Top 10 Chicago Cubs of all time

Active players are not eligible for the list. The Chicago Cubs have a storied history, from the curse of the Billy Goat to the 1969 collapse and of course who could forget Steve Bartman? Today we will take a look at the greatest Cubs of all time.

10) Hack Wilson

Wilson made a huge impact on the Windy City in just 6 seasons. In 1930, Wilson led the league with 56 home runs and 191 runs batted in. Seriously. As a Cub, he averaged 34 home runs a year with 141 RBIs.

#204-Hack Wilson (Why Was He Inducted?)

9) Frank Chance

Chance helped to get the Cubs to 4 World Series and they won 2! Chance is still in the top ten in many statistical categories. In 15 seasons with the Cubs, Chance had an OBP of .394. Ever hear of Tinkers to Evers to Chance?

The Grave of Frank Chance – Manager Chicago Cubs’ 1907-08 World Series

8) Fergie Jenkins

Jenkins is the greatest starting pitcher in Cubs’ history. In his ten seasons as a Cub, he won 167 games with a 3.20 ERA. Fergie was named the Cy Young winner in 1971. That season he completed 30 of his 39 starts. What a workhorse.

The Making of the Fergie Jenkins Statue & the Artist’s Personal Connection to the Cubs Hall of Famer

7) Gabby Hartnett

Elected to Cooperstown in 1955, Hartnett gets forgotten by a lot of present-day fans, but he was one of the biggest stars in baseball during the 1930s. Hartnett made six consecutive All-Star appearances from 1933-1938 and was named MVP of the National League in 1935.

Gabby Hartnett – Homer in the Gloamin

6) Sammy Sosa

Wait! Hear me out! MLB loved the great home run chase of 1998 between McGwire and Sosa, and make no mistake, they knew what was going on. After the strike in 1994, baseball was in trouble, and then along came Sammy, Mark, and Barry. Baseball was saved by that 1998 season. Sosa hit 66 Home Runs and drove in 158 runs in that season. Sammy also won the 1998 MVP while leading the Cubs to the playoffs. From 1998-2002 Sammy never hit less than 49 home runs in a season.

Slammin Sammy! Best of Sammy Sosa

5) Cap Anson

His numbers aren’t remarkable, but it is hard to compare today’s game to the 1800s, but his stats are still impressive. Anson is the Cub’s all-time leader in hits (3,012), runs (1,722), runs batted in (1,880), doubles (529), and WAR (84.8). I know that the game was different in his time, but Anson was one of the greatest players of his era. That can’t be ignored.

Cap Anson – Baseball Hall of Fame Biographies

4) Billy Williams

In his 16 years with the Cubs, Williams posted a .296 batting average with 392 home runs and 1,353 runs batted in. Williams didn’t have through the roof stats but he was a consistent player at a very high level for all of his 16 years as a Cub.

STL@CHC: Williams hits walk-off homer on Opening Day

3) Ron Santo

Santo collected 2,171 hits as a member of the Chicago Cubs and 337 home runs. He was elected to the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame and was a fan favorite at Wrigley. Santo won 5 Golden Glove awards in his career.

Ron Santo – From Third Base with the Cubs to the Hall of Fame – Photos Behind the Story

2) Ryne Sandberg

In his 15 seasons with the Cubs, Sandberg was a 10x All-Star, 9x Gold Glove winner, 7x Silver Slugger, and was MVP of the National League in 1984. In that season, Sandberg helped led the Cubs to the NLCS where they were upset in a classic 5-game series. Sandberg was an all-time great second baseman.

The Sandberg Game | The Signature Game of Hall-of-Famer Ryne Sandberg’s Career

1) Ernie Banks

You can argue this list all you want but you can’t argue who sits as the greatest Cubs player of all time. Banks was a life-long Cub. He played 19 years and in 14 of those years, Ernie was an all-star. He won back-to-back MVP awards in 1958 and 1959. Banks played in 2,528 games with the Cubs, which is the most all-time. Number 14 also holds the franchise record for most at-bats, plate appearances, total bases, and extra-base hits. Overall he truly is Mr. Cub. I know he never won a World Series, hell, he never even played in a series, but baseball is a team game, and that falls more on the Cubs’ front office and organization. It’s not Ernie’s fault.

Ernie Banks Most Memorable Moments | 500th Home Run, Hall of Fame Speech & More