List of Chicago Cubs seasons

Last updated

The following lists the results of every season of the Chicago Cubs baseball club of Major League Baseball beginning in 1870 and continuing to 1876 as a charter member of the National League (NL). The White Stockings changed their name in 1890 to the Chicago Colts and again in 1898 to the Chicago Orphans until finally settling in 1903 with the name of the Chicago Cubs.

Contents

While the organization Major League Baseball recognizes only seasons in select leagues from 1876 to the present as major league, many baseball historians consider major league baseball to have started earlier. Some include seasons from the National Association, and others include its predecessor organization, the National Association of Base Ball Players.

The Chicago Cubs have completed 150 seasons of baseball, second only to the Atlanta Braves at 151. Within this time, the Cubs have won 17 National League pennants, 3 World Series championships, 3 pre-World Series Championships, and tied for 2 pre-World Series Championships. By virtue of their pennants and playoff championships, the Cubs can claim to be the best team in baseball in eight different seasons.

The Cubs have been members of three organized leagues, beginning with the amateur National Association of Base Ball Players in 1870, followed by three seasons in the professional National Association of Professional Base Ball Players, and the National League since 1876.

Year by year

World Series Champions
(1903present) †
League Champions
(1870present) [lower-alpha 1] *
Division Champions
(1969present) ^
Wild Card Berth
(1994present) ¤
SeasonLevelLeagueDivisionFinish Wins Losses Win% GB Postseason Awards
Chicago White Stockings
1870MLB NABBP *1st227.759
1871 MLB NA 3rd199.6792
1874 MLB NA 5th2831.47518.5
1875 MLB NA 6th3037.44835
1876 MLB NL *1st5214.788
1877 MLBNL5th2633.44115½
1878 MLBNL4th3030.50011
1879 MLBNL4th4633.58210½
1880 MLBNL *1st6717.798
1881 MLBNL *1st5628.667
1882 MLBNL *1st5529.655
1883 MLBNL2nd5939.6024
1884 MLBNL5th6250.55422
1885 MLBNL *1st8725.777Tied World Series (Browns) 3–3–1 [lower-alpha 2] *
1886 MLBNL *1st9034.726Lost World Series (Browns) 4–2 *
1887 MLBNL3rd7150.587
1888 MLBNL2nd7758.5709
1889 MLBNL3rd6765.50819
Chicago Colts
1890 MLBNL2nd84 [lower-alpha 3] 53.6136
1891 MLBNL2nd8253.607
1892 MLBNL7th7076.47930
1893 MLBNL9th5671.44129
1894 MLBNL8th5775.43234
1895 MLBNL4th7258.55415
1896 MLBNL5th7157.55518½
1897 MLBNL9th5973.44734
Chicago Orphans
1898 MLBNL4th8565.56717½
1899 MLBNL8th7573.50726
1900 MLBNL6th6575.46419
1901 MLBNL6th5386.38137
1902 MLBNL5th6869.49634
Chicago Cubs
1903 MLBNL3rd8256.5948
1904 MLBNL2nd9360.60813
1905 MLBNL3rd9261.60113
1906 MLBNL *1st11636.763Lost World Series (White Sox) 4–2 *
1907 MLB †NL *1st10745.704Won World Series (Tigers) 4–0 †
1908 MLB †NL *1st9955.643Won World Series (Tigers) 4–1 †
1909 MLBNL2nd10449.680
1910 MLBNL *1st10450.675Lost World Series (Athletics) 4–1 *
1911 MLBNL2nd9262.597 Frank Schulte (MVP) [4]
1912 MLBNL3rd9159.60711½
1913 MLBNL3rd8865.57513½
1914 MLBNL4th7876.50616½
1915 MLBNL4th7380.47717½
1916 MLBNL5th6786.43826½
1917 MLBNL5th7480.48124
1918 MLBNL *1st8445.651Lost World Series (Red Sox) 4–2 *
1919 MLBNL3rd7565.53621
1920 MLBNL5th7579.48718
1921 MLBNL7th6489.41830
1922 MLBNL5th8074.51913
1923 MLBNL4th8371.53912½
1924 MLBNL5th8172.52912
1925 MLBNL8th6886.44227½
1926 MLBNL4th8272.5327
1927 MLBNL4th8568.556
1928 MLBNL3rd9163.5914
1929 MLBNL *1st9854.645Lost World Series (Athletics) 4–1 * Rogers Hornsby (MVP) [5]
1930 MLBNL2nd9064.5842
1931 MLBNL3rd8470.54517
1932 MLBNL *1st9064.584Lost World Series (Yankees) 4–0 *
1933 MLBNL3rd8668.5586
1934 MLBNL3rd8665.5708
1935 MLBNL *1st10054.649Lost World Series (Tigers) 4–2 * Gabby Hartnett (MVP) [6]
1936 MLBNL2nd8767.5655
1937 MLBNL2nd9361.6043
1938 MLBNL *1st8963.586Lost World Series (Yankees) 4–0 *
1939 MLBNL4th8470.54513
1940 MLBNL5th7579.48725
1941 MLBNL6th7084.45530
1942 MLBNL6th6886.44238
1943 MLBNL5th7479.48430½
1944 MLBNL4th7579.48730
1945 MLBNL *1st9856.636Lost World Series (Tigers) 4–3 * Phil Cavarretta (MVP) [6]
1946 MLBNL3rd8271.53614½
1947 MLBNL6th6985.44825
1948 MLBNL8th6490.41627½
1949 MLBNL8th6193.39636
1950 MLBNL7th6489.41826½
1951 MLBNL8th6292.40334½
1952 MLBNL5th7777.50019½ Hank Sauer (MVP) [6]
1953 MLBNL7th6589.42240
1954 MLBNL7th6490.41633
1955 MLBNL6th7281.47126
1956 MLBNL8th6094.39033
1957 MLBNL7th6292.40333
1958 MLBNL5th7282.46820 Ernie Banks (MVP) [6]
1959 MLBNL5th7480.48113 Ernie Banks (MVP) [6]
1960 MLBNL7th6094.39035
1961 MLBNL7th6490.41629 Billy Williams (ROY) [7]
1962 MLBNL9th59103.36442½ Ken Hubbs (ROY) [7]
1963 MLBNL7th8280.50617
1964 MLBNL8th7686.46917
1965 MLBNL8th7290.44425
1966 MLBNL10th59103.36436
1967 MLBNL3rd8774.54014
1968 MLBNL3rd8478.51913
1969 MLBNL East [lower-alpha 4] 2nd9270.5688
1970 MLBNLEast2nd8478.5195
1971 MLBNLEast3rd8379.51214 Fergie Jenkins (CYA) [8]
1972 MLBNLEast2nd8570.54811
1973 MLBNLEast5th7784.4785
1974 MLBNLEast6th6696.40722
1975 MLBNLEast5th7587.46317½
1976 MLBNLEast4th7587.46326
1977 MLBNLEast4th8181.50020
1978 MLBNLEast3rd7983.48811
1979 MLBNLEast5th8082.49418 Bruce Sutter (CYA) [8]
1980 MLBNLEast6th6498.39527
1981 [lower-alpha 5] MLBNLEast6th1537.28817½
5th2328.4516
1982 MLBNLEast5th7389.45119
1983 MLBNLEast5th7191.43819
1984 MLBNLEast ^1st9665.596Lost NLCS (Padres) 3–2 Ryne Sandberg (MVP) [6]
Rick Sutcliffe (CYA) [8]
Jim Frey (MOY) [9]
1985 MLBNLEast4th7784.47823½
1986 MLBNLEast5th7090.43837
1987 MLBNLEast6th7685.47218½ Andre Dawson (MVP) [6]
1988 MLBNLEast4th7785.47524
1989 MLBNLEast ^1st9369.574Lost NLCS (Giants) 4–1 Jerome Walton (ROY) [7]
Don Zimmer (MOY) [9]
1990 MLBNLEast4th7785.47518
1991 MLBNLEast4th7783.48120
1992 MLBNLEast4th7884.48118 Greg Maddux (CYA) [8]
1993 MLBNLEast4th8478.51913
1994 MLBNL Central [lower-alpha 6] 5th4964.43416½ Playoffs cancelled [lower-alpha 7]
1995 MLBNLCentral3rd7371.50712
1996 MLBNLCentral4th7686.46912
1997 MLBNLCentral5th6894.42016
1998 MLBNLCentral2nd ¤90 [lower-alpha 8] 73.55212½Lost NLDS (Braves) 3–0 Sammy Sosa (MVP) [6]
Kerry Wood (ROY) [7]
1999 MLBNLCentral6th6795.41430
2000 MLBNLCentral6th6597.40130
2001 MLBNLCentral3rd8874.5435
2002 MLBNLCentral5th6795.41430
2003 MLBNLCentral ^1st8874.543Won NLDS (Braves) 3–2
Lost NLCS (Marlins) 4–3
2004 MLBNLCentral3rd8973.54916
2005 MLBNLCentral4th7983.48821
2006 MLBNLCentral6th6696.40717½
2007 MLBNLCentral ^1st8577.525Lost NLDS (Diamondbacks) 3–0
2008 MLBNLCentral ^1st9764.602Lost NLDS (Dodgers) 3–0 Geovany Soto (ROY) [7]
Lou Piniella (MOY) [9]
2009 MLBNLCentral2nd8378.516
2010 MLBNLCentral5th7587.46316
2011 MLBNLCentral5th7191.43825
2012 MLBNLCentral5th61101.37736
2013 MLBNLCentral5th6696.40731
2014 MLBNLCentral5th7389.45117
2015 MLBNLCentral3rd ¤9765.5993Won NLWC (Pirates)
Won NLDS (Cardinals) 3–1
Lost NLCS (Mets) 4–0
Jake Arrieta (CYA) [8]
Kris Bryant (ROY) [7]
Joe Maddon (MOY) [9]
2016 MLB †NL *Central ^1st10358.640Won NLDS (Giants) 3–1
Won NLCS (Dodgers) 4–2
Won World Series (Indians) 4–3 †
Kris Bryant (MVP) [6]
Ben Zobrist (WS MVP)
2017 MLBNLCentral ^1st9270.568Won NLDS (Nationals) 3–2
Lost NLCS (Dodgers) 4–1
2018 MLBNLCentral2nd ¤9568.5831Lost NLWC (Rockies)
2019 MLBNLCentral3rd8478.5197
2020 MLBNLCentral ^1st3426.567Lost NLWC (Marlins) 2–0
2021 MLBNLCentral4th7191.43824
2022 MLBNLCentral3rd7488.45719
2023 MLBNLCentral2nd8379.5129

Record by decade

The following table describes the Cubs' MLB win–loss record by decade.

DecadeWinsLossesPct
1870s253194.566
1880s691395.636
1890s711654.521
1900s879592.598
1910s826668.553
1920s807728.526
1930s889646.579
1940s736802.479
1950s672866.437
1960s735868.459
1970s785827.487
1980s735821.472
1990s739813.476
2000s807811.499
2010s817803.504
2020s262284.480
All-time1123910655.513

All-time records

As of September 30, 2019

TotalsWinsLossesTiesPer.
All-time regular season record11,08210,488157.514
  Opening Day 69622.559
All-time postseason record [lower-alpha 9] 4773.392
  Wild Card Game 11.500
  National League Division Series 1215.444
  National League Championship Series 1121.344
  World Series 2336.390
All-time regular and postseason record11,12910,561157.513

Footnotes

  1. For lists of all National League pennant winners see National League pennant winners 1876–1968 and National League Championship Series.
  2. The dispute in 1885 concerned Game 2, which was forfeited by St. Louis when they pulled their team off the field protesting an umpiring decision. The managers, Cap Anson and Charles Comiskey, initially agreed to disregard the game. When St. Louis won the final game and an apparent 3–2 Series championship, Chicago White Stockings owner Albert Spalding overruled his manager and declared that he wanted the forfeit counted. The result of a tied Series was that neither team got the prize money that had been posted by the owners before the Series (and was returned to them after they both agreed it was a tie). [1]
  3. The official Chicago Cubs website reports 84 wins for 1890; [2] however, Baseball-Reference.com reports 83 wins because the game on May 23 was ruled a no-decision even though the score was 10–8 in the Cubs' favor [3]
  4. In 1969 MLB expanded by 4 teams to 12 in each league and split each league into an East and West division, the Cubs were placed in the National League East.
  5. The 1981 season was shortened by a player's strike. MLB decided to split the season into two halves with the division winner of each half playing in a Divisional Round of the playoffs.
  6. In 1994 MLB split each league into 3 divisions. The Cubs were placed in the newly created National League Central.
  7. There was no postseason in 1994 due to the 1994–95 Major League Baseball strike.
  8. The Cubs played 163 games to resolve a regular season record tie with the San Francisco Giants for the wild card playoff spot and forced a one-game playoff tiebreaker, which the Cubs won 5-3.
  9. This does not include pre-modern World Series games (Champions from 1876 to 1904).

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References

General

Specific

  1. Jon David Cash, Before They Were Cardinals: Major League Baseball in Nineteenth-Century St. Louis. University of Missouri Press 2002
  2. "Year-by-Year Results". Cubs.com. MLB Advanced Media, LP. Retrieved 14 April 2016.
  3. "1890 Chicago Colts". Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved 14 April 2016.
  4. "Baseball Awards Voting for 1911". Baseball-Reference.com . Retrieved 19 November 2015.
  5. "Baseball Awards Voting for 1929". Baseball-Reference.com . Retrieved 19 November 2015.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 "All-time winners Most Valuable Player". Major League Baseball . Retrieved 19 November 2015.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "All-time winners Rookie of the Year". Major League Baseball . Retrieved 19 November 2015.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 "All-time winners Cy Young Award". Major League Baseball . Retrieved 19 November 2015.
  9. 1 2 3 4 "All-time winners Manager of the Year winners". Major League Baseball . Retrieved 19 November 2015.