Chicago Cubs - The Roaring Twenties (1920-1929)

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1920

Decade

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Titles:

Top Cubs Players of the Twenties

1929 - NL Champs (Lost to the A's)

Pitchers:

Ballpark:

Grover Cleveland Alexander (33.58) - 76

Cubs Park - renamed to Wrigley Field in 1926

Charley Root (15.4) - 53

Sheriff Blake (13.02) - 42

Team Name:

Guy Bush (12.1) - 39

Cubs

Tony Kaufmann (9.29) - 35

Vic Aldridge (9.34) - 28

Owners:

Pat Malone (8.94) - 25

Charles Weehgman (1920)

Percy Jones (3.44) - 21

William Wrigley (1921-1929)

Vic Keen (5.45) - 16

Art Nehf (4.16) - 9

General Managers:

Bill Veeck Sr. (Team President)

Catchers:

Gabby Hartnett (16.28) - 49

Managers:

Bob O'Farrell (11.32) - 27

Fred Mitchell (1920)

Johnny Evers (1921)

First Basemen:

Bill Killefer (1921-1925)

Charlie Grimm (3.98) - 23

Rabbit Maranville (1925)

Ray Grimes (10.72) - 20

George Gibson (1925)

Joe McCarthy (1926-1929)

Second Basemen:

George Grantham (7.21) - 21

Hall of Famers:

Rogers Hornsby (10.37) - 18

Grover Cleveland Alexander

Zeb Terry (3.89) - 11

Johnny Evers

Joe McCarthy

ShortStop:

Kiki Cuyler

Charlie Hollocher (13.99) - 33

Gabby Hartnett

Woody English (5.65) - 22

Rogers Hornsby

Rabbit Maranville

Third Base:

Hack Wilson

Sparky Adams (11.83) - 35

Bernie Friberg (4.67) - 20

Rookie of the Year:

None

Outfield:

Hack Wilson (22.58) - 43

MVP

Jigger Statz (5.08) - 34

Rogers Hornsby (1929)

Riggs Stephenson (15.06) - 32

Cliff Heathcote (6.23) - 31

No Hitters:

Kiki Cuyler (7.94) - 30

None

Hack Miller (5.72) - 15

Max Flack (2.6) - 12

Cy Young:

Dode Paskert (2.43) - 10

None

Notable Events:

1926 - Righthander Charlie Root is purchased from Los Angeles of the

1920 - Other than winning the pennant in 1918, the Cubs were a mediocre

PCL. He had appeared earlier briefly in the big leagues with the Browns.

club for most of the previous decade. That being said, they were also an

He is twenty seven years old, but goes on to pitch sixteen more years

old club in 1920 with eight of their twelve regulars (position players plus

with the Cubs racking up over two hundred wins.

starting pitchers) over thirty years old. A rebuild was needed. The players

who were potential significant contributors in the upcoming decade on

1926 - Riggs Stephenson, a twenty eight year old outfielder is obtained

the 1920 roster were:

from Indianapolis of the American Association in a four player deal that

□ Bob O'Farrell, 23, catcher

also involved cash. Stephenson had been a scrub for years with the

□ Charlie Hollocher, 24, shortstop

Cleveland Indians despite showing that he could flat out hit. He ended

□ Bernie Friberg, 20, third base

up playing nine years for the Cubs batting .336 lifetime. Another steal

□ Grover Cleveland Alexander, 33, pitcher

for Bill Veeck Sr.

Note that by the late middle of the decade even these four were gone.

1926 - Cubs Park is renamed to Wrigley Field

1920 - Wiliam Veeck Sr. is promoted from Vice President to President

1927 - A second deck is added to Wrigley, increasing its

1921 - William Wrigley, who bought into the club in 1918, buys

capacity to 40,000. The Cubs attendence surpasses a

out majority owner Charles Weehghman

million for the first time.

1921 - Weeghman Park is renamed Cubs Park

1928 - Pat Malone, a twenty five year old right hander, comes up

as a rookie and wins eighteen games. He is purchased from

1922 - Future Hall of Fame catcher Gabby Hartnett, twenty one, is obtained

Minneapolis of the American Associaton. Malone had been knocking

from Worcester. He would go on to play nineteen years for the Cubs

around the minors since he was eighteen years old before he started

putting it together two years earlier. He would end up pitching seven

1922 - The Cubs rebound from two losing seasons to post a

years for Chicago, winning over a hundred games.

winning record. This marks the beginning of an eighteen year

above .500 streak broken only be an aberrant 1925 season

1928 - Kiki Cuyler, one of the best hitters and fastest outfielders in the

when they plummet to last place.

game is picked up in a trade with the Pirates. Cuyler, despite his talents,

was let go because of an anti-semetic diatribe against Pirates owner

1923 - Twenty three year old righthander Guy Bush is signed as an

Barney Dreyfuss. Once again, Bill Veeck Sr. was the opportunist who

amateur free agent. He is farmed out briefly, but comes up for good the

swept in and picked up the talented Cuyler.

following season. Bush will end up pitching twelve years for the Cubs

winning over one hundred and fifty games for them.

1929 - Rogers Hornsby is purchased from the Braves for 200K.

The Cubs also threw a bunch of bodies into the deal. Hornsby, an

1925 - The Cubs first radio broadcast of a regular season game.

arrogant sort, had been banished to the lowly Braves despite being

Quin Ryan is the announcer.

one of the top two or three hitters in the game. GM Bill Veeck Sr was

not disuaded by Hornsby's demeanor.

1925 - First Baseman Charlie Grimm is obtained from the Pirates. A free

spirit, Charlie wasn't meeting Pirates owner Barney Dreyfuss' standards of

1929 - The Cubs win the pennant but lose the World Series

decorum because Grimm liked to sing in the clubhouse. Therefore, Dreyfuss

to the A's. Chicago is a run making machine led by a stellar lineup

traded him away. Cubs GM Bill Veeck Sr. had no such self imposed issues.

of thumpers: catcher Gabby Hartnett; first baseman Charlie Grimm;

second baseman Rogers Hornsby; and outfielders Hack Wilson,

1925 - Hall of Fame centerfielder slugging Hack Wilson is stolen from

Riggs Stephenson and Kiki Cuyler. Kudos to Veeck Sr. for pilfering

the Giants in a deal for Earl Webb (who?). Wilson spent three uneventful

all but Hartnett from other organizations.

seasons in New York before the deal. Giants manager McGraw was a small

The Cubs finally started winning big, however, when their pitching

ball, dead ball era kind of guy who never fully adjusted to the live ball era

also fell into place, led by the big three of Charlie Root, Guy Bush

of the Twenties and Thirties. Wilson, a dead on slugger was just not

and Pat Malone.

McGraw's cup ot tea. In his first five seasons with the Cubs, Wilson

averaged 142 rbi's. Wilson lasted six seasons with Chicago until his

prodigous drinking and eating habits led to a premature end to his

athletic abilities. Meanwhile, score another coup for Veeck on this one.