Cubs-Cardinals

Lore & Background

The team was first called the White Stockings, then Orphans, Infants, Remnants, and Colts by the press before officially becoming the Cubs in 1903. They won the National League's first championship in 1876 and later won pennants in 1880 and 1881 under Cap Anson. The club survived the Great Chicago Fire of 1871, which destroyed their ballpark and equipment.

In Their Own Story

The air in Wrigley Field hangs heavy with humidity and the scent of grilled bratwurst as the late afternoon sun casts long shadows across the ivy. A sea of red spills into the bleachers, a stark contrast to the blue-clad home faithful. It is not just a game; it is a reckoning. As the ball cracks off the bat, the stadium erupts, a chaotic symphony of hope and historical grievance playing out on the diamond where legends have risen and dreams have shattered for over a hundred years.

Reader's Guide

The Cubs' early home fields included Ogden Park, Dexter Park, Union Base-Ball Grounds, 23rd Street Grounds, and a rebuilt Lake Park ballpark. Key early players included Albert Spalding, Cap Anson, Larry Corcoran, and Fred Goldsmith.

Did You Know?

• The Cubs' all-time NL record winning percentage of .798 was set in 1880.
• Larry Corcoran threw three no-hitters in the early 1880s, a record later broken by Sandy Koufax.
• Fred Goldsmith is one of two pitchers credited with inventing the curveball.