1973 Chicago Cubs
LeagueNational League
DivisionEast
BallparkWrigley Field
CityChicago
OwnersPhilip K. Wrigley
General managersJohn Holland
ManagersWhitey Lockman
TelevisionWGN-TV
(Jack Brickhouse, Jim West)
RadioWGN
(Vince Lloyd, Lou Boudreau)
StatsESPN.com
BB-reference
Seasons

The 1973 Chicago Cubs season was the 102nd season of the Chicago Cubs franchise, the 98th in the National League and the 58th at Wrigley Field. The Cubs finished fifth in the National League East with a record of 77–84.

Offseason

Regular season

After a strong finish to the 1972 season,[2] the Cubs dominated the National League East for the first half of 1973. On June 29, they were 47–31 with an 8.5 game lead in the National League East.[3] But then the Cubs fell into a deep swoon, losing 33 of their next 42 games, including 11 straight losses from August 4–16, to fall below .500 and out of the division lead.[4] However, the rest of the division was so mediocre that it was nicknamed the "National League Least", enabling the Cubs to stay in contention even as they remained below .500.

In fact, 1973 was the only season between 1945 and 1984 in which the Cubs were still in contention on the last day of the regular season, September 30. Due to several rainouts, the Cubs still had four games to play against the first place Mets, so double headers were scheduled for September 30 and October 1, the day after the end of the season. If the Cubs were to win all four games, there could have been an unprecedented five-way tie for first place, with each team having a below .500 record of 80–82 (also unprecedented). It would have taken at least three days of games to break a five-way tie.

Rain was still in the forecast for both days, and with Wrigley Field having no lights, National League president Chub Feeney ordered both double headers to start at 10AM (again, unprecedented), making it clear that the umpires would wait out any rain as long as there was daylight.

The Cubs won the first game on September 30, and suddenly it seemed possible that the most unusual end to any season of baseball might happen. But the Mets won the second game, eliminating three of the teams, including the Cubs. On a dismal October 1, in light cold rain, the Mets won the first game and clinched the NL East. The second game was immediately canceled. Milt Pappas was scheduled to pitch for the Cubs in the second game, and the cancellation cost him his chance for his 100th victory in the National League as he retired during the offseason.

Season standings

NL East W L Pct. GB Home Road
New York Mets 8279 0.509 — 43–38 39–41
St. Louis Cardinals 8181 0.500 1½ 43–38 38–43
Pittsburgh Pirates 8082 0.494 2½ 41–40 39–42
Montreal Expos 7983 0.488 3½ 43–38 36–45
Chicago Cubs 7784 0.478 5 41–39 36–45
Philadelphia Phillies 7191 0.438 11½ 38–43 33–48

Record vs. opponents

1973 National League record

Sources:
Team ATL CHC CIN HOU LAD MON NYM PHI PIT SD SF STL
Atlanta —7–55–1311–72–15–16–66–66–67–512–68–106–6
Chicago 5–7—8–46–65–79–910–710–86–127–52–109–9
Cincinnati 13–54–8—11–711–78–48–48–47–513–510–86–6
Houston 7–116–67–11—11–76–66–67–56–610–811–75–7
Los Angeles 15–2–17–57–117–11—7–57–59–310–29–99–98–4
Montreal 6–69–94–86–65–7—9–913–56–127–56–68–10
New York 6–67–104–86–65–79–9—9–913–58–45–710–8
Philadelphia 6-68–104–85–73–95–139–9—8–109–35–79–9
Pittsburgh 5–712–65–76–62–1012–65–1310–8—8–45–710–8
San Diego 6–125–75–138–109–95–74–83–94–8—7–114–8
San Francisco 10–810–28–107–119–96–67–57–57–511–7—6–6
St. Louis 6–69–96–67–54–810–88–109–98–108–46–6—

Notable transactions

Roster

1973 Chicago Cubs
Roster
Pitchers Catchers

Infielders

 Outfielders Manager

Coaches

Player stats

Batting

Starters by position

Note: Pos = Position; G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in

Pos Player G AB H Avg. HR RBI
CRandy Hundley12436883.2261043
1BJim Hickman9220149.244320
2BGlenn Beckert11437295.255029
SSDon Kessinger160577151.262043
3BRon Santo149536143.2672077
LFBilly Williams156576166.2882086
CFRick Monday149554148.2672656
RFJosé Cardenal145522158.3031168

Other batters

Note: G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in

Player G AB H Avg. HR RBI
Paul Popovich9928066.236224
Ken Rudolph6417035.206217
Carmen Fanzone6415041.273622
Pat Bourque5713929.209720
Joe Pepitone3111230.268318
Gene Hiser10010919.17416
Rico Carty227015.21418
Gonzalo Márquez195813.22414
Adrian Garrett365412.22238
Cleo James44455.11100
Dave Rosello163810.26302
Andre Thornton17357.20002
Pete LaCock11164.25003
Matt Alexander1251.20001
Tom Lundstedt450.00000
Tony La Russa100----00

Pitching

Starting pitchers

Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts

Player G IP W L ERA SO
Ferguson Jenkins38271.014163.89170
Burt Hooton42239.214173.68134
Rick Reuschel36237.014153.00168
Milt Pappas30162.07124.2848

Other pitchers

Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts

Player G IP W L ERA SO
Bill Bonham44152.0753.02121
Larry Gura2164.2244.8743

Relief pitchers

Note: G = Games pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; SV = Saves; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts

Player G W L SV ERA SO
Bob Locker63106182.5476
Jack Aker4745124.1025
Dave LaRoche454145.8034
Ray Burris311102.9257
Mike Paul110103.446
Juan Pizarro201011.253

Farm system

Level Team League Manager
AAA Wichita Aeros American Association Jim Marshall
AA Midland Cubs Texas League Al Spangler
A Quincy Cubs Midwest League Walt Dixon
Rookie GCL Cubs Gulf Coast League Q. V. Lowe

Notes

  1. ↑ "Elrod Hendricks Stats - Baseball-Reference.com". Baseball-Reference.com. Archived from the original on March 31, 2009. Retrieved April 24, 2018.
  2. ↑ "1972 Chicago Cubs Schedule - Baseball-Reference.com". Baseball-Reference.com. Archived from the original on April 25, 2016. Retrieved April 24, 2018.
  3. ↑ "MLB Scores, Standings, Box Scores for Friday, June 29, 1973 - Baseball-Reference.com". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved April 24, 2018.
  4. ↑ "MLB Scores, Standings, Box Scores for Thursday, August 16, 1973 - Baseball-Reference.com". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved April 24, 2018.
  5. ↑ "Joe Pepitone Stats - Baseball-Reference.com". Baseball-Reference.com. Archived from the original on January 29, 2009. Retrieved April 24, 2018.
  6. ↑ "Jerry Tabb Stats - Baseball-Reference.com". Baseball-Reference.com. Archived from the original on February 28, 2009. Retrieved April 24, 2018.
  7. ↑ "Dave Geisel Stats - Baseball-Reference.com". Baseball-Reference.com. Archived from the original on February 12, 2009. Retrieved April 24, 2018.
  8. ↑ "Mike Krukow Stats - Baseball-Reference.com". Baseball-Reference.com. Archived from the original on February 15, 2009. Retrieved April 24, 2018.
  9. ↑ "Joe Wallis Stats - Baseball-Reference.com". Baseball-Reference.com. Archived from the original on February 11, 2009. Retrieved April 24, 2018.
  10. 1 2 "Rico Carty Stats - Baseball-Reference.com". Baseball-Reference.com. Archived from the original on March 28, 2009. Retrieved April 24, 2018.
  11. ↑ "Pat Bourque Stats - Baseball-Reference.com". Baseball-Reference.com. Archived from the original on March 9, 2009. Retrieved April 24, 2018.

References

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