King of the Hill

[@buffcosby1038]

I'm glad I accidently found this gem. I love baseball nostalgia.

[@Tsip89]

Same here. Somebody posted it on a 70s baseball Facebook page today and I've been sharing with like-minded baseball friends like mad.

[@hawkrolla]

me too

[@javenjohnson174]

This is the greatest price of content ever made.

[@georgehoban6239]

This footage was way ahead of its time . HBO's Hard Knocks was 30 years behind ! Thanks for posting

[@joemeehan9329]

This film is pure baseball gold.

[@buckminsterfullerene11]

Not even a Cubs fan, but this is pure gold!

[@broken1965]

I loved WF in those days a kid in the 60's it was a day in heaven going to a Cubby game still have all my roster programs

[@seabrook1976]

This was amazing. Unbelievable footage. Thank you for posting this.

[@seabrook1976]

MANCHESTER UNITED no one cares. Go away until 2040 then.

[@Local1Laborer]

Thank you Canada for saving this masterpiece. And a big flying F you to WGN for scrapping all their shows made before 1980.

[@wadegarrett2053]

nothing exists in their archives before 1980? what happened?

[@TheCrazyCanuck420]

@@wadegarrett2053 Really that sucks.... if that's true don't let them off the hook

[@douglaslowe5]

Is that true about WGN? Lots of old Cubs Brickhouse era footage is out there. Even old Newscasts and Bozo shows.

[@dianerand5504]

Ppp0

[@dianerand5504]

@@wadegarrett2053 p

[@kurtwehrmeister5684]

A few tiny inaccuracies here and there (Kokomo is in Indiana, not Michigan), but there is all sorts of stuff here that you'll never, ever find in the sanitized stuff that used to air on WGN Channel 9 in Chicago. All the dugout language completely unbleeped, intimate closeups of the whole early-Seventies crew you do NOT see elsewhere, reminders of how tightfisted teams were before the ending of the Reserve Clause, a rich look at all aspects of early-Seventies fashions and culture, and with Jenkins especially, an in-depth look at how surprisingly fragile his pitcher's psyche could be. Must viewing for ANY fan of the late-'60s/early-'70s Cubs.

[@eddiewilbanks1382]

this is so awesome ! Didn't know this existed... but so glad it does. I was just a boy at this time and loved baseball. I remember my baseball cards and radio broadcasts during this period. I grew up in a small town in West Tennessee so not a lot of MLB on TV but KMOX and Cardinals baseball was my connection. Even though this is a Cubs thing i still love it !!! Thanks for uploading

[@benncranklin3334]

Great footage and commentary. Amazing Fergie Jenkins won 284 games while having to play the vast majority of his career with the Cubs and Rangers. Both were hitters parks too.

[@jasonamico4680]

Joe Pepitone part is unbelievably golden. Can see why he's Larry David's favorite player

[@smartluck100]

This is wonderful. A fantastic snapshot of history. I would love to see what was left on the cutting room floor.

[@czrad8125]

My team forever

[@mausolos8]

The first ballgame I ever saw was at Connie Mack Stadium in June 1967. I was 9 years old. Ferguson Jenkins vs. Jim Bunning. Cubs won 3-1. Billy Williams hit a 3 run homer for the Cubs. Tony Taylor hit a solo shot for the Phillies. I am a lifelong Phillies fan, hands down. …….but next to the Phillies I always root for the Cubs.

[@TheCrazyCanuck420]

Never saw him pitch first hand, but damn look at that fast ball in this video, that's figgen nuts

[@piedmontphilly]

The game against the Phillies is not opening day, but June 27, 1972. The Cubs won 6-3.

[@herschie91]

I finally get the reference from "The Boys of Zimmer" when Wayne Messmer says "eat your heart out, Carmen Fanzone" when Dwight Smith sang the National Anthem.

[@TruthHasSpoken]

Can you imagine a starting pitcher today pitching into the *** 10th *** inning !?

[@TheCrazyCanuck420]

Without an O2 mask? Never, but that's what I think of all sports outside of hockey :)

[@joeferguson2606]

harvey haddix

[@TheBatugan77]

Yes. If it's Jenkins, Gibby, Seaver or Marichal... Ryan...

[@SwoteOffical]

Back then they had lower pitch counts.

[@logalogalog]

Once Jenkins was traded to Texas, he had the best season of his entire career with 25 wins. Fergie was a class act and still is today.

[@jim72068]

@M What's that got to do with anything? You can't even use your hands when playing soccer... hand dexterity is the one thing that separates humans from animals. The only reason soccer is even remotely popular in the USA is because it was a good sport for Thalidomide children in the 70's.

[@Matthew-kv7nx]

Met him at the hall of fame classics hotel he stood outside talking to us for like 40 minutes

[@akbarlebowitz8151]

@M Soccer's A Third World sport. This is America BITCH!!

[@42.0fmthefever5]

I am also from Chatham, Ontario and I just meet Fergie Jenkins during Rogers Hometown Hockey and he sign my baseball for me such a amazing guy thank you Fergie :) also my grandma use to play baseball with him when they were children :)

[@tomace194]

From chatham as well glad they just had a statue of him made. He has had a crazy life. Even after baseball

[@orbyfan]

I saw this when it was first broadcast on CBC on April 3, 1974.

[@TheBatugan77]

Ernie Banks still looks younger than most of the still active players.

[@zach7193]

That was something. You don't see that on WGN. Players, umpires, managers swearing, what happens after the game ends, behind the scenes in the game. It had all. It was great.

[@TheCrazyCanuck420]

From the stories my family have told me about working around Fergie Sr. he was one hell of a funny character. I could tell them but social justice warriors would have a hay day. Fergie Sr. had all the makings of being a stand up comedian as far as I can tell. Very proud of Fergie since I never though our people would make it big in MLB (and by our people I mean Canadians). Fergie showed them that's for sure!

[@Matthew-ph9hp]

Thank you for taking me back in time

[@bmorebob6624]

This is awesome, a treasure really. Thanks for posting!

[@BarryJowers]

11:03 The ladies at Wrigley have always looked great

[@corn1971]

Santo & Hundley. I sure miss hearing them call Cubs games.

[@michaelward9880]

I miss watching them play.

[@stevenmccart5455]

I have always been a die hard Dodger fan. And also an Angel fan because I'm a Homer. But for some reason I always pulled for both the Cubs and the Red Sox.

[@samuelbarrett5648]

The only thing that would've made this video better is if the footage had been taken a year earlier in the 1971 season, so the team's uniforms would still be wool and have button-front jerseys and belted pants. I can only imagine seeing film of the Cubs in the Astrodome just a season prior to this when the Astros still had Joe Morgan during their first season of orange being their dominant color, making them the first MLB team to ever use orange as their primary color (Giants and Orioles both have black predominantly). Or even film of Fergie Jenkins' 20th win in '71, also against the space-age Astros but this time at Wrigley Field. If anyone reading this has any footage that fits with what I've said here, PLEASE let me know.

[@aboxofbroken8tracks983]

I've been a fan for 50 years and I have absolutely no memory of that bullpen cart.

[@akbarlebowitz8151]

The irony is that it went under the bleachers where the bullpens are actually located now.

[@tonydio666]

Fergie's pitching book taught me how to pitch as a kid. Great guy!

[@durielroberts9986]

My late mother's favorite player

[@Tsip89]

Outstanding.

[@MrCorinth]

I just met him, great guy

[@TheCrazyCanuck420]

Well he's Canadian so what did you expect? :)

[@nickpappas5399]

great pitcher terrible guy....hunting and demanding trades...pure trash.

[@chriszenko3598]

Great video can’t believe I’ve never seen it before 10 out of 10

[@gmaneis]

The last time I was at Wrigley, Fergie hit two home runs and beat the Expos 5 to 2. Amazing game. That was almost 50 years ago. No desire to go back. $119 average ticket price now. Most expensive seat in 1971 was about $3.50. Today's ballplayers are spoiled rotten. Fergie and those Cubbies were the last of a forever lost golden era.

[@whocares6283]

I miss baseball

[@1withtheflow102]

I got to drive Furgeson Jenkins today from a hotel to his home in the outskirts of Phoenix. Never knew about him until today. This was an awesome video.

[@akbarlebowitz8151]

A's manager Dick Williams at 7:05. He managed the SD Padres team that beat the Cubs in 5 games in the 1984 NLCS.

[@StFidjnr]

after the padres lost the 2 games at Wrigley

[@DeadAbeVigoda]

Nice seeing Wrigley Field before Ricketts turned it into a corporate beer tap.

[@kurtishess8883]

It was turned into that a long time ago

[@latouselatrec]

Imagine the nerve of them winning the World Series

[@justinriddick1250]

Nice seeing it the way it was in the old days, but we wouldn't have Wrigley Field anymore if a lot of that commercial stuff wasn't added.

[@Newmanart77]

Great show old school Canadian tv

[@CapAnson12345]

wow how have I never seen this?

[@danholm4952]

Then fergies 2nd wife died, then fergie trusted a old GF to help him and she murdered his daughter and killed herself! This dude has been through..

[@deco983]

amazing video!

[@65mcman]

Fergie Jenkins is best friends with my grandparents

[@doctorspencer9001]

65mcman Fergie Jenkins played 1976-1977 with my team the Red Sox also.

[@RovingRoy]

Why can't we just go back to simpler days in sports? It's so commercial now.

[@kjchicago1]

And they're making money off of it

[@spcwrnglr]

watch minor league baseball

[@TheBatugan77]

@M fk soccer ⚽ fk U.

[@Cockmaster27able]

M I love playing both sports lol

[@lwcowgirls]

six consecutive 20 win seasons

[@jacobthorson1749]

That never happened the worst record in baseball by a team that is still around today came from the 62' Mets in their inaugural season. They went 40-120 with a .250 win percentage.

[@RobertGerman]

This is great!

[@Packsuperbowl]

By the early 70's the Cubs became a powerhouse once again.....LOLOLOLOLO.

[@gjmaztr7]

Its strange at 40:00 in the vid clip, young 10 yr old sports fan only want Fergie Jenkins autograph, and not Starting '72-'73 NL All-Star outfielder Billy Williams autograph. During the yr. Fergie won 22 games. Funny Joke, at 45:00, when the Sports agent asked Fergie,, So how are going to pitch Ron HUnt tomorrow? Fergie says 'we'll pitch him in, and hopefully he puts his head in the way. That's funny....since Ron Hunt led the MLB in getting hit by a pitch ("for a walk") about 5 seasons in a row, from 1969 to 1973. In 1972-73, 5 time All-Star Cub 3rd baseman Ron Santo had the 'best sideburns in Baseball' about as great a sideburn as Wayne Osmond...of 'the Osmonds". Cool Video clip...for any Baseball Card collector like me..

[@vaughnmild4467]

I miss you Grandma

[@philrivera1163]

Is that her at 11:03

[@vaughnmild4467]

@@philrivera1163 Naw man. She was a 2nd generation Cub fan born in 1918 a never saw them win. It just made me think of her. I found out after my Grandfather past in 2002 that he had to play the role of a Cub fan cause my family was from Bucktown on the Northside. My Grandma listened to EVERY game on the radio for almost her whole life. My Grandpa was in an orphanage as a kid on the Southside and was a Sox fan right before the infamous "Black Sox Scandal". I woulda been a 4th generation Cub fan, but seeing Harold Baines hit a homer a row in front of me at the old park MADE me defect. Bums me out that my Grandfather didn't hold on a few more years to see the Sox win in 05, but he saw them win as a kid. Poor Grandma past a year after Grandpa, but NEVER got to see the Cubs win. Seeing some of these older guys just made me think of her. She REALLY loved that 69 team as did the rest of my family. And the 84 team and the 89 team etc lol

[@philrivera1163]

@@vaughnmild4467 that’s awesome man. My grandma just passed away this summer, like yours, she was a huge Astros fan. We even got her a cardboard cutout for the past season and had it placed behind home plate. I miss her

[@MGAF688]

Back in the day when Wrigley wasn't packed out every game.

[@richiebambara3980]

Good stuff.

[@dwightschoener5931]

Its Hundley not Huntley

[@NkrumahTure]

Fergie won that 1971 N.L. Cy Young Award.

[@kjchicago1]

First Chicago Cubs Pitcher To Do So

[@marcomacias3960]

well at least we got the World Series in 2016

[@aaronanon3056]

I didn't know Abraham Lincoln liked baseball.

[@jgarrison1309]

Ernie Banks coaching first base at 13:50

[@paul353]

why can't i find an online account of the Cubs / Phils opening day game shown here

[@dansasveld9564]

I thought the same thing. It seems that they have the audio from the Cubs 2-1 opening day victory over the Cardinals in 1971 with video from a game against the Phillies.

[@whyicare]

I believe Fergie Jenkins ranks second behind Bert Blyleven in all-time wins by a pitcher born outside the US.

[@willdrucker4291]

ehhhh I just knew something was wrong with this video...Opening Day, April 15th, 1972...the Cubbies LOST to the Phillies on that day....Fergie only pitched the first 6 innings....Bill Hands came in in relief and gave up the winning runs in the top of the 9th...still pretty cool stuff

[@maxwethersfield]

Will Drucker I think Burt (or Bert, however you spell it) Hooten threw a no hitter against the Phillies the next day.

[@waynemegaman]

Possibly the specific footage youre referring to was actually opening day 1973. The info above says this film is a composite of the 72 - 73 season but they never tell us the dates during documentary.

[@aboxofbroken8tracks983]

Cubs hosted Montreal on opening day in '73. So I guess they just made up Fergie's opening day victory out of whole cloth and stock footage here. Still a fascinating movie.

[@akbarlebowitz8151]

Opening day footage is actually from 6-27-1972, first game of a Doubleheader. Jenkins pitched and #12 J.C. Martin was the catcher. Cubs won 6-3 and Jenkins went 2 for 4 batting with two RBI's. Yes, they looped and canned the broadcast footage. The Astros game was the first of three in Houston, yet Brickhouse said it was back to Wrigley Field after they lost.

[@aboxofbroken8tracks983]

Wow, thanks for that research. Damn, makes you wonder why they didn't just hire actors to play the Cubs.

[@simplygu]

The footage presented in this documentary is incredible. But we didn't need to see naked ball players in the club house.

[@posysdogovych2065]

Here you go: 11:05 Feel better?

[@jorgejohnson451]

36:42 “When Leo Durocher was permitted to step aside.” Nice of Jack not to kick Leo on the way out.

[@johnnyso1979]

Jenkins and Maddox #31

[@Lava1964]

Who is the narrator? I suspect it is Jack Dennett from Hockey Night in Canada.

[@orbyfan]

Donald Brittain, the director. He did sound like Dennett, who was still alive when the film was made.

[@bobbyhullfan1077]

The ivy looks too lush for opening day. Even if they opened on the road, the ivy takes a while to get that mature...strange. I wonder if it was an early, warm spring or they just used the wrong footage with the audio. Still, this thing about Fergie and the Cubs is pure gold, so much up close and personal insight you will never hear or see today. Pepitone called the umpire a sissy fag...do you think that would ever get on T.V. today? Not that it was a good thing Pepitone did that, just the realness of it. When I was a kid I was at Wrigley. I went to the Cubs dugout and layed on my belly and looked in the dugout. There was Leo, he face not two feet away from mine. I said "Give me an autograph" he said "I can't the umpires are on the field, I would get fined!" I then looked down the dugout and there was Billy, we locked eyes, he then looked away because he knew I was going to ask him next. Anyway, this is the real Wrigley, and Jack was the real Cubs announcer, he really got screwed... it was Milo Hamilton who replaced Jack, and the Cubs screwed Milo too, they promised him a career with the Cubs, then Harry the drunken shill for Budweiser came over and muscled him out. Notice the red doors in the outfield, no seats in the right and left bleachers, they were still catwalks, no rooftop seats. This was the real Wrigley, and I would trade the Cubs playing one game under .500 for the next hundred years to play in this Wrigley, not the glitzy, hyper, digitalized piece of garbage that Wrigley is now. The buildings across the street look so cluttered with all that crap...they look like a hoarders living room in a trailer park.

[@aboxofbroken8tracks983]

It's pieced together from different games. Brickhouse's commentary sounds "looped" as well...just too "stagey" to be from actual broadcasts.

[@brettrhyno255]

i'm not sure I do think that might be opening day though, they did play the Phillies to start the season. Who knows.

[@akbarlebowitz8151]

The first footage of them in Montreal, they are wearing the 1972 road uniforms, then Durocher is fired. Then you see Fergie talking about Leo's firing in the 1973 road uniform. Then they show Burt Hooten's grand slam at home in 1972. Yeah, it's pieced. Badly!

[@latouselatrec]

Don't let the door hit you on the way out

[@ooammo632]

As soon as i saw Canada in knew what was up

[@rushmore120]

Theres Yosh at 15:38

[@simplygu]

@ 51:16... How about this for a "fuck you to Cubs ownership." Fergie Jenkins was traded from the Cubs to the Texas Rangers on October 25th, 1973. His first season with the Rangers in 1974 Jenkins made 41 starts, had 29 complete games, threw 6 shutouts, had 225 strikeouts, pitched 328 innings, and had a record of 25-12 with a 2.82 era. He finished second in the Cy Young award voting. Jenkins was traded for Bill Madlock.

[@akbarlebowitz8151]

And future HOF 2nd baseman Vic Harris. Oh, wait!!

[@durielroberts1673]

At least Ferguson “Fergie” Jenkins ended his career with the Chicago Cubs

[@danholm4952]

Where are the loyal cub fans? I went to games then... now the rich from the north side buy all the tickets! Loyal fans? They forget 1972! And the cubs were very good that year, never out of it. And look at all the empty seats!

[@flame-sky7148]

How can Canada document and preserve this and not America? I mean it's the Cubs!

[@sandyboggs8099]

1972

[@andrewjames227]

Why is Fergie pitching into the 10th ? Was that normal ?

[@joeferguson2606]

+andrewjames227 heck yes, look at his stats for complete games during the late 60s and early 70s

[@boataxe4605]

Yes, while the "experts" claim that today's athletes are better conditioned than those in the past that does not apply to pitchers, compleat games were once the norm.

[@marksieving7925]

Actually, he pitched into the 11th. He pitched 10 1/3 innings that game, before giving up a walkoff homerun.

[@chadguendelsberger2193]

Mixing chewing tobacco with bubble gum??? To “kill the taste”??? The taste is what makes chewing tobacco great. Golly. Bubble gum and red man sounds vomit-inducing

[@johnrobinson1840]

11:03 Hot Pants 'memba dem?

[@philrivera1163]

Somebody grandma was out there being cheeky lol

[@chrisbawksL1]

8:00

[@pbrickley6247]

Ferguson needs to tell his teammates to shut the hell up during the national anthem and show some respect.

[@akbarlebowitz8151]

Bill Hands #49 is the one blabbing.

[@latouselatrec]

Oh you wouldn't get bored here at 162 times a year

[@TheBatugan77]

I guess Durocher wasn't the problem, eh?

[@whyicare]

Why is Joe Pepitone constantly yapping.

[@paul353]

only 86 players chewed tobacco in the early 70s?!!! maybe 86 didn't

[@TheBatugan77]

Jenkins... Over 3000 Ks. Less than 1000 walks. Find another pitcher that can claim that. Hint: You won't.

[@nathanielmcdonald17]

Maddux, Schilling and Martinez too.

[@latouselatrec]

I can't stand people that disrespect the Ricketts because they want to make money you know just be glad that he doesn't tear Wrigley down and make a much bigger more improved Stadium

[@danholm4952]

The so called 'LOYAL'' Cub fans booed Fergie? Again.. Cub fans have never been the best fans....Until they won in 2016, and the rich that were the only ones to afford tickets were asking? 'Did someone get a touchdown'? F the Cub fans...

[@2Sugarbears]

Seemed to be more about others than about Fergie.

[@rhill54]

"Trust in God". On the Cubs. That kills me.

[@danielwells6290]

12:48 if this was true then 2016 would have been 100 years as well as the same year they won the world series.

[@bobbyg433]

Quite the underachieving bunch

[@JimA-pp2nu]

This makes Jenkins seem like a whiny spoiled brat

[@TwoPyramid]

He was