The Good and the Bad: Tribune Corporation Run as Cubs Owner is Coming to an End

The year was 1981, and the Tribune Corporation purchased a dying franchise for  $21.1 million dollars.  That franchise was called the Chicago Cubs, and they were coming off another pitiful 67 wins season, that saw the Cubs draw 1.2 million fans. 

The Tribune took over ownership midway through a strike shortened 1981 season.  The Cubs finished the season 38-65 drawing just 565,000 fans, but changes were on the horizon. 

During the 1982 offseason, Dallas Green was hired as executive vice president and general manager.  Two years prior to being hired by the Tribune, Green managed the Philadelphia Phillies to their first World Series championship. 

Green would have an immediate impact on the Cubs.  He acquired left fielder Gary Matthews and center fielder Bob Dernier.  A year later he would sure up his infield trading for Larry Bowa and a minor league infielder named Ryne Sandberg. 

By the start of the 1984 season, the Tribune Corporation was turning around this laughable franchise. Dallas Green added Rick Sutcliffe a month into the season and the Cubs were in good hands.  Not only did they have the best GM in the game, but they had a hungry and young marketing man named John McDonough leading their off the field operations. 

Along with McDonough, the very popular and hall of fame announcer Harry Caray was beginning his third year as play by play announcer.  Caray would eventually becomes a Cubs icon, and will go down as one of the most popular members of the Cubs family. 

The Cubs won the 1984 National East pennant.  It was their first pennant since 1945.  Despite coming up one game short of a World Series trip, the Cubs were the talk off Chicago.  The Cubs drew over two million fans in 1984, and the first ever Cubs Convention would take place in the winter of 1985.

Unfortunately, with the good comes the bad.  The Cubs struggled on the field between 1985 and 1988.  Green consistantly bumped heads with the Tribune Corporation. The Tribune let their money get to their head, and they were no longer committed to winning.  Green was out as GM after the 1987 season. 

The Cubs went on to win the 1989 National East pennant mostly with Green's young talent, but it was obvious that the Tribune Corporation was much more committed to making money instead of winning ball games. 

Arguably, the worst thing the Tribune ever did was let Greg Maddux go after his 1992 CY Young award season.   Maddux spent the next 11 years with the Braves winning a World Series ring and three more Cy Young Awards. 

The decade of the 1990's was a disaster for the Chicago Cubs making the playoffs just one time.  Despite that, tickets were being sold.  The Convention was sold out, and the Tribune Corporation was making a lot of money off the Cubs. 

It wasn't until 2000 that the Tribune began to once again show a commitment to winning.  Andy MacPhail who won two championships as Twins GM fired the man he hired as general manager in 1994. MacPhail was hired as president in 1994, but his decision to hire Ed Lynch as GM was truly a bad one.  

Under MacPhail the Cubs began to spend more money.  MacPhail helped the Tribune Corporation make more money and also helped the Cubs win more games. 

MacPhail played a huge role in expanding Wrigley Fields bleachers and in 2002 he promoted Jim Hendry to general manager.  MacPhail resigned after a poor 2006 season.  The Cubs were bad in 2006, but it had nothing to do with the amount of money they were spending.

The Tribune Corporation era as Cubs owners can be described with three words.  The three words that come to mind are excitement, anger, and disappointment.  

During their run, the Cubs mad six playoff appearances but failed to win a World Championship.  At times it appeared the Tribune Corporation didn't care, and at other times it appeared they cared but didn't have a clue. 

Wouldn't it be ironic if the Ricketts family wins the 2009 World Series with the team the Tribune put together?  I wouldn't bet against it.