1969: Chicago Cubs

Calexico · #1 (**permalink**) Tue Mar 08, 2005, 03:59pm

Hej there!

I have to do a presentation at school about baseball and his function in "Moon Palace" by Paul Auster. In this novel the main character describes his miserable situation with the fall of the Chicago Cubs in the season of 1969. I found out that they were good at the beginning of the season and very bad at the end.
Can anybody tell me the Cubs' course in this season?

Thank you!

Calex

bro1ncos · #2 (**permalink**) Tue Mar 08, 2005, 04:02pm

Look up anything on the "Amazin' Mets" and that should tell you the story.

Try google and do some research. To long of story to talk about on an sports officials forum.

bluezebra · #3 (**permalink**) Tue Mar 08, 2005, 07:15pm

The Cubs were leading by a wide margin going into the homestretch, and it looked like the "Curse" was finally going to be broken. Then manager Leo Duroucher did the unspeakable; he left the team to visit his stepson's camp with his new wife, actrees Larraine Day. By the time he returned, the Cubs were in a tailspin, from which they never recovered. That, plus the Mets' winning streak, led to their demise.

Duroucher, had he remained with the team, and kept them from falling apart, could have been the most popular Cubs manager of all time. And on a par with with Ernie Banks, in popularity with the fans.

I firmly believe that it was his leaving the team at that crucial time, is what led to their demise. I had made arrangements for World Series tickets through an aquaintance of mine, who was the Assistant Sports Editor for one of the local newspapers. Needless to say, my Dad and I cancelled our flight plans back to Chicago.

Bob

Junker · #4 (**permalink**) Wed Mar 09, 2005, 12:07pm

From my understanding, the Cubs didn't really play that poorly, it was just that the Mets were incredibly hot. I have a book called Wriglyville that is a collection of stories about the Cubs. There is a chapter about the 69 season in it. On to a related subject, my favorite Cubs book is Bleachers, not to be confused with the play. The author spends a summer in the bleachers collecting all kinds of stories, including some college guys that would wear ropes around their waists to haul cases of beer up over the wall to save money.

w_sohl · #5 (**permalink**) Wed Mar 09, 2005, 12:54pm

All this an no one mentions the black cat crossing Santos path?

bluezebra · #6 (**permalink**) Wed Mar 09, 2005, 01:14pm

"From my understanding, the Cubs didn't really play that poorly, it was just that the Mets were incredibly hot."

I don't know what your criteria are re: "play poorly", but they aren't the same as mine.

Through August, the Cubs' record was 83-52, .614.
Their record through the remainder of the season was 9-18, .333.

The prosecution rests.

Bob

greymule · #7 (**permalink**) Wed Mar 09, 2005, 02:00pm

It's true that 1969 was more the Mets getting red-hot than the Cubs choking. The Cubs did play badly at the end, but they still lost by 8 games. After the first couple of months of the season, the Mets consistently outplayed the Cubs.

The greatest choke we remember around here (central NJ) was the 1964 Phillies, who blew a 6Â½ game lead with 12 games to play. Entering the last weekend of the season, there was a possible 4-way tie for the NL pennant. The Phillies, Reds, Giants, and Cardinals all did their best to lose the pennant. The Cardinals lost Friday and Saturday to the Mets (when they were still very bad), but finally won on Sunday to win the pennant by 1 game.

Ironically, the Phillies won their last game and knocked the Reds out. Had the Cardinals lost to the Mets that last day, there would have been a 3-way tie.

[Edited by greymule on Mar 9th, 2005 at 02:08 PM]

Junker · #8 (**permalink**) Wed Mar 09, 2005, 02:42pm

Thanks for the numbers Bluezebra. I did not know their actual record without looking it up. 1969 was a bit before my time.

gordon30307 · #9 (**permalink**) Wed Mar 09, 2005, 06:43pm

Quote:

Originally posted by Calexico
Hej there!

I have to do a presentation at school about baseball and his function in "Moon Palace" by Paul Auster. In this novel the main character describes his miserable situation with the fall of the Chicago Cubs in the season of 1969. I found out that they were good at the beginning of the season and very bad at the end.
Can anybody tell me the Cubs' course in this season?

Thank you!

Calex

In the middle of August they had a 6 or 7 game lead. In fact about that time Ken Holtzman threw a no hitter. From that point on the Cubs went into a tailspin. The Mets on the other hand won something like 34 or 35 of there last 40 games. Durocher never used his bench he basically played the same eight starters with no break. I believe it was a lack of a bench and the Mets getting incredibly hot that had a lot to do with the collapse.