 2024 | 16 | Aramis Ramírez | 3B | 2003–2011 |
| 34 | Kerry Wood | P | 1998, 2000–2008 2011–2012 |
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Awards Won by Cubs Players
Most Valuable Player (MVP)
- 1911 – Frank Schulte
- 1929 – Rogers Hornsby
- 1935 – Gabby Hartnett
- 1945 – Phil Cavarretta
- 1952 – Hank Sauer
- 1958 – Ernie Banks
- 1959 – Ernie Banks
- 1984 – Ryne Sandberg
- 1987 – Andre Dawson
- 1998 – Sammy Sosa
- 2016 – Kris Bryant
Cy Young Award (Best Pitcher)
- 1971 – Ferguson Jenkins
- 1979 – Bruce Sutter
- 1984 – Rick Sutcliffe
- 1992 – Greg Maddux
- 2015 – Jake Arrieta
Rookie of the Year
- 1961 – Billy Williams
- 1962 – Ken Hubbs
- 1989 – Jerome Walton
- 1998 – Kerry Wood
- 2008 – Geovany Soto
- 2015 – Kris Bryant
Minor League Teams
The Chicago Cubs have several minor league teams. These teams help develop young players for the main Cubs team.
| Class | Team | League | Location | Ballpark | Affiliated |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Triple-A | Iowa Cubs | International League | Des Moines, Iowa | Principal Park | 1981 |
| Double-A | Knoxville Smokies | Southern League | Knoxville, Tennessee | Covenant Health Park | 2007 |
| High-A | South Bend Cubs | Midwest League | South Bend, Indiana | Four Winds Field at Coveleski Stadium | 2015 |
| Single-A | Myrtle Beach Pelicans | Carolina League | Myrtle Beach, South Carolina | Pelicans Ballpark | 2015 |
| Rookie | ACL Cubs | Arizona Complex League | Mesa, Arizona | Sloan Park | 2021 |
| DSL Cubs Blue | Dominican Summer League | Boca Chica, Santo Domingo | Baseball City Complex | 2016 | |
| DSL Cubs Red |
Spring Training Locations
The Chicago White Stockings (now the Cubs) started spring training in Hot Springs, Arkansas, in 1886. The idea was for players to train and get fit before the season. Many other teams soon followed.
The Cubs' current spring training home is Sloan Park in Mesa, Arizona. They play in the Cactus League. Sloan Park can hold 15,000 fans, making it the largest spring training facility in MLB. The Cubs usually sell out their games there. Before Sloan Park, the team played at HoHoKam Park from 1979. The Cubs have called Mesa their spring home for most seasons since 1952.
The Cubs also held spring training in places like New Orleans, Champaign, Illinois, Los Angeles, and Santa Catalina Island, California. The location on Catalina Island was chosen because Cubs owner William Wrigley Jr. owned part of the island. He built a ballpark there that was the same size as Wrigley Field. The Cubs left Catalina in 1951 due to bad weather.
Media Coverage
Radio Broadcasts
Cubs radio games are broadcast on WSCR (670 AM) in Chicago. The play-by-play announcer is Pat Hughes, who has been with the team since 1996. He is joined by Ron Coomer.
Television Broadcasts
Since 2020, most Cubs games are shown on Marquee Sports Network. This is a channel created by the team and Sinclair Broadcast Group. Before this, WGN-TV had a long history of broadcasting Cubs games.
Jon Sciambi is the Cubs' main TV play-by-play announcer. He is joined by analysts like Jim Deshaies, Ryan Dempster, Joe Girardi, or Rick Sutcliffe.
Ford C. Frick Award Winners
The Ford C. Frick Award honors baseball broadcasters. Several Cubs broadcasters have won this award.
| Chicago Cubs Ford C. Frick Award recipients | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Affiliation according to the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum | |||||||||
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