Few and Chosen Cubs: Defining Cubs Greatness Across the Eras - Hardcover

"How blessed I was to be a baseball player and to have played for the Cubs in the city of Chicago, with the greatest fans in the world. Cubs fans are like no other fans. . . . Let’s play two, and I’ll play both games: one at first base and the other at shortstop." —From the Foreword by Ernie Banks "It’s hard to explain to people what’s so special about being a Cub or a Cubs fan. But it is special. It’s Wrigley field, so small and intimate that fans are close enough to the field to carry on conversations with the players. It’s day baseball. It’s the fact that Chicago is centrally located and the Cubs’ fan base is stretched across the country." —from the Foreword by Ryne Sandberg

Cursed or not, the Chicago Cubs have been one of the most talent-laden teams in the history of baseball—and that tradition of excellence continues today. Cap Anson, Gabby Hartnett, Ernie Banks, Ryne Sandberg, Andre Dawson, Greg Maddux, Sammy Sosa . . . the list is virtually endless. Rating the top five Cubs of all time at each position would be a daunting task sure to spark countless hours of heated debate among the Wrigley Field faithful, but former Cubs great Ron Santo has done just that. In Few and Chosen, he has selected the top five players at each position, as well as the five all-time greatest Cubs managers and teams. His compilation evokes cherished memories of one of the richest histories in sports and fuels the eternal optimism that has defined this beloved franchise. Talk about a dream team: imagine what it would be like to be able to take a franchise with as rich a history as the Chicago Cubs have had—with all of the wonderfully gifted athletes who have graced the uniform over the past century—and assemble a lineup using only the very best players from that elite group. Would you take Mordecai "Three-Finger" Brown or Ferguson Jenkins as your top right-handed starting pitcher? Or possibly four-time Cy Young Award–winner Greg Maddux, to throw out another name? At second base, your choices might include great players like Rogers Hornsby and Johnny Evers. But if you could put just one name in the top spot, wouldn’t it have to be Ryne Sandberg? With all of the incredible talent the Cubs have had over the years, it becomes a fairly enticing—and challenging—exercise. Former Cubs great Ron Santo was up to that challenge; in Few and Chosen, he has ranked the top five all-time Cubs players at each position, as well as the top five managers and the five best teams. If anyone is qualified for an undertaking such as this, it’s Santo, whose association with the Cubs began in 1960 and continues to this day as a broadcaster. Breaking down the strengths and weaknesses of dozens of ballplayers from different eras, Santo reveals his conclusions in this richly illustrated compilation of Cubs memories. The finished product is an entertaining and informative inside look at the best players to be a part of this great and beloved franchise. By bringing together the legends of Cubs lore, as well as the team’s contemporary superstars, Santo has created the ultimate tribute to the Chicago Cubs—while fanning the flames of debate among the most passionate fans in sports.