1970 Chicago Cubs

[UMFan83]

I was surfing around Baseball-reference and just happened to be looking at the schedule of the 1970 Cubs. I didn't realize how close this team came to making the playoffs. In fact, they were actually closer to finishing in first than the 1969 Cubs were (in terms of being closer to first place later in the season). Were they better than the 69 Cubs? Probably not. Did they ever hold a 9 game lead in August? No. But the 1970 Cubs were just 1 game out of first place on September 15th, with 16 games left in the season. They were 2 games out of first place on September 20th, with just 10 games left in the season. In typical Cubs fashion, they swooned at the end, winning just 4 of their last 11 games and finishing 5 games out of first, at 84-78.

 

Obviously the 69 Cubs, due to their epic collapse will always hold the title as the most memorable team in the dark years between 1945 and 1984, but I am interested in learning a little more about this team that time forgot. Any old timers have some recollections to share like what the mood of Cubs fans was to start the season, at the middle of the season and at the end when they were still contending. Did the fans believe the Cubs could actually finish it off this time around and make the playoffs? Just curious because I couldn't find much on the internet on the 1970 Cubs, and there aren't an awful lot of Cubs teams between 45 and 84 that contended for the division.

[NCCubFan]

The first game I went to was June 23, 1970, Cubs vs. Mets. Mets won 12-10 in 10 innings on a two-run HR by Duffy Dyer off Phil Regan. Cubs led 4-1 after 3, Mets then scored 7 in the 4th to lead 8-5 after 4 (Cubs got one back in the bottom of the 4th). Cubs then scored 5 in the bottom of the 5th to take a 10-8 lead. Mets tied the game with 2 in the top of the 9th before winning in the 10th. As it turned out that was the Cubs' last day in first place that year (it was game 4 of what eventually became a 12-game losing streak). The next day they lost a DH to the Mets to fall out of first.

 

http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/CHN/CHN197006230.shtml

 

I don't remember much about having expectations, since it was just my second year of following baseball. What I do remember about that season was Ernie Banks' 500th HR early in the season, the beginning of the end for Randy Hundley (his first knee injury cost him nearly half of the season and he was never the same) and the mid-season acquisitions of Joe Pepitone and Milt Pappas.

[hardcorecubfan]

I was surfing around Baseball-reference and just happened to be looking at the schedule of the 1970 Cubs. I didn't realize how close this team came to making the playoffs. In fact, they were actually closer to finishing in first than the 1969 Cubs were (in terms of being closer to first place later in the season). Were they better than the 69 Cubs? Probably not. Did they ever hold a 9 game lead in August? No. But the 1970 Cubs were just 1 game out of first place on September 15th, with 16 games left in the season. They were 2 games out of first place on September 20th, with just 10 games left in the season. In typical Cubs fashion, they swooned at the end, winning just 4 of their last 11 games and finishing 5 games out of first, at 84-78.

 

Obviously the 69 Cubs, due to their epic collapse will always hold the title as the most memorable team in the dark years between 1945 and 1984, but I am interested in learning a little more about this team that time forgot. Any old timers have some recollections to share like what the mood of Cubs fans was to start the season, at the middle of the season and at the end when they were still contending. Did the fans believe the Cubs could actually finish it off this time around and make the playoffs? Just curious because I couldn't find much on the internet on the 1970 Cubs, and there aren't an awful lot of Cubs teams between 45 and 84 that contended for the division.

 

Thesed were my formative years as a Cubs fan

[Shilzzz]

Larry, is that your Joe Peppitone jersey? I'ma go get you your jersey, Larry.

 

... arguing at distant gas pump ...

 

Joe Peppitone in this [expletive]!