Cubs to retire no. 31

[cubswin2009]

http://blogs.suntimes.com/fullcourtpress/2009/03/cubs_to_retire_no_31_in_honor.html

The Cubs are retiring the No. 31 in honor of Ferguson Jenkins and Greg Maddux.

 

The ceremony will be done on Sunday, May 3 before the Cubs host the Florida Marlins.

 

Maddux pitched nine of his 23 major-league seasons, including his first seven, with the Cubs, winning the first of four Cy Young awards. Allowing him to leave for Atlanta still is considered one of the worst moves in Cubs history.

 

Jenkins pitched parts of 10 of his 19 major-league seasons with the Cubs.The Hall of Famer won the 1971 Cy Young award with the Cubs.

[CubbieBum]

Sweet. No. 21 should be next.

[Mephistopheles]

Sweet. No. 21 should be next.

 

34 and never 21.

[cubbinalltheway]

awesome!

 

only singles remain though as far as tickets :(

[Jon]

I have tickets to that game.

 

I'll probably be in Seattle...

[Derwood]

Whose name goes on the flag?

[SouthSideRyan]

Sweet. No. 21 should be next.

 

34 and never 21.

 

Sammy was way more important to, and a better player than Kerry Wood was. It's not particularly close.

[carolinacubbie]

Sweet. No. 21 should be next.

 

34 and never 21.

 

 

You've got to be kidding me. I love Kerry more than anyone, but he should never have his jersey retired.

[Butterscup1679666578]

Whose name goes on the flag?

 

i wonder if they'll do jenkins on one side and maddux on the other

[Derwood]

Whose name goes on the flag?

 

i wonder if they'll do jenkins on one side and maddux on the other

 

Ferdux

[erik316wttn]

Whose name goes on the flag?

 

i wonder if they'll do jenkins on one side and maddux on the other

 

Ferdux

 

Madkins?

[FergieJ31]

Ferdux Madkins ... first name sounds like a new pharmaceutical, second like a crazy diet.

 

Not to be a jock and refer to myself in the 3d person, but obviously FergieJ31 is thrilled to hear this news. Can anyone think of another instance like this in any sport, where one number is retired in honor of two players who wore it?

[E.J.]

I have tickets to that game.

 

I'll probably be in Seattle...

 

I'll take them if you're giving them away. :)

[manbearcub]

Ferdux Madkins ... first name sounds like a new pharmaceutical, second like a crazy diet.

 

Not to be a jock and refer to myself in the 3d person, but obviously FergieJ31 is thrilled to hear this news. Can anyone think of another instance like this in any sport, where one number is retired in honor of two players who wore it?

The only numbers to be retired twice by the same team are 5 of the Cincinnati Reds, 8 of the New York Yankees, 10 of the Montreal Expos, and 42 of the St. Louis Cardinals. The Yankees retired the number 8 in 1972 for Bill Dickey and Yogi Berra, both catchers. Berra took number 8 in 1948 after Dickey stopped playing but before he was a coach. The Cardinals have retired number 42 for both Bruce Sutter and Jackie Robinson. Number 10 was retired by the Expos for Andre Dawson and Rusty Staub. After catcher Willard Hershberger of the Reds committed suicide during the season of 1940, the team decided pay tribute to him by retiring his number '5'. It was later 'unretired' in 1942. It is currently retired for Johnny Bench.

[The R-Train]

Does Maddux have his number retired by the Braves yet?

[CubbieBum]

Ferdux Madkins ... first name sounds like a new pharmaceutical, second like a crazy diet.

 

Not to be a jock and refer to myself in the 3d person, but obviously FergieJ31 is thrilled to hear this news. Can anyone think of another instance like this in any sport, where one number is retired in honor of two players who wore it?

The only numbers to be retired twice by the same team are 5 of the Cincinnati Reds, 8 of the New York Yankees, 10 of the Montreal Expos, and 42 of the St. Louis Cardinals. The Yankees retired the number 8 in 1972 for Bill Dickey and Yogi Berra, both catchers. Berra took number 8 in 1948 after Dickey stopped playing but before he was a coach. The Cardinals have retired number 42 for both Bruce Sutter and Jackie Robinson. Number 10 was retired by the Expos for Andre Dawson and Rusty Staub. After catcher Willard Hershberger of the Reds committed suicide during the season of 1940, the team decided pay tribute to him by retiring his number '5'. It was later 'unretired' in 1942. It is currently retired for Johnny Bench.

 

Did you text that new answer company for the answer?

[SweetZombieJesus]

Sweet. No. 21 should be next.

 

uh, #8 and this isn't even close.

[manbearcub]

Ferdux Madkins ... first name sounds like a new pharmaceutical, second like a crazy diet.

 

Not to be a jock and refer to myself in the 3d person, but obviously FergieJ31 is thrilled to hear this news. Can anyone think of another instance like this in any sport, where one number is retired in honor of two players who wore it?

The only numbers to be retired twice by the same team are 5 of the Cincinnati Reds, 8 of the New York Yankees, 10 of the Montreal Expos, and 42 of the St. Louis Cardinals. The Yankees retired the number 8 in 1972 for Bill Dickey and Yogi Berra, both catchers. Berra took number 8 in 1948 after Dickey stopped playing but before he was a coach. The Cardinals have retired number 42 for both Bruce Sutter and Jackie Robinson. Number 10 was retired by the Expos for Andre Dawson and Rusty Staub. After catcher Willard Hershberger of the Reds committed suicide during the season of 1940, the team decided pay tribute to him by retiring his number '5'. It was later 'unretired' in 1942. It is currently retired for Johnny Bench.

 

Did you text that new answer company for the answer?

no. OleMissCub was away from his computer and felt his history spidey sense tingle to he texted me to post this. I didnt even ready the question, actually.

[USSoccer]

If they are going to retire that number, it had best be for Jenkins, and not for 2 seasons of good young Greg Maddux, and 2 seasons of bad, old, overrated Maddux.

[chasinf5s]

Sweet. No. 21 should be next.

 

uh, #8 and this isn't even close.

 

While Dawson is my all time favorite Cub, Sosa was far more significant. Till its proven he used PED's, he is innocent in my book.

[cubbinalltheway]

If they are going to retire that number, it had best be for Jenkins, and not for 2 seasons of good young Greg Maddux, and 2 seasons of bad, old, overrated Maddux.

2 seasons of good? what?

[USSoccer]

If they are going to retire that number, it had best be for Jenkins, and not for 2 seasons of good young Greg Maddux, and 2 seasons of bad, old, overrated Maddux.

2 seasons of good? what?

 

Yeah, 1989 and 1992. Unless you think ERA+'s of like 115 are 'retire a number' worthy.

 

EDIT:

 

Just to give you some perspective, Zambrano has 1 season nearly as good as Maddux's best as a Cub, and several better than Maddux's 2nd best season. If he retired tomorrow, no one would be clamoring for 38 to be on a flag anywhere.

[USSoccer]

Also, just for fun:

 

Maddux's Cub best ERA+: 128

Ted Lilly's: 122

[manbearcub]

Also, just for fun:

 

Maddux's Cub best ERA+: 128

Ted Lilly's: 122

you are missing 1992, apparently.

[USSoccer]

Also, just for fun:

 

Maddux's Cub best ERA+: 128

Ted Lilly's: 122

you are missing 1992, apparently.

 

Whoops, nice sort job, USS.

 

Fine, I'll just use Mark Prior's 2003 and 2005. 178 and 120.

 

Or Ryan Dempster's 2008 (151).

 

My point is that Greg Maddux's Cubs performances don't merit the retiring of his number.