... has "character ". "Cub fans under age fifty may find it hard to fathom, but there was a time when the Cubs were not thought of as perennial doormats, " David Folk writes in his book, The Cubs Reader (Fulk 1). To believe this statement you have to flip all the way back to the 1870s. Before the Cubs were the beloved blue and red bear that adorns thousands of baseball caps throughout ... Illinois and the Midwest, they were known as The Chicago White Stockings Base Ball Club or "Chicago White Stockings " for short. ... manager for the Cubs from 1979 all the way through to 1897. Under him, th...

• Word Count: 3527
• Approx Pages: 14
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School

... balls. You race to catch the ball before it hits the ground and you make it just in time. The crowd cheers, "Shoeless!" The announcer says, "Wow, that glove is the place where triples go to die." As you run into the dugout, the cool mist of the grass seeps through your cleats and the sand clumps up on the spikes as you run through the infield. Once you reach the dugout your coach Kid ... skills from Union soldiers in a northern prison camp (Ward). The textile workers that came to watch the games would call Joe's home runs the "Saturday Special," because the games they played were on Sat...

• Word Count: 3759
• Approx Pages: 15
• Grade Level: High School

... his stats in 2002. You can also read a general evaluation of the players traded to Seattle for Griffey that was written shortly after the trade took place. SEATTLE (AP) -- Ken Griffey Jr., wanting to play closer to his home in Florida, rejected Seattle's eight-year contract offer and the Mariners said they will try to trade the 10-time All-Star. Seattle presented Griffey a new contract proposal ... everybody." Rodriguez's agent, Scott Boras, did not immediately return a telephone call seeking comment. Goldberg said the Mariners "were very generous with their offer," but Griffey's desire ...

• Word Count: 3204
• Approx Pages: 13
• Grade Level: High School

... his stats in 2002. You can also read a general evaluation of the players traded to Seattle for Griffey that was written shortly after the trade took place. SEATTLE (AP) -- Ken Griffey Jr., wanting to play closer to his home in Florida, rejected Seattle's eight-year contract offer and the Mariners said they will try to trade the 10-time All-Star. Seattle presented Griffey a new contract proposal ... everybody." Rodriguez's agent, Scott Boras, did not immediately return a telephone call seeking comment. Goldberg said the Mariners "were very generous with their offer," but Griffey's desire ...

• Word Count: 3204
• Approx Pages: 13
• Grade Level: High School

... his stats in 2002. You can also read a general evaluation of the players traded to Seattle for Griffey that was written shortly after the trade took place. SEATTLE (AP) -- Ken Griffey Jr., wanting to play closer to his home in Florida, rejected Seattle's eight-year contract offer and the Mariners said they will try to trade the 10-time All-Star. Seattle presented Griffey a new contract proposal ... everybody." Rodriguez's agent, Scott Boras, did not immediately return a telephone call seeking comment. Goldberg said the Mariners "were very generous with their offer," but Griffey's desire ...

• Word Count: 3204
• Approx Pages: 13
• Grade Level: High School

... his stats in 2002. You can also read a general evaluation of the players traded to Seattle for Griffey that was written shortly after the trade took place. SEATTLE (AP) -- Ken Griffey Jr., wanting to play closer to his home in Florida, rejected Seattle's eight-year contract offer and the Mariners said they will try to trade the 10-time All-Star. Seattle presented Griffey a new contract proposal ... everybody." Rodriguez's agent, Scott Boras, did not immediately return a telephone call seeking comment. Goldberg said the Mariners "were very generous with their offer," but Griffey's desire ...

• Word Count: 3204
• Approx Pages: 13
• Grade Level: High School

... his stats in 2002. You can also read a general evaluation of the players traded to Seattle for Griffey that was written shortly after the trade took place. SEATTLE (AP) -- Ken Griffey Jr., wanting to play closer to his home in Florida, rejected Seattle's eight-year contract offer and the Mariners said they will try to trade the 10-time All-Star. Seattle presented Griffey a new contract proposal ... everybody." Rodriguez's agent, Scott Boras, did not immediately return a telephone call seeking comment. Goldberg said the Mariners "were very generous with their offer," but Griffey's desire ...

• Word Count: 3204
• Approx Pages: 13
• Grade Level: High School

... his stats in 2002. You can also read a general evaluation of the players traded to Seattle for Griffey that was written shortly after the trade took place. SEATTLE (AP) -- Ken Griffey Jr., wanting to play closer to his home in Florida, rejected Seattle's eight-year contract offer and the Mariners said they will try to trade the 10-time All-Star. Seattle presented Griffey a new contract proposal ... everybody." Rodriguez's agent, Scott Boras, did not immediately return a telephone call seeking comment. Goldberg said the Mariners "were very generous with their offer," but Griffey's desire ...

• Word Count: 3204
• Approx Pages: 13
• Grade Level: High School