Now that we know the MLB London teams and with the series just around the corner, the 2023 Chicago Cubs have become one of the most popular teams on foreign soil. They may not be the biggest contender this season, but this show against the St. Louis Cardinals will probably be worth every penny spent on MLB London Series tickets.
Chicago Cubs 2023 Team Profile
It’s no wonder why the league chose the Cubbies as one of the teams to represent them overseas. They have a die-hard and loyal fan base all over the world, and it won’t be a surprise to see thousands of fans supporting them in the Old Continent.
The Cubs’ best players this season won’t make it to many MVP ballots, but this team is going through a bit of a transition, and they’ll realize they’ll be considerably better going forward. With that in mind, we’re going to go a little further than the current roster of the Chicago Cubs or the 2023 Cubs, to fill you in on the history of this franchise.
Cubs franchise history
The Chicago Cubs are one of the most storied and best-known teams in Major League Baseball history. Founded in 1870, the Northsiders have a rich and interesting history, establishing themselves as one of the greatest powers in North American sports.
Originally known as the White Stockings, the Cubs were very successful in the early stages of their history, playing in the defunct National Association of Professional Baseball Players. They won championships in 1876 and 1880, establishing themselves as two strong contenders at the time.
Then, in the early 1900s, the Cubbies began to form what later became known as a dynasty of sorts, with legendary manager Frank Seele at the helm. With stars like Frank Chance, Joe Tinker and Johnny Evers, better known as ‘Tinker to Evers to Chance,’ the Cubs won four straight National League titles from 1906 to 1910. Ironically, however, they never managed to win a World Series. about that period.
After some ups and downs after that glorious tenure, the Cubs had manager Hank O’Day at the helm. They were very successful during the 1920s, winning three National League pennants and reaching the World Series in 1929, but once again, to no avail.
It wasn’t until 1932 that the Northsiders found their greatest success to date. With an all-star lineup featuring superstars like Kiki Cuyler, Hack Wilson and Gabby Hartnett, the Cubs made it to the Fall Classic again. There, in a memorable World Series against the New York Yankees, Babe Ruth and the Bronx Bombers brought out the best in each other, extending their historic World Series title drought.
After that season, the Cubs became the worst players for a long time. They failed to make the playoffs more often than not and had to endure the so-called ‘Curse of the Billy Goat’, coined after Billy Goat Tavern owner William Sanis was asked to leave the stadium because his pet goat was upsetting some fans. Notably, even non-superstitious fans had no choice but to believe that curse at some point, as there was simply no way the Cubs could shake off their bad years and return to their winning ways.
It all ended 71 years later. In 2016 and under the tutelage of Joe Maddon, the Chicago Cubs were finally able to break their curse and win the World Series. That star-studded team of Kris Bryant, Javier Baez and Anthony Rizzo will go down as one of the most talented in franchise history, leaving their mark on the books by coming back from a huge deficit against the Cleveland Indians (now Guardians). to win the title in seven games.
Since that day, the Cubs have had their fair share of ups and downs. They seemingly bottomed out in 2022, but they built for the future and brought back some interesting pieces to try and compete for a playoff spot again, though that will be easier said than done.
One of two popular teams in the Windy City, the Chicago Cubs are synonymous with history and tradition in American sports. Cursed or not, this team will always count on their die-hard fans to stand by and support them through thick and thin.
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- ernie banks
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- ryne sandberg
- billy williams
- Fergie Jenkins
- greg maddux
- sammy bland
- gabby harnett
- hack wilson
- andre dawson
- mark grace
- Mordecai “Three Fingers” Brown
- kerry wood
- lee smith
- Rick Sutcliffe
- Phil Cavaretta
- Bill Nicholson
- carlos zambrano
- bruce sutter
- Bill Madlock
- Shawon Dunston
- kenny lofton
- Antonio Rizzo
- Chris Bryant
- javier baez
Chicago Cubs Future
The Cubs made it clear they didn’t want to be bad for long, which is why they broke the bank to sign Japanese star Seiya Suzuki. Even with all the bad luck, this team has often gone to great lengths to fight hard and compete to appease the fans.
That will not be the exception to the rule in the future. Of course, they still need to add more talent, especially to their starting rotation, to be a force to be reckoned with in the National League, but they’ve made some moves in the right direction, that’s for sure.
It may be a while before they find another core that is capable of replicating what Rizzo and Bryant did nearly a decade ago. But Chicago will always be an attractive market, and this team won’t hesitate to spend big in the future to give the fans what they need and deserve.
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