Secure in their roles as major-league baseball's "lovable losers," the National League's Chicago Cubs have not appeared in a World Series since 1945 and have not won a World Series title since 1907. Despite a legacy of superstar players including 1990s home-run hero Sammy Sosa, 1980s MVP Ryne Sandberg, and the legendary Ernie "Mr. Cub" Banks engaged in the most dramatic home-run race in the history of baseball. He and St. Louis Cardinals slugger Mark McGwire battled each other shot for shot throughout the season, with the Cardinal first-baseman finally slamming 70 home runs to Sosa's 66. Both players shattered Roger Maris's long-standing single-season home run record of 61 while helping to revive the popularity of baseball, whose status had suffered following the 1994 strike.

Further Reading:

Bjarkman, Peter C., editor. Encyclopedia of Major League Baseball Team Histories. Westport, Connecticut, Meckler, 1991.

The Chicago Cubs Media Guide. Chicago, Chicago National League Ball Club, 1991.

Golenbock, Peter. Wrigleyville: A Magical History Tour of the Chicago Cubs. New York, St. Martin's Press, 1996.

"The Official Web Site of the Chicago Cubs." http:www.cubs.com.May 1999.