Pre-Owned Cubs: From Tinker, to Banks, to Sandberg, to Today (Hardcover) 0892047461 9780892047468

No matter who first said, "Wait 'til next year," this much is certain: No fans, certainly no baseball fans, have said it more often and with more conviction than Cubs fans. It has been nearly a century now-heck, Theodore Roosevelt was president-since the Cubs last won a World Series. But you know, none of that really matters when the sun is shining on Clark and Addison and Kerry Wood's fastball is hopping and there's a nice breeze blowing out toward Sheffield and the rooftops across Waveland are packed. Ain't nothing better. Cubs tells the story of a beloved franchise that plays its games in a mystical place. (Is it any wonder that Wrigley Field was built where a seminary once stood?) All of the team's greatest players, games, moments and performances-plus, a loving look at the Friendly Confines-come together in this evocative history. The Sporting News takes you on a journey through Cubs lore that begins in 1876 and continues through the prospect that 2005 finally-finally-will be the year. All the characters who have inspired loyalty throughout Cubdom are here: Anson to Williams, Alexander to Zambrano. Of course, the Cubs are far more than the players, and the colorful personalities who have added to the Cubs' unmatched tradition are represented, too. Caray and Veeck and Pieper and Brickhouse. No discussion of the Cubs, past and present, is complete without selecting an all-time team, listing the 10 most memorable-thrilling and chilling-moments, detailing the top 10 performances and reviewing those championship and near-championship seasons. The story of the Cubs is brought to life through nearly 450 photographs and thousands of words, produced by a publication that has covered the Cubs nearly from their beginning, from before the days when Wrigley Field was Weeghman Park and before Frank Chance led the Cubs to their last World Series title in 1908. Share the Cubs experience with us. The Stonewall Infield. Three Finger Brown, Ed Reulbach and Orval Overall. Tinker to Evers to Chance. The Double No-No. Grover Alexander. Hack Wilson's 56-191 season. Babe's Called Shot. Charlie Root. Gabby Hartnett and the Homer in the Gloamin'. Swish Nicholson. The Curse of the Billy Goat. Hank Sauer. Ernie Banks' back-to-back MVPs. Ron Santo. Billy Williams. 1969. Ferguson Jenkins. Borowy and Sutcliffe. Andre Dawson. Ryno and Gracie. Greg Maddux. Sammy Sosa's 66. And 63. And 64. Wood, Zambrano and Mark Prior. Cubs takes you inside the hopes, dreams, patience and (yes, of course) disappointments of every diehard Cubs fan. Cubs is a wonderful trip down memory lane-a commemorative keepsake all decked out in blue. Book jacket.