Phil Cavarretta

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

In 1944, the Cubs suffered their fifth consecutive losing season. Cavarretta batted .321 with a league-high 197 hits, had career highs with 106 runs, 35 doubles and 15 triples, and earned his first of four straight All-Star selections (reaching base a record five times in the game).

In Their Own Story

The 1945 World Series against the Detroit Tigers showcased Cavarretta's clutch hitting, even though the Cubs ultimately lost in seven games. In Game 1, he singled and scored twice and homered to lead Chicago to a 9–0 victory. He scored the only run in Game 2 and delivered a two-RBI single in a dramatic 12-inning 8–7 win in Game 6. Although the team fell short in Game 7, his .423 series average stood out. Earlier in his career, he had also batted .462 during the Cubs' sweep by the New York Yankees in the 1938 World Series and hit only .125 in their 1935 loss to Detroit. His durability was tested repeatedly; exempted from military duty, he became a central figure for a team missing many stars. He eventually succeeded Frankie Frisch as manager in June 1951, compiling a 169–213 record over two years before being fired during the 1954 spring training after predicting a fifth-place finish.

Reader's Guide

Cavarretta's 20 seasons played for the Cubs is the second-most in franchise history, behind Cap Anson's 22 seasons. He is one of only two players to have played more games for the Cubs than any other player.

Did You Know?

• In the 1944 All-Star Game, he reached base a record five times.
• He was the last living player to have played against Babe Ruth in a major league game; he did so on May 12, 1935, against the Boston Braves.
• He was a player-manager for the Cubs in his final three seasons with the team.