The 1979 Chicago Cubs season was the 108th season of the

Chicago Cubs The Chicago Cubs are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The Cubs compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League Central, Central Division. Th ...

franchise, the 104th in the

National League National League often refers to: *National League (baseball), one of the two baseball leagues constituting Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada *National League (division), the fifth division of the English football (soccer) system ...

and the 64th at

Wrigley Field Wrigley Field is a ballpark on the North Side, Chicago, North Side of Chicago, Illinois. It is the home ballpark of Major League Baseball's Chicago Cubs, one of the city's two MLB franchises. It first opened in 1914 as Weeghman Park for Charl ...

, and the first to be beamed via satellite and cable television to viewers all over the United States on WGN Television, thanks to a postseason decision by the company management to uplink its broadcast signals via satellite with the help of

Oklahoma Oklahoma ( ; Choctaw language, Choctaw: , ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. It borders Texas to the south and west, Kansas to the north, Missouri to the northea ...

-based

United Video Satellite Group United may refer to: Places * United, Pennsylvania, an unincorporated community * United, West Virginia, an unincorporated community Arts and entertainment Films * ''United'' (2003 film), a Norwegian film * ''United'' (2011 film), a BBC Two fi ...

, making them the pioneer superstation in the country's midwest and the Cubs games of that season the third superstation baseball broadcasts live via satellite relay after the Braves and the Yankees. It was the first season of over 40 to be broadcast all over the country, slowly making the team a national brand. The Cubs finished fifth in the

National League East The National League East is one of Major League Baseball's six divisions. Along with the American League Central, it is one of two divisions to have every member win at least one World Series title. After having internal, informal divisions for ...

with a record of 80–82. This was the first season in which the players last names appeared on the uniforms but only on the away jerseys. It wouldn't be until

1993 The United Nations General Assembly, General Assembly of the United Nations designated 1993 as: * International Year for the World's Indigenous People The year 1993 in the Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands had only 364 days, since its ...

when names would appear on the home jerseys.

Offseason

* October 26, 1978: Rudy Meoli was released by the Cubs. * February 23, 1979:

Manny Trillo Jesús Manuel Marcano Trillo (born December 25, 1950), nicknamed "Indio", is a Venezuelan people, Venezuelan former professional baseball second baseman, who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Oakland Athletics, Chicago Cubs, Philade ...

Greg Gross Gregory Eugene Gross (born August 1, 1952) is an American former professional baseball outfielder and pinch hitter who played 17 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB), primarily for the Philadelphia Phillies. He was previously the Phillies' hitt ...

, and Dave Rader were traded by the Cubs to the

Philadelphia Phillies The Philadelphia Phillies are an American professional baseball team based in Philadelphia. The Phillies compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) East Division. Since 2004, the team's home stadium has ...

for

Barry Foote Barry Clifton Foote (born February 16, 1952) is an American former professional baseball player, scout, coach, and minor league manager. He played as a catcher in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Montreal Expos (–), Philadelphia Phillies (1 ...

Ted Sizemore Ted Crawford Sizemore (born April 15, 1945) is an American former professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball as a second baseman from 1969 to 1980 for the Los Angeles Dodgers, St. Louis Cardinals, Philadelphia Phillies, Chic ...

, Jerry Martin,

Derek Botelho Derek Wayne Botelho (born August 2, 1956) is an American former right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball for the Kansas City Royals and Chicago Cubs, who is currently the pitching coach for the Class A-Advanced Lynchburg Hillcats. Career Bo ...

, and Henry Mack (minors). * March 20, 1979: The Cubs traded a player to be named later to the

Detroit Tigers The Detroit Tigers are an American professional baseball team based in Detroit. The Tigers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League Central, Central Division. One of the AL's eight chart ...

for Steve Dillard. The Cubs completed the deal by sending

Ed Putman Eddy William Putman (born September 25, 1953) is a former Major League Baseball catcher. He played parts of three seasons in the major leagues between and . He played mostly behind the plate, but also played some first base and third base A ...

to the Tigers on March 24.

Regular season

On May 17, the

Phillies The Philadelphia Phillies are an American professional baseball team based in Philadelphia. The Phillies compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) East Division. Since 2004, the team's home stadium has ...

beat the Cubs 23–22 at

in ten innings, with a 30-mph wind blowing out to left field. This was only the second time since 1913 that both teams scored 20 or more runs in a game, the only previous instance also being a Cubs–Phillies game.

Season standings

Record vs. opponents

Notable transactions

* May 23, 1979:

Ray Burris Bertram Ray Burris (born August 22, 1950) is an American former pitcher in Major League Baseball (MLB), and the current rehabilitation pitching coordinator in the Philadelphia Phillies organization. He played in MLB from 1973 through 1987 for sev ...

was traded by the Cubs to the

New York Yankees The New York Yankees are an American professional baseball team based in the Boroughs of New York City, New York City borough of the Bronx. The Yankees compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Am ...

for

Dick Tidrow Richard William Tidrow (May 14, 1947 – July 10, 2021) was an American professional baseball pitcher and the senior vice president of player personnel and senior advisor to the General manager (baseball), general manager for the San Francisco Gi ...

. * June 26, 1979:

Bobby Murcer Bobby Ray Murcer (May 20, 1946 – July 12, 2008) was an American professional baseball outfielder who played 17 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) between 1965 and 1983. He played the majority of his career for the New York Yankees, whom he ...

was traded by the Cubs to the New York Yankees for Paul Semall (minors). * August 17, 1979:

was traded by the Cubs to the

Boston Red Sox The Boston Red Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Boston. The Red Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League East, East Division. Founded in as one of the Ameri ...

for a player to be named later and cash. The Red Sox completed the trade by sending

Mike O'Berry Preston Michael O'Berry (born April 20, 1954) is an American former professional baseball player and minor league manager. He played as a catcher in Major League Baseball from 1979 to 1985. Major league career O'Berry was drafted at the age o ...

to the Cubs on October 23, 1979.Ted Sizemore
at ''Baseball Reference''

Roster

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''

Other batters

''Note: G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in''

Pitching

Starting pitchers

''Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts''

Other pitchers

''Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts''

Relief pitchers

''Note: G = Games pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; SV = Saves; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts''

Farm system

LEAGUE CHAMPIONS: Quad Cities

Notes

References

External links

1979 Chicago Cubs season
at ''Baseball Reference'' {{Chicago Cubs Chicago Cubs seasons Chicago Cubs season

1979 in Chicago