Leo Durocher - Chicago Cubs

Chicago Cubs

Durocher returned to the managerial ranks in 1966 with the Chicago Cubs. For the past four seasons, the Cubs had tried an experiment called the "College of Coaches", in which they were led by a "head coach" rather than a manager. However, at his first press conference, Durocher formally announced an end to the experiment by saying:

At the same press conference, Durocher declared, "I am not the manager of an eighth place team." He was right: the Cubs finished 10th and became the first team to finish behind the previously hapless New York Mets. Three years later, Durocher suffered one of his most remembered failures. The 1969 Chicago Cubs season started well: the team led the newly created National League East for 105 days. By mid-August they had a seemingly insurmountable 8½-game cushion, and appeared to be a shoo-in for their first postseason appearance in 25 years. However, they foundered down the stretch, and finished eight games behind the "Miracle Mets" (who had been 9½ games back in mid-August).

"Are these the real Cubs?" a reporter asked Durocher after his team lost one against the New York upstarts during the pennant drive.

"I don't know," Durocher answered, "but these are the real Mets."

While with the Cubs, Durocher encountered a difficult dilemma in regards to the Cubs aging superstar, Ernie Banks, whose injured knees made him a liability but whose legendary status made benching him impossible. Durocher also nearly came to blows with Cubs star Ron Santo during an infamous clubhouse near-riot. The problems would be symbolic of Durocher's difficulty in managing the new breed of wealthier, more outspoken players who had come up during his long career. He was fired midway through the 1972 season, later stating that his greatest regret in baseball was not being able to win a pennant for longtime Cubs owner P.K. Wrigley.