Chicago Cubs: Difference between revisions

Chicago Cubs
Chicago Cubs
2024 Chicago Cubs season
File:NLC-CHC-Logo.png
Logo	Cap insignia
	Established in 1876;
Major league affiliations
	National League (1876–present) Central Division (1994–present); ; ;
Current uniform
	File:NLC-Uniform-CHC.PNG
Retired numbers	10, 14, 23, 26, 42
Name
	Chicago Cubs (1902–present); Chicago Orphans (1898-1901) Chicago Colts (1890-1897); Chicago White Stockings (1870-1871, 1874-1889); (a.k.a. Remnants 1898-1901)
Other nicknames
	The Cubbies, The North Siders, The Lovable Losers, The Cardiac Cubs;
Ballpark
	Wrigley Field (1916–present); a.k.a. Cubs Park (1920-1926) a.k.a. Weeghman Park (1916-1920); ; West Side Park (II) (1893-1915); South Side Park (1891-1893); West Side Park (I) (1885-1891); Lakefront Park (II) (1883-1884); Lakefront Park (I) (1878-1882); 23rd Street Grounds (1874-1877); Union Base-Ball Grounds (1870-1871);
Major league titles
World Series titles (2)	1907 • 1908
NL Pennants (16)	1945 • 1938 • 1935 • 1932; 1929 • 1918 • 1910 • 1908; 1907 • 1906 • 1886 • 1885; 1882 • 1881 • 1880 • 1876
Central Division titles (2)	2007 • 2003
East Division titles (2)	1989 • 1984
Wild card berths (1)	1998
Front office
Principal owner(s)	Tribune Company (Sam Zell)
General manager	Jim Hendry
Manager	Lou Piniella

Browse history interactively

← Previous edit Next edit →

Content deleted Content added

VisualWikitext

Inline

Revision as of 04:03, 30 July 2008

The Chicago Cubs are a baseball team based in Chicago, Illinois. The Cubs belong to the Central Division of Major League Baseball’s National League. The club has played its home games at Wrigley Field since 1916. The Cubs are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago, the other being the Chicago White Sox. They are one of the only two remaining charter members left in the NL (the other being the Atlanta Braves). The Cubs are often referred to by fans and media as The North Siders because Wrigley Field is in Chicago's North Side Lakeview community, or simply as "The Cubbies." The club's championship drought is the longest of any franchise in all professional sports.^[1]^[2]

The Cubs are currently managed by Lou Piniella, and their general manager is Jim Hendry. In December 2007, Sam Zell completed his purchase of the club's parent company, Tribune Company, and announced his intention to sell the team. ^[3]

Early franchise history (1876 - 1920)

1876-1900: Earliest years

The franchise began play as the Chicago White Stockings in the National Association when that league began play in 1871. They dropped out following the Great Chicago Fire, but rejoined the league in 1874. Pitcher Albert Spalding and first baseman Cap Anson joined the team prior to the 1876 season, when the team joined the new National League. (The club is the only team to play continuously in the same city since the league was formed.) The team's name transitioned through Colts to the Cubs, which had become standard by 1906.

1901-1910: An NL dynasty

File:1906 cubs.gif

The 1906 Cubs won a record 116 games in a 154 game season. The club then won back to back World Series titles in 1907-08

During baseballs dead ball era, Joe Tinker (shortstop), Johnny Evers (second baseman), and Frank Chance (first baseman) were three Cubs infielders who played together at Chicago's West Side Park from 1903 to 1912. They were made famous as a double-play combination by Franklin P. Adams' poem Baseball's Sad Lexicon, which first appeared in the July 18, 1910, edition of the New York Evening Mail. Mordecai "Three-Finger" Brown, Jack Taylor, Ed Reulbach, Jack Pfiester and Orval Overall were several key pitchers for the Cubs during this time period. With Chance as player-manager, the Cubs won four pennants and two World Series titles over a five-year span. Although they fell to the White Sox in the 1906 World Series, The Cubs recorded a record 116 victories and the best winning percentage (.763) of the modern era. With this roster, Chicago won back to back World Series championships in 1907 and 1908. Veteran catcher Johnny Kling sat out the 1909 season to become a pocket billiards player. He was replaced by Jimmy Archer. Some historians think Kling's absence was significant enough to prevent the Cubs from also winning the pennant in 1909. They finished 6 games out of first place. ^[4] When Kling returned the next year, the Cubs won the pennant again, but lost to the Philadelphia Athletics in the 1910 World Series.

Golden age of baseball (1920 - 1979)

1929-1938: Every 3 years

File:Hack-wilson.jpg

Hack Wilson hit .356 with 56 homers & 191 RBI in 1930.

With owner William Wrigley's money and William Veeck's front-office savvy, the Cubs were soon back in business in the National League, having built a team that would be strong contenders for the next decade. Hack Wilson, Gabby Hartnett, Rogers Hornsby, and many other stars donned Cub uniforms during this period, and they achieved the unusual accomplishment of winning a pennant every three years - 1929, 1932, 1935 and 1938. Unfortunately, their success did not extend to the post-season, as they fell to their AL rivals each time. The '32 series featured Babe Ruth's "called shot." There were some historic moments for the Cubs as well - they won the '35 pennant in thrilling fashion, winning a record 21 games in a row in September. The '38 club saw Dizzy Dean lead the team's pitching staff and provided a historic moment when they won a late-season game with a "walk-off" homer by Gabby Hartnett, which became known in baseball lore as "The Homer in the Gloamin'".^[5] By 1939, the "double-Bills" (Wrigley and Veeck) had both died, and the front office, now under P.K. Wrigley, found itself unable to rekindle the kind of success that P.K.'s father had created, and so the team slipped into a few years of mediocrity.

1945: The Curse

The Cubs enjoyed one more pennant at the close of World War II. Due to the wartime travel restrictions, the first three games were played in Detroit, where the Cubs won two games, including a one-hitter by Claude Passeau, and the final four were played at Wrigley. In game 4 of the 1945 World Series, the Curse of the Billy Goat was allegedly laid upon the Cubs when P.K. Wrigley ejected Billy Sianis, who had come to game 4 with two box seat tickets, one for him and one for his goat. They paraded around for a few innings, but Wrigley demanded the goat leave the park due to its unpleasant odor. Upon his ejection, Mr. Sianis uttered, "the Cubs, they ain't gonna win no more." The Cubs lost game 4, lost the 1945 World Series, and have not been back since. It has also been said by many that Sianis put a "curse" on the Cubs, apparently preventing the team from making it back to (but not actually winning) the World Series. After losing the 1945 World Series, the Cubs finished with winning seasons the next two years, but those teams did not enter post-season play.

1969: The fall of '69

File:Ernie statue.jpg

Ernie Banks is also known by his nickname, "Mr. Cub"

After two decades of forgettable baseball, in which the Cubs were one of the worst teams in the National League on an almost annual basis, the city was given a bit of hope in 1969, as the Cubs, managed by Leo Durocher, had a substantial lead in the newly created National League East in August, led by All Star Ron Santo and eventual Hall Of Famers Ernie Banks, Ferguson Jenkins, and Billy Williams. Ken Holtzman pitched a no-hitter on August 19, and they led the division by 8½ games over the Cardinals and by 9½ games over the New York Mets, but the Cubs wilted under pressure, lost key games against the Mets, and finished up 8 games out of first at 92-70. Many superstitious fans attribute this collapse to an incident at Shea Stadium when a fan released a black cat onto the field, further cursing the club, although the Mets torrid pace saw them end the season with 100 wins.

1977: Heartbreak

Following the '69 season, the club posted winning records for the next few seasons, but no playoff action. After the core players of those teams started to move on, the 70's got worse for the team, and they became known as "The Loveable Losers." In 1977, the team found some life, but ultimately experienced one of its biggest collapses. The Cubs hit a high-water mark on June 28th at 47-22, boasting an 8 1/2 game NL East lead, as they were led by Bobby Murcer (27 Hr/89 RBI), and Rick Reuschel (20-10). However, the Philadelphia Phillies cut the lead to two by the All-star break, as the Cubs sat 19 games over .500, but they swooned late in the season, going 20-40 after July 31st. The Northsiders finished in 4th place at 81-81, while Philadelphia surged, finishing with 103 wins. Ironically, the following two seasons also saw the Cubbies get off to a fast start, only to wear down and play poorly late in the season, settling back to mediocrity. This trait became known as the "June Swoon."

Recent history

1984: One game away

File:Sandberg away retro cubs sm.jpg

Ryne Sandberg won 9 Gold Gloves (1983-91)

After more than a dozen more subpar seasons, the 1984 Cubs made a midseason deal to acquire ace pitcher Rick Sutcliffe from Cleveland, who joined Scott Sanderson, Dennis Eckersley, Ron Cey and NL MVP Ryne Sandberg on a squad that ultimately tallied an NL best 96 victories, winning the NL East. In the NLCS the Cubbies won the first two games at Wrigley Field against the San Diego Padres. The Cubs needed to win only one game of the next three in San Diego to make it back to the World Series. After being beaten in game 3, the Cubs lost when dependable closer Lee Smith allowed a game-winning home run to Steve Garvey in the bottom of the 9th inning of Game 4. In Game 5 the Cubs took a 3-0 lead to the 6th inning, and a 3-2 lead into the 7th with Sutcliffe (who won the Cy Young Award that year) still on the mound, but he tired, and a critical error by Leon Durham, who watched a routine grounder go through his legs helped the San Diego Padres win the game and kept Chicago out of the 1984 World Series. The following season, hopes were high after the signing of Dennis Eckersley, and the club started out well, going 35-19 through mid-June. Unfortunately, injuries to the pitching staff and a 13 game losing streak pushed the Cubs out of contention.

1989: NL East champions

In 1989, the first full season with night baseball at Wrigley Field, the Cubs were led by a core group of veterans in Sandberg, Sutcliffe and Andre Dawson, who were boosted by a crop of youngsters such as Mark Grace, Shawon Dunston, Greg Maddux and Rookie of the Year Jerome Walton. The Cubbies won the NL East once again that season winning 93 games. This time the Northsiders met the San Francisco Giants in the NLCS. After splitting the first two games at home, the Cubs headed to the Bay Area, where despite holding a lead at some point in each of the next three games, bullpen meltdowns and managerial blunders ultimately led to three straight losses. The Giants lost to "The Bash Brothers" and the Oakland A's in the famous "Earthquake Series".

1998: Wild card

Sammy Sosa acknowledges the Bleacher Bums during a home game at Wrigley Field.

After the retirement of Sandberg and the trading of Dunston, the team needed to look elsewhere for help. In 1998 the Cubs signed outfielder Henry Rodriguez while Sammy Sosa responded with a 66 home run season. This effort, coupled with a Rookie of the Year season by Kerry Wood, won a down-to-the-wire Wild Card chase over San Francisco, culminating with the Cubs beating the Giants in a one game playoff at Wrigley in which Gary Gaetti hit a game winning homer and propelled the Cubs into the postseason once again. They scored only four runs en route to being swept by Atlanta. The home run chase between Sosa and Mark McGwire generated a great deal of media coverage, and helped to bring in a new crop of fans as well as bringing back some fans who had been disillusioned by the 1994 strike.^[6]

2001: Playoff push

Sosa had 64 homers and Jon Lieber won twenty games, while the club made a midseason deal for Fred McGriff, which was drawn out for nearly a month as McGriff debated waiving his no-trade clause,^[7] as the Northsiders led the wild card race by 2.5 games in early September, but the run died when Preston Wilson hit a three run walk off homer off of closer Tom "Flash" Gordon, which halted the team's momentum. The team was unable to make another serious charge, and finished five games behind both Houston and St. Louis.^[8]

2003: 5 more outs

The Cubs had high expectations in 2002, but the squad played poorly, and the club responded by hiring Dusty Baker and by making some major moves in '03. Most notably, they traded with the Pittsburgh Pirates for Aramis Ramirez, finally filling a gaping hole at third base, and rode dominant pitching as the Northsiders won their first division title in 14 years, and their NLDS victory over the Atlanta Braves was the team's first postseason series win since 1908. The Cubs then took a 3 games to 1 lead over the Florida Marlins in the NLCS. After dropping Game 5, Mark Prior and the Cubs took a 3-0 lead to the 8th inning of Game 6, when a now-infamous incident took place. A fan, Steve Bartman, attempted to catch a foul ball off the bat of Luis Castillo, disrupting a potential catch for the second out by Moisés Alou.^[9] Interference was not called on the play, as the ball was on the spectator side of the wall. Neither Alou nor Bartman were able to make the catch. Two batters later, Cubs shortstop Alex Gonzalez misplayed a potential inning ending double play, loading the bases and leading to eight Florida runs and a Marlin victory. Despite sending Kerry Wood to the mound and holding a lead twice, the Cubs also dropped Game 7, and failed to reach the World Series.

2004: Letdown

File:Greg Maddux.jpg

Greg Maddux, a Cy Young winner with Chicago in 1991, returned to the rotation in 2004.

In 2004, despite the return of Greg Maddux and a midseason deal for Nomar Garciaparra, misfortune struck the Cubs again. They led the Wild Card by 1.5 games on September 25, but LaTroy Hawkins blew a save to the Mets, and the Cubs proceeded to drop 7 of their last 9 games and relinquished their lead to the Astros. Despite winning 89 games, this fallout was decidedly unlovable, as the Cubs traded superstar Sammy Sosa after he had left the season's final game early and then lied about it publicly. Sosa, already a controversial figure in the clubhouse after his corked-bat incident,^[10] alienated much of his fan base, the few teammates still on good terms with him, and possibly tarnished his place in Cubs' lore for years to come.^[11] The disappointing season also saw fans become frustrated with the constant injuries to ace pitchers Mark Prior and Kerry Wood, and finally led to the departure of popular commentator Steve Stone, who had become increasingly critical of management and was verbally attacked by reliever Kent Mercker.^[12]

2007: Worst to 1st

After finishing last place in the N.L. Central with a record of 66-96 and 17.5 games out of first place in 2006, the Northsiders re-tooled for 2007, signing Alfonso Soriano to the richest contract in Cubs history,^[13] and replacing manager Dusty Baker with Lou Piniella.^[14] After a rough start, which included a brawl between Michael Barrett and Carlos Zambrano,^[15] the Cubs overcame the Milwaukee Brewers, who had led the division for most of the season, with winning streaks in June and July, ultimately clinching the NL Central with a record of 85-77. They met Arizona in the NLDS, but controversy followed as Piniella, in a move that has since come under scrutiny,^[16] pulled Carlos Zambrano after the sixth inning of a pitchers duel with D-Backs ace Brandon Webb, to "Save Zambrano for (a potential) Game 4." The Cubs, however, were unable to come through, losing the first game and eventually stranding over thirty baserunners in a three game Arizona sweep.^[17]

2008–Present

File:100 2218.jpg

Leadoff hitter Alfonso Soriano

The offseason was dominated by three months of unsuccessful trade talks with Baltimore involving 2B Brian Roberts, and the signing of Japanese star Kosuke Fukudome.^[18] The team recorded their 10,000th win in April, and established an early division lead. New faces were added as Jim Edmonds was signed in May and Rich Harden was acquired from the Oakland Athletics in early July.^[19] The Cubs headed into the All-Star break tied with Los Angeles Angels for best record in baseball, and tied a National League record with eight representatives to the All-Star game: Kosuke Fukudome, Aramis Ramirez, Geovany Soto, Carlos Zambrano, Ryan Dempster, Carlos Marmol, Kerry Wood, and Alfonso Soriano.^[20] As the Cubs continued their search for a new owner in late July, they narrowed down their original list of ten prospects, to five, who have all offered at least $1 billion.^[21] Of these five, Mark Cuban has dominated the press as an outspoken wildcard who most MLB managers would not like to see take over the enormous reins that the Cubs have to offer.^[22]

Radio and television

As of 2007, the Cubs' flagship radio station was WGN-AM, 720 AM. With the recent end of the Pittsburgh Pirates' run on KDKA, this may now be the longest team-to-station relationship in MLB. Pat Hughes is the play-by-play announcer, along with color commentator Ron Santo and pre- and post-game host Cory Provus. Santo, a former Cubs star and a fan of the team, and who is introduced as "Cub legend" on a daily basis by Pat Hughes, is known for his emotional highs and lows during games. One example of a "low" was his "Nooo! Nooo!" when Brant Brown dropped a fly ball in a key game in 1998. A "high" for Santo was upon the retirement of his number on the last day of the 2003 season, in which he declared his #10 flag to be "my Hall of Fame".

The Chicago Cubs Radio Network consists of 45 stations in eleven states.

Cubs telecasts are split three ways: WGN (both the local station and the superstation), WCIU (a local independent station), and CSN Chicago (with some games, often Wednesday night contests, aired on the supplemental channel CSN+). Len Kasper is the play-by-play announcer, and Bob Brenly, a former major league catcher and Arizona Diamondbacks manager, is the color commentator for the games. WGN also produces the games shown on WCIU; for those games, the score bug changes the "WGN" logo to "CubsNet." WGN and CSN Chicago generally show an even number of Cubs games, while WCIU averages about 8 games per season. In addition, the club also produces its own print media; the Cubs' official magazine Vineline, which has eight annual issues, is in its third decade.

Jack and Harry

Two broadcasters in particular have made their mark on the team. Jack Brickhouse manned the Cubs radio and especially the TV booth for parts of five decades, covering the games with a level of enthusiasm that often seemed unjustified by the team's poor performance on the field for many of those years. His trademark call "Hey Hey!" usually followed a home run or other spectacular play. That expression is spelled out in large letters vertically on both foul pole screens at Wrigley Field. "Whoo-boy!" and "Wheeee!" and "Oh, brother!" were among his other pet expressions. When he approached retirement age, he personally recommended his successor.

Harry Caray's stamp on the team is perhaps even deeper than that of Brickhouse, though his tenure was half as long. First, Caray had already become a well-known Chicago figure by broadcasting White Sox games for a decade, after having been a Cardinals icon for 25 years. Caray also had the benefit of being in the booth during the NL East title run in 1984, which was widely seen due to WGN's status as a cable-TV superstation. His trademark call of "Holy Cow!" and his enthusiastic singing of "Take me out to the ballgame" during the 7th inning stretch (as he had done with the White Sox) made Caray a fan favorite both locally and nationally. Harry occasionally had problems pronouncing names, to comic effect, such as his attempt at saying "Hector Villanueva" which was captured on WGN's memorial CD to Harry. He also continued his long-standing bit (dating back to the Cardinals years) of pronouncing names backwards. Caray had lively discussions with commentator Steve Stone, who was hand-picked by Harry himself, and producer Arne Harris. Caray often playfully quarreled with Stone over Stone's cigar and why Stone was single, while Stone would counter with poking fun at Harry being "under the influence." Stone disclosed in his book "Where's Harry" that most of this "arguing" was staged, and usually a ploy developed by Harry himself to add flavor to the broadcast. Additionally, Harry once did a commercial for Budweiser, dressed as a "Blues Brother" and parodying "Soul Man", singing "I'm a Cub fan, I'm a Bud man," while dancing with models dressed as Cubs ballgirls.

The Cubs still have a live singer, usually a celebrity, during the 7th inning stretch to honor Caray's memory. The quality of their renditions varies widely. Chicago icons often return annually, such as former Chicago Bears coach Mike Ditka, who tends to sing the song very fast and possibly on key. Caray is also honored with a statue located at the corner of Sheffield and Addison streets, and during the 1998 season, a patch with Caray's caricature and Brickhouse's trademark "Hey Hey" were worn on the players sleeves to honor the passing of both commentators within a span of a few months. Harry's popularity also led to his grandson Chip Caray joining the broadcast team in winter of 1997, shortly before Harry's death. Chip Caray worked the Cubs games alongside Stone until events that unfolded in 2004, when Stone became increasingly critical of management and players toward season's end. At one point, reliever Kent Mercker phoned the booth during a game and told Stone to "keep out of team business." Stone left the team, taking a position with Chicago-based WSCR. Chip Caray also left, joining his father Skip Caray on TBS, providing play-by-play for the Atlanta Braves.

Miscellaneous

Mascots

The official Cub mascot is a young bear cub, which has gone through various transformations through the years. The Cubs have no official physical mascot, though a man in a 'polar bear' looking outfit, called "The Beeman" (or Bearman, B-man), which was not very popular with the fans, was employed by the club briefly in the early 1990s. However, the Cubs' unofficial mascot is a formerly homeless man named Ronnie Wickers, who goes by the nickname of "Ronnie Woo Woo."^[23] Wickers is not employed by the team, but is seen daily at games and outside the park, dressed in full uniform, usually with a hula hoop or jump rope. Wickers is the second fan to reach this status, the first being "Gary The Drunk" in the 1980s through mid 90s, and was featured in Steve Stone's book "Where's Harry?" Wickers, however, is much more popular. He is known for his trademark yelling, for example "Mark.... Wooo! Grace.... Wooo!," and has been adopted by fans as a part of the culture at Wrigley Field. Wickers has gained national fame, and has appeared on the Howard Stern and Mancow radio programs.

Spring training

The Cubs spring training facility is located in Mesa, Arizona, where they play in the Cactus League. The club plays its games at HoHoKam Park, the name of which, ironically, is literally translated from Native American as "those who vanished." The park seats just under 13,567, and the Cubs annually sell out most of their games both at home and on the road. The Northsiders have called Mesa their spring home for most seasons since 1952. In addition to Mesa, the club has held spring training in a variety of places, including Scottsdale, Arizona, The University of Illinois, French Lick, Indiana, The University of South Florida in Tampa, Las Vegas, and Catalina Island, which is a small island off the coast of Los Angeles that was purchased by the Wrigley family in 1919 as a "paradise resort."

Wrigley Field and Wrigleyville

The Cubs have played their home games at Wrigley Field, also known as "The Friendly Confines" since 1916. It was built in 1914 as Weeghman Park for the Chicago Whales, a Federal League baseball team. The Cubs also shared the park with the Chicago Bears of the NFL for 50 years. The ballpark includes a manual scoreboard, ivy-covered brick walls, and relatively small dimensions.

File:Fansatwrigleybar2003.JPG

Some Cub fans celebrate the NLDS win over Atlanta at a Lakeview nightclub in 2003

Located in Chicago's Lakeview neighborhood, Wrigley Field sits on an irregular block bounded by Clark and Addison Streets and Waveland and Sheffield Avenues. The area surrounding the ballpark is typically referred to as Wrigleyville. There is a dense collection of bars and nightclubs in the area, most with baseball inspired themes, including Harry Caray's, Murphy's Bleachers, and Sluggers. On gamedays, many residents rent out their yards and driveways during games to people looking for a parking spot. Though many Wrigleyville homeowners have seen their property values skyrocket, most, along with Mayor Richard M. Daley (a die-hard White Sox fan), still oppose the teams quest to play more night games and stadium expansion. Average attendance at games has also skyrocketed, as annual ticket sales have more than doubled, with attendance rising from 1.4 million in 1983 to nearly 3.2 million in 2004.

Bleacher Bums

The "Bleacher Bums" is a name given to fans, many of whom spend much of the day heckling, who sit in the bleacher section at Wrigley Field. Initially, the group was called "bums" because it referred to a group of fans who were at most games, and since those games were all day games, it was assumed they did not work. Many of those fans were, and are still, students at Chicago colleges, such as DePaul University, Loyola, and Illinois-Chicago. A Broadway play, starring Joe Mantegna, Dennis Farina, Dennis Franz, and Jim Belushi ran for years and was based on a group of Cub fans who frequented the club's games. The group was started in 1967 by dedicated fan Ron Grousl and "mad bugler" Mike Murphy, who is currently a radio host on Chicago-based WSCR. Murphy alleges that Grousl started the Wrigley tradition of throwing back opposing teams' home run balls.^[24]^[25] The current group is headed by Derek Schaul. More recently, the bleachers have had the stereotype of being populated by attractive and lightly dressed women. Prior to the 2005 season, they were updated, with new shops and private bar (The Batter's Eye) being added, and Bud Light bought naming rights to the bleacher section, dubbing them the Bud Light Bleachers,. Bleachers at Wrigley are general admission, meaning there is no assigned seating, and they are one of the priciest tickets at the park.

"White flag time at Wrigley!"

The term "White flag time at Wrigley!" means the Cubs have won.

Beginning in the days of P.K. Wrigley and the 1937 bleacher/scoreboard reconstruction, and prior to modern media saturation, a flag with either a "W" or an "L" has flown from atop the scoreboard masthead, indicating the day's result(s) when baseball was played at Wrigley. In case of a doubleheader that results in a split, both the "win" and "loss" flags are flown.

Past Cubs media guides show that originally the flags were blue with a white "W" and white with a blue "L", the latter coincidentally suggesting "surrender". In 1978, consistent with the dominant colors of the flags, blue and white lights were mounted atop the scoreboard, denoting "win" and "loss" respectively for the benefit of nighttime passers-by.

The flags were replaced by 1990, the first year in which the Cubs media guide reports the switch to the now familiar colors of the flags: White with blue "W" and blue with white "L". In addition to needing to replace the worn-out flags, by then the retired numbers of Banks and Williams were flying on the foul poles, as white with blue numbers; so the "good" flag was switched to match that scheme.

This long-established tradition has evolved to fans carrying the white-with-blue-W flags to both home and away games, and displaying them after a Cub win. The flags have become more and more popular each season since 1998, and are now even sold at the ballpark.

Go, Cubs, Go!

The song Go, Cubs, Go! by Steve Goodman is often played over the loudspeakers when the Cubs win a game at Wrigley Field. The song was recorded early in the 1984 season, and was heard frequently during that season. Goodman died in September of that year, five days before the Cubs clinched the National League Eastern Division title, their first title in 39 years. Since 1984, the song has been played from time to time at Wrigley, especially when the club is contending as in 2007 and 2008.

Championship drought

The Cubs were 5 wins and as few as 5 outs from a title in 2003

The Chicago Cubs have not won a World Series championship since 1908 and have not appeared in a Series since 1945, although they have a number of post-season appearances since the multi-tiered playoff system was developed. It is the longest title drought in all four of the major American professional sports leagues, which includes the NFL, the NBA, and the NHL, as well as, of course, Major League Baseball. In fact, the Cubs' last World Series title occurred before those other three leagues even existed, and even the Cubs' last World Series appearance predates the founding of the NBA.

Playful theories try to blame the team's futility on alleged supernatural intervention, such as the Curse of the Billy Goat from 1945, citing the Leon Durham error of 1984 and the Bartman incident in 2003 as "evidence" of a curse. More practical theories include the too-cozy dimensions of Wrigley Field; the physical toll from the summer heat discussed in the 1977 book Stuck on the Cubs; and evidenced by the plentiful late season collapses, most notably '69 and 2004, as well as 1977, 1979, 1985, and 1999, among others. Finally, the most obvious candidate for this happenstance is the club's poor front office decisions.

With 2008 being the 100th anniversary of their last Series win, special attention has been drawn to the season in progress.

Memorable events and records

Rick Monday and the U.S. Flag

File:Rick Monday American Flag.jpg

Photo by Jim RoarkRick Monday grabbing the American flag away from two protesters.

On April 25, 1976, at Dodger Stadium, two protestors ran into the outfield and tried to set fire to a U.S. Flag. When Cub outfielder Rick Monday noticed the flag on the ground and the men fumbling with matches and lighter fluid, he dashed over and snatched the flag to thunderous applause. When he came up to bat in the next half-inning, he got a standing ovation from the crowd and the stadium titantron flashed the message, "RICK MONDAY... YOU MADE A GREAT PLAY..." Monday later said, "If you're going to burn the flag, don't do it around me. I've been to too many veterans' hospitals and seen too many broken bodies of guys who tried to protect it."^[26]

The Homer in the Gloamin

On September 28, 1938, with the Cubs and Pirates tied at 5, Gabby Hartnett stepped to the plate in a lightless Wrigley Field that was gradually being overcome by darkness and visibility was becoming difficult. With two outs in the bottom of the ninth and the umpires ready to end the game, Hartnett launched Pirate hurler Mace Brown's offering into the gloom and haze. This would be remembered as his "Homer in the Gloamin."

The Sandberg game

On June 23, 1984, Chicago trailed St. Louis 9-8 in the bottom of the ninth when Ryne Sandberg, known mostly for his glove, slugged a game-tying home run off ace closer Bruce Sutter. Despite this, the Cardinals scored two runs in the top of the tenth. Sandberg came up again facing a determined Sutter with one man on base, and hit yet another game tying home run. The Cubs won what has become known as "The Sandberg Game" in the 11th inning.

Tape-measure home runs

Wrigley Field's famous manual scoreboard in the center field bleachers.

On May 11, 2000, Glenallen Hill facing Brewers starter Steve Woodard, became the first, and thus far only player, to hit a pitched ball onto the roof of a five-story residential building across Waveland Ave, beyond Wrigley Field's left field wall. The shot was estimated at well over 500 feet, but the Cubs fell to Milwaukee 12-8.

No batted ball has ever hit the center field scoreboard in Wrigley Field, although the original "Slammin' Sammy", golfer Sam Snead, hit it with a golf ball in an exhibition in the 1950s. In 1948 Bill Nicholson barely missed the scoreboard when he launched a home run ball onto Sheffield Avenue and in 1959 Roberto Clemente came even closer with a [1] home run ball hit onto Waveland Avenue. Sammy Sosa hit one that landed across Waveland and bounced a block down Kenmore Avenue. Dave Kingman hit one to the third porch roof on the east side of Kenmore, which was estimated at 550 feet, and is regarded as the longest home run in Wrigley Field history.

Runs record

In an afternoon game on May 17, 1979 at Wrigley Field against the Philadelphia Phillies, 45 runs were scored, in a 23-22 Phillies win. This fell just a few short of the Major League record, set by the Cubs and Phillies on August 25 1922, when the Cubs outlasted the Phillies 26-23 at Wrigley Field.

10,000th win

On April 23 2008, against the Colorado Rockies, the Cubs recorded the 10,000th regular-season win in their franchise's history ^[27] dating back to the beginning of the National League in 1876. The Cubs reached the milestone with an overall National League record of 10,000 wins and 9,465 losses. Chicago is only the second club in Major League Baseball history to attain this milestone, the first having been the San Francisco Giants in mid-season 2005. The Cubs, however, hold the mark for victories for a team in a single city. The Philadelphia Phillies are the only team with 10,000 losses. The Chicago club's 77-77 record in the National Association (1871, 1874-1875) are not included in MLB record keeping. Post-season series are also not included in the totals. To honor the milestone, the Cubs flew an extra white flag displaying "10,000" in blue, along with the customary "W" flag.

Retired numbers

The Chicago Cubs retired numbers are commemorated on pinstriped flags flying from the foul poles at Wrigley Field:

Ron Santo 3B: 1960-1973	Ernie Banks SS/1B: 1953-1971	Ryne Sandberg 2B: 1982-1997	Billy Williams OF: 1959-1974	Number Reserved N/A: 2007	Jackie Robinson Retired by MLB

Upon signing with the Cubs prior to the 2007 season, Ted Lilly agreed to wear uniform number 30 rather than his usual 31 due to its imminent retirement. It is unannounced if 31 would be retired in the name of Ferguson Jenkins, Greg Maddux, or both.
There is also a movement to retire the uniform shirt of Gabby Hartnett. The Cubs first wore numbers on their shirts in 1932, and Hartnett wore three different numbers. Number 7 was initially assigned to Hartnett, but he was switched to number 9 the next year. In 1937 he was switched to number 2, which he retained through his last season with the Cubs, 1940.

Current roster

40-man roster

Non-roster invitees

Coaches/Other

Pitchers

Catchers

9 Miguel Amaya

Infielders

Outfielders

Manager

30 Craig Counsell

Coaches

63 Juan Cabreja (assistant hitting)
93 Erick Castillo (bullpen catcher)
84 Ryan Flaherty (bench)
68 Tommy Hottovy (pitching)
76 Dustin Kelly (hitting)
85 Garrett Lloyd (bullpen catcher)
80 John Mallee (assistant hitting)
53 Daniel Moskos (assistant pitching)
90 Jonathan Mota (major league coach)
97 Alex Smith (data development and process)
81 Mark Strittmatter (major league field coordinator)
-- Vacant (bullpen)
-- Vacant (first base)
-- Vacant (third base)

40 active, 0 inactive, 0 non-roster invitees

7-, 10-, or 15-day injured list
* Not on active roster
^† Suspended list
Roster, coaches, and NRIs updated November 5, 2024
Transactions • Depth chart
→ All MLB rosters

Minor league affiliations

AAA: Iowa Cubs, Pacific Coast League
AA: Tennessee Smokies, Southern League
Advanced A: Daytona Cubs, Florida State League
A: Peoria Chiefs, Midwest League
Short A: Boise Hawks, Northwest League
Rookie: AZL Cubs, Arizona League
Rookie: VSL Cubbies, Venezuelan Summer League

Season-by-season results

This is a partial list of the last five seasons completed by the Cubs. For the full season-by-season history, see Chicago Cubs seasons.
For updates on current season, see 2008 Chicago Cubs season.

Season	Team	League	Division	Regular season					Post-Season
Season	Team	League	Division	Finish	Wins	Losses	Win%	GB	Post-Season
2003	2003	NL	Central	1st	88	74	.543	-	Won NLDS vs Atlanta Braves, 3–2 Lost NLCS to Florida Marlins, 3–4
2004	2004	NL	Central	3rd	89	73	.549	16
2005	2005	NL	Central	4th	79	83	.488	21
2006	2006	NL	Central	6th	66	96	.407	17.5
2007	2007	NL	Central	1st	85	77	.525	-	Lost NLDS to Arizona Diamondbacks, 0–3

Championships

Preceded by Chicago White Sox 1906	World Series Champions Chicago Cubs 1907 and 1908	Succeeded by Pittsburgh Pirates 1909
Preceded by New York Giants 1905	National League Champions Chicago Cubs 1906, 1907, and 1908	Succeeded by Pittsburgh Pirates 1909
Preceded by Pittsburgh Pirates 1909	National League Champions Chicago Cubs 1910	Succeeded by New York Giants 1911 and 1912
Preceded by New York Giants 1917	National League Champions Chicago Cubs 1918	Succeeded by Cincinnati Reds 1919
Preceded by St. Louis Cardinals 1928	National League Champions Chicago Cubs 1929	Succeeded by St. Louis Cardinals 1930 and 1931
Preceded by St. Louis Cardinals 1930 and 1931	National League Champions Chicago Cubs 1932	Succeeded by New York Giants 1933
Preceded by St. Louis Cardinals 1934	National League Champions Chicago Cubs 1935	Succeeded by New York Giants 1936 and 1937
Preceded by New York Giants 1936 and 1937	National League Champions Chicago Cubs 1938	Succeeded by Cincinnati Reds 1939 and 1940
Preceded by St. Louis Cardinals 1942, 1943, and 1944	National League Champions Chicago Cubs 1945	Succeeded by St. Louis Cardinals 1946

External links

Template:MLB Chicago Cubs franchise

World Series Championship Navigation Boxes

References and notes

^ sports.http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2823256
^ http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3503599
^ ESPN.com, Prominent names mentioned as possible Cubs' buyers Retrieved on April 2, 2007
^ Three Finger, Cindy Thomson & Scott Brown, University of Nebraska Press, ISBN 0-8032-4448-7, p.88-89
^ Zarefsky, Marc (2007-08-08). "'Homer in the Gloamin' most memorable". MLB.com. Retrieved 2008-06-11. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
^ "Sosa discusses future, McGwire's Hall chances". Associated Press. ESPN. 2006-12-04. Retrieved 2008-06-11. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
^ "Cubs still waiting for McGriff's OK". Associated Press. ESPN. 2001-07-14. Retrieved 2008-06-11. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
^ "2001 Chicago Cubs Statistics and Roster", Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved on June 11, 2008.
^ "Report: Alou says he would have caught Bartman ball". Associated Press. ESPN. 2004. Retrieved 2008-06-11. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
^ Stark, Jayson (2004-06-02). "Sosa's legacy could be broken beyond repair". ESPN. Retrieved 2008-06-11. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
^ Muskat, Carrie (2004-10-04). "Cubs, Sosa at odds". MLB.com. Retrieved 2008-06-11. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
^ "Cubs shocked by Stone's comments". Associated Press. ESPN. 2004-10-05. Retrieved 2008-06-11. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
^ Muscat, Carrie, Cubs complete blockbuster with Soriano, MLB.com, Retrieved on July 18, 2007
^ "Lou Pinella Bio", MLB.com, Retrieved on July 18, 2007
^ Associated Press, "Zambrano takes blame for fight", (June 2, 2007), Yahoo! Sports, Retrieved on June 2, 2007.
^ Sheinin, David (2007-10-04). "Cleveland... And Lou Piniella's bold/idiotic move". Washington Post. Retrieved 2008-06-11. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
^ "Arizona Diamondbacks Sweep Chicago Cubs in 3-Game Series". Associated Press. Fox News. 2007-10-06. Retrieved 2008-06-11. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
^ Nicholson, Lucy (2007-12-12). "Cubs Sign Fukudome". chicagoist.com. Retrieved 2008-07-14. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
^ "Cubs trade four players to A's for pitchers Harden, Gaudin". Associated Press. ESPN. 2008-07-09. Retrieved 2008-07-14. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
^ "Cubs tie record for most NL All-Stars". Associated Press. Yahoo! Sports. 2008-07-13. Retrieved 2008-07-14. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
^ "Report: Cuban among potential buyers". Associated Press. National Post. 2008-07-26. Retrieved 2008-07-26. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
^ "Report: Cuban among potential buyers". Associated Press. National Post. 2008-07-26. Retrieved 2008-07-26. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
^ "Woo Who", Dave Hoekstra, Chicago Sun-Times, April 1, 2005.
^ Excerpt from Miracle Collapse: The 1969 Chicago Cubs, Google Books
^ WSCR's Murphy and Cubs ball-throwing
^ Ben Platt (April 25, 2006). "Monday's act heroic after 30 years". mlb.com.
^ http://www.usatoday.com/sports/scores108/108114/MLB798321.htm

[1] sports.http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2823256

[2] ttp://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3503599

[3] ESPN.com, Prominent names mentioned as possible Cubs' buyers Retrieved on April 2, 2007

[4] Three Finger, Cindy Thomson & Scott Brown, University of Nebraska Press, ISBN 0-8032-4448-7, p.88-89

[5] Zarefsky, Marc (2007-08-08). "'Homer in the Gloamin' most memorable". MLB.com. Retrieved 2008-06-11. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)

[6] "Sosa discusses future, McGwire's Hall chances". Associated Press. ESPN. 2006-12-04. Retrieved 2008-06-11. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)

[7] "Cubs still waiting for McGriff's OK". Associated Press. ESPN. 2001-07-14. Retrieved 2008-06-11. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)

[8] "2001 Chicago Cubs Statistics and Roster", Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved on June 11, 2008.

[9] "Report: Alou says he would have caught Bartman ball". Associated Press. ESPN. 2004. Retrieved 2008-06-11. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)

[10] Stark, Jayson (2004-06-02). "Sosa's legacy could be broken beyond repair". ESPN. Retrieved 2008-06-11. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)

[11] Muskat, Carrie (2004-10-04). "Cubs, Sosa at odds". MLB.com. Retrieved 2008-06-11. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)

[12] "Cubs shocked by Stone's comments". Associated Press. ESPN. 2004-10-05. Retrieved 2008-06-11. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)

[13] Muscat, Carrie, Cubs complete blockbuster with Soriano, MLB.com, Retrieved on July 18, 2007

[14] "Lou Pinella Bio", MLB.com, Retrieved on July 18, 2007

[Brawl2b-15] Associated Press, "Zambrano takes blame for fight", (June 2, 2007), Yahoo! Sports, Retrieved on June 2, 2007.

[16] Sheinin, David (2007-10-04). "Cleveland... And Lou Piniella's bold/idiotic move". Washington Post. Retrieved 2008-06-11. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)

[17] "Arizona Diamondbacks Sweep Chicago Cubs in 3-Game Series". Associated Press. Fox News. 2007-10-06. Retrieved 2008-06-11. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)

[18] Nicholson, Lucy (2007-12-12). "Cubs Sign Fukudome". chicagoist.com. Retrieved 2008-07-14. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)

[19] "Cubs trade four players to A's for pitchers Harden, Gaudin". Associated Press. ESPN. 2008-07-09. Retrieved 2008-07-14. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)

[20] "Cubs tie record for most NL All-Stars". Associated Press. Yahoo! Sports. 2008-07-13. Retrieved 2008-07-14. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)

[21] "Report: Cuban among potential buyers". Associated Press. National Post. 2008-07-26. Retrieved 2008-07-26. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)

[22] "Report: Cuban among potential buyers". Associated Press. National Post. 2008-07-26. Retrieved 2008-07-26. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)

[23] "Woo Who", Dave Hoekstra, Chicago Sun-Times, April 1, 2005.

[24] Excerpt from Miracle Collapse: The 1969 Chicago Cubs, Google Books

[25] WSCR's Murphy and Cubs ball-throwing

[flag-26] Ben Platt (April 25, 2006). "Monday's act heroic after 30 years". mlb.com.

[27] ttp://www.usatoday.com/sports/scores108/108114/MLB798321.htm

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[8]

[9]

[10]

[11]

[12]

[13]

[14]

[15]

[16]

[17]

[18]

[19]

[20]

[21]

[22]

[23]

[24]

[25]

[26]

[27]

v t e Sports teams based in the Chicago metropolitan area
Baseball	MLB Chicago Cubs Chicago White Sox AA Chicago Dogs Gary SouthShore RailCats Kane County Cougars FL Joliet Slammers Schaumburg Boomers Windy City ThunderBolts NorL Crestwood Panthers DuPage County Hounds Joliet Generals Northwest Indiana Oilmen Southland Vikings
Basketball	NBA Chicago Bulls WNBA Chicago Sky G League Windy City Bulls ABA Chicago Fury Chicago Steam Libertyville Vipers
Esports	CDL OpTic Chicago
Football	NFL Chicago Bears
Hockey	NHL Chicago Blackhawks AHL Chicago Wolves USHL Chicago Steel
Lacrosse	CILL Chicago Outlaws MCLC Chicago Lacrosse Club Chitown Lacrosse Club Lincoln Park Lacrosse Club Windy City Lacrosse Club
Roller derby	USARS Chicago Red Hots WFTDA Chicago Outfit Roller Derby Windy City Rollers
Rugby	MLR Chicago Hounds USAR Chicago Griffins RFC Chicago Lions RFC
Soccer	MLS Chicago Fire FC MLSNP Chicago Fire FC II USL2 Chicago City SC USLW Chicago City SC NWSL Chicago Red Stars
Indoor soccer	M2 Chicago Mustangs
Australian rules football	USAFL Chicago Swans
Ultimate	UFA Chicago Union
Team tennis	WTT Chicago Smash
College athletics (NCAA Division I)	Chicago State Cougars DePaul Blue Demons Loyola Ramblers Northern Illinois Huskies Northwestern Wildcats UIC Flames Valparaiso Beacons
College athletics (NCAA Division II)	Lewis Flyers Parkside Rangers Purdue-Northwest Pride Roosevelt Lakers
College athletics (NCAA Division III)	Aurora Spartans Benedictine Eagles Carthage Firebirds Chicago Maroons Concordia Cougars Dominican Stars Elmhurst Bluejays Illinois Tech Scarlet Hawks Lake Forest Foresters North Central Cardinals North Park Vikings Wheaton Thunder
College athletics (NAIA)	CCSJ Crimson Wave Governors State Jaguars IU Northwest Redhawks Judson Eagles Olivet Nazarene Tigers St. Francis Fighting Saints Saint Xavier Cougars Trinity Christian Trolls

v t e Nexstar Media Group
sorted by primary channel network affiliations
ABC	KAMC ¹ KCAU-TV KMID KODE-TV ¹ KSVI KTKA-TV ¹ KTVX WATE-TV WAWV-TV ¹ WBOY-TV ² WDHN WEHT WGNO WHTM-TV WIVT WJBF WJET-TV WJHL-TV ² WKRN-TV WLAJ ¹ WMBB WOTV WRIC-TV WSYR-TV WTEN WTNH WTRF-TV ² WTVO ¹ WUTR ¹ WVNY ¹ WWTI WYTV ¹
CBS	KELO-TV / KCLO-TV / KDLO-TV / KPLO-TV KGPE KLAS-TV KLBK-TV KLFY-TV KLST KOIN KOLR ¹ KREX-TV / KREY-TV KRQE / KBIM-TV / KREZ-TV KTAB-TV KVEO-TV ² KXMB-TV / KXMC-TV / KXMD-TV / KXMA-TV ² WANE-TV WBTW WCIA WFRV-TV WHBF-TV WHNT-TV WHLT WIAT WIVB-TV WJHL-TV WJTV WKBN-TV WKRG-TV WLNS-TV WMBD-TV WNCN WNCT-TV WOWK-TV WPRI-TV WRBL WREG-TV WROC-TV WSPA-TV WTAJ-TV WTRF-TV WTTV / WTTK WVNS-TV WYOU ¹
The CW (O&O)	KASN ¹ KAUT-TV KAZT-TV / KAZT-CD ¹ KELO-TV / KCLO-TV / KDLO-TV / KPLO-TV ² KDAF KGCW KGET-TV ² KHON-TV / KHAW-TV / KAII-TV ² KIAH KLFY-TV ² KNVA ¹ KPLR-TV KRCW-TV KRON-TV KSVI ² KTKA-TV ^{1, 2} KTLA KUCW KWBQ / KRWB-TV ¹ KWGN-TV KXMB-TV ² / KXMC-TV ² / KXMD-TV ² / KXMA-TV KXTU-LD WBDT ¹ WBRL-CD WCBD-TV ² WDCW WFNA WFXV ² WGN-TV WHDF WHLT ² WJTV ² WLAJ ^{1, 2} WMBB^{1, 2} WNAC-TV ^{1, 2} WNCT-TV ² WNLO WNOL-TV WOTV ² WPIX ¹ WPHL-TV WSAV-TV ² WTTA WTVW ¹ WVBT ² WWCW WWLP / WFXQ-CD ² WWTI ² WYCW
Fox	KARD KCIT ¹ KDVR / KFCT KFQX ¹ KFTA-TV KFXK-TV ¹ KHON-TV / KHAW-TV / KAII-TV KHMT ¹ KJTL ¹ KLJB ¹ KLRT-TV ¹ KMSS-TV ¹ KPEJ-TV ¹ KRBK KRQE / KBIM-TV / KREZ-TV ² KSWB-TV KTMJ-CD KTVI KTXL KWKT-TV KXRM-TV WDAF-TV WDKY-TV WFFF-TV WFXP ¹ WFXR WFXV WGHP WGMB-TV WJKT WJZY WJW WLAX / WEUX WNAC-TV ¹ WNTZ-TV WQRF-TV WVBT WVNS-TV ² WXIN WXXA-TV ¹ WYFX-LD WYZZ-TV ¹
MyNetworkTV	KARZ-TV KASY-TV ¹ KBVO / KBVO-CD KCPN-LD KELO-TV / KDLO-TV / KPLO-TV KGJT-CD KHII-TV / KGMD-TV / KGMV KJBO-LD KOZL-TV KSHV-TV KTPN-LD KXNW KYLE-TV WBTW WCIX WCTX WJMN-TV WMYT-TV WNTZ-TV WPNY-LD WPRI-TV ² WSAV-TV ² WSNN-LD WTRF-TV ² WTVO ^{1, 2} WVNS-TV ² WXSP-CD WYTV-DT2 ^{1, 2}
NBC	KAMR-TV KARK-TV KETK-TV KFDX-TV KFOR-TV KGET-TV KNWA-TV KRBC-TV ¹ KSAN-TV ¹ KSEE KSNF KSNT KSNW / KSNC / KSNG / KSNK / KSNL-LD KTAL-TV KTSM-TV KTVE ¹ KVEO-TV KXAN-TV WAVY-TV WBGH-CD WBOY-TV WBRE-TV WCBD-TV WCMH-TV WDTN WETM-TV WFLA-TV WHO-DT WOOD-TV WSAV-TV WTWO WVLA-TV ¹ WWLP / WFXQ-CD
Other stations	Antenna TV KGBT-TV Telemundo KKEY-LP KTAB-TV ² Independent KUSI-TV KZUP-CD WDVM AM Radio WGN
TV channels	Broadcast Antenna TV The CW (75%) Rewind TV Cable Cooking Channel (30%) Food Network (30%) NewsNation
TV programs	Bozo, Gar and Ray: WGN TV Classics Banfield The Donlon Report Eye Opener KTLA Morning News NewsFix NewsNation Prime WGN Morning News WGN Sports Yule Log
Other assets	Border Report The Hill Zap2it TV by the Numbers TV CMS company Lakana LIN Digital Online ad company Yashi Former assets CLTV
Acquisitions	Communications Corporation of America Grant Broadcasting Media General LIN Media New Vision Television Park Communications Spartan Communications Young Broadcasting Newport Television Tribune Media Tribune Broadcasting Local TV LLC Renaissance Broadcasting WGN America West Virginia Media Holdings
¹ Nexstar operates these stations under an SSA. ² These stations broadcast these networks on their digital subchannels.