Originally founded in 1869, the Chicago Cubs became a charter member of the National League in 1876. Over the next 150 seasons, the Cubs have played more than 22,000 games, scored over 103,000 runs and recorded more than 200,000 hits, more than any other team in baseball history. Nearly 2,300 players have worn a Cubs uniform, earning eight division titles, 17 NL pennants, and three World Series championships.
Fans have witnessed generations of unforgettable players, from historical heroes like Joe Tinker, Gabby Hartnett, Ernie Banks, and Billy Williams to more recent stars like Ryne Sandberg, Derrek Lee, Kerry Wood, and Anthony Rizzo. The team has called Wrigley Field home for 110 of those 150 seasons.
To celebrate this milestone, the Cubs are holding a fan vote to select the franchise’s anniversary team. Each week, we will go through the provided options for each position and declare who should, and, if different, who will, win the fan vote. We continue today with the eight selections for first baseman.
Cap Anson was one of the first superstars of professional baseball. He joined the Cubs franchise, then known as the White Stockings, in 1876, the first year of the new National League. In addition to managing the team from 1879-1897, he was the NL batting champion in both 1881 and 1888 and led the league in RBI eight times between 1880 and 1891. He helped the team to five pennants between 1880 and 1886. He was posthumously elected to the Hall of Fame in 1939.
Bill Buckner joined the Cubs in 1977, moving to first base due to a staph infection in his ankle the previous year. He would win the NL batting title in 1980 and be named to his lone All-Star team in 1981. In 1982, he set the major league record for assists at first base with 159. Following some late acquisitions in 1984, Buckner found himself the off man out and was traded at the end of May. He is a member of the Cubs Hall of Fame.
Phil Cavarretta spent 20 seasons with the Cubs, making his debut in September of 1934, just two months past his 18thn birthday. He was a four-time All Star and, in 1945, he won the NL batting title and the MVP award while leading the Cubs to the pennant, their last one for over 70 years. In his final season with the Cubs, he set the modern franchise record by playing in his 1938th game. All told, he would hit .317 in three World Series appearances for the Cubs.
