Your World Champion Chicago Cubs

[mattsey9]

Over the last several years I've cobbled together a collection of players who featured for the 1908 World Series champion Chicago Cubs. Most of the cards are from the T206 series, but some others who didn't appear in that set are from other offerings. As you'll soon see, condition means very little to me. I'm still one player short of having everyone on the team who had a card available (Bill Mack and Karl Spongberg never had a card issued AFAIK). Anyone got a poor grade Andy Coakley T204?


Note that I suck with a scanner, and cut off an edge or two on most every card...

Here are the remainder of the team in all their glory:

THE REGULARS

Catcher: Johnny "Noisy" Kling

Mordecai Brown, along with other Cubs pitchers of the era, said Kling was by far the best catcher of his day at calling a game. Left the Cubs for a season in 1909 to open a pool room in Kansas City and won the World Championship in that sport as well.



First Base/Manager: Frank "Husk" Chance

After Kling had bumped him years before from behind the plate, this HOFer manned first base for the Cubs in addition to piloting them to two World Series crowns.



Second Base: John "The Crab" Evers

Weighing in at a mere 145 lbs., Evers was small even for the era. Even so, he led the '08 champs in batting average and OBP.



Shortstop: Joe Tinker

The final member of the legendary double play combo, Tinker's bat was the main power source for the Cubs. He led the team in triples, homers, RBIs and SLG. He delivered a big hit off of Christy Mathewson in the '08 playoff game at the Polo Grounds. Mathewson wrote often that Tinker was the hitter he could never consistently get out.



Third Base: Harry Steinfeldt

The answer to the trivia question, "Who was the other guy besides Tinker, Evers & Chance in the infield?" Hard living Harry was on the downside of his long career, and he passed away in 1911 at the age of 33.



Outfielders: Jimmy Sheckard, Jimmy "Rabbit" Slagle & Frank "Wildfire" Schulte

Not a lot of hitting going on with the Cubs primary flycatchers. Schulte's .236 BA led the trio, and they combined for a mere three roundtrippers for the year.







THE RESERVES

Outfielder: Arthur "Circus Solly" Hofman

Hofman patrolled the outfield frequently, appearing in 120 games and getting 478 ABs. He also spelled Evers and Chance when they were out of the lineup. Hofman is the man who noticed Fred Merkle didn't touch second base, which is an event of some note to Cubs fans...



Utility: Del Howard

Del appeared in nearly 100 games for the '08 Cubs, hitting .279 as Steinfeldt's backup and a utility outfielder.



Catcher: Pat Moran

Moran's 14 year ML career is highlighted by his two World Series titles as a member of the '07/'08 Northsiders (West Siders?). Moran was Kling's primary backup at catcher.



Second Baseman: Henry "Heinie" Zimmerman

Zimmerman was a young prospect on this club, but not for much longer. After Steinfeldt left the Cubs, Zimmerman became the regular man at the hot corner. In 1912, he led the Senior Circuit in home runs with 14 and batting average with a .372 mark.



Outfielder: Jack Hayden

Hayden came to the Cubs from Indianapolis late in the season, but featured in several important games down the stretch. He was a valuable enough man to stick in any game, as evidenced by his inclusion as starting center fielder in the Merkle game. 1908 was the last of his three seasons in the big leagues.



Utility: William "Doc" Marshall

Bought from the Cardinals in May of '08, Marshall was one of the last guys off the bench. Though he appeared in only 20 games for the Cubs, that was enough to get him a piece of the title.



Outfielder: Blaine "Kid" Durbin

A failed pitching prospect, Durbin showed enough with the bat in '07 to be a benchwarmer on the '08 side as well. Durbin played three major league seasons, and played for three World Series winners. ('07/'08 Cubs, '09 Pirates)