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 catcher.
Willson Contreras first joined the Cubs in 2016 and became the 30th player in modern MLB history to hit a home run on the first pitch of his first major league at bat. Contreras made it on to the post-season roster and helped the Cubs end their 108-year title drought in winning the 2016 World Series. He became the everyday starting catcher in 2017 and was elected to the All-Star team three times. He spent parts of seven seasons behind the plate for the Cubs, appearing in 30 postseason games across four seasons.
Jody Davis joined the Cubs in April of 1981, quickly becoming the team’s starter. During his Cub tenure, he was named to two All-Star teams and won the Gold Glove in 1986, a season where he set the all-time MLB record for number of baserunners caught stealing with 89. Davis remained with the Cubs through most of the 1988 season. He will be inducted into the team’s Hall of Fame later this year.
Silver Flint played for the White Stockings from 1879-1889. He, alongside pitcher Larry Corcoran, is believed to have developed the first system of signs between a pitcher and catcher to indicate pitch selection. He was the first catcher in MLB history to catch three no-hitters. Off the field, Flint had financial difficulties that nearly got him banned from the league.
Gabby Hartnett spent the first 19 years, from 1922-1940, of his career with the Cubs, appearing in six All-Star games and earning the MVP award in 1935. Perhaps best remembered for the “Homer in the Gloamin’” in 1938, Hartnett was considered the best National League catcher until the emergence of Johnny Bench. He was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1955.