Those of us who lived through the disappointments of Cubs seasons from 1969 through 1973 were suddenly, we thought, granted a reprieve with the play of the team in 1977.

The 1977 Cubs started out muddling around .500 until early May, then went on a 19-4 run that put them in first place May 28 after a three-game sweep of the Pirates. They continued playing this way until late June, when a 4-2, 10-inning win over the Expos in Montreal gave them a 47-22 record, 25 games over .500. In that era, some road games were not televised and that one wasn’t, so I listened on WGN radio. After the game, Lou Boudreau famously said, “They can kiss the .500 mark goodbye!” Of course, as you know now, that team finished exactly at .500 — and had to lose their last five games to do it.

When they reached 47-2

See Full Page