One of the most famous deals in all of Cubs history was made in this year.
The 1922 Cubs hung around first place early, then a bad June put them 11 games out. They then went 38-20 in July and August and at one point in August had climbed to within 3½ games of first place at 64-49, following a seven-game winning streak. But a 16-25 finish put them in third place.
It was in the context of that poor start that the Cubs made one of the more unusual deals in MLB history.
But first I’m going to tell you how the Cubs acquired one of their franchise’s greatest players.
Sometime before the 1922 season: Acquired Gabby Hartnett from Worcester (Eastern League) for $2,500
At age 20, Hartnett had played well for Worcester, but per his SABR biography, the New York Giants passed on signing him. Why?
There is a story, impossible to prove but widely recounted and intriguing, that the New York Giants’ John McGraw heard of Hartnett and sent scout Jesse Burkett to have a look at the prospect. Evidently Burkett felt the catcher’s hands were too small for major-league baseball, so the Giants passed.
Instead, Cubs scout Jack Doyle signed him for the ballclub. Doyle, known as “Dirty Jack” in his playing days (per his SABR biography, he never quite understood the nickname), became the Cubs’ top scout in 1920 and besides Hartnett, was responsible for the Cubs signing Charlie Root, Pat Malone, Billy Herman, Stan Hack, and Phil Cavaretta, as well as recommending the Rule 5 selection of Hack Wilson — basically, Doyle was personally responsible for signing all the Cubs’ top players during their pennant runs from 1929-45, back in an era when scouting was needed for every single signing.
Anyway, Hartnett played little for his first couple of seasons, but by 1924 was their regular catcher, and put together a Hall of Fame career with 231 home runs (still eighth in franchise history), a 37-homer season in 1930 that remains the franchise record for catchers and 55.5 bWAR, in addition to managing the team from 1938-40. In 1929, Hartnett came down with some sort of mysterious illness that was never officially diagnosed and played in just 25 games. It’s a reasonable question: Would the Cubs have won the 1929 World Series with a healthy Hartnett?
At the time of Hartnett’s retirement he was widely considered the greatest catcher in National League history. Even today he’s probably no worse than fourth (behind Johnny Bench, Gary Carter and Mike Piazza).
After his retirement Hartnett opened a bowling alley in suburban Lincolnwood that was a landmark on Lincoln Avenue long past his death in 1972.
May 30: Acquired Cliff Heathcote from the Cardinals for Max Flack
This would appear, at first glance, to be just an ordinary trade.
Flack, an outfielder, had played a bit more than six years for the Cubs after beginning his career with the Chicago Federal League team. He was 32 at the time of the deal.
Heathcote, also an outfielder, was eight years younger and had been with the Cardinals for a bit more than four years.
What made this deal unusual is that it was made on Memorial Day between games of a doubleheader between the two teams. Flack and Heathcote had both played in the first game of the doubleheader, won by the Cubs 4-1. Then they simply switched clubhouses and both played in the nightcap, also won by the Cubs, 3-1.
Flack wound up playing three-plus season in St. Louis and produced only 0.5 bWAR. Heathcote put up 6.8 bWAR in nine years for the Cubs and played in the 1929 World Series. The Cubs definitely got the best of this deal.
The Cubs have also been involved in some other trades made when they were playing their trade partner. In 1953, as noted in that installment of this series, the Cubs acquired Ralph Kiner from the Pirates while the Bucs were at Wrigley for a series. And in 2010, the Cubs traded Mike Fontenot to the Giants while in the middle of a series in San Francisco.
June 27: Acquired Sparky Adams from Wichita Falls (Texas League) for Butch Weis, Vic Keen and cash
Adams, a second baseman, produced for the Cubs in a number of ways. First, he had six good years for the team, particularly in 1926 when he batted .309/.367/.375 with 95 runs scored and 27 stolen bases, a 4.6 bWAR season. Then after ‘27 he was included in the Kiki Cuyler deal with the Pirates.
There is some uncertainty about the players reported in this trade. The two players sent to Wichita Falls never played in the majors. A pitcher named Buck Freeman was also supposed to be included in this deal, but he refused to report to Wichita Falls and the Cubs gave him his outright release. Eventually Freeman signed with an independent team in Joliet. The reason for the refusal was noted in the Tribune as “differences over a bonus.”
Lastly, baseball-reference.com shows this deal as being completed June 27, 1922 but Tribune articles seem to indicate it was completed July 6.
September 5: Acquired George Grantham from Omaha (Western League) for cash considerations
Grantham, like Adams, helped the Cubs not only by having a couple of good years for the team in 1923 and 1924, but then he was included in the 1924 offseason trade that brought Charlie Grimm to the Cubs. (Yes, that trade brought Rabbit Maranville too and that didn’t end well, but Grimm certainly provided much value to the Cubs organization.)
October 12: Acquired Hack Miller from Oakland (PCL) for Don Brown and William Marriott
The Cubs’ “other” Hack had three good years for the team from 1923-25 before injuries did him in. Eventually he went back to Oakland and worked as a longshoreman.
Marriott was not, as far as I know, related to the hotel family.
These deals all gave the Cubs pretty good value so I’ll grade them “B”.