The Chicago Cubs History Explained in 21 Minutes

Intro – 0:00
The Cub’s Return – 1:19
The Start of a Dynasty – 3:00
Wrigley Field – 5:19
Mr Cub/The Curse Continues- 8:02
Harry Caray – 9:42
Ryne Sandberg – 10:13
The New Core – 11:10
The 2000s – 12:38
Theo Epstein Era – 15:12
The 2016 Cubs – 16:20
Post World Series – 19:37

The Chicago Cubs are one of the most legendary franchises in Major League Baseball history, with a story defined by early glory, decades of heartbreak, the infamous Curse of the Billy Goat, and ultimate redemption with the 2016 World Series championship. This video dives deep into the full history of the Chicago Cubs, from their founding as the Chicago White Stockings in the 1870s to their rise as National League pioneers, their collapse into one of baseball’s most cursed franchises, and their modern revival as a powerhouse once again.

🏟️ From the White Stockings to the Cubs

The story begins in 1870, when Chicago fielded its first professional baseball team, the White Stockings. After the Great Chicago Fire nearly destroyed the team, the franchise rebounded and became a founding member of the National League in 1876. Led by early legends like Albert Spalding and Cap Anson, the team dominated the 19th century. By the early 1900s, they were officially the Chicago Cubs, with Frank Chance, Joe Tinker, Johnny Evers, and Mordecai “Three Finger” Brown leading the way to four pennants and back-to-back World Series titles in 1907 and 1908.

⚾ Heartbreak, Collapse, and the Curse

After 1908, everything changed. The Cubs became known for coming close but always falling short. From Babe Ruth’s “called shot” in the 1932 World Series, to Hack Wilson’s historic 191-RBI season, to the devastating Curse of the Billy Goat in 1945, the franchise’s reputation shifted from champions to cursed. Despite legends like Ernie Banks (“Mr. Cub”), Ron Santo, Ryne Sandberg, Andre Dawson, and Greg Maddux, the Cubs endured infamous collapses — the 1969 September meltdown, the 1984 NLCS heartbreak, and the 2003 Bartman incident where they blew a 3–1 lead to the Marlins.

🎙️ Wrigley Field and the Fans

Through it all, Wrigley Field became the heart of the Cubs. The ivy-covered walls, the hand-operated scoreboard, and the tradition of daytime baseball made it one of the most beloved stadiums in sports. The legendary broadcaster Harry Caray made the Cubs a national brand in the 1980s through WGN, helping the team gain millions of fans across America even as championships remained elusive.

💥 The Modern Era: Sosa, Wood, and the Rebuild

The 1990s saw Sammy Sosa become one of baseball’s biggest stars during the home run race of 1998, while Kerry Wood electrified fans with a 20-strikeout game. But the Cubs’ greatest transformation came in 2011 with the arrival of Theo Epstein, who rebuilt the franchise from the ground up. Drafting Kris Bryant, Javier Báez, Kyle Schwarber, and trading for Anthony Rizzo, the Cubs built a young, hungry roster. Under manager Joe Maddon, everything came together in 2016.

🏆 The 2016 World Series: Ending 108 Years of Pain

The 2016 Cubs were one of the most dominant teams in baseball, winning 103 games and rolling through the postseason. Their clash with the Cleveland Indians in the World Series produced one of the greatest Game 7s in sports history. With Rajai Davis tying the game in the 8th, a dramatic rain delay, and Ben Zobrist’s clutch double in the 10th, the Cubs finally broke the curse. After 108 years, the Chicago Cubs were World Series champions, and millions flooded Chicago streets to celebrate the end of baseball’s longest drought.

📉 After the Curse and Today’s Cubs (2017–2025)

Many thought the Cubs were set for a dynasty, but the years after 2016 were filled with frustration. The core of Bryant, Rizzo, Báez, and Schwarber eventually departed, and the team entered another rebuild. Now, with stars like Dansby Swanson, Seiya Suzuki, Pete Crow-Armstrong, Michael Busch, Justin Steele, and Kyle Tucker, the Cubs are once again trying to rise to the top of the National League in 2025.

🌟 Why Watch

The history of the Chicago Cubs isn’t just about baseball games — it’s about loyalty, resilience, heartbreak, and redemption. From the ivy at Wrigley Field to Harry Caray’s unforgettable broadcasts, from the Curse of the Billy Goat to the triumph of 2016, the Cubs have given generations of fans one of the most unforgettable journeys in sports.

This complete Chicago Cubs documentary is perfect for:

Cubs fans reliving the highs and lows.

Baseball history lovers who want a full franchise breakdown.

Sports fans curious about curses, collapses, and redemption stories.

If you love MLB history, Wrigley Field traditions, Cubs legends, and the greatest underdog story in sports, this is the definitive history of the Chicago Cubs.

28 comments

  11. Thanks really enjoyed. Big Cubbie fan here. I think you started on the right track by starting with one of original teams. Maybe. You can do your series by when teams were originated

  16. Google gave me the wrong pronunciation for “Caray”. Look it up and you’ll see the same thing I did. I know the pronunciation is wrong now, no need to comment about it. Please just try enjoying the rest of the video I put a lot of work into instead of zeroing in on 1 small mistake.

  17. My dad who's been a die hard cubs fan and watched them from since he was 5 and grew up on WGN (born in 59), sometimes pronounces Carays name wrong. Don't sweat it man, the video was awesome!

  19. Maddux wasn't exactly "allowed" to walk away. The Cubs offered him a contract that would have made him the wealthiest pitcher in baseball, but he turned them down.

  23. Good on you for noting that the team predated the National League. They were part of the much more loosely organized National Association of 1981-1875, standing down for two seasons after the fire. Trivia about those pre Wrigley years. West Side Grounds was located adjacent to a couple of hospitals and when the team left for Wrigley in the late 1910s the land was sold and eventually became part of what is today the University of Illinois Medical Center. While they still played there the insane asylum was located down the 3rd base line–yes, that's what they were called then, and one can only imagine how badly the mentally ill were treated. Often during the game the patients / inmates would yell out of the windows toward the players and fans–often shouting incomprehensbile gibberish. It's the origin of the phrase that if somebody has an unorthodox idea then it must have come "out of left field."

  25. I feel alone in loving Ben Zobrist. He always came through in clutch moments that helped the Royals win in 2015, then he did the same thing for the Cubs in 2016. Yet he's never mentioned when people talk about that 2016 roster.

Leave a Reply