Time for a Change | 1969 Cubs, Episode 1

It was the summer of '69 and Wrigley Field became the breeding ground for Cubs Fever. With a roster full of All-Stars and future Hall of Famers, the team got off to a hot start and Cubs fans finally felt like it was their year. A winning Cubs season couldn't have come at a better time.
"I felt the game was more a way of releasing pressure and stress on people's lives, kids lives, just coming to Wrigley Field to watch us play." -Ernie Banks
50 years after one of the Cubs most historic seasons, Cubs Productions presents this five-part series on the 1969 team with an accompanying interactive website. Scroll back through history with additional historic and archived footage: www.1969chicagocubs.com/chapt...
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[@obbor4]

My introduction to baseball was the 69 Cubs. I lived in Wheeling, Illinois and played a lot of baseball that summer. We all made our own Cub jerseys with white T-shirts and magic markers. I was number ten, and played third base, just like Ron Santo.

[@deloreswillis9224]

♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️

[@jameswebb9738]

I’m a die hard cubs fan since 1964. My dad used to take me to Wednesday games. I lived in Chicago from 64-69 and went to many games. There is NO better ballpark to see a game.

[@katygitlin9615]

great memories, grew up in Houston and got to see the Cubs many times at the Dome....loved Jim Hickman, Santo, Banks and Kessinger.

[@deloreswillis9224]

Yayyyyyyyyyy & sweet swinging BILLY WILLIAMS❤

[@eltonjcasarez2744]

Cub fan all my life ,Go Cubs Go Cubs 🐻⚾️

[@danielgoodaker5226]

My favorite my sports team of all time...my favorite baseball season of all time!

[@ChairmanMeow1]

I can finally actually enjoy this stuff now that we have a world series lol

[@deloreswillis9224]

Ikr

[@paulbadertscher]

And there I go, down this rabbit hole...

[@johnaugsburger6192]

Thanks, I was 9 in 1969.

[@williamdiemert9866]

My late Great Uncle told me stories about the 1969 Chicago Cubs when I was a young baby in 1982 at Clinton,Illinois come from Gillette,Wyoming and now I told stories about the 2003 Chicago Cubs to my nephews and nieces also to my Great nephews too. Go Cubs from Gering,Nebraska

[@timothygingras7950]

Great to see Tom Dressen and Bonnie Hunt. I've really enjoyed this short video.

[@johnfrank78]

1969 Cubs broke so many fans hearts. I’m 68 years old now and it still hurts.

[@MikeGrant-zt7uo]

Durocher's time had come and gone by then

[@robertmasina7388]

You made up for the collapse in 1969, with the World Series victory in 2016.

[@michaelleroy9281]

​​@@robertmasina7388 however it was a 47 year wait some Cubs fans who were around in 1969 weren't around in 2016 see them win the World Series

[@sludge4125]

The Mets gave up only 541 runs that season.

[@michaelleroy9281]

Look at that attendance, the players good go into the crowd and meet the fans individually

[@sdgakatbk]

I remember the Willie Smith home run. I was in Chicago with relatives.

[@docadams7099]

1969 was the first season of divisions in MLB. Baseball had a large expansion, with both leagues adding two teams, New NL teams started in San Diego (Padres) and Montreal (Expos, now the Washington Nationals). New AL teams included Kansas City (Royals) and Seattle (Pilots, relocated in 1970 as the Milwaukee Brewers). The Chicago Cubs seemed to be on track for a World Championship, only to falter badly late. The upstart Mets won the division, on their way to a World Championship.

[@deloreswillis9224]

😢😢😢😢😢 broke my 13 year tender heart ❤❤❤

[@marktito6169]

Wow. I LOVED THIS.

[@kevruss29]

This is great

[@mcgannahanskyjellyfetti6854]

*1969 CUBS:* Hare *1969 METS:* Tortoise...

[@duder9245]

They should take all the advertisements down and the video boards and return wrigley back to what it's meant to be.

[@sludge4125]

Why? Who’s pompous enough to decide how the dump is “meant to be?”

[@smartluck100]

AGREED! I think it was a spiteful move to put up all those gigantic billboards and advertisements. Greed greed greed

[@michaelleroy9281]

All of Jack Brickhouse' s Hey Heys there were lots of them

[@deloreswillis9224]

BACK BACK BACK‼️‼️‼️

[@michaelleroy9281]

Without Ernie Banks the Cubs would finish in Albuquerque hilarious 😅

[@stephaniegormley9982]

1:29 That's hard to do no matter how bad your team is. My Tigers went 43-119 in 2003. I went to 3 games but they did win one of those.

[@jeepxj8580]

does anyone know how i can learn more of the Cubs

[@docadams7099]

KZbin has a lot of Cubs videos. I enjoy one from the 1961 season. It has the song "Roll Out Those Lazy, Crazy Days of Summer".

[@michaelleroy9281]

It did look good for a while

[@EBthere]

For a long while. They were in first place for 155 days.

[@caseymcmenamin6564]

What’s the name of the theme song

[@sludge4125]

Hey Hey, Holy Mackerel, written by Johnny Frigo.

[@aresee8208]

My dad always hated Leo Durocher. He figured Durcher ruined the Cubs that season. I only know I was a very happy 10 year-old Mets fan when they clinched the NL East on Sep 24.

[@yesd2024]

Billy

[@ezekieldixon2320]

Does this guy not look like Rizzo? 4:58

[@Tiny67]

Yes he does!

[@famguy218]

A young Ronnie? I guess a little

[@jarjarbinks4744]

Zeke Dixon Eh

[@michaelleroy9281]

You can't compare 1969 to 2016

[@millypoo7713]

6:43

[@deloreswillis9224]

Jack Brickhouse😂

[@deloreswillis9224]

😂😂😂😂😂

[@robertmasina4610]

At the earlier part of that season, who in their wildest imagination would have guessed the Mets would catch up with the Cubs and have more wins toward the end of the season, capturing the division title and eventually the World Series?

[@hamburg1306]

Lifelong Mets fan and I can only explain that 69 was a miracle. The Mets won every close game and even won a game that Steve Carlton struck out 19 Mets with Ron Swoboda hitting two 2 run HR’s. How can you compete with that?

[@hamburg1306]

Robert Masina the only thing I can remember is that I went to a game at Shea Stadium which Mets rallied for 3 runs in ninth to win (Ed Kranepool game winning hit) then next night Seaver’s near perfect game. So the Mets were a factor at that point. Mets had one weakness that year the Houston Astros. Couldn’t beat them and that stretch dropped Mets into 3rd place but then final 5 weeks were insane. Mets platooned that year and cubs didn’t and cubs players felt they ran out of gas in September. Interesting to see this film from the cubs perspective.

[@robertmasina4610]

@Steven. I've heard a number of theories on why the Cubs collapsed in 1969. The one I take most into consideration is the one you mentioned, where the Cubs manager Leo Durocher overplayed his starters while Gil Hodges, the Mets manager, platooned some of his starters.

[@hamburg1306]

Robert Masina I think it was just luck for the platooning. Just covering up weaknesses. Jones, Agee, Harrelson and Grote played every day. Clendennon shouldn’t have been but was then Boswell/Weis at second Garrett/Charles at third and Shamsky/Swoboda in right. Like everything else that year it just worked.

[@michaelleroy9281]

Everyone on the Mets had their best seasons

[@sdgakatbk]

3:25 What's funny about this statement?

[@michaelleroy9281]

Sounds like America in 2023

[@rudymontana4515]

No bench, no bullpen and a deranged manager. They really never had a chance. The Mets were just better.

[@smartluck100]

So, half of this episode was about riots. I thought it was gonna be about the Cubs

[@michaelleroy9281]

they are beginning this show talking about 1968 that's what that year was all about