Loading color scheme

Site Admin

Site Admin

14. Pete Alexander

Grover Cleveland "Old Pete" Alexander far and away had a much better career earlier when he was with the Philadelphia Phillies, where he had won the Pitcher's Triple Crown twice. Still, the Phillies needed the money and sold his contract to the Chicago Cubs.

15. Hippo Vaughn

James “Hippo” Vaughn was a journeyman who bounced around from the minors to the majors from team to team for a few years before he found a home in Chicago in 1913.  He broke out with a 21 Win season in 1914 and had 20 Wins in 1915, and in 1917 he would have a career-high 23 Wins and an ERA of 2.01.  In '16 and '17, he was third among Pitchers in bWAR, but in 1918 he would have one of the best years that a hurler ever had as a Cub.  Vaughn would lead the National League in bWAR (8.1), bWAR for Pitchers (7.6), ERA (1.74), Wins (18), WHIP (1.006), and Strikeouts (148).  More importantly, he was the ace of a Cubs team that won the Pennant, and though he pitched well (1.00 ERA), he lost two Games, and they would lose to Boston.  Vaughn had a good 1919 and 1920 but went off of the rails in 1921 and would be released.  He would play in the minors for another 15 seasons, showing his love for the game.

Vaughn was chosen in 2021 to be a part of the inaugural Cubs Hall of Fame.

8. Stan Hack

An upper-tier Third Baseman and longtime leadoff man, “Smilin" Stan Hack would play all 1,938 of his Major League games with the Chicago Cubs.  Hack cracked the Cubs roster in 1932, and in 1934 he was affixed as the permanent player at the hot corner.  As the team's leadoff man, he would display consistent hitting with a lifetime Batting Average of .301 and five top ten finishes in that metric.  He did not just hit is way on base as he was a patient batter who knew how to work the count.  He had an excellent On-Base Percentage of .394, and five times he was a top five finisher.  On the base paths, he was a two-time leader in Stolen Bases (albeit with numbers under 20), but there was no doubt that he was everything you wanted in a leadoff man.

10. Gabby Hartnett

Gabby Hartnett was considered the best Catcher in the National League (maybe all of baseball) for a decade, and why wouldn't he be?