| The summer of 1969 was filled with a number of | | | | field toward the club house down the left field line |
| firsts. I graduated high school. (Big deal.) Neal | | | | jumping up and clicking his heels. |
| Armstrong took the first step on the moon. That | | | | Just when you thought it couldn't get any better, |
| was a big deal. And the Chicago Cubs were in first | | | | Ken Holtzman on August 19 threw a no hitter |
| place. Sure you have to admit landing on the | | | | against the Atlanta Braves. Billy Williams saved the |
| moon was a more significant event, but this was | | | | no hitter by catching a ball hit by Hank Aaron in |
| the Cubs. But to die hard Cubs fans being in first | | | | the well against the wall. |
| place was just as important. The Cubs had never | | | | But then September came. The Cubs started the |
| been in first place in my life time, but then again | | | | month in first place but had lost some of their |
| at the time I was only 17 years old. Not only | | | | luster. They lost three straight to the Pirates, the |
| were they in first place, everyone and his brother | | | | first two weren't close. Then we lost the final in |
| were saying we had the best team in baseball at | | | | extra innings after losing the lead in the top of the |
| the time. | | | | ninth. |
| Chicago was in frenzy--a Cub's frenzy! They didn't | | | | They headed to New York for two games with |
| know how to act. Everyone was talking about the | | | | the Mets. They would lose both games to the |
| Cubs. It many times was the lead story on WGN | | | | Mets. It was also the time of the infamous black |
| news. People were taking their radios to work to | | | | cat that strolled onto the field that some say was |
| listen to the game. You have to remember the | | | | the down fall of the team. In any case they |
| Cubs played all their homes games in the | | | | limped out of New York with only a ½ game |
| afternoon. Vince Lloyd and Lou Boudreau were | | | | lead. They had now lost 6 in a row. |
| household names as were Jack Brickhouse and | | | | Next up was Philadelphia, a team that would lose |
| Lloyd Pettit. The games were usually over by the | | | | 99 games that year. But the Cubs couldn't win |
| time people got home from work so we would | | | | there either and were really looking tired. With |
| turn on the news for the highlights. This was | | | | those two loses the Cubs fell out of first place |
| pre-ESPN time. I was too young at the time but | | | | for the first time that year and the Mets were |
| the neighborhood bars were all full. | | | | leading the division. 1969 was also the first year |
| Going to a game meant you had to go early. The | | | | of division play. You could feel the air being let out |
| only presold tickets at the time were box seats. | | | | of the balloon. |
| Grandstand and bleacher seats were sold on | | | | It didn't get any better the rest of September. In |
| game day only. It was the first time that I knew | | | | August we felt we had the division locked up. The |
| of there was something called standing room | | | | Cubs only had to play 500 ball over the last 50 |
| seating. Fans were hanging from the rafters. | | | | games to finish out the season and they would |
| I remember there was a game with the Mets | | | | win the division. But as things turned out we |
| before the great collapse. It was raining. We were | | | | finished the season a very respectable 92-70. But |
| in the upper deck because that is all we could get. | | | | we went 21-29 the last 50 and a dismal 8-17 in |
| It kept raining and the fans were getting rowdy. | | | | September. The amazing Mets finished 39-11, 8 |
| The rain would stop and they would take the tarp | | | | ½ games ahead of the Cubs. That is an |
| off. Then as soon as they got it off it would start | | | | incredible 17 game difference from the mid of |
| raining again. We waited and waited. You could tell | | | | August. |
| the players were frustrated. They would come | | | | There were a lot of Monday morning quarterback |
| out and throw the ball around just to keep loose. | | | | debates that would go on for years talking about |
| We waited all day. Everyone stuck around and | | | | the 1969 season. Some say Durocher didn't give |
| didn't want to leave. They finally had to call the | | | | the regulars enough rest as they just got tired |
| game knowing they would not get it in because it | | | | playing all those day games in hot humid Wrigley |
| would get dark. | | | | Field. Some say it was the infamous curse of the |
| The season started out with a bang. Opening day | | | | billy goat. It would be 15 years before we would |
| extra inning 6-5 win over the Phillies highlighted by | | | | win a division title, 1984. But that has a story of |
| a walk off homer by Willie Smith. The Cubs went | | | | its own. |
| on by winning 11 out of 12 to start the season. | | | | 1969 was as fantastic year until September. The |
| They were in first place on the 4th of July. By | | | | high that we all lived with was never higher. That |
| mid August they had an 8 ½ game lead. | | | | just meant the low we felt when it all fell apart |
| Everything was going as planned. Each time they | | | | just that much worse. Some even called it a |
| would win at home Ron Santo would run off the | | | | "Curse. |