Wrigley Field's Last World Series: The Wartime Chicago Cubs and the Pennant of 1945 [Paperback]

Charles N. Billington (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 2005

I don't care who wins, as long as it s the Cubs!
--legendary announcer, Bert Wilson, WIND

On the eve of World War II, baseball truly was America's national pastime. Little could anyone predict the changes and sacrifices that would be imposed on the sport during the early 1940s. As the war was coming to an end in 1945 and a jubilant mood was overtaking the country, baseball was back in full swing and the Chicago Cubs were on top of their game.

How did the Cubs clinch the pennant in 1945 and go to the World Series? Simply, they fielded, hit, and pitched better than any other team in the league. How did they then lose the championship to the Detroit Tigers, a team with one of the most mediocre records in pennant history? And why haven't they been back since?

One thing is clear: 1945, the last time the Cubs went to the World Series, was a turning point in the team's fortune. For in the first half of the twentieth century, few teams were as good as Chicago; in the second half, few teams were as bad.

Between 1900 and 1945 the Chicago Cubs won the National League pennant ten times and had more first division finishes than any other team in the league and only one last-place finish. Between 1946 and 1990, the Chicago Cubs finished in the National League basement nine times, and went 20 consecutive seasons in the second division between 1947 and 1966.

Charles N. Billington's fast-paced narrative of this historic season includes an inning-by-inning account of critical games, highlights of winning streaks and road trips, and a discussion of how and why the team ultimately unravels. Incorporating statistical analysis, descriptions of key teams, and player biographies, Billington paints an evolving and exciting portrait of the 1945 Cubs and the wider national baseball scene of a war-torn era.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Required reading for baseball history buffs. --Harvey Frommer, Sportsology.net

Billington makes an astute observation that '45 was the dividing line between the successful Cubs of the early 20th century and the [lousy] Cubs my father and I have been saddled with. . . . A wealth of information is provided about the effect of WWII on the team and the interesting circumstances around Spring Training of that year. . . . It makes me wish that I could have a whole bookshelf of books, each putting the magnifying glass on a particular year. Peanuts Lowrey and Bill 'Swish' Nicholson would be proud of this book. --David M. Beyer, A View From the Bleachers

Charles Billington, a history buff and mental health professional (which, some would say, are perfect qualifications to write about the Cubs), parlays his years of being a fan into a gripping, 'I was there,' account of the season. That the Cubs lost the World Series in seven games to the Detroit Tigers and have not gone back to the pinnacle since, only adds more poignancy to Billington's narrative. Billington spares no effort to recreate the details of that magical season. . . . Billington intersperses his narrative with myriad interesting sidebars, many of which offer an eloquent social commentary of the times. . . . Billington's love for history and the Cubs comes through convincingly in this interesting chronicle of an eventful year in Cubs history. --Ram Subramanian, Curled Up With a Good Book

About the Author

Charles N. Billington is a licensed clinical social worker with 30 years of experience in mental health. After graduating from St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota, he received his masterÂ’s degree from the University of Illinois in Chicago. He has worked as an administrator, psychotherapist, and consultant. Most recently he has worked with the senior citizens.

A three-sport athlete in high school who played baseball at the collegiate level, he combined his background in sports and his interest in history with his work with seniors to write about the Chicago CubsÂ’ last World Series. The fascinating recollections of two elderly baseball players who came to him for assistance became the inspiration for the work.

Charles grew up in the Chicago area and lives in the north suburbs with his wife of 25 years and two children. His hobbies include boating, playing the piano, and playing outfield in the Chicago North MenÂ’s Senior Baseball League.

Product Details

• Paperback: 321 pages
• Publisher: Lake Claremont Press; 1 edition (May 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1893121453
• ISBN-13: 978-1893121454
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.3 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,014,503 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A grand read!, November 8, 2005

By 

Armchair Interviews (Minneapolis, MN) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Wrigley Field's Last World Series: The Wartime Chicago Cubs and the Pennant of 1945 (Paperback)

Despite unmatched failure following World War II, the Chicago Cubs were one of the premiere baseball teams during the 1945 season. Billington has written the definitive work on literally everything about the wartime Cubs, as well as other major baseball teams and their performance.

The author provides:

-- a vivid sense of America's enthusiasm for baseball as an entertainment option in this tense era,

--a detailed description of their player salaries, ticket prices (box seats $1.80 and bleacher seats $.60),

--how the composition of major leage baseball (MLB) changed because of wartime, what the 1945 Cubs spring training was like when initially only nine players showed up, and

--a host of other obstacles facing teams and managers because of World War II.

As a veteran Cubs fan with a love for Wrigley Field, I learned a number of other fascinating Cubs insights that readers will appreciate. At the time, Wrigley Field was the only major league ballpark without night lighting. Owner Philip K. Wrigley had bought lights for the 1941 night games, but then decided to donate them to the Navy.

Even the materials for making Spaulding baseballs changed because of the war effort. You learn why and how this affected hitting performance.

For diehard Chicago Cubs or Detroit Tigers fans, this book is a must read. Every inning of the 1945 World Series is described in great detail, including the personalities of the players, fan reactions, the origin of the infamous Billy Goat Curse launched with Game 5 and talked about even today, the 12 innings of Game 6, and the irony of Game 7. The pitching, hitting, and fielding by both teams come alive in a Series that started off with great hopes for a Cubs victory that never materialized.

Billington offers five reasons why Detroit, a slower and poorer fielding and hitting team, won the Series. He also provides insights on why the team has performed so poorly over the past 60 years, despite Cubs fans being the most loyal of any athletic team in history. Included are 25 black and white photos of Cubs players from the era.

Armchair Interviews says if you or a friend is a Cubs or Detroit Tigers fans, this book is for you. If you love baseball and trivia, order with our Amazon link today. Great holiday gift for someone special.

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Especially recommended reading for Cubs fans, November 7, 2005

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Wrigley Field's Last World Series: The Wartime Chicago Cubs and the Pennant of 1945 (Paperback)

Wrigley Field's Last World Series: The Wartime Chicago Cubs And The Pennant Of 1945 is an in-depth analysis of the Cubs' greatest year in baseball history - with a summary of the causes of the team's decline in all the decades to follow. As World War II was coming to an end, the Cubs' were at their very best; Wrigley Field's Last World Series follows their efforts month by month until their crowning achievement of the World Series pennant. Yet after 1945, the Cubs' performance and success dropped dramatically, which author Billington attests to multiple causes, including disastrously poor trades, an sluggish and flawed system to "farm" new talent, the toll of wartime draft, and more. A skillfully narrated look at the year that was a monumental turning point, featuring a handful of black-and- white photography by George Brace. Especially recommended reading for Cubs fans.