A timeline of Cubbie Blues

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By Don Doxsie | Thursday, April 17, 2008 |

It’s hard to believe, but the Chicago Cubs were once the scourge of the National League. In 1906, they set a National League record that still stands by winning 116 games. They won world championships in 1907 and 1908. But the 100 years since then have given birth to a legacy of calamity and collapse. Here’s a look at the 100 years...

1910

The Cubs win 104 games under manager Frank Chance (above) and get into the World Series for the fourth time in five years, but are no match for Connie Mack’s Philadelphia Athletics. The Cubs’ only victory comes in extra innings in Game 4.

1916

After the death of the Federal League — a third major league that lasted only two seasons — Chicago Whales owner Charles Weeghman and several other investors buy the city’s National League team, the Cubs, and move them into the little ballpark at Clark and Addison that Weeghman had built for the Whales.

1918

The Cubs and Red Sox square off in the earliest World Series ever played. With World War I looming on the horizon, the season is ended early and the series begins on Sept. 5. The Red Sox win it 4 games to 2 with Babe Ruth pitching two of the victories.

1920

Chewing gum magnate William Wrigley buys the Cubs and renames the stadium Cubs Park.

1925

The Cubs finish last in the National League for the first time. It won’t be the last time.

1926

The ballpark is topped with an upper deck and renamed Wrigley Field.

1929

The Cubs return to the World Series, again facing the A’s. Philadelphia wins the first two games, but the Cubs rebound to win Game 3, 3-1, behind Guy Bush. They build an 8-0 lead in Game 4 before the roof caves in. Hack Wilson (above) loses a fly ball in the sun in the seventh inning, opening the floodgates for a 10-run inning and the Cubs never recover.

1932

The Cubs are overmatched in the series again, this time by the Yankees, who sweep them in four straight by a combined score of 37-19. Game 3 at Wrigley includes Babe Ruth’s supposed “called shot” home run in the fifth inning.

1935

A franchise that has since become known for late-season swoons makes perhaps the greatest September run in history. The Cubs win a major league-record 21 straight games Sept. 4-27 to win the pennant. Lon Warneke pitches a shutout in the first game of the World Series. Then things fall apart and the Detroit Tigers win it, 4 games to 2.

1937

At the suggestion of general manager Bill Veeck, ivy is planted on the outfield walls at Wrigley Field and bleachers are added. A new, state-of-the-art scoreboard also is installed, which shows the scores of other games throughout baseball.

1938

The most legendary home run in Cubs history puts them in the World Series again. With darkness falling in a Sept. 28 game with Pittsburgh, player-manager Gabby Hartnett smacks the “Homer in the Gloamin’ ” on an 0-2 pitch, giving the Cubs a 6-5 victory and vaulting them into first place. The series is another disaster. The Yankees sweep them in four games.

1941

Lighting equipment is purchased for Wrigley Field but after Pearl Harbor is bombed, owner Phillip K. Wrigley donates it to the War Department.

1945

Thanks to the mid-season acquisition of pitcher Hank Borowy, the Cubs win the National League pennant by three games over the Cardinals and face Detroit in the World Series. Chicago tavern owner Billy Sianis brings his pet goat, Murphy, to Game 4 of the series but is asked to leave when the goat’s odor bothers nearby fans. Sianis allegedly casts a curse on the Cubs, who lose the series in seven games.

1948

The Cubs become one of the first teams ever to have their games televised, but finish last for the first time since 1925.

1959

Ernie Banks (above) becomes the first National League player ever to be voted the MVP in back-to-back seasons. The Cubs finish fifth, however, 13 games behind the Dodgers.

1961

Instead of employing just one manager, the Cubs experiment by using a “college of coaches” who take turns managing the team. It doesn’t work either. They finish 26 games under .500.

1966

Leo Durocher (above) takes over as the manager after the Cubs finish eighth in 1965 and he immediately announces “This is not an eighth-place team.” He’s right. In his debut season, they finish 10th.

1969

After finishing third in 1967 and 1968, the Cubs seem ready to take the next step. They occupy first place for 155 consecutive days before the New York Mets breeze past them in the final six weeks and win the division title by eight games.

1970

On the heels of the ’69 debacle, the Cubs hold onto first place until the middle of June. Then a 12-game losing streak drops them all the way to fourth.

1973

The Cubs have a seven-game lead on June 30, then lose 11 of their next 13 games and are out of first place by the All-Star break

1975

They hold first place until the second week of June. By July 1, they have tumbled to fifth place in a six-team division.

1977

They have a 47-24 record and a 7½-game lead at the end of June, but are out of first place by Aug. 4. Their final record is 81-81.

1978

The Cubs are in first place three weeks into June, then lose eight times in nine days to the Phillies, the team immediately behind them in the standings, and finish 79-83.

1984

A breakthrough. Thanks to the early-season acquisition of Rick Sutcliffe and an MVP season by young Ryne Sandberg, the Cubs win the NL East and make their first postseason appearance in 39 years. They win the first two games of the best-of-five NLCS — the first one by a 13-0 score — but then crumble, losing three straight to the San Diego Padres.

1988

Despite the protests of purists and Wrigleyville residents, lights finally are installed at Wrigley Field and the first night game is scheduled for Aug. 8. It is rained out.

1989

Another division title, but this time the NLCS is no contest. With Will Clark batting .650, the San Francisco Giants win it, 4 games to 1.

1998

Thanks to a record-shattering season by Sammy Sosa, the Cubs tie for the NL wild card berth and defeat the Giants

5-3 in a one-game playoff. Then they get swept by the Braves in the NLDS.

2003

It looks as though the World Series drought is over. The Cubs win their division, topple the favored Braves in the NLDS and are two innings away from clinching the pennant in Game 6 of the NLCS. They lead Florida 3-0 with ace Mark Prior on the mound. Then the Marlins score eight runs in the eighth inning with the help of a well-meaning fan named Steve Bartman, who interferes with left-fielder Moises Alou’s ability to catch a foul fly ball. The Marlins win the game, 8-3, and beat the Cubs again the next day, 9-6.

2007

The Cubs make the playoffs again under new manager Lou Piniella, but are swept in three games by the Arizona Diamondbacks.