The Cubs managed to spend the better part of the decade breaking their fans hearts with great play for the first 4 months of the season and then their much anticipated late summer swoon. The pattern began in 1969 when the team looked poised to win it's first pennant in 25 years. Carrying a double digit lead into late August the Cubs played sub .500 ball in the month of September after withering away in the summer heat from day baseball at Wrigley. Many blame manager Leo Durocher for not resting his veterans. Others say it was just the Cubs being the Cubs. Whatever the case the pattern was there. The same core cast of veterans fell short in 1970-72 before it was time to break up the old gang and bring in some youth. By the latter part of the decade the Cubs had assembled a team worthy of contending for 4+ months. Late season swoons from 77-79 once again brought up cries of curses and bad breaks.
Throughout the decade the Cubs had the star power. Ernie Banks ended his illustrious career after the '71 season, so you won't see him on this All-Decade team. Billy Williams and Fergie Jenkins were in fine form in the early 70's as was the supporting cast of Glenn Beckert, Don Kessinger and Randy Hundley. Toward the middle of the decade stars like Bobby Murcer and Rick Monday arrived as did a young batting champ named Bill Madlock. The latter part of the decade saw Bill Buckner arrive from LA and future HOF closer Bruce Sutter came up from the minors. Sutter, who's rubber arm was necessary in order to rescue the 6 inning rotation the Cubs sported. Big Daddy, Rick Reuschel, was the top gun in the rotation with brother Paul doing a lot of long relief and mop up duty. Ray Burris, Burt Hooton and Bill Hands round out a rotation that is a lot better than most Cub fans would expect from a 70's All-Franchise team.
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