Chicago Herald-American

The easiest part of ranking the 50 Best Cubs of All-Time was No. 1. Ernie Banks, a two-time MVP for fifth-place teams, probably would have been at the top even if Sammy Sosa's 545 career homers as a Cub were legit.

While I gave more weight to "quality seasons"  as opposed to career numbers in the Cubs and Sox rankings, I also considered performance relative to the era. All three times Sosa hit 60 or more homers he did not lead the league. As it turns out, Banks won just as many home run titles (2) and RBI titles (2) as Sosa. 

And Banks was a shortstop. In fact, no shortstop in the history of baseball had hit more than 39 home runs in a season before Banks came along. Ernie hit 44 in 1955, 43 in 1957, 47 in 1958 and 41 in 1960. In 1958 Banks led the NL with 47 homers and 129 RBI. Runnerup Frank Thomas of the Pirates had 35 and 109. In 1959, Banks led the NL with 143 RBI -- nobody else had more than 125.

And he put up those numbers in 154-game seasons. Banks, by the way, played every game of the season six times in seven years from 1954-60. He played a demanding defensive position in more day games than anybody else in baseball, yet from 1955-59 he hit .326 in September with a .613 slugging percentage and 1.007 OPS (on-base plus slugging). 

I downgraded Sosa for his bloated steroid-era numbers from 1998-2001 (and perhaps 2002 and 2003), but still gave him credit for the pace he was on from 1993-97 with the Cubs (an average of .268, 34 HRs, 100 RBIs). At that pace, he would have had 510 HRs and 1,505 RBIs in a 15-year career. Still shy of Mr. Cub. 

Special thanks to longtime Chicago radio personality Mike Murphy, longtime Chicago sportswriter George Castle and longtime Sun-Times writer/editor John Grochowski for their help in putting together the "50 Best Cubs" list.  

You can find the ranking of the 50 Best Cubs by clicking this link to the Sun-Times web site. But here's the top 10: 

1. Ernie Banks, SS/1B (1953-70)

With a deceptive home-run stroke and a perpetually sunny disposition, Banks’ well-earned title of ‘‘Mr. Cub’’ will last forever. His 512 career homers ranked eighth on the all-time list and his 1,636 RBI ranked 11th when he retired in 1971. From 1955-60, Banks led the majors with 248 HRs — more than Mickey Mantle, Eddie Mathews, Willie Mays and Hank Aaron. Hit 40 or more HRs five times. Broke the all-time record for HRs by a shortstop with 44 in 1955, then hit 47 in 1958 — a mark that stood until Alex Rodriguez hit 52 in steroid-laced 2001 season. Won MVP awards in 1958 and 1959 for fifth-place teams. Set big-league record with five grand slams in 1955. Gold Glove shortstop in 1960. 

2. Billy Williams, LF (1959-74)

The best all-around hitter in Cubs history, Williams averaged .298 with 29 HRs and 98 RBI during his 13 full seasons with the Cubs — only Hank Aaron had more RBI in the NL in that span; and only Aaron, Willie McCovey and Willie Mays had more HRs. Two-time runner-up for NL MVP — in 1970 (.322, 42 HR, 129 RBI, 205 hits, 137 runs) and 1972 (.333, 37 HR, 122 RBI), when he won the batting title, and was three HRs and three RBI shy of the triple crown. Played in an NL-record 1,117 consecutive games from 1962-71. 

3. Ryne Sandberg, 2B (1982-94; 1996-97)

The NL MVP in 1984 (.314, 19 HR, 84 RBI), Sandberg set the major-league record for HRs by a second baseman with 277 and was a nine-time Gold Glove winner who set big-league marks for consecutive errorless games for a second baseman (123 in 1990) and career fielding percentage (.989). He led the NL in triples (19 in 1984), homers (40 in 1990) and runs scored (1984, 1989, 1990). Had 54 stolen bases in 1985 and twice drove in 100 runs. 

4. Fergie Jenkins, P (1966-73)

Staff ace whose streak of six consecutive 20-win seasons (127-84) was the foundation of the glorious, if heartbreaking, surge under Leo Durocher. Jenkins won the 1971 Cy Young Award, when he was 24-13 with a 2.77 ERA — and also hit six HRs, seven doubles with 20 RBI. Cy Young runner-up in 1967 (20-13, 2.80) and third in 1970 (22-16, 3.39) and 1972 (20-12, 3.20). Led NL in complete games three times. In 1968, Fergie was 20-15 (2.63 ERA) despite despite losing six 1-0 games.

5. Gabby Hartnett, C (1922-40)

The NL MVP in 1935 (.344, 13 HR, 91 RBI) and runner-up in 1937 (.354, 12 HR, 82 RBI), Hartnett was baseball’s all-time leader among catchers in career HRs (236), RBI (1,179), hits (1,912), doubles (396) and games played (1,990) when he retired in 1941. Set big-league mark for catchers with 37 HRs and 122 RBI in 1930. As player-manager in 1938, he hit ninth-inning ‘‘Homer in the Gloamin’’’ vs. Pittburgh that leapfrogged Cubs past the PIrates with five games to go.

6. Mordecai “Three-Finger’’ Brown, P 

Ranked with NL rival Christy Mathewson and Walter Johnson as one of baseball’s best pitchers in the early 20th century. From 1906-11, Brown was 127-44 with a 1.42 ERA as the Cubs won four pennants and two World Series in a five-year span — records of 26-6, 20-6, 29-6, 27-9 and 25-14. His 1.04 ERA in 1906 is the second-best in baseball history. Went 3-0 with no runs allowed in 20 innings in World Series titles in 1907 and 1908. 

7. Ron Santo, 3B (1960-73)

One of two third baseman in baseball history with 300 or more homers and five Gold Gloves. From 1963-70, Santo averaged .289, 29 HRs, 105 RBI and 86 walks. During his Cubs career, Santo ranked fourth in baseball in RBIs (1,290), ninth in HRs (337) and third in walks (1,071) — six of the nine players ahead of him are first-ballot Hall of Famers. His .763 OPS in 1,049 at-bats vs. HOF pitchers exceeds the career OPS of Brooks Robinson (.723) and Lou Brock (.753).

8. Sammy Sosa, RF (1991-2004)

Cubs all-time leader in HRs with 545, Sosa is the only player in baseball history to hit 60 or more home runs three times: 1998 (66), 1999 (63) and 2001 (64). Won the NL MVP award in 1998, when he had 66 HRs and 158 RBI to lead the Cubs to the playoffs. 

9. Phil Cavarretta, 1B (1934-53)

Homered at Wrigley Field to beat the Reds 1-0 just months out of Lane Tech in 1934, then helped the Cubs win the pennant with 82 RBI at 18 in 1935. NL MVP in 1945 when he won the batting title (.355) and had 97 RBIs to lead Cubs to the pennant. Hit .462 in the 1938 Series; .423 in the 1945 Series. 

10. Hack Wilson, CF (1926-31)

His major-league record 191 RBI in 1930 not only beat Chuck Klein by 66, but still stands today; and his NL-record 56 HRs were 16 more than Klein’s 40 and stood for 58 years. From 1926-30, Wilson hit 177 HRs and drove in 708 —  only Babe Ruth hit more HRs and only Ruth and Lou Gehrig had more RBI.