A report on Major League Baseball, Chicago Cubs and Cleveland Guardians

The 1876 White Stockings won the NL championship.

The team is named after the eight Guardians of Traffic statues displayed on the Hope Memorial Bridge next to their home field.

The 1906 Cubs won a record 116 of 154 games. They then won back-to-back World Series titles in 1907–08.

Nap Lajoie, who won the 1903 American League Batting Championship with the Indians, was the team's namesake from 1903 to 1915, and is an MLB Hall of Famer.

1959 World Series action at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum

Graph showing, by year, the average number of runs per MLB game

Mark McGwire was one of several central figures in baseball's steroids scandal

Bob Feller; winner of the A.L. pitching Triple Crown in 1940, member of the 1948 World Series Championship team, the Indians all-time leader in wins and strikeouts, and an MLB Hall of Famer.

A sports-related curse that was supposedly placed on the Chicago Cubs by Billy Goat Tavern owner William Sianis during Game 4 of the 1945 World Series.

A Grapefruit League game at the former Los Angeles Dodgers camp in Vero Beach, Florida

President John F. Kennedy throwing out the first pitch at the 1962 All-Star Game at DC Stadium

Ryne Sandberg set numerous league and club records in his career and was elected to the Hall of Fame in 2005.

Rafael Palmeiro (batter), one of the MLB players suspended for steroid use

Andre Dawson, 5× All-Star and 1987 NL MVP during tenure in Chicago

Herb Score – who was the 1955 American League Rookie of the Year, a two-time A.L. All-Star, and after his playing career went on to be the longest-tenured announcer in club history, serving 34 seasons (1964–1997) as a member of the Indians broadcast team.

Sammy Sosa was the captain of the Chicago Cubs during his tenure with the team.

In 1975, Frank Robinson became the first African-American manager in MLB history

Kerry Wood, along with Mark Prior, led the Cubs' rotation in 2003.

Dempster emerged in 2004 and became the Cubs' regular closer.

Alfonso Soriano signed with the club in 2007.

Carlos Zambrano warming up before a game

Mark Shapiro – Indians GM from 2001 to 2010, President from 2010 to 2015, and two-time Sporting News Executive of the Year.

Starlin Castro during his 2010 rookie season

CC Sabathia won the 2007 AL Cy Young Award with the Indians.

One of two Cubs building blocks, Anthony Rizzo, swinging in the box

Sabathia's teammate Cliff Lee won the AL Cy Young Award in 2008.

The Cubs celebrate after winning the 2016 World Series.

Mike Chernoff, who has served as Indians/Guardians' general manager since 2015.

2016 Champions visit the White House in June 2017.

Manager Terry Francona, who in his tenure with the Indians/Guardians is a two-time AL Manager of the Year (2013, 2016), led the team to the 2016 AL Championship, and is the all-time franchise leader in wins by a manager.

Corey Kluber, who is a two-time AL Cy Young Award winner with the Indians (2014, 2017).

Shane Bieber, who won the 2020 AL Cy Young Award, giving the team five winners in 14 seasons.

Cleveland in "diamond C" font is featured on the team's road uniforms

Guardians TV announcer Matt Underwood (seated, center) and longtime lead radio announcer Tom Hamilton (right)

The Cubs compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as part of the National League (NL) Central division.

- Chicago Cubs

The Guardians compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central division.

- Cleveland Guardians

Ultimately, two of the league's western clubs went out of business during the first season and the Chicago Fire left that city's White Stockings impoverished, unable to field a team again until 1874.

- Cleveland Guardians

The modern Chicago Cubs and Atlanta Braves franchises trace their histories back to the National Association of Professional Base Ball Players in the 1870s.

- Major League Baseball

The 1920 season was notable for the death of Ray Chapman of the Cleveland Indians.

- Major League Baseball

On October 15, 2021, the Cubs hired Cleveland assistant general manager Carter Hawkins as the new general manager.

- Chicago Cubs

7 related topics with Alpha

World Series

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Christy Mathewson threw 3 complete-game shutouts in the 1905 World Series.

Bill Mazeroski hit a dramatic ninth-inning walk-off home run that decided the 1960 World Series

The Catch: Willie Mays hauls in Vic Wertz's drive near the wall in Game 1 of the 1954 World Series.

1968 World Series program and tickets for Games 4 and 5 at Tiger Stadium

Carlton Fisk, best known for his "waving fair" home run in Game 6 of the 1975 World Series

Reggie Jackson earned the nickname "Mr. October" by hitting three consecutive home runs in the clinching game six of the 1977 World Series

President Ronald Reagan with the 1988 World Series champions: Los Angeles Dodgers

In Game 6 of the 1991 World Series, Kirby Puckett made a memorable leaping catch in left field to rob an extra-base hit. In the bottom of the 11th inning, Puckett hit a game-winning home run to send the Series to Game 7

Fireworks in SkyDome after Joe Carter's 1993 World Series-winning home run

Game 1 of the 2008 World Series between the Philadelphia Phillies (NL) and Tampa Bay Rays (AL) at Tropicana Field

In 2011, David Freese hit a game-tying two-run triple (with two outs) to send it into extra innings. In the bottom of the 11th, Freese led off with a game-winning home run to send the Series to Game 7

Chicago Cubs celebrate their 2016 World Series victory, their first in 108 years

Game action in the 1906 Series in Chicago (the only all-Chicago World Series to date)

Bill Wambsganss completes his unassisted triple play in 1920

Washington's Bucky Harris scores his home run in the fourth inning of Game 7 (October 10, 1924)

The Chicago Cubs celebrate winning the 2016 World Series, which ended the club's 108-year championship drought.

The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada, contested since 1903 between the champion teams of the American League (AL) and the National League (NL).

The two most prolific World Series winners to date, the New York Yankees and the St. Louis Cardinals, did not win their first championship until the 1920s; and three of the teams that were highly successful prior to 1920 (the Boston Red Sox, Chicago White Sox and the Chicago Cubs) went the rest of the 20th century without another World Series win.

The Chicago Cubs hold the record for the longest World Series championship drought of all time, with no titles between 1908 and 2016 (108 years). They also hold the longest ever pennant drought of all time, which stretched from 1945 to 2016 and ended with a 4–2 series victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 2016 NLCS. With the Cubs' subsequent victory in the 2016 World Series, the longest active World Series championship drought belongs coincidentally to their opponents in that series, the Cleveland Indians, who have not won a World Series since 1948. The Indians' drought is the second-longest active championship drought among all four major professional sports leagues in North America (MLB, NBA, NFL, and NHL); only the NFL's Arizona Cardinals, who last won a league championship in 1947, when the team still operated as the Chicago Cardinals, have a longer active championship drought. The team with the longest active pennant drought among AL teams that have played in a World Series at least once is the Baltimore Orioles, who have not reached the World Series since their 1983 title. The team with the longest active pennant drought among NL teams (and overall) that have played in a World Series at least once is the Pittsburgh Pirates, who have not played in a World Series since winning it in 1979. This also means that the Pirates hold the second-longest active World Series title drought among all teams that have at least one Series and longest championship drought among NL teams that have won a Series.

A 1994 Grapefruit League game at the LA Dodgers' former camp in Vero Beach, Florida

Spring training

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Boston Red Sox players in Hot Springs, Arkansas, in 1912

1885 Chicago White Stockings (known today as the Chicago Cubs)

Babe Ruth hit a 573-foot home run in spring training, 1918. He led the league with 11 home runs and had a 13–7 record as the Red Sox won the 1918 World Series.

A 2007 Cactus League game between the Cubs and the White Sox at HoHoKam Park

New York Giants during Spring Training in Marlin, Texas (circa 1915)

Jim Thorpe, US Olympian, New York Giants Spring Training in Marlin, Texas, likely 1918

A Braves spring training game against the Mets in 2008

An extended spring training game in Sarasota, Florida, during the 2008 season

Spring training is the preseason in Major League Baseball (MLB), a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season.

The location of Hot Springs and the concept of getting the players ready for the upcoming season was the brainchild of Chicago White Stockings (today's Chicago Cubs) team President Albert Spalding and Cap Anson.

Veeck sold the Brewers in 1945 and temporarily retired to a ranch in Tucson, Arizona, but purchased the Cleveland Indians in 1946.

Chicago White Sox

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American professional baseball team based in Chicago.

Ed Walsh holds the record for lowest career earned run average (ERA), 1.82

The White Sox celebrate after winning a tie-breaker game against the Minnesota Twins for a spot in the 2008 playoffs

View from the upper deck of U.S. Cellular Field in 2006

Eddie Murphy, John "Shano" Collins, Joe Jackson, Happy Felsch, and Nemo Leibold in their dugout during the 1917 World Series

Minnie Miñoso (1951–57, 1960–61, 1964, 1976, 1980)

Bill Veeck, White Sox owner (1959–61, 1975–80) who revolutionized baseball by introducing many innovations in promotion

Fielder Jones of the White Sox hits the ball against Cubs at West Side Grounds, 1905

Harrelson in the broadcast booth in 2007

The White Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central division.

The White Sox are one of two MLB teams based in Chicago, the other being the Chicago Cubs of the National League (NL) Central division.

On September 23, 2021, the White Sox clinched the American League Central Division for the first time since 2008 against the Cleveland Indians.

Boston Red Sox

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American professional baseball team based in Boston.

The 1901 Boston Americans team photograph

Iconic photo of the Huntington Avenue Grounds before the first modern World Series game

Roger Clemens is the club's all-time strikeout (2,590), wins (192), and shutouts (38) leader

The Red Sox hosting a home game against the Atlanta Braves in July 2001

The Red Sox celebrate their clinching of the 2003 AL Wild Card with a victory over the Baltimore Orioles

David Ortiz was named 2004 ALCS MVP and 2013 World Series MVP. His #34 was retired by the club in 2017

Victorious Red Sox players being honored at the White House by President George W. Bush

The Massachusetts State House displaying a banner in honor of the Red Sox's 2013 World Series appearance. "B Strong" was a patch worn by the Red Sox in memory of Boston Marathon bombing victims

Left field grandstands during a 2014 game

Center field bleachers during a 2014 game

1907: Boston players leaving their hotel in Little Rock for a spring training game (photo courtesy of the Boston Public Library)

Boston Red Sox Hall of Fame at Fenway Park

The Red Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division.

Following the 1915 season, Tris Speaker was traded to the Cleveland Indians.

The Red Sox traded the team's popular, yet oft-injured, shortstop Nomar Garciaparra and outfielder Matt Murton to the Chicago Cubs, and received first baseman Doug Mientkiewicz from the Minnesota Twins, and shortstop Orlando Cabrera from the Montreal Expos.

Cincinnati Reds

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American professional baseball team based in Cincinnati.

Hall of famer Edd Roush led Cincinnati to the 1919 World Series.

Crosley Field (pictured in 1969), the Reds' home stadium from 1912 to 1970

Riverfront Stadium (pictured in 1974), the home stadium of the Reds from 1970 to 2002

Pete Rose at bat in a game at Dodger Stadium during the 1970s

George Foster slugged 52 home runs in 1977, earning the NL MVP award.

Great American Ball Park, the Reds' home stadium since 2003

Ken Griffey Jr. played in his hometown of Cincinnati from 2000 to 2008.

Joey Votto, first baseman (2007–present)

Great American Ball Park opened in 2003 along the Ohio River.

Scott Rolen wearing the current Reds away uniform, featuring classic lettering.

Barry Larkin playing in Riverfront Stadium in 1990

Marty Brennaman, the Hall of Fame "voice of the Reds"

The Reds compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) Central division, and were a charter member of the American Association in 1881 before joining the NL in 1890.

In, the Reds were in the newly created National League Central Division with the Chicago Cubs, St. Louis Cardinals, and fellow rivals Pittsburgh Pirates and Houston Astros.

In the offseason, the team traded outfielder Drew Stubbs, as part of a three-team deal with the Arizona Diamondbacks and Cleveland Indians, to the Indians, and in turn received right fielder Shin-Soo Choo.

Detroit Tigers

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American professional baseball team based in Detroit.

Hall of Fame member Al Kaline, nicknamed "Mr. Tiger" (1953–1974), was an 18× All-Star

Mickey Lolich was the 1968 World Series MVP

Willie Horton (1963–1977) had his No. 23 retired by the club

Mark "The Bird" Fidrych, 1976 AL Rookie of the Year

Sparky Anderson was the manager of the Tigers from 1979 to 1995

Kirk Gibson, a Michigan State alumni, hit the clinching home run in Game 5 of the 1984 World Series

1984 World Series MVP, Alan Trammell (SS)

Magglio Ordóñez hit a walk-off home run to clinch the 2006 AL pennant

In 2012, Miguel Cabrera became the first Major League player to win the Triple Crown in 45 years.

Delmon Young (left) and Prince Fielder (right) in 2012

Tiger Stadium, home of the Detroit Tigers from 1912 to 1999 at the corner of Michigan and Trumbull Avenues in the Corktown district of Detroit

Tigers opening day 2007; view from section 324 at Comerica Park

Outfielder Ron LeFlore wearing the traditional Tigers home uniform with navy blue piping down the front and an Old English "D" on the left chest

Ernie Harwell (Tigers broadcaster: 1960–2002)

The Tigers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the American League (AL) Central division.

He was fired that September after ordering his pitchers to throw spitballs (and telling the press that he did so) in protest of opposing Cleveland Indians pitcher Gaylord Perry, whom Martin was convinced was doing the same.

The Tigers have had some rivalries with NL teams that they have faced repeatedly in the World Series, such as the Chicago Cubs (four times) and St. Louis Cardinals (three times).