1973 Chicago Cubs season

1973 Chicago Cubs
Major League affiliations
National League (since 1876)
Eastern Division (since 1969)
Location
Wrigley Field (since 1916)
Chicago (since 1870)
Other information
Owner(s)	Philip K. Wrigley
General manager(s)	John Holland
Manager(s)	Whitey Lockman
Local television	WGN-TV (Jack Brickhouse, Jim West)
Local radio	WGN (Vince Lloyd, Lou Boudreau)
Stats	ESPN.com BB-reference
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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

• October 27, 1972: Elrod Hendricks was traded by the Cubs to the Baltimore Orioles for Frank Estrada.^[1]

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, the NL President 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.

Season standings

NL East	W	L	Pct.	GB	Home	Road
New York Mets	82	79	0.509	—	43–38	39–41
St. Louis Cardinals	81	81	0.500	1½	43–38	38–43
Pittsburgh Pirates	80	82	0.494	2½	41–40	39–42
Montreal Expos	79	83	0.488	3½	43–38	36–45
Chicago Cubs	77	84	0.478	5	41–39	36–45
Philadelphia Phillies	71	91	0.438	11½	38–43	33–48

Record vs. opponents

1973 National League Records Sources:
Team	ATL	CHC	CIN	HOU	LAD	MON	NYM	PHI	PIT	SD	SF	STL
Atlanta	—	7–5	5–13	11–7	2–15–1	6–6	6–6	6–6	7–5	12–6	8–10	6–6
Chicago	5–7	—	8–4	6–6	5–7	9–9	10–7	10–8	6–12	7–5	2–10	9–9
Cincinnati	13–5	4–8	—	11–7	11–7	8–4	8–4	8–4	7–5	13–5	10–8	6–6
Houston	7–11	6–6	7–11	—	11–7	6–6	6–6	7–5	6–6	10–8	11–7	5–7
Los Angeles	15–2–1	7–5	7–11	7–11	—	7–5	7–5	9–3	10–2	9–9	9–9	8–4
Montreal	6–6	9–9	4–8	6–6	5–7	—	9–9	13–5	6–12	7–5	6–6	8–10
New York	6–6	7–10	4–8	6–6	5–7	9–9	—	9–9	13–5	8–4	5–7	10–8
Philadelphia	6-6	8–10	4–8	5–7	3–9	5–13	9–9	—	8–10	9–3	5–7	9–9
Pittsburgh	5–7	12–6	5–7	6–6	2–10	12–6	5–13	10–8	—	8–4	5–7	10–8
San Diego	6–12	5–7	5–13	8–10	9–9	5–7	4–8	3–9	4–8	—	7–11	4–8
San Francisco	10–8	10–2	8–10	7–11	9–9	6–6	7–5	7–5	7–5	11–7	—	6–6
St. Louis	6–6	9–9	6–6	7–5	4–8	10–8	8–10	9–9	8–10	8–4	6–6	—

Notable transactions

• May 19, 1973: Joe Pepitone was traded by the Cubs to the Atlanta Braves for Andre Thornton.^[5]
• June 5, 1973: 1973 Major League Baseball Draft
  • Jerry Tabb was drafted by the Cubs in the 1st round (16th pick).^[6]
  • Dave Geisel was drafted by the Cubs in the 5th round.^[7]
  • Mike Krukow was drafted by the Cubs in the 8th round. Player signed June 10, 1973.^[8]
  • Joe Wallis was drafted by the Cubs in the 6th round.^[9]
• August 13, 1973: Rico Carty was purchased by the Cubs from the Texas Rangers.^[10]
• August 29, 1973: Pat Bourque was traded by the Cubs to the Oakland Athletics for Gonzalo Márquez.^[11]
• September 11, 1973: Rico Carty was purchased from the Cubs by the Oakland Athletics.^[10]

Roster

1973 Chicago Cubs
Roster
Pitchers 38 Jack Aker 33 Bill Bonham 34 Ray Burris 40 Larry Gura 44 Burt Hooton 31 Ferguson Jenkins 17 Dave LaRoche 36 Bob Locker 32 Milt Pappas 35 Mike Paul 46 Juan Pizarro 48 Rick Reuschel		Catchers  9 Randy Hundley  8 Tom Lundstedt 15 Ken Rudolph Infielders 18 Glenn Beckert 19 Pat Bourque 23 Carmen Fanzone 28 Jim Hickman 11 Don Kessinger 42 Tony La Russa 19 Gonzalo Márquez  8 Joe Pepitone 22 Paul Popovich 29 Dave Rosello 10 Ron Santo 12 Andre Thornton		Outfielders 42 Matt Alexander  1 José Cardenal 43 Rico Carty 25 Adrian Garrett 21 Gene Hiser 24 Cleo James 25 Pete LaCock  7 Rick Monday 26 Billy Williams		Manager 16 Whitey Lockman Coaches  2 Bobby Adams  4 Hank Aguirre 14 Ernie Banks  3 Larry Jansen 27 Pete Reiser

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
1B	Hickman, JimJim Hickman	92	201	49	.244	3	20
3B	Santo, RonRon Santo	149	536	143	.267	20	77
LF	Williams, BillyBilly Williams	156	576	166	.288	20	86
RF	Cardenal, JoséJosé Cardenal	145	522	158	.303	11	68

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
Bourque, PatPat Bourque	57	139	29	.209	7	20
Pepitone, JoeJoe Pepitone	31	112	30	.268	3	18
Carty, RicoRico Carty	22	70	15	.214	1	8
Márquez, GonzaloGonzalo Márquez	19	58	13	.224	1	4
Thornton, AndreAndre Thornton	17	35	7	.200	0	2
La Russa, TonyTony La Russa	1	0	0	----	0	0

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
Jenkins, FergusonFerguson Jenkins	38	271	14	16	3.89	170
Hooton, BurtBurt Hooton	42	239.2	14	17	3.68	134
Pappas, MiltMilt Pappas	30	162	7	12	4.28	48

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
Bonham, BillBill Bonham	44	152	7	5	3.02	121
Gura, LarryLarry Gura	21	64.2	2	4	4.87	43

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
Locker, BobBob Locker	63	10	6	18	2.54	76
Aker, JackJack Aker	47	4	5	12	4.10	25
LaRoche, DaveDave LaRoche	45	4	1	4	5.80	34
Burris, RayRay Burris	31	1	1	0	2.92	57

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 page at Baseball Reference
2. http://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/CHC/1972-schedule-scores.shtml
3. http://www.baseball-reference.com/games/standings.cgi?date=1973-06-29
4. http://www.baseball-reference.com/games/standings.cgi?date=1973-08-16
5. Joe Pepitone page at Baseball Reference
6. Jerry Tabb page at Baseball Reference
7. Dave Geisel page at Baseball Reference
8. Mike Krukow page at Baseball Reference
9. Joe Wallis page at Baseball Reference
10. Rico Carty page at Baseball Reference
11. Pat Bourque page at Baseball Reference

References

• Johnson, Lloyd; Wolff, Miles, eds. (1997). The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball (2nd ed.). Durham, North Carolina: Baseball America. ISBN 978-0-9637189-8-3.
• 1973 Chicago Cubs season at Baseball Reference