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Who are the top Chicago Cubs of all time? Here is our top 10 countdown:
10. Mark Grace: the MLB hits and doubles leader for the 1990s, Grace was as steady as they came during his 13 seasons in Chicago, making three All-Star teams and winning four Gold Gloves while hitting over .300 for his career and accumulating nearly 2,500 career hits.
9. Grover Cleveland Alexander: tied for third all-time with 373 career wins, Alexander pitched nine seasons with the Cubs in his 30s, racking up 20+ wins 2x, winning the WHIP title twice, and earning the Pitching Triple Crown in 1920.
8. Sammy Sosa: though his career has been tainted by steroid use, Sosa remains the Cubs’ all-time home run leader; notably, he hit 50+ home runs in four consecutive seasons (including 3x with 60+) and earned seven All-Star selections, six Silver Sluggers, and NL MVP in 1998 en route to 609 career home runs.
7. Ferguson Jenkins: the first Canadian to win the Cy Young Award (1971) and to make the Hall of Fame, Jenkins was a workhorse starter who spent a decade in his prime with the Cubs; in addition to the Cy Young Award, he made three All-Star teams, finished top-five for Cy Young three other times, and won 20+ games 6x for 284 career wins and 3,192 career strikeouts.
6. Ryne Sandberg: a rare blend of power and speed at the second base position, Sandberg was a 10x All-Star and 9x Gold Glover who won the 1984 NL MVP and finished his career with 282 home runs and 344 stolen bases.
5. Mordecai Brown: nicknamed “Three Finger” (literally), Brown produced six consecutive 20-win seasons with a sub-3.00 ERA (including an ERA title) in his prime and led the Cubs to back-to-back World Series titles in 1907 and 1908; overall, he ranks second all-time in both career wins and ERA for the franchise.
4. Billy Williams: an underrated, but highly productive Hall of Fame outfielder, Williams spent 16 of his 18 MLB seasons with Chicago, winning Rookie of the Year honors in 1961 and going on to make six All-Star Games with a batting title and a pair of MVP runner-ups.
3. Ron Santo: finally elected to the Hall of Fame by the Golden Era Committee in 2012, Santo was a model of excellence at third base throughout the 1960s, winning five Gold Gloves and setting a positional record with eight straight years of 90+ runs batted in.
2. Cap Anson: regarded as one of baseball’s first superstars, Anson was a player-manager who spent a record 27 seasons playing professional baseball across the National Association and MLB, and hit well above .300 while accumulating over 3,000 career hits and 2,000 runs batted in.
1. Ernie Banks: arguably the greatest player in Cubs history, Banks was a 14x All-Star who won back-to-back MVP awards in 1958-1959; at one point the all-time home run leader for shortstops, he blasted 512 dingers during his career.
Agree/Disagree? As always, debate/discuss, and leave your thoughts and comments below.
Note: All statistics as of time of publication.
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