The 1977 Chicago Cubs

I was born in 1969, which as most know was a particularly cruel year for Cub fans. The 69 team has been revered and talked about a whole lot in this town. I understand why, even if I was just an infant that season. The Cubs gave the fans a magical season for the first time in a generation. That team also boasted three future Cooperstown inductees in Ernie Banks, Fergie Jenkins and Billy Williams.

With all the fan fair the 69 team gets, the 1977 Cubs kind of get lost in the shuffle. On August 3^rd in 1977 the Cubs were twenty games over .500 and tied with the Phillies for first. The team would then go on a two month bender and finish at exactly break even. They ended the year a distant twenty games back. But for an eight year old kid, that team sure gave me a thrill that summer.

I guess 1977 was the first baseball season I truly remember. Sure, I have recollections of the 76 World Series between the Reds and Yankees, but in 1977 I was a kid growing up in Chicago and caught what I eventually knew to be a curse, Cubs fever. That team did not have a ton of talent but somehow, played over their heads and gave me a great summer, and an agonizing autumn.

The 77 Cubs consisted for the most part of Bill Buckner at first, Many Trillo at second, Ivan De Jesus at short, Steve Ontiverious at third, Jose Cardinal in left, Jerry Morals in center, Bobby Murcer in right and George Mitterwald catching. Rick Reuschel (A.K.A. The White Whale) led a pitching staff that included, Ray Burris, Mike Krukow, and Bill Bonham. While future Hall-of-Famer Bruce Sutter was our savior in the bullpen.

To say that team performed over its head the first four months is an overstatement. In reality it is easy to see what happened. The Cubs had Sutter and Herman Franks, the crusty old manager, pitched him almost daily until his arm finally gave out. He would sometimes come in to a game in the 7^th inning to save it. (Something that is unheard of today.)

That team was full of my early childhood hero’s. None was bigger then Bill Buckner. It is really a shame that all Buckner is remembered for is that error in the 86 World Series. Let me tell you he was Mr. Cub in the late 70’s. He was always hurt, but played through the pain. Watching him hobble around the bases you could feel the guy’s knees aching. But he still hit .284 that year through it all.

Rick Reuschel was another favorite of mine. Baseball Reference lists his playing weight at 235 lbs, and that may be being kind. He looked about as un-athletic as any athlete could, yet he still got hitters out. He would win 20 games that year, posting an ERA of 2.79 and throwing a now unheard of 252 innings. He did that pitching half of his games in Wrigley Field. On top of all that Reuschel was such a great athlete that often times he would come in to pinch hit and pinch run. He hit .207 that year which for a pitcher isn’t half bad.

Then there was Sutter. All he did that year was pitch 107 innings out of the bullpen and compile an ERA of 1.34. Sutter was the first pitcher to throw the split fingered fastball a pitch that changed the game. It was amazing to watch big league hitters who had never seen the pitch try and hit it. It would look like it was coming right into the hitting zone when at the last split second the pitch would dart down and into the dirt. I don’t remember the exact date, but there was a game in which he came in and struck out the side on nine pitches. That was how dominating he could be when he was on.

As a little kid, watching that team on WGN, with Jack Brickhouse describing the action, was magical. Going to Wrigley was something that every seven year old should experience. My Uncle’s Dan and John would take me. Or a couple of times my Grandpa even took me. (My Grandfather was born in Italy and didn’t really have a knack for the game. But, he would still bring me and sit there and have his one Old Style and fall asleep in the third inning.)

Sure, the 77 Cubs like all Cub teams of my lifetime ran out of steam in the end. And yes the 69 Cubs were much better on paper. But for people of my age that 1977 team still has a place in our hearts. Whenever, I see current White Sox outfielder Nick Swisher I am reminded of his dad Steve, a backup catcher on that team. Or when the camera flashes into the Cub dugout and I get a glance of current Cub coach Ivan De Jesus, my mind goes back to the slick fielding shortstop. Or when the Cubs play the Reds and they say the name Gene Clines who is currently the Reds hitting instructor and in 77 hit .293 in a backup role with the club, the memories of that summer come flooding back. I guess you can say that is when my love affair with the Cubs began, and I have been loyal for 30 summers and counting.