The history of the Chicago Cubs dates back to the late 1800's when they were known as the Chicago White Stockings. Today, they are known as the lovable losers of baseball, who last won a World Series in 1908 and were last playing in a World Series in 1945. Cubs Pride takes you through a history of quotes from players, coaches, reporters, actors, and other notable figures related to the Cubs. The book digs deep into the history of the Cubs talking about everything from Ernie Banks' love of the game to the nostalgic feel of baseball at Wrigley Field. View the interview with the author of Cubs Pride, Alan Ross below.


Cubs Pride covers the entire history of the Cubs all the way back to the White Stockings in the late 1800's. What inspired you to write Cubs Pride?
Alan Ross - I'm a history freak, and for unbroken lineage, it doesn't get better than the Cubs-organized baseball's oldest continuous professional franchise.

How did you research Cubs Pride?
Alan Ross - The format in which Cubs Pride is presented, as well as my other books, calls for gathering the most informative and entertaining quotations on the subject at hand. For this particular one, I researched 25 books previously published on Cubs baseball or MLB to glean "the best of the best" quote-wise, plus a personal interview I had done with Ernie Banks.

How long did it take you to complete the project?
Alan Ross - Five to six months.

Our favorite quotes in the book came from Ernie Banks. One that can't be forgot was when Ernie Banks talked about his empathy for people who came to Wrigley Field. He talked about how he would sign autographs and think that someday he may have to ask one of these people for a job or how someday they might have to save his life. What is your favorite quote and how did it affect you?
Alan Ross - The one you mention is also one of my favorites, for it is a true indicator of Banks' humility and genuine belief that we're all equal. As for other favorite quotes, I tend to lean toward any of the gems from the chapter on Cubs humor. Who wouldn't chuckle when you hear someone like author Rick Schwab say, "The 1947 to 1967 Cubs years were leaner than Cher. They never won a game they should have lost during that span."

In my chapters on players, I attempt to convey colorful images through remarks such as this one by the great Frankie Frisch on legendary Cubs outfielder Hank Sauer: "I wouldn't trade one Sauer for three [Duke] Sniders."

Who has been your all-time favorite player on the Cubs? What makes them special?
Alan Ross - Like most Cubbie fans, I love "Mr. Cub," the immortal Banks. The older players seemed so much more connected to the game as a sport. Banks embodied the pure joy of baseball. That was possible before big money changed the game forever.

I also went hoarse in outrage at the initial omission of Ryne Sandberg by Hall of Fame voters. What a blasphemous injustice that was.

Any thought on adding another chapter just dedicated to Harry Caray?
Alan Ross - I know Chicagoans love their Harry, but remember, his broadcasting career was split. How can Cubs fans truly justify their undying allegiance to a man who not only did the same ranting and raving for the cross-town-rival White Sox but for the hated Cardinals?

What makes the Cubs America's lovable losers?
Alan Ross - Well, now basically they are America's only [baseball) lovable losers. It seems we will always create a soft cozy spot of sentiment for the classic uphill battlers in life. Only two years ago, though, people were feeling the same way about the Red Sox, and just a year ago, the White Sox (though, historically there is little that is warm and fuzzy about them). As far as "lovable" goes, I think each franchise's ownership has a lot to do with that. The Wrigleys, for instance, right or wrong, were perceived as more approachable than the Comiskeys.

What is your assessment of the 2006 Cubs? How do they compare to Cubs' teams of the past?
Alan Ross - The saddest tale in baseball the past couple years has been the abortive attempts of the Wood-Prior tandem to even reach the pitching mound. Lee's breakout year in 2005 will be tough to duplicate, but I like the adds in the outfield with Pierre and Jacque Jones. As with so many hopeful Cubs lineups of the past, there appears little depth past top regulars Pierre, Lee, Ramirez, Walker, and Jones. The new setup adds in the pen should help Dempster, but all in all, its hard to figure the '06 Cubs as more than middle-of-the-packers. In that regard, they compare favorably (make that unfavorably) with so many other Cubs teams down through the ages. This team will not threaten the 1908 Cubs for franchise supremacy. As political columnist/baseball historian George Will once pointed out: "Wrigley Field's most conspicuous tradition is mediocre baseball."

CBB thanks Alan Ross and and appreciates the time he took to give the CBB staff an interview. To see more books by Alan Ross, visit his website.

View the interview with the author of Classic Cubs: A Tribute to the Men and Magic of Wrigley Field, John Hanley below.


You're a well known sports artist. What gave you the idea to tie your artistic ability into a book about the Cubs?
John Hanley - I was born and raised a Cub fan despite my father and grandfather being Sox fans. In 2002 after painting a series of 3 Wrigley Field images I thought it was time to do a whole book on the Cubs, but really it was something I wanted to do since I was a kid. I have been drawing and painting since I can remember and when the Cubs were on TV I would sketch and doodle while watching the games.

Did you create any of the paintings specifically for the book?
John Hanley - All the images were created specifically for the book. Prints were made of the images while I worked on the book to get my name out and generate interest in my work and of course pay bills.

Are any of these paintings or prints available for purchase?
John Hanley - All the paintings are available for purchase. Some have been sold already. Prints are also available. (For information on Hanley's artwork, visit JohnHanleyArtist.com.)

Of the Cubs Hall of Fame players you reference in the book, who your favorite or most interesting?
John Hanley - I would have to say the players I find most interesting are the ones before the modern era; Cap Anson, Tinker, Evers, Chance, Hack Wilson, Grover Alexander, etc. When you see images of them they look 15-20 years older than they really were, the lives of these players were so much more complex than today's player. They had to work during the off season, some served in the military, the travel and pay was brutal, yet they loved the game.

But my favorite was Billy Williams. As a kid he was my favorite and I patterned my batting stance after him and did the warmup in the on-deck like him: swinging at spit.

Of the Outsanding Players your book references, who will be the next Hall of Fame player?
John Hanley - Greg Maddux of course, but as a Brave unfortunately. Derrek Lee has a chance and Andre Dawson should be there.

Was it easy for you to paint or draw pictures to expand each of the stories?
John Hanley - Oh yes, this project was a labor of love and it came pretty easy. I was an illustrator for years before moving to fine art and that experience helped in making the right images and ideas tell the stories.

How long did it take you to put the book together?
John Hanley - I worked on this starting in 2002 in between other commissions and projects, but I did devote the entire year in 2006 to getting a large portion of the book finished. The research into this book was time consuming and very fun.

Did you learn anything new about the Cubs that you did not know before writing the book?
John Hanley - A few things I did not realize, such as when Hack Wilson died his body was left unclaimed by family in a morgue. MLB had to bury him. Charles Murphy, owner of the Cubs in the glory years of 07-08 was a complete a-hole, treated the team like crap and tried scalping tickets during the World Series.

What are your thoughts on the 2008 Cubs?
John Hanley - I like this team a lot. Fukodome is exactly what this team needed but I am concerned about the starting pitching. Marmol needs to be the closer right now. The team you see now, I think will look different in August. There will be some sort of major move made to put this team over the top. Right? Lead-off, pitching, pitching, pitching.




CBB thanks John Hanley and and appreciates his time. Purchase the book through Amazon.com or visit JohnHanleyArtist.com.

The drought continues. Donald Evans has edited together quite a collection of writings related to the Cubbie Blues, following the Cubs on their endless journey to a World Series championship. Donald collects essays, articles, songs, and much more from Cubs fans who demonstrated through their writings, a connection to the Cubs and their history. View the interview with the editor of Cubbie Blues: 100 Years of Waiting Till Next Year, Donald Evans, below.

What gave you the idea for the book?
Donald Evans - I don’t suppose the idea for the book is all that unique — the Cubs and especially their 100-year drought are well-covered ground. What I had was a unique vision for us fans to explore our relationship to the Cubs, using the drought as a unifying theme.

It was the start of the 2008 season and everything seemed great, and I let myself believe, as I have many times before, that this really was The Year. There was such anticipation and excitement—almost that same sense of inevitability there was with the ’85 Bears and the 1990-91 Bulls.

The Cubs have always been a part of the fabric of my life, especially in the summer, and this intense period in their history made me wonder what it meant to have unconditional love for a team that basically never wins. I wanted the book, finally, to be a carnival of Cubs, encompassing the humor, the heartbreak, and everything in between that is part of our history. That is what I had in mind as I set out.

How long did it take you to compile all the stories and essays?
Donald Evans - I started soliciting work for the book around late May of last year. It was a sort of uneasy process, because the whole while I was compiling material, the city was anticipating, maybe even expecting, its end. In other words, I was working very hard on a book that might be obsolete before it was ever published. (I won my bet, but many artists lost theirs. See: the Chicago Tribune’s This Is The Year.) I was still editing the book in late October. So: six months.

In a traditional anthology, an editor reads through a body of literature on a given theme, picks what he or she considers the best of the best, and then tracks down the authors for reprint rights. In contrast, a lot of the work in this book was original. I identified and approached authors that met two criteria 1. Very good writers, 2. Cub fans. Then I asked them to contribute something to the book. That, along with offering feedback and requesting rewrites, comprised part of the work.

There was also the work of compiling lists and trivia, and writing tributes to notable Cub literary figures. Then there was filling in the gaps with existing material. Finally, there were all the rounds of proofing, which I accomplished with the help of Randy Richardson and Jay Raemont as sub-editors, and the expert help of contributors like Robert Goldsborough, Stuart Shea, Mary Beth Hoerner and James Finn Garner. It was a lot more work than I’d originally estimated, especially putting together all the lists.

Some of the stories and essays are from broadcasters and writers, but some are from regular Cubs fans. How did you find the right mix?
Donald Evans - Well, I wanted to get an interesting mixture of articulate voices, and I wanted to cover the expanse of the 100 years, and I wanted variety of form. I thought that the individual pieces would fit together best if the tone and length and style rose and fell like a roller coaster.

A lot of the material came about through a reading series I ran last summer at El Jardin. It was called, The Lovable Losers Literary Revue, and many of the book’s contributors first produced material for that series.

At the same time, I was emailing writers whose work and bio matched my criteria. For example, I had read and greatly admired D.C. Brod’s “My Heroes Have Always Been Shortstops” and asked her if she could produce a new Cub story for the anthology. Once I’d accepted a few pieces, my criteria became more specific. In other words, once I knew what we had, I identified what we didn’t have, and went about trying to complete my vision.

Randy provided lots of suggestions. For example, he suggested a Shoe comic and wondered if we could get the reprint rights. Ultimately, two Shoe comics wound up as bookends to the anthology. Jay made other suggestions. (Randy and Jay indeed helped shape the book.) And the early contributors helped me find other contributors. Jonathan Eig read at one of the El Jardin events, and Jim Garner came out to hear him perform. That led to Jim’s contributions. Through Jim, I also found Stu and Thomas Dyja, two other important contributors. Julia Borcherts recommended Mary Beth Hoerner. Don DeGrazia recommended Bill Hillmann. But all the while I kept in mind what was missing, and for that reason I waited until the very end for Rick Kogan to produce a toast that I knew we would use at the beginning of the book.

How were you able to gather these stories from fans?
Donald Evans - For the most part, I interviewed the subjects, took notes, and then fashioned the notes into snappy quotes that fit into the theme of the book. Margie Lawrence, who knows a lot of the Wrigleyville lifers, took me around the park and introduced me to some of the subjects. She gave me phone numbers to track down others. Dave Hoekstra, another Wrigley Field lifer and also, of course, a journalist, shared some of his contacts. Moe Mullins and Rich Burhke (veteran ballhawkers) and Dave Cihla (Shawon-O-Meter co-inventor) participated in the El Jardin series.

Some subjects were people I’d seen at the ballpark over and over, and thought, “How can I track him down?” I wanted to hear from well-entrenched fans, and so, again, as I secured some stories I tried to imagine stories that would complete the portrait. I wanted to hear from one of the longtime scalpers, but couldn’t get one to go on record, and I regret not having thought earlier of Richard Savage, a 101-year-old fan. But with the interviews I did complete, I overwhelming found the subjects to be articulate, funny and passionate.

What is your favorite part of the book?
Donald Evans - I think there’s so many good pieces (as well as artwork) and they’re so different that it would be a little like picking your favorite child. I suppose I’m most proud of the way Mary Beth Hoerner’s essay turned out. When I first saw the essay, I thought it was very good, but could be even better with a few tweaks. I gave Mary Beth a few suggestions, and she returned a revision that was nearly perfect. (Influenced, I should say, only marginally by my notes.) I loved the artwork we got from her fanatical Cub fan sister (featured in the essay), and the book designer, Roberta Richardson, did a fantastic job making a collage out of the photographs that fit nicely with the prose. It was a piece perfectly on theme (the 1969 Cubs—one of those magically depressing seasons) and everything came together in absolute harmony. That’s not to say it was the best piece of writing.

There are so many fantastic pieces that are incomparable in form and style that those sorts of judgments are, as I said, impossible. But it’s the one that stands out as best executed.

How long do you think the Cubbie Blues will continue?
Donald Evans - I think it will either end this season or next—with the core of this current team—or continue at least another decade. Soriano, Lee, Ramirez, Zambrano: these guys will all be WAY over paid as they become older players and their contributions to the team diminish. Thus, the payroll will be stacked with fading players (the result of giving really long-term deals to players already in their primes), and I don’t think even a rich franchise like the Cubs can afford to carry all those seven-figure salaries and still pay the talent they need to compete at the highest level. It will be rebuilding without the price break.

What are your predictions for the 2009 season?
Donald Evans - I think the Cubs will win the National League pennant and lose in the World Series. This is a very good but flawed team that is a few good breaks (or player acquisitions) away from being great and a few bad breaks away from being merely good. There are a lot of teams like that.

This team is a lot more fragile than most people think: Mike Fontenot still has to prove himself as a regular contributor (Mark DeRosa was my MVP pick last year), Zambrano has to prove he’s a true ace (as compared to a #2 starter with ace stuff), Rich Harden and Milton Bradley probably have to be more than half-time players, Geovany Soto’s shoulder injury is potential trouble, Kevin Gregg has to be optimally good and healthy.

Lots can go wrong. But on balance I don’t see anybody better in the National League, though the Phillies and Dodgers are right there, and I fear Florida will make a miracle, low-budget, out-of-nowhere run, ala 1997 and 2003. There are three or four better teams in the American League, all in the East division.


CBB thanks Donald Evans and and appreciates his time. Purchase Cubbie Blues: 100 Years of Waiting Till Next Year now!

George Ellis helps uncover exactly what it is that keeps those relentless Cubs fans coming back to the corner of Addison and Sheffield heartbreaking season-after-heartbreaking season. View our interview with George Ellis, the author of The Cubs Fan's Guide to Happiness, below.


What was your inspiration behind The Cubs Fan's Guide to Happiness?
George Ellis - 29 years of heartbreak. That, and my wife is always giving me a hard time about still liking the Cubs after all these disappointments. It got me thinking: Why do I stick with this team? What's wrong with me? Or, more importantly, can I somehow prove I'm not a moron?

When putting together the list of 100 frustrations experienced by Cubs fans, did any of them make you cry? We had a hard time with a few of them.
George Ellis - It was a difficult list, although I tried to include some funny ones, like Jeff Gordon singing the stretch and referring to Wrigley Field as Wrigley Stadium. That's disappointing on so many levels. But did I cry? Can't say I did.

What do you think would happen to Cubs Nation if we actually did win the World Series? Would you have to re-focus the Heckler on another sports team?
George Ellis - I think the Cubs winning the World Series would be one of the greatest moments in American sports history. I don't say that just as a Cubs fan…it would be the ultimate underdog story. Cubs Nation would grow even stronger. Can you imagine this team with a World Series bandwagon? Insane. As for The Heckler, winning the World Series won't change the fact that Aramis Ramirez runs the bases like he's sleeping, or Scott Eyre would make the perfect Brown's Chicken spokesperson, so no, I don't think we'd have to change our focus. Although 100% coverage of the Blackhawks (Chicago's professional hockey team) could be fun too.

As you probably noticed, the Cubs replaced the Precious Moments figures with bobble heads this year. Do you think they read your book and took your advice or are bobble heads in the same category as Precious Moments figures?
George Ellis - I didn't know that! Nice. I'm not sure if that change was because of the book, but if it was, the book has been a total success. Bobble Heads are cool, by the way. I just wish they would expand to Bobble Hands for someone like, say, Chris Duncan.

What is your opinion on throwing back a replacement ball when an opposing team hits a home run into the bleachers? I don't know about anyone else, but I could never throw back a Terrmel Sledge ball.
George Ellis - Ha. I think for the throwback to be meaningful, it should be the real ball. Unless it's me we're talking about. I'm not giving up a homer. No way. This is probably a good place to remind Brad Zibung (editor in chief of The Heckler) that I could totally make it from the bleachers to the infield dirt on a fly. Most people can! I mean, not Jacque Jones, but most normal-armed people.

I totally agree with your theory on booing. No true fan boos the Cubs, but we sure get annoyed. What is the best alternative for a true fan?
George Ellis - The best alternative is to come up with something clever. If you can make people laugh at what you said without dropping an f-bomb, then by all means heckle the players. Just don't boo 'em. It's not just disrespectful—it's lazy.

We get your jabs at the Tribune Company. Is it a good thing that the Cubs will be sold next year?
George Ellis - Yes. The next owner can't possibly win the World Series any less.

You talk about the Cubs opening the season 0-14 in 1997. We take offense to the jab against Kevin Tapani. Being from his hometown in Escanaba, Michigan, we are STILL huge fans. He is after all, one of the best and most consistent pitchers in the 90's.
George Ellis - Look, I've always been a fan of Escanaba. Go Eskymos! Tapani's Escanabian roots are probably what got him through 1997.

Coworkers of mine call themselves "Chicago fans". They cheer for both the Sox and Cubs. Because of this, I hate them. What should I do as a responsible Cubs fan?
George Ellis - You're doing it.

What is your prediction for the Cubs for the remainder of 2007?
George Ellis - First place in the division. No joke.

Do you expect either Prior or Wood to return to the Cubs in 2008?
George Ellis - You mean like as fans or groundskeepers or something? The only way either comes back is for league minimum, and that isn't gonna happen with these jokers. It's too bad, because I still like Wood.

CBB thanks George Ellis and and appreciates the time he took to give us an interview. To purchase the book, visit the CBB books section.

Haunted Baseball digs deep into territory in the game of Major League Baseball. Dan and Mickey go the extra mile to bring forward the ballpark stories around ghosts, curses, and paranormal events surrounding baseball stadiums and the players that play the game. One a diehard Red Sox fan, and the other a diehard Yankee fan, Bradley and Gordon bring out the scary, humorous, and heartwarming stories related to the paranormal side of baseball.

View the interview with the authors of Haunted Baseball - Ghosts, Curses, Legends, and Eerie Events, Mickey Bradley and Dan Gordon below.


What gave you the idea to write a book about ghosts and superstitions in baseball?
Mickey Bradley - Dan and I are both big baseball fans and we thought this was an interesting way to look at the history and tradition of the game – legendary players, great moments from the past, historic ballparks, etc. We also love those fun behind-the-scenes stories that players share among themselves, but which fans don’t always get to hear.

Since one of you is a Yankee fan and one is a Red Sox fan, how was it working on a book about baseball?
Mickey Bradley - That’s the great thing about a neutral topic like this – we could both enjoy it! In fact, I learned a lot about the history of many other teams, and got a new appreciation for all of them.

It seems to be quite hard to find information on the curses and paranormal activities associated with baseball. Did you find it difficult to write this book?
Mickey Bradley - We started out having heard the famous curses of the Cubs and Red Sox, and a few whispers about ghosts in Yankee Stadium. We really didn’t know what we might find beyond that, but figured a sport as old and as beloved as baseball must have accumulated a lot of lore. Once we started researching it, we found plenty of stories. In fact, more than we could fit in this book, which is why Volume 2 is now in the works.

How long did it take to research the book?
Mickey Bradley - We spent about two years and interviewed over 800 major league players, managers, and coaches – as well as fans, stadium workers, and others associated with the game. it was a lot of work, but also a lot of fun.

Have you ever experienced any paranormal events?
Mickey Bradley - I had a couple of strange experiences while researching the book, the kind that believers might classify as “paranormal.” But I’m a skeptic myself – I think the stories we heard are great fun and often quite meaningful, but for me, the meaning is not literal. We wrote the book in a very objective way so that readers can decide for themselves.

How did you get players, coaches, and MLB executives to open up about the superstitions, paranormal encounters, and curses?
Mickey Bradley - We expected that some might be reluctant to share stories that were really “out there,” but the vast majority were perfectly willing to talk about this. It’s a topic they’ve never been asked about before, and some really liked that.

However, most players will not admit to believing there is a curse on their team, and this is not surprising. What Cubs fan wants to hear Alfonso Soriano or Derrek Lee say that the team can’t win? Lou certainly doesn’t want to hear that!

Why do you think superstition plays such a large role in baseball today?
Mickey Bradley - There are probably a number of reasons but I think the main one is that baseball is so unpredictable – unlikely hitting streaks, long 0-fer stretches, bizarre plays that turn the game around – that players quickly realize logic cannot explain everything that happens on the field. They start looking outside logic for explanations.

You make many references to legends of curses and superstitions that surround the Cubs and Wrigley Field. Do you think they are the considered to be the most 'cursed' and haunted team in professional sports?
Mickey Bradley - They are probably the team we heard the most about – I think they figure in more chapters than any other team. Which is a testament to their incredibly rich history and the cultural monument that is Wrigley Field. In addition to the famous Billy Goat curse, we heard about ghosts in the ballpark, strange activities in the middle of the night, fans spreading the ashes of loved ones on the field, etc. In 1998, the Tribune Company even brought ghost hunters into Wrigley to check for the spirit of Harry Carey.

What baseball player seemed to have the strangest encounters with the paranormal?
Mickey Bradley - That’s a tough call, but Johnny Damon stands out as one of the strongest believers. He says there are ghosts in Yankee Stadium and that the Curse of the Bambino torpedoed the Red Sox when he was with them in 2003. He also claims a first-hand encounter with a ghost in his home in Florida.

What surprised you most when researching the book?
Mickey Bradley - For me it was the range of the stories. We expected to find “chilling” tales, which we did. But there were also funny stories and even heartwarming ones. For instance, we heard a number of stories connected to 9/11 and the healing role of baseball after the attacks.

I think that says something about how meaningful the sport is beyond all the stats and rules and records. It’s part of our culture and our lives, and no one should be surprised that these colorful stories have developed over time.


CBB thanks Mickey Bradley and Dan Gordon and and appreciates their time. Purchase the book through Amazon.com.

The last time the Cubs were in the World Series was 1945. Wrigley Field's Last World Series is a very detailed account of the 1945 season and how World War II effected the team and the sport. View the interview with the author of Wrigley Field's Last World Series, Charles Billington below.


Wrigley Field's Last World Series is a very detailed account of the 1945 season and how World War II effected the team and the sport. What inspired you to write this book?
Charles Billington - I work in the mental health field and have specialized with senior citizens in the last few years. Over time I was lucky enough to work with a gentleman in his 90's who had played at Columbia with Lou Gehrig, and another man in his 80's who played sandlot and American Legion with Phil Cavaretta. I've always had an interest in World War II and always thought I'd write a book about some of the people I've worked with. The book is kind of a "loose resolution" of these three factors.

How long did it take you to research?
Charles Billington - I worked on and off for about two years on the project.

The war made it very difficult for the Cubs from traveling to fielding a full Spring Training team. What was the biggest challenge for players during the World War II era?
Charles Billington - I think the biggest issue was the uncertainty they faced as to how long they would be able to stay out of the military. Family status, job situations, and physical issues are what would keep one out of active duty during World War II. While the conscription regulations were FEDERAL, they were enforced and followed LOCALLY, so everyone was kind of at the mercy of their local draft boards.

Its strange to hear that the Cubs of 1945 had so many exhibition games and events during the season. What makes this different today?
Charles Billington - Exhibition games served to showcase major league teams in areas which did not have major league baseball (Remember, there was no television until the later 40's and then for the most part the broadcasts were local.) During the war some of the military bases had very good teams (Great Lakes fielded 5 or 6 major leaguers, including Bob Feller, on their team) and their competition being major league teams made for great entertainment for the troops. Today the players' union and the team's desire to prevent injuries and "wear and tear" to their expensive players prevents a big exhibition schedule.

You briefly touched on the curse of the Billy Goat, where a local saloon keeper, was not allowed to take his goat into the game. It is said that the saloon keeper placed a hex on the Chicago Cubs, which eventually led to World Series loss to the Tigers. In a comparison to 2003, Cubs fans shifted their frustrations to the Steve Bartman incident again focusing on superstition as one of the main components to the loss to the Marlins. How much of a role do you think superstition plays with the Chicago Cubs?
Charles Billington - I don't think superstition plays any part in any of the Cubs' failures. Bartman did not run in front of the Cubs' shortstop after the interference with the fly-ball to Alou. Superstition is not why Dusty Baker manages the way he does. In the Billy Goat stories, Mr. Sianis never declared that "I now hereby curse the Cubs". The goat coming to the ballpark is truth, the "Curse" is kind of a convenient media creation.

You talk about how during the World War II era, baseball switched from a 2-3-2 World Series format to a 3-4 format, where the Cubs played the first 3 games in Detroit and then played the final 4 games at home. Though the Cubs took 2 out of the first 3 games in Detroit, do you think this had an effect on the Cubs?
Charles Billington - I don't think it hurt the '45 Cubs at all. They came home and were done on the road ahead 2 games to 1. All teams would love being in that situation.

Would things have been different if Charley Grimm had planned his starting pitching better? Can you draw any similarities to managerial decisions in game 6 of the NLCS series against the Marlins?
Charles Billington - What killed the Cubs was when Passeau's fingernail got torn off by a liner in game 6, which the Cubs won in extra innings. Passeau was in complete command at the time, and to win the game Charlie Grimm had to go through his entire starting rotation. His mistake was starting Borowy in game 7 with so little rest. Dewey Williams said that he should have gone with Hy Vandenberg (the big Dutchman out of Minneapolis who was unhittable when he was on in some games during the season, and Williams said his stuff was nonpareil before game 7) or Paul Derringer (who had more big game World Series experience than any pitcher on either team). Off the top of my head I don't know any similarities with game 6 of the NLCS. Grimm was more skilled at managing a pitching staff than Baker. I am not putting Baker down in saying this... look what he did with the Giants in the World Series against the Angels.

What was the most interesting difference between baseball in 1945 and baseball today?
Charles Billington - I think that 1945 baseball emphasized a more athletic, "manufacturing runs" style of baseball than what we have today. Seemingly no team back then "sat around" and waited for the 3 run homer.

Who was the most interesting player on the 1945 pennant winning team? What made them interesting?
Charles Billington - The story of Merullo becoming a big leaguer after being a collegiate star is a classic Depression/War time tale. Cavaretta started his career as a high school drop out who 14 months later was a starting first baseman for a World Series team (in 1935). Bill Nicholson and Stan Hack were great players and tremendous gentlemen. Andy Pafko's rise to stardom and how the stardom never went to his head is a story in itself. Claude Passeau was a great, great pitcher whom Cub fans should know better. Hank Wyse pitched 278 innings (that's 278, Kerry and Mark!) while wearing a corset because of a severe back injury. Mickey Livingston's wartime experiences are pretty harrowing for a guy who was never sent overseas. The hijinx of Hy Vandenberg and Paul Derringer are pretty fascinating, too.

What differences do you see between fans of 1945 and fans today? What has kept the fans loyal to the Cubs?
Charles Billington - In 1945, the biggest crowds were for Sunday doubleheaders, holiday doubleheaders, and Sunday games. Men especially dressed in work clothes (you see them wearing hats and suit/tie) at the games. I think the loyalty of Cub fans has to do with a whole generation growing up watching them on television when they came home from school (the White Sox games were televised too, but only the day games, and most of their games were at night) and the fact that the park you take your family to is the same one you went to as a child, and the same one your dad and grandparents went to. If the Cubs should move to the suburbs and play in a "modern" stadium they would be no different, crowd wise, than the White Sox or the Brewers.

In your book, you talk about how the baseball itself was modified causing the "dead ball" era. Do you think the baseball was modified in the 90's to spark the home run surge? Was this dead-ball era the cause for the dismal 57 total homers for the team in 1945?
Charles Billington - The World War II "dead ball" era was really only part of the 1943 season. I don't think that the ball was modified in the 90's but I think the emphasis on strength & training and the number of "power pitchers" with the quality diluted because of the fact that there are twice as many teams accounts for the increased amount of homers. In 1945, the 8 National League teams combined for only 577 homers, roughly 72 per team. It was a different style of baseball then. The Cubs totals were low because Bill Nicholson had an off year after leading the league in 1943 and 1944. Andy Pafko had not emerged yet as a complete power hitter and really nobody else on the team was a significant home run threat.

Today, it seems that nothing could effect baseball since it isn't just a sport, but a business. Could anything effect baseball ever again like World War II?
Charles Billington - I don't think any thing could every effect baseball as much as World War II did.

It seems like the Cubs continue to suffer from some of the same problems that have made them the loveable losers over the years. What changes do you think need to be made for the present Cubs to get back to the World Series?
Charles Billington - I think the present Cubs have to build a team that can produce an offense in a variety of ways, not just through the home run. The wind blows in almost as often as it blows out. I also think that their reliance on "power pitchers" hurts them when the wind is blowing out. I'd love to see a Cub team that can steal, hit and run, and be patient at the plate, instead of a bunch of guys who will all hit 25+ homers but strike out 80+ times per season.

Though it is difficult to compare, do you think the 1945 Cubs could have beat the 2003 Cubs in a 7-game series? What about the Cubs of 2005?
Charles Billington - One of the later chapters in the book compares the 1945 team to the 2003 team. Because of the different era it is kind of apples to oranges. But, the pitching on the 1945 Cubs was so excellent, I can't see the power lineup of 2003 (with all their strikeouts) doing much against a Borowy, Wyse, Derringer, Passeau, the soft-tossing Ray Prim, etc. Compared to the 2005 Cubs, as of this writing do they warrant a comparison?

Now that Wrigley Field's Last World Series has been published, do you have any plans to follow it up with another book about the Cubs?
Charles Billington - I have some other baseball books in mind that are in the "thinking and research" stage.

CBB thanks Charles Billington and and appreciates the time he took to give us an interview. To purchase the book, visit the books section.

Stuart Shea leads an all-star cast of writers putting together a preview of the 2007 Chicago Cubs under Lou Piniella. Great information is gathered on the Cubs' top prospects, insider information on the media covering the Cubs, the Wood and Prior saga, and much more. The book is a witty and honest assessment of the Cubs present and past. View the interview with the author of Wrigley Season Ticket 2007, Stuart Shea below.

How were you able to gather the cast of writers for this book?
Stuart Shea - In my 15 years of work as a baseball writer, I’ve met many qualified writers who just haven’t gotten as many breaks as the Peter Gammonses of the world. When I was hired to edit Wrigley Season Ticket 2007, this was a chance to give them some exposure and a chance to be associated with a high-quality publication.

How long did it take to complete?
Stuart Shea - From conception to printing, the project took more than six months.

What was your biggest surprise when digging for information on the Cubs or their players?
Stuart Shea - That’s a good question. I guess one big surprise was Marci Shear’s article on the Cubs’ top 20 prospects. For once, the team actually had 20 prospects! In fact, Rocky Cherry didn’t even make our list.

The book has some great information on Cubs prospects, specifically, Felix Pie. What do you hope the Cubs do with Felix Pie this year?
Stuart Shea - I hope they let him play, especially against righties, and allow him to try and get his feet wet. We need to see if his approach at the plate has matured. That being said, I worry a lot about Matt Murton losing playing time; we need to see what he can do. Obviously, I’m more interested in seeing Felix Pie and Matt Murton play than I am in seeing Jacque Jones and Cliff Floyd.

It was amusing to read the section on "Where are they now?" in reference to the 2003 Cubs. Was it surprising to find where most of these players ended up? Who was the most surprising?
Stuart Shea - I’m not surprised that most of these guys are already gone. The 2003 team was a last-gasp kind of club anyway. I guess the most surprising to me was Grudzielanek. He’s just as good now as he was then—a consistent guy who doesn’t amaze in any area, but is simply a quality major league player. Kenny Lofton is another guy I wish the Cubs had held on to.

2007 marked the first time since they started pitching where most fans weren't depending on Kerry Wood and Mark Prior. The chapter, "Like Sand Through The Hourglass" chronologically shows the careers of Kerry Wood and Mark Prior, highlighting their many trips to the DL. What do you think the future holds for Wood and Prior? Do you see either sticking around in Cubbie Blue after 2007?
Stuart Shea - That article was great when Phil Meyers turned it in last December, and it’s even more relevant now. As a Cub fan, I don’t even think about these guys anymore. Prior is history; his contract is up and he won’t be back. Wood? Who knows. If the Cubs get 50 helpful innings from him this year, I’ll be pleasantly surprised. Time to move on. It’s time for Rich Hill and Angel Guzman and Juan Mateo.

The book does a great job chronologically laying out Hendry's hits and misses as the Cubs GM. Other than acquiring Soriano, what has Jim Hendry's best move been? What was his worse? Do you think the free-agents in Soriano, Lilly, Marquis, and Floyd were the right choices?
Stuart Shea - Hendry’s made some very good trades, picking up Ramirez, Lofton, Barrett, etc., but his free-agent signings haven’t been so good. The starting pitching signings this winter were decent, but the deals were for too many years. I like what Hendry did for the bullpen in the last year or so; Ryan Dempster may be the worst pitcher in that pen.

I didn’t like the Soriano deal at the time, and I still don’t. If he hits 50 homers this year, I still won’t like it. Who wants to be trapped in an eight-year deal? Floyd is okay, but the big problem with the Cubs this year is that they just gathered up a bunch of players without really thinking about how to use them, or what their true needs were.

The idea of Soriano as a leadoff man, for starters, is ridiculous; you waste his power up there and you hamstring the lineup with a poor OBP guy at the top. Ryan Theriot might be able to do the leadoff job, but he’s not exactly a kid, and who sits when he plays?

The outfield is crammed with guys who deserve to start and, more importantly, all of whom believe they should start. There’s not a true bench player among them, nobody who accepts his role as a reserve and can be ready to pinch-hit.

None of the middle infielders, on the other hand, are good enough hitters to be starters, and only Izturis inspires my confidence defensively. I really have no confidence that Lou Piniella knows how he’s going to get through this logjam of players. You can’t have 12 regulars.

Ronny Cedeno, for example, is wasted as a utilityman; he clearly needs a year playing every day at Triple-A in order to learn the strike zone. It helps him NOT AT ALL to be in the majors sitting on the bench. The Mark DeRosa signing was pure folly, as the chances he’ll do what he did in 2006 are almost zero.

In the chapter about how the Cubs are covered by the media, it was very interesting to learn the details about how the various forms of media are handled by the front office. In what was described as a "small, cramped, at times nearly suffocating interview room", how much longer can Lou Piniella keep his cool with the media? Do you feel the media is intimidated by Piniella?
Stuart Shea - Piniella would rather do interviews in his office, but that won’t happen; the office is too small. The interview room is really substandard, an affront to the people who have to cover the team.

Piniella can be a charmer, but also a loose cannon at times; if things really don’t go well, he could either become a laughingstock or a pariah, because the fans have very (and justifiably) high expectations that this club should win. The club has certainly tried in some ways to intimidate and shut off media criticism. That kind of junk wouldn’t work in a really competitive media environment like Boston, New York, or L.A., but because we’ve only got four daily papers here, it is easier to get away with this kind of stuff.

The book spends time shedding light on the Wrigley Field Premium Tickets scandal from 2002. Has there been any changes made by the Chicago Cubs or the State of Illinois on the ticketing laws?
Stuart Shea - None. And I don’t expect any, he wrote cynically.

Almost twenty games into the season, what is your prediction for the Cubs in 2007?
Stuart Shea - I told people before the season that I stuck by our “prediction” in the magazine, that the Cubs would go 80-82. I still think that. And you know what? After the 2006 disaster, an 80-82 record ain’t so bad. The trouble is that 1) the NL Central is perceived as a bad—i.e. winnable—division, and 2) Jim Hendry spent the equivalent of the GNP of a small country this winter to bring Chicago a winner. But teams generally don’t get turned around 20-25 games quickly. It takes a year or two.

CBB thanks Stuart Shea and and appreciates his time. Visit Stuart's blog at stuartshea.blogspot.com or purchase the book from Maple Street Press.

On September 29, 1945, the Chicago Cubs’ fireball pitcher Paul Erickson threw a curve ball to Tommy O’Brien of the Pittsburgh Pirates with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning. O’Brien’s knees buckled, as any hitter’s knees would when he expects a fastball but gets a curve instead. O’Brien had reason to be surprised—it was Erickson’s first curveball of the game, and some even claim that it was his first of the year. The ball crossed home plate for strike three. The Cubs won 4-3 and captured the National League championship.

The Cubs’ journey to the National League pennant in 1945 is detailed here. The author interviewed nine surviving members of the 1945 Cubs, including pitchers Erickson, Hank Borowy, Hank Wyse and Claude Passeau, second baseman Don Johnson, shortstop Lenny Merullo, backup catcher Dewey Williams, first baseman Phil Cavaretta, and outfielder Andy Pafko, and includes their recollections of that magical Cubs season.

View the interview with the author of The Cubs Win The Pennant, John C. Skipper below.


What inspired you to write the book "The Cubs Win the Pennant"?
John Skipper - I wrote a book several years ago called "Take Me Out to the Cubs Game." The premise of the book was to get players' insight into why the Cubs have had such a long dry spell. I interviewed players from Cub teams of '40s,.'50s, '60s, '70s, '80s and '90s. In the course of doing research for that book, I talked with several players from the 1945 pennant winning team. That's where I got the idea to do a whole book on that team.

How long did it take you to research your book?
John Skipper - I took more than two years with the help of some of the research already done, because of the previous book.

How did your previous experiences of being a General Manager for a minor league baseball team help you write this book?
John Skipper - I was able to understand the nuances of the game from both the business side and the on-the-field activity -- how the front office has to work to provide the players the team needs -- and how the organization has to make money to make the whole thing work.

In the introduction to the book, you referenced the quote: "just think of all the men who played so many games on this field". Can you explain what this means to you?
John Skipper - The quote is from Ron Santo, former Cub third baseman and now broadcaster. He said it to Rick Wrona, a catcher on the Cubs 1989 division championship team as the players were being introduced on the field before the first playoff game. That statement capsulized the history, the achievements, the disappointments, the frustration and yet the pride of hundreds of ballplayers who never got the chance to do what Wrona was doing that night.

How did the war and baseball affect each other?
John Skipper - The war took many great stars and shortened their careers. Some of the stories are legendary -- Ted Williams, Bob Feller, Hank Greenberg. But it also gave opportunities to young players who may never have had the chance to play Major League baseball had they not been filling in because the regular players were gone. The nightmare of war for some created some dreams-come-true for others.

On July 1st, 1945, the Cubs were about 5 games out of first place and only a few games above .500. What gave them the surge to move to the top of the division?
John Skipper - Some times a team just catches fire. Everything comes together at the right time. Example: With two weeks to go in the 2005 baseball season, every story about the White Sox mentioned they were on the verge of the greatest fold in baseball history. What happened? They won 5 in a row to end the season, 3 in a row against Boston, 4 out of 5 against the Angels and 4 in a row against Houston. That's one of the remarkable things about baseball. In 1945, the Cubs were plodding along at about a .500 pace and then they went 26-5 in July, took over first place, and never relinquished it. One thing they had in common with the 2005 White Sox was outstanding starting pitchers.

Hank Borowy was a huge addition to the 1945 Cubs. How were the Cubs able to get Borowy from the Yankees?
John Skipper - That is a mystery that Cubs general manager Jim Gallagher took to his grave with him. Borowy was an outstanding pitcher for the Yankees and was 10-5 at the time the Cubs picked him up on waivers. He was 11-2 for the Cubs down the stretch drive. Borowy says the Yankees soured on him when he gave up a grand slam home run to Zeb Eaton of th Tigers, the opposing pitcher, in a game in early July. There was also rumor that Larry McPhail, the Yankee general manager, paid back a favor to Gallagher because, in 1941, when McPhail was with the Dodgers, the Cubs dealt Billy Herman to Brooklyn and helped them win the pennant. But the answer to your question is: No one really knows.

Do you think Charlie Grimm should get more recognition for what he did as a manager during his career?
John Skipper - If you look at Charlie Grimm's statistics as a player: 2,299 hits, .290 lifetime batting average for 20 years; and his record as a manager: Cub pennant winners in 1935, 1938 (with Gabby Hartnett who took over in mid-season) and 1945, it's surprising he hasn't gotten more Hall of Fame consideration. He deserves extra credit for 1945. Every big league manager was fielding a team with less than super ballplayers at some positions. Grimm won the pennant with his.

If you could compare the Cubs starting rotation in 1945 to pitchers in the majors today, who would you compare them to?
John Skipper - The Cubs starting rotation in 1945 was Borowy, Hank Wyse, who won 22 games; Claude Passeau, who won 17 and threw a one-hitter in the World Series; Ray Prim, the only lefthander, who was 13-8; and Paul Derringer, who was 16-11. To give you an idea of how good that staff was, Prim was the least known of the four -- and he had the lowest earned run average among them -- 2.40. It's hard to compare pitchers of one era to pitchers of another era but again I would make the comparison with the 2005 White Sox. They got the job done. In 1945, starting pitchers expected to finish what they started. Today's pitchers strive for "quality starts" -- a minimum of six innings -- and then turn it over to the bullpen. That's why it's hard to make comparisons.

The Billy Goat Curse is still a big topic among Cubs fans today. Do you believe William "Billy Goat" Sianis actually attempted to place a curse on the Cubs or was this something of an "urban legend" that Cubs fans have built over the years?
John Skipper - Both. Phil Wrigley banned the goat from the ballpark because he said other patrons wouldn't like the smell. After the Cubs lost the World Series, Sianis sent a message to Wrigley which said, "Now who smells?" and vowed to put a curse on the Cubs. It was probably a figure of speech, a pronouncement of his disgust. Leave it to the Cubs to go 60 years (and counting) without winning another pennant -- making the so-called "curse' a part of their history.

There are several different accounts as to how Charlie Grimm decided on who would pitch Game 7. Some players even blamed Grimm later for making the wrong choice. After your interviews with numerous players on the '45 team, what do you think happened?
John Skipper - Grimm was in a bind. In Game 6, a game the Cubs had to win to stay alive, Passeau, the starter, was hit by a line drive, injuring his pitching hand. Grimm used his other three main starters, Wyse, Prim and Borowy to salvage an 8-7 win in 12 innings. So for Game 7, Passeau, was hurt, Borowy had started Game 5 and went four innings in Game 6 and both Wyse and Prim were ineffective in Game 6. According to some of the players, Grimm thought about starting Derringer or Hy Vandenberg, a spot starter and reliever,.in Game 7. I think he went with Borowy because Borowy was the best pitcher down the stretch in the regular season and he was 2-1 in the World Series. In my interviews with the players, Wyse was still bitter after almost 60 years. He thought he should have started. The others wouldn't question Grimm's judgment. Another factor is this: In the locker room after Game 6, Borowy acted like he really wanted the ball for Game 7, maybe wanted it more than the others. He was the stud of the moment, that's for sure.

Do you think any players from the 1945 team deserve to be in the Hall of Fame?
John Skipper - Though he was a third baseman, Stan Hack was a Mark Grace type of player for many years -- a nice guy, a spark plug and a consistently good hitter. First baseman Phil Cavaretta was also a good ballplayer. Neither of them were "great" for their entire careers, though, and that hurt them for Hall consideration.

What will it take for the Cubs to get back to, and maybe WIN, the World Series?
John Skipper - The Cubs starting pitchers need to stay healthy. If the Cubs could get full seasons out of Mark Prior, Kerry Wood and Carlos Zambrano, they could be back in the playoffs. They also need guys at the start of the lineup who will work pitch-counts better than Corey Patterson did. The Cubs must lead the league every year in swinging at first pitches. I hope the new guys take some pitches, get some walks and set the table for the power hitters. If that doesn't happen, it could be another long year.

What is your prediction for the 2006 Cubs?
John Skipper - If everything I mentioned above comes true, this could be the year for a Cubs-White Sox World Series.

CBB thanks John Skipper and and appreciates the time he took to give us an interview. To purchase the book, visit McFarland Publishing.