Chicago Cubs - The World War II Era (1940-1949)

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1940

1943

1947

Decade

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Titles:

Top Cubs Players of the Forties

1945 - NL Champs (Lost to Tigers)

Pitchers:

Ballpark:

Claude Passeau (27.87) - 77

Wrigley Field

Hank Wyse (14.62) - 47

Johnny Schmitz (17.52) - 44

Team Name:

Hank Borowy (5.63) - 26

Cubs

Paul Derringer (1.19) - 21

Bill Lee (0.8) - 20

Owners:

Hi Bithorn (4.83) - 19

Phillip K Wrigley

Vern Olsen (5.98) - 19

Larry French (4.07) - 14

General Managers:

Doyle Lade (2.8) - 13

Charles Weber (1940)

Paul Erickson (6.59) - 12

James Gallagher (1941-1949)

Bob Rush (3.31) - 11

Bob Chipman (6.95) - 10

Managers:

Emil Kush (5.25) - 6

Gabby Hartnett (1940)

Jimmy Wilson (1941-1944)

Catchers:

Roy Johnson (1944)

Clyde McCullough (5.53) - 25

Charlie Grimm (1944-1949)

Bob Scheffing (3.84) - 11

Frankie Frisch (1949)

First Basemen:

Hall of Famers:

Phil Cavarretta (29.79) - 75

None

Eddie Waitkus (6.34) - 21

Rookie of the Year:

Second Basemen:

None

Don Johnson (4.39) - 15

Eddie Stanky (2.4) - 6

MVP

Phil Cavaretta (1945)

ShortStop:

Len Merullo (1.49) - 24

No Hitters:

None

Third Base:

Stan Hack (31.54) - 63

Notable Events:

Outfield:

1940 - The Cubs are coming off of a very successful decade going into the

Swish Nicholson (37.35) - 83

Forties. They were pennant winners in 1938 and won 84 games in 1939.

Andy Pafko (19.3) - 51

However, there were forces now working against them in continuing their

Peanuts Lowrey (10.11) - 38

success. Owner William Wrigley and Team President Bill Veeck Sr. both

Dom Dallesandro (9.14) - 20

died in the early 1930's. Based on the previous efforts of those two, the

Hal Jeffcoat (1.23) - 12

club continued to have success thru the end of the decade. However,

Jim Gleeson (4.2) - 10

with new owner PK Wrigley and new GM Charles Weber, the talent flow

began to seriously ebb by the time 1940 rolled around.

Notable Events:

1940 - Chicago finishes under .500

1942 - Hank Wyse, a twenty four year old righthander is obtained from Tulsa.

He will go on to be the ace of the Cubs pennant winning staff in 1945

1940 - Ken Raffensberger, a twenty two year old lefthander, is obtained

in a deal with the Cardinals as Cubs GM Hank Weber hoodwinked Cards

1943 - Twenty three year old outfielder Andy Pafko is obtained from Los

immortal Branch Rickey in this one. Unfortunately for the Cubs, GM James

Angeles of the PCL. He will proceed to be a mainstay in the Cubs outfield

Gallagher would let Raffensberger slip thru his fingers in 1943 trading him

for close to a decade

away to the Phillies. Raffensberger would go on to win over a hundred games.

1945 - In a totally depleted league, the Cubs win their last pennant of the

1940 - The turning point for the Cubs. During the first forty years of the century

century. They lose to the Tigers in the World Series. Chicago gained 23

Chicago has only nine losing seasons and wins nine pennants and two

games in the standings from 1944. The difference could be explained

world titles. Over the last sixty years of the century, the Cubs will go on to

mostly by a vastly improved pitching staff. Incumbents Hank Wyse improved

have only thirteen winning seasons and win one pennant (1945).

from 16 to 22 wins, Paul Derringer improved from 7 to 16 wins and Claude

Passeau from 15 to 17 wins. There were also two big additions. Thirty eight

1940 - Top talent remaining on the roster:

year old Ray Prim was obtained from Los Angeles of the PCL and won

□ Ken Raffensberger, 22, pitcher

13 games - he had been a stellar pitcher in the PCL for eight years.

□ Claude Passeau, 31, pitcher

Twenty nine year old righty Hank Borowy, who was 10-5 with the pennant

□ Phil Cavaretta, 23, first base

contending Yankees during the first half of the season, was inexplicably sold

□ Billy Herman, 30, second base

to the Cubs where he went 11-2 the rest of the way. There was not much

□ Stan Hack, 30, third base

difference in the overall performance of the position players from 1944 to

□ Augie Galan, 28, outfield

1945. This was a solid group led by first baseman Phil Cavaretta, third

□ Swish Nicholson, 25, outfield

baseman Stan Hack and outfielders Andy Pafko and Swish Nicholson.

There was a slight uptick in production from outfielder Peanuts Lowrey over

1941 - GM Charles Weber resigns from his position altho' he stays

Dom Dallesandro. Lowrey had been in the military in 1944 but had been

in the Cubs organization. James Gallagher takes over the GM

discharged due to weak knees.

responsibilities. Nothing changes.

1948 - The first televised Cubs game.

1941 - Twenty year old lefty Johnny Schmitz is obtained from Milwaukee.

He will miss most of the first half of the decade due to the war, but will

1948 - Twenty two year old righthander Bob Rush is obtained from Nashville.

be a mainstay of the Cubs rotation over the second half of the decade

He will win 110 games over his ten year Cubs career.

1941 - In his first year as GM James Gallagher portends how the future

1949 - Slugger Hank Sauer, 32, is obtained from the Reds in a four player

will go with him at the helm by making two bad trades with the Dodgers

trade involving thirty something outfielders. Sauer turns out to be the big fish

giving away second baseman Billy Herman and outfielder Augie Galan.

in this trade as he is highly productive until he is forty including an MVP

season in 1952