My Favorite 75 Cubs Whom I've Seen Playby Vvvergeer - 75 cards (Last updated on Aug 14, 2021) |
September 21, 2020. Yu moves in. Hamels never made it. Kimbrel doesn't look like he has much of a chance.
I've been a Cubs fan all my life. The conscious-of-baseball part of my life starts in about 1970. I've watched some pretty bad teams, but there were always players -- some great, some just fun -- whom I loved to watch. This is my attempt to compile my favorite 75, roughly in order of preference. (It started as 50, expanded to 91, then I cut it back to 75 -- so many players I remember). As you can see, it's not just about stats. There are some odd choices in here. Some, I just liked their grit. Some just had great nicknames. The deeper you get into the list, the more they blend together in order of preference. And I'm probably forgetting quite a few....
The representative cards are the the oldest card I have of each player as a Cub. (Had to pick SOME criteria).
Hope you enjoy it. Feel free to remind me of players I probably loved but left off the list.
31. 2004 Topps #136 Carlos Zambrano
No hitter. I watched the whole game on t.v. Really good for a long time. Then, alas, blew up. |
32. 1968 Topps #410 Ferguson Jenkins
Hall of Fame, retired number. Didn't fully realize how great he was when I first watched him. When he returned, it was just nice to have him back. |
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35. 1974 Topps #600 1974 Rookie Infielders (Ron Cash / Jim Cox / Bill Madlock / Reggie Sanders)
Loved guys who hit for average. Wish his career had been longer. He'd be in the Hall. |
36. 2005 Topps #306 Sean Marshall
For whatever reason, I remember watching his debut -- a 4 inning start. He got a standing ovation. And my four year old daughter decided he was her favorite player. Turned out to be pretty good. |
37. 2016 Topps Chicago Cubs World Series Champions Box Set #WS-12 Dexter Fowler
Dexter was a ton of fun for a year. I wish him well in St. Louis. But not tooooo well. |
38. 2015 Topps #637 Matt Szczur
Lesser known backup outfielder whom I just trust at bat. My backup daughter and I like mispronouncing his name. |
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40. 1986 Topps #125 Dave Lopes
Another fast veteran. I also love a great utility player, which he was with the Cubs. |
Comments
As usual, your commentary is the star of the list. | ||
Awww, thanks, Billy. | ||
Fun list to look at. As a Cardinals fan who detests the Cubs but loves baseball, I grew up watching the Cubs just about every day in the 80s. And yes, I emphasize the word "day"! We lived too far east in Illinois to get the Cardinals channel. So I especially enjoyed your cards from that era. Also, I was hoping to see Warren Brusstar. | ||
As a Cubs fan growing up deep in Cardinal territory, where they had their AA affiliate in Little Rock, Arkansas, I enjoyed catching all the gmes on WGN in the 80's and 90's listening and watching Harry and Steve's broadcasts. Yes, I did go see the minor league team play quite a bit. The team is no longer affiliated with the Cardinals which made a ton of Cardinals fans there VERY unhappy. I have to say my favorite Cubs player is Mark Grace. Though he was not a prolific home run hitter he was a very consistent contact hitter with some pop who saved Shawon Dunston a ton of errors in the field over the years. I was happy to see him win the World Series with the Diamondbacks in 2001. Ryno is a close second.
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What, no Dennis Lamp?! Among the starters, he was the Cubs' ERA leader in '78 and '79, but pitched in hard luck. I've seen about 20 MLB games in person and Lamp started the first Cubs game I attended, Aug. 11, 1978 at Olympic Stadium. Ross Grimsley tossed a two-hit shutout, 1-0. The player I really wanted to see was Dave Kingman, but his only appearance was pinch-hitting for Lamp in the 9th inning, where he drew a walk. The Big O had foul lines painted on its inner rim, which were put there after Kingman hit a monster shot off that part of the stadium in an earlier game. |
