1973 Chicago Cubs season
Encyclopedia
Offseason
- October 27, 1972: Elrod HendricksElrod HendricksElrod Jerome "Ellie" Hendricks was a catcher and coach in Major League Baseball. Hendricks played during a 12-year career that lasted from through for the Baltimore Orioles , Chicago Cubs and New York Yankees...
was traded by the Cubs to the Baltimore OriolesBaltimore OriolesThe Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. They are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. One of the American League's eight charter franchises in 1901, it spent its first year as a major league...
for Frank EstradaFrancisco EstradaFrancisco "Paquín" Estrada Soto is a former Major League Baseball player for the New York Mets. Estrada, a catcher, appeared in one game for the Mets in . Estrada is the current manager of the Chihuahua Dorados in the Mexican League , Hermosillo Naranjeros in the Mexican Pacific League...
.
Regular season
Of note is that 1973 is the only season between 19451945 Chicago Cubs season
The Chicago Cubs season was a season in American baseball. The team won the National League pennant with a record of 98-56, 3 games ahead of the second-place St. Louis Cardinals. The team went on to the 1945 World Series, which they lost to the Detroit Tigers in seven games...
and 1984
1984 Chicago Cubs season
The Chicago Cubs' 1984 season was the 109th season for the Cubs. The team finished with a record of 96-65 in first place of the National League Eastern Division. Chicago was managed by Jim Frey and the general manager was Dallas Green...
in which the Cubs were still in contention on the last day of the regular season, September 30. Due to several rainouts, the Cubs still had four games to play against the first place Mets, so double headers were scheduled for September 30 and October 1, the day after the end of the season. If the Cubs were to win all four games, there could have been an unprecedented five-way tie for first place, with each team having a below .500 record of 80-82 (also unprecedented). It would have taken at least three days of games to break a five-way tie.
Rain was still in the forecast for both days, and with Wrigley Field having no lights, the NL President ordered both double headers to start at 10AM (again, unprecedented), making it clear that the umpires would wait out any rain as long as there was daylight.
The Cubs won the first game on September 30, and suddenly it seemed possible that the most unusual end to any season of baseball might happen. But the Mets won the second game, eliminating three of the teams, including the Cubs. On a dismal October 1, in light cold rain, the Mets won the first game and clinched the NL East. The second game was immediately canceled. Milt Pappas
Milt Pappas
Milton Steven "Milt" Pappas is a former professional baseball pitcher...
was scheduled to pitch for the Cubs in the second game, and the cancellation cost him his chance for his 100th victory in the National League.
Notable transactions
- May 19, 1973: Joe PepitoneJoe PepitoneJoseph "Joe" Anthony Pepitone is a former Major League Baseball first baseman and outfielder who played the bulk of his career for the New York Yankees. He also played several seasons with the Chicago Cubs and had short stints with the Houston Astros and Atlanta Braves...
was traded by the Cubs to the Atlanta BravesAtlanta BravesThe Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
for Andre ThorntonAndre ThorntonAndré Thornton , nicknamed "Thunder," is a former first baseman and designated hitter in Major League Baseball who played for the Chicago Cubs, Montreal Expos and Cleveland Indians during a 14-year career...
. - June 5, 1973: 1973 Major League Baseball Draft1973 Major League Baseball Draft-First round selections:The following are the first round picks in the 1973 Major League Baseball draft.* Did not sign- Background :Four dominating players of the late 70s and 80s were selected in the June regular phase...
- Jerry TabbJerry TabbJerry Lynn Tabb is a former Major League Baseball first baseman. He played all or part of three seasons in the major leagues, from until , for the Chicago Cubs and Oakland Athletics.- Amateur career :...
was drafted by the Cubs in the 1st round (16th pick). - Dave GeiselDave GeiselJohn David Geisel is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. He graduated from Tonawanda High School in Tonawanda, New York in 1973. Geisel pitched in all or part of seven seasons between and...
was drafted by the Cubs in the 5th round. - Mike KrukowMike KrukowMichael Edward "Mike" Krukow is a former starting pitcher in Major League Baseball. He is currently a television color commentator for the San Francisco Giants.-Early life:...
was drafted by the Cubs in the 8th round. Player signed June 10, 1973. - Joe WallisJoe WallisHarold Joseph Wallis is a former Major League Baseball outfielder. He played all or part of five seasons in the majors from until .On September 24, 1975, while playing for the Chicago Cubs, Wallis broke up Tom Seaver's bid for a no-hitter with two outs in the 9th inning of a game against the New...
was drafted by the Cubs in the 6th round.
- Jerry Tabb
- August 13, 1973: Rico CartyRico CartyRicardo Adolfo Jacobo Carty is a former professional baseball player. Nicknamed Beeg Boy, he played mostly as an outfielder in Major League Baseball from to...
was purchased by the Cubs from the Texas RangersTexas Rangers (baseball)The Texas Rangers are a professional baseball team in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, based in Arlington, Texas. The Rangers are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League, and are the reigning A.L. Western Division and A.L. Champions. Since , the Rangers have...
. - August 29, 1973: Pat BourquePat BourquePatrick Daniel Bourque was a first baseman in Major League Baseball. He played for several teams in a three year career....
was traded by the Cubs to the Oakland AthleticsOakland AthleticsThe Oakland Athletics are a Major League Baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From to the present, the Athletics have played in the O.co Coliseum....
for Gonzalo MárquezGonzalo MárquezGonzalo Enrique Márquez Moya was a professional baseball first baseman. A left-handed batter, he played parts of three seasons in Major League Baseball for the Oakland Athletics and Chicago Cubs...
. - September 11, 1973: Rico CartyRico CartyRicardo Adolfo Jacobo Carty is a former professional baseball player. Nicknamed Beeg Boy, he played mostly as an outfielder in Major League Baseball from to...
was purchased from the Cubs by the Oakland AthleticsOakland AthleticsThe Oakland Athletics are a Major League Baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From to the present, the Athletics have played in the O.co Coliseum....
.
Roster
| 1973 Chicago Cubs | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roster | |||||||||
| Pitchers | Catchers Infielders |
Outfielders | Manager Coaches |
||||||
Starters by position
Note: Pos = Position; G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in| Pos | Player | G | AB | H | Avg. | HR | RBI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1B | 92 | 201 | 49 | .244 | 3 | 20 | |
| 3B | 149 | 536 | 143 | .267 | 20 | 77 | |
| LF | 156 | 576 | 166 | .288 | 20 | 86 | |
| RF | 145 | 522 | 158 | .303 | 11 | 68 |
Other batters
Note: G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in| Player | G | AB | H | Avg. | HR | RBI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 57 | 139 | 29 | .209 | 7 | 20 | |
| 31 | 112 | 30 | .268 | 3 | 18 | |
| 22 | 70 | 15 | .214 | 1 | 8 | |
| 19 | 58 | 13 | .224 | 1 | 4 | |
| 17 | 35 | 7 | .200 | 0 | 2 | |
| 1 | 0 | 0 | ---- | 0 | 0 |
Starting pitchers
Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts| Player | G | IP | W | L | ERA | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 38 | 271 | 14 | 16 | 3.89 | 170 | |
| 42 | 239.2 | 14 | 17 | 3.68 | 134 | |
| 30 | 162 | 7 | 12 | 4.28 | 48 | |
Other pitchers
Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts| Player | G | IP | W | L | ERA | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 44 | 152 | 7 | 5 | 3.02 | 121 | |
| 21 | 64.2 | 2 | 4 | 4.87 | 43 | |
Relief pitchers
Note: G = Games pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; SV = Saves; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts| Player | G | W | L | SV | ERA | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 63 | 10 | 6 | 18 | 2.54 | 76 | |
| 47 | 4 | 5 | 12 | 4.10 | 25 | |
| 45 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 5.80 | 34 | |
| 31 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2.92 | 57 | |