Chicago Cubs

Lore & Background

The Cubs began in 1870 as the Chicago White Stockings, playing at West Side Grounds. They joined the National League in 1876 as a charter member. Under owner William Hulbert and stars like Albert Spalding and Cap Anson, they won the first NL pennant. After back-to-back pennants in 1880 and 1881, Hulbert died and Spalding assumed ownership. The White Stockings won a third consecutive pennant in 1882. In 1885 and 1886, they met the St. Louis Brown Stockings in an early World Series, tying in 1885 and losing in 1886. By 1890, the team was known as the Chicago Colts or 'Anson's Colts'. Anson was released after the 1897 season, and the team was called the 'Orphans'. In 1902, the club was sold to Jim Hart, and the Chicago Daily News called them the Cubs; the name became official five years later. The Cubs won four pennants and two World Series titles (1907 and 1908) between 1905 and 1912, with a record 116 wins in 1906. They moved to Weeghman Park (later Wrigley Field) in 1916. Bill Wrigley became majority owner by 1921. The Cubs won NL pennants in 1929, 1932, 1935, and 1938 but lost each World Series. In 1930, Hack Wilson set the RBI record of 191. The Cubs won the 2016 World Series, ending a 108-year championship drought.

In Their Own Story

The wind howled off Lake Michigan, whipping through the ivy at Wrigley Field as the ninth inning unfolded in a tightly contested night. A Mets batter stepped into the box, the weight of New York's expectations pressing down on his shoulders against a Cubs pitcher who had dominated all evening. The crowd roared, a sea of blue and red mixing with the occasional orange jersey, creating a cacophony that seemed to shake the very foundations of the stadium. As the pitch crossed the plate, time seemed to suspend; the crack of the bat echoed like thunder, sending the ball soaring toward the left-field gap where destiny waited.

Reader's Guide

The Cubs play at Wrigley Field on Chicago's North Side. They are known as 'the North Siders'. Through 2024, the franchise has played the most games in MLB history. Since divisional play began in 1969, the Cubs have appeared in the postseason 12 times through the 2025 season. The Cubs have played in a total of 11 World Series. The 1906 Cubs won 116 games (116–36) with a modern-era record winning percentage of .763. They won back-to-back World Series in 1907 and 1908, becoming the first team to play in three consecutive World Series and the first to win it twice. The 2016 World Series win ended a 71-year NL pennant drought and a 108-year World Series championship drought, both record droughts in MLB and the longest in major North American professional sports.

Did You Know?

• The Cubs were originally called the White Stockings and later the Colts and Orphans before becoming the Cubs in 1903.
• The 1906 Cubs set a modern-era record with 116 wins and a .763 winning percentage.
• The Cubs' 108-year World Series drought was the longest in major North American professional sports.
• Hack Wilson set the MLB single-season RBI record of 191 in 1930.
• The Cubs moved to Wrigley Field (then Weeghman Park) in 1916 and have played there ever since.