Cubs History and Timeline
Take a look back at the Cubs history from their days as founding members of the National League to finally ending the 108-year World Championship drought. The Chicago Cubs have always been a dedicated team representing Chicago and bringing hundreds of fans to cheer them on in Wrigley Field.
The Early Cubs History:
1876 – Known as the White Stockings at the time, the team joined the National League in 1876. Within its first years of existence, the Cubs finished first in the league six times.
1902 – Going from the White Stockings to the Colts, the team then switched to the Orphans. The Chicago Daily News began referring the team as the Cubs because of high amount of young players. This nickname stuck and became the official team name in 1907.
1906 – Despite losing the World Series in six games, the Cubs did set a major league record with 116 wins. The Cubs also still hold the best winning percentage in baseball history with 76% wins.
1907 – 1908 - Winning 107 games in 1907, the Cubs also go on to win their first World Series title with a four game win. Success continues with the Cubs winning their second World Series title the following year.
The Cubs Drought and Curse:
1929 – The Cubs experienced its first of four World Series losses that would then happen again over the next decade.
1945 - During game 4 of the World Series, owner of the Billy Goat Tavern was asked to leave the game because his pet goat smelled so bad it was bothering the fans. Owner Billy Sianis left but not without angrily stating that the Cubs would never win. This was the beginning of the Curse of the Billy Goat.
1947 – For the next 20 seasons, the Cubs did not finish higher than fifth in the 10-team National League.
1967 – 1969 - The Cubs finally had a consecutive winning season since the 1940s, however neither ended in a championship win. In 1969 fans of the Cubs were starting to looking hopeful until a black cat appeared on the field. This started the Black Cat curse when the Mets beat the Cubs.
1988 - On August 9th, the first full night game in Cubs history was played at Wrigley Field. The Cubs brought a Chicago win against the Mets.
The Most Iconic Year in Cubs History:
2016 - The Cubs won the first World Series in 108 years, the drought and curse was finally over. Playing against the Cleveland Indians, the Cubs took home the championship to a very happy city.
