1. The Cubs used to be called The Chicago White Stockings
During the 1900’s, the team was officially named the Chicago Cubs. However, the team was formerly named the Chicago White Stockings from 1876 to 1894.
2. The team trained off the coast of Los Angeles on Catalina Island
From 1921 to 1951, the Cubs trained there in the spring. Now, the official Cubs spring training field is located at Sloan Park in Mesa, Arizona.
3. There is a flag on the roof of Wrigley that says “Hack 191”
The flag honors Hack Wilson’s 191 RBI’s in 1930; he holds the major league record to this day.
4. It’s expected that if you catch an opponent’s homerun ball in the bleachers, you toss it back onto the field
You don’t want to be the person who catches the opposition’s HR ball without throwing it back. The resulting peer pressure could be mortifying… However, there are many people who bring an extra ball to throw back instead, just in case they have some bills to pay in the future.
5. No one knows where Steve Bartman went long after “the incident”
Although the Cub’s loss in the 2003 National League Championship Series wasn’t necessarily Bartman’s fault, the guy is still probably considered the most infamous fan in the history of baseball. After tipping a foul ball that could have been caught by Cubs left-fielder Moises Alou, Cubs fans blamed Bartman for their loss in the series against the Florida Marlins; some even considered it a curse. That was, until the Chicago Cubs won the World Series in 2016.
6. Pearl Jam’s Eddie Vedder once wrote a song dedicated to the Cubs
The song is titled, “All the Way,” and Vedder starts out by singing, “Don’t let anyone say that it’s just a game, for I’ve seen other teams and it’s never the same.” If you’re true to Chicago, you know that “Go Cubs Go” by Steve Goodman isn’t the only anthem for the Cubbies.
7. The Cubs used to have a three-fingered pitcher in the early 1900s
Mordecai “Three-Finger” Brown had only three full fingers on his pitching hand and finished his career with 1375 strikeouts and a 2.06 ERA. Not to mention this guy was a switch-hitter too, which is quite unique, especially for a pitcher… without a fully limbed hand.
8. The original name of Wrigley Field was Weegham Park
A man by the name of Charlie Weegham built the park in 1914. Twelve years later, the park was renamed in honor of previous owner, William Wrigley Jr. The Cubs have had six different home fields and Wrigley still stands strong today.
9. Kris Bryant is the first player to win the Golden Spikes Award, the Minor League Player of the Year, the Rookie of the Year and the MVP Award in four consecutive seasons.
He was actually one of only four people to have earned Rookie of the Year and an MVP Honor in back-to-back seasons. Bryant joins Cal Ripken Jr. (1982-1983), Ryan Howard (2005-2006), and Dustin Pedroia (2007-2008) for this unique accomplishment. During the 2016 season, Bryant earned 29 out of the 30 first place votes from the BBWAA for the National League MVP Award.
10. Former Cub, Ernie Banks was the only player on the team to win back-to-back MVP Awards
Banks was also known as “Mr. Cub,” after winning the award in 1958 and 1959. This former shortstop and first-baseman was also inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1977. The Cubs retired number 14 in August of 1982.
11. Former President, Ronald Reagan did radio re-creations from Cubs games in the 1930s
12. Former Cubs pitcher, Fergie Jenkins also played basketball for the Harlem Globetrotters during the off-season
Jenkins was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1991 after the Chicago Cubs made him one of the best pitchers in the league.
13. The team has retired five jersey numbers belonging to six former Cubs players
#14 Ernie Banks (1982), #26 Billy Williams (1987), #10 Ron Santo (2003), and #23 Ryne Sandberg (2005). #31 was worn by both Fergie Jenkins and Greg Maddux, two great pitchers who were honored in 2009 for the retired number. Jackie Robinson's #42 was also retired throughout Major League Baseball on April 15, 1997.
14. Prior to being World Series Champions in 2016, the Cubs hadn't won a WS Championship since 1908 against the Detroit Tigers![]()
They've come a long way. Fly the dub.
