Best Seasons in Franchise History?

[Jntg4]

What do you think were the best seasons in franchise history? 1908? 1907? 1906? 1876? 1870 (technically not a major league team then, but we won our first game in franchise history that year over a St. Louis team 47-1 and won the pennant in the first year of franchise history)?

Or would a more modern (albeit less successful in the post-season) season like 2003 or 2008 get the nod?

Cubs Playoff seasons:
1870 - National Association of Base Ball Players pennant (Only professional teams were eligible, but the pennant was based on a flag system, instead of a record or post-season system)
1876 - National League pennant - Cubs owners created the National League (Cubs ownership under Wrigley was actually responsible for the AAGPBL of the 1940's and 1950's BTW)
1880 - National League pennant
1881 - National League pennant
1882 - National League pennant - tied the first "Proto-World Series" against the American Association champion
1885 - National League pennant - tied the "Proto-World Series" against the American Association champion
1886 - National League pennant - lost "Proto-World Series" against the American Association champion
1906 - National League pennant - Lost World Series - best winning percentage in MLB history, tied for most wins
1907 - World Champions
1908 - World Champions
1910 - National League pennant - Lost World Series
1918 - National League pennant - Threw World Series
1929 - National League pennant - Lost World Series
1932 - National League pennant - Lost World Series
1935 - National League pennant - Lost World Series
1938 - National League pennant - Lost World Series
1945 - National League pennant - Lost World Series
1984 - National League Eastern Division title - Lost National League Championship Series
1989 - National League Eastern Division title - Lost National League Championship Series
1998 - National League Wild Card berth - Lost National League Division Series
2003 - National League Central Division title - Won National League Division Series - Lost National League Championship Series
2007 - National League Central Division title - Lost National League Division Series
2008 - National League Central Division title - Lost National League Division Series

I would have to go with a Top 6 of 1870, 1906, 1907, 1908, 2003, and 2008.

 

[Northside_slugger]

What do you think were the best seasons in franchise history? 1908? 1907? 1906? 1876? 1870 (technically not a major league team then, but we won our first game in franchise history that year over a St. Louis team 47-1 and won the pennant in the first year of franchise history)?

Or would a more modern (albeit less successful in the post-season) season like 2003 or 2008 get the nod?

Cubs Playoff seasons:
1870 - National Association of Base Ball Players pennant (Only professional teams were eligible, but the pennant was based on a flag system, instead of a record or post-season system)
1876 - National League pennant - Cubs owners created the National League (Cubs ownership under Wrigley was actually responsible for the AAGPBL of the 1940's and 1950's BTW)
1880 - National League pennant
1881 - National League pennant
1882 - National League pennant - tied the first "Proto-World Series" against the American Association champion
1885 - National League pennant - tied the "Proto-World Series" against the American Association champion
1886 - National League pennant - lost "Proto-World Series" against the American Association champion
1906 - National League pennant - Lost World Series - best winning percentage in MLB history, tied for most wins
1907 - World Champions
1908 - World Champions
1910 - National League pennant - Lost World Series
1918 - National League pennant - Threw World Series
1929 - National League pennant - Lost World Series
1932 - National League pennant - Lost World Series
1935 - National League pennant - Lost World Series
1938 - National League pennant - Lost World Series
1945 - National League pennant - Lost World Series
1984 - National League Eastern Division title - Lost National League Championship Series
1989 - National League Eastern Division title - Lost National League Championship Series
1998 - National League Wild Card berth - Lost National League Division Series
2003 - National League Central Division title - Won National League Division Series - Lost National League Championship Series
2007 - National League Central Division title - Lost National League Division Series
2008 - National League Central Division title - Lost National League Division Series

I would have to go with a Top 6 of 1870, 1906, 1907, 1908, 2003, and 2008.

Hard to say. Obviously, without even looking indepth at anything, 1907 and 1908 come right off the bat since they won the titles. As for the other older dates, it's too hard to argue without living in that era, or, living so far out of it that i can't even consult with people about them because not too many people still are around from those days and if you do know somebody, you're in the minority.

2003 was very special. Not just the playoff run. The Cubs and Yankees played the first time since 1938 and that was an awesome series to watch. It was like a playoff weekend if you guys remember. The Cards/Cubs series that year was nuts too, after Kerry Wood hit Matt Morris. The Sosa home runs. The "youth movement" of Choi and Patterson which turned disastourus due to injuries but then came in Kenny Lofton and we were introduced to Aramis Ramirez.

Not to mention Prior and Wood.

God, i miss that team.

 

[Jntg4]

Hard to say. Obviously, without even looking indepth at anything, 1907 and 1908 come right off the bat since they won the titles. As for the other older dates, it's too hard to argue without living in that era, or, living so far out of it that i can't even consult with people about them because not too many people still are around from those days and if you do know somebody, you're in the minority.

2003 was very special. Not just the playoff run. The Cubs and Yankees played the first time since 1938 and that was an awesome series to watch. It was like a playoff weekend if you guys remember. The Cards/Cubs series that year was nuts too, after Kerry Wood hit Matt Morris. The Sosa home runs. The "youth movement" of Choi and Patterson which turned disastourus due to injuries but then came in Kenny Lofton and we were introduced to Aramis Ramirez.

Not to mention Prior and Wood.

God, i miss that team.

Ya, 1906 was a monster until the Sox beat us in the World Series though.

 

[Northside_slugger]

Ya, 1906 was a monster until the Sox beat us in the World Series though.

Right, and i'm not debating that. It's just so hard to say because none of us saw those teams plays. The level of play was different, and possibly worse, with much less parity in the league, with no African-Americans allowed to play. The overall talent in the whole league was very vague, lots of good players who became great players, but also lots of very bad players who had no business in playing in a major league sport.

Love the thread though. And i love reading/talking about stuff like this all the time. The "what if's" and the early 1900s baseball.

 

[Jntg4]

Right, and i'm not debating that. It's just so hard to say because none of us saw those teams plays. The level of play was different, and possibly worse, with much less parity in the league, with no African-Americans allowed to play. The overall talent in the whole league was very vague, lots of good players who became great players, but also lots of very bad players who had no business in playing in a major league sport.

Love the thread though. And i love reading/talking about stuff like this all the time. The "what if's" and the early 1900s baseball.

Ya, I agree with that. But if we discount 1906, we discount every World Championship we have too.

 

[AddisonStation]

I think 2004 could have been one of the best seasons ever had they not 'd the last 10 days of the season. The '04 Cubs were a good team.

 

[Jntg4]

I think 2004 could have been one of the best seasons ever had they not 'd the last 10 days of the season. The '04 Cubs were a good team.

Still were 16 games out of 1st, but the wild card wouldn't have been bad.

 

[AddisonStation]

Still were 16 games out of 1st, but the wild card wouldn't have been bad.

Well, the Cards won 105 games... Not really fair to base the quality of the Cubs on the fact that they weren't as good as that strong of a team. I think the '04 Cubs were better than the '03 team.

 

[Jntg4]

Well, the Cards won 105 games... Not really fair to base the quality of the Cubs on the fact that they weren't as good as that strong of a team. I think the '04 Cubs were better than the '03 team.

Ya, just saying.

 

[daddies3angels]

i have to go with the 2 WS teams.....cant be any better then WS CHAMPS