Brian of Pizzaspotz
These Top Ten Chicago Cubs “Better than a lifetime of free pizza” Moments are just that, moments in Chicago Cubs history that make you feel better than a lifetime of free pizza ever could. Please leave your favorite Cubs moments in the comments section. We’d love to read them.
Here are the top ten Chicago Cubs moments according to our pizzaspotz.com staff.
The 1932 World Series was the last one for Babe Ruth. It was in a game on October 1st at Wrigley that Babe Ruth allegedly pointed to center field just before hitting a home run into the stands. There have been disputes over the decades on the validity to this claim. Some say Babe Ruth called his home run shot. Some say he was pointing at Cubs pitcher Charlie Root saying he only had two strikes on him. Others say he was pointing at the Cubs dugout as they shouted at Babe. As the legend of Babe Ruth continues through the centuries, the Cubs will always be mentioned when this part of his legend is spoken about.
9) Cubs Clinching in 2003 with Double Header Victory
The last time the Cubs came close to going to the World Series was in 2003. It never would have happened if they had not first clinched the NL Central title. All of the planets lined up perfectly for the Cubs on September 26th and September 27th. The Brewers won on Friday night. On Saturday, the Cubs only needed to beat the Pirates in a double header. Also, the Brewers had to win once more. That’s what happened and the celebrations around Wrigley were momentous.
8.) Sammy Sosa’s 62nd Home Run.
What are your feelings about Sammy? Whatever they are, you cannot take away from the 1998 baseball season and the feelings that stirred in Cubs fans as Sosa pursued Mark McGwire in the home run chase to break the Roger Maris record. Mark McGwire achieved it first and that in itself was one of the most awesome moments in baseball history. Seeing Sosa hug McGwire that evening in St. Louis was special. When Sammy passed Maris, he hit both #61 and #62 in the same game. This was definitely a top ten Chicago Cubs “better than a lifetime of free pizza” moment.
7) The Cubs 23-22 Game Against Philadelphia
The Cubs lost. That doesn’t necessarily keep this from being a top ten Chicago Cubs moment. This was a season when the Cubs were in the pennant race through mid-August. I think they were only four games back on August 17th. But early in the season, this was just a fun game. Dave Kingman hit three home runs. Mike Schmidt hit two for the Phillies. The Cubs came back to tie the game at 22-22 after being down 21-9 in the top of the 5th. It always makes a great game when the wind blows out at Wrigley!
6) Ernie Bank’s 500th Home Run
There or not, anyone who watched Cubs games in the mid-to-late 70s have seen this home run. I think it happened during every single rain delay. The Cubs would put on a highlight reel of great Cubs moments over the years and the one memorable highlight was Ernie Bank’s 500th career home run. Even back then, the Cubs fans went crazy in the bleachers. Mr. Cub was indeed a fan favorite and will always be remembered for his great attitude on those terrible Cubs teams of the 60s.
5) Kerry Wood’s Magnificent 20 K Game
On May 6, 1998 Cubs fans at Wrigley and watching around the world on WGN were dazzled. They were amazed. They had renewed hope of a Cubs dynasty because pitching helps establish a dynasty and we had it on this day. Strikeout after strikeout after strikeout after strikeout was the template this day for Kerry Wood. In what would have been a no-hitter and a record setting strikeout day, a ground ball infield hit which could have been called an error made Wood have to settle for just a blistering 20k in 9 innings strikeout record. For anyone who saw this game, no one will ever forget the joy at Wrigley when Derek Bell swung at strike three in the falling rain, making him Kerry Wood’s twentieth strikeout victim of the day.
4) The Quick Thinking of Johnny Evers
Late in the 1908 season, yeah, the last time the Cubs won the World Series, one of their last games was vs. the New York Giants in New York. It occurred on September 23rd. The Cubs lost this game or so thought Giants runner Fred Merkle who was on first base. A runner on third made it home on an RBI single and Merkle failed to advance to second base. The Cubs’ Johnny Evers found the loose ball among Giants fans who had stormed the field and he stepped on second base. The umpire called Merkle out. The game ended in a tie. Replayed later, the Cubs won. They went to the World Series and won it. Oh, the memories. Now it’s time for me to go cry with my 102 year old grandfather. Neither of us have witnessed a Cubs World Series victory.
3) The Hiring of Harry Caray
Yes. This is one of the top ten “better than a lifetime of free pizza” moments in Cubs history. At times during the 1980s and 1990s it seemed like Harry was the face of Chicago Cubs baseball, more so than Sammy Sosa, Ryne Sandberg, Andre Dawson or Rick Reuschel.
Harry made baseball fun for anyone listening to WGN radio or watching the games on WGN TV. Harry was not technically the best baseball announcer ever. I think that honor should go to Vin Scully, but Harry has always been more fun to listen to or watch. He loved the Cubs and he let that love show. That was a great trademark of his. For anyone attending Cubs games regularly in the 80s and 90s, you know the game would not have been the same without his traditional rendition of “Take Me Out To The Ballgame” during the 7th inning stretch. The games also wouldn’t have been the same on TV without Harry urging Arnie Harris to get some good “hat shots” or his spelling names backwards. Harry…. we miss you!
2) The Ryne Sandberg Game vs. St. Louis.
Of course, it was the game against St. Louis, June 23rd 1984 to be precise. Anyone who was watching the NBC Game of the Week that afternoon will remember that Ryne Sandberg, hitting in the .260s came up with the Cubs trailing 9-8 in the bottom of the 9th. The Cardinals’ closer, the brilliant Bruce Sutter, a former Cubs fan fave was on the mound. His split finger fast ball typically retired nearly all that faced him, but not this day. Ryne Sandberg smashed a home run that threw the crowd into a frenzy. If that wasn’t enough for Cubs fans, Sandberg came up to bat in the bottom of the tenth to tie the game again with a home run off Sutter. The Cards had taken the lead in the top of the tenth. Best thing about this day, the Cubs eventually won the game with Dave Owen batting in the winning run with a pinch hit single.
and finally, at number one in our top ten Chicago Cubs moments is….
1) The Day the Wrigley Family Sold the Chicago Cubs
While this has not resulted in the Cubs visiting the World Series as active participants, any Cubs fan will have to admit, the past 29 seasons without the Wrigley’s have been exponentially better than the Wrigley years. We’ve won pennants and come close to the World Series. Yes, we’re still very disappointed every year, almost to the point of tears in some seasons, but anything is better than going back to the Wrigley owned years.
Do you have a Cubs memory that is better than a lifetime of free pizza? List it below in the comments. In fact, if you have you a list of top ten Cubs moments, let us read them all.
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