National League Pennant (1945)
A war-torn season culminated in a pennant won by heart, yet lost at the final gate.
The 1945 National League Pennant remains the franchise's most poignant 'what-if,' standing as the Cubs' final trip to the World Series until 2016. Forged in the shadow of World War II, this title was claimed by a ragtag roster of aging veterans and men deemed unfit for service, led by player-manager Phil Cavarretta. They defied the odds of a depleted league to dominate the regular season, only to face the ultimate heartbreak just steps from glory.
- League
- National League
- Season
- 1945
- Manager
- Phil Cavarretta
- Regular Season Record
- 98-56
- World Series Result
- Lost to Detroit Tigers (4 games to 3)
- Key Player
- Phil Cavarretta
Lore & Background
The pennant race was a grueling summer duel with the St. Louis Cardinals, a rivalry that didn't ease until the final week. While Hank Borowy and Dutch Leonard anchored a staff that held off challengers through the dog days of July and August, the real story was the resilience of a team stripped of its stars by the war draft. The victory felt like a miracle amidst rationing and uncertainty, but the euphoria was short-lived. In the Fall Classic against the Detroit Tigers, the Cubs took a commanding 3-2 series lead, only to crumble in three straight losses—a collapse that turned triumph into a seventy-one-year ghost story.
In Their Own Story
Autumn air swept off Lake Michigan, carrying the chill of October and the heavy silence of a city still healing from war. Inside Wrigley Field, shadows stretched long across the diamond as Phil Cavarretta tipped his cap, watching a crowd that wasn't just cheering for baseball, but clinging to a shred of normalcy. When the final out of the pennant-clinching game was recorded, the roar that shook the ivy-covered walls felt different—less like a celebration and more like a collective exhale. It was a victory bought with sacrifice, a banner raised by men who had done their duty, even as the looming darkness of the World Series suggested that the final curtain call would have to wait for another generation.
Reader's Guide
The 1945 National League Pennant marks the Cubs' last championship series appearance prior to the historic 2016 breakthrough. Secured by a unique roster of aging veterans and those ineligible for military service, the team rallied under player-manager Phil Cavarretta to post a dominant 98-56 record. Their path to the title was forged in a fierce battle against the St. Louis Cardinals, fueled by the steady pitching of Hank Borowy and Dutch Leonard. Yet, the season's legacy is defined by its tragic coda: holding a 3-2 lead in the World Series against the Detroit Tigers before collapsing in three consecutive games. This heartbreaking defeat cemented 1945 as the ultimate symbol of missed opportunity, a painful reminder of the long drought that would not end until the modern era.
Did You Know?
- The 1945 Cubs were the last team before 2016 to win the National League pennant.
- Phil Cavarretta served as both the manager and the everyday first baseman for the championship team.
- Stan Hack, a future Hall of Famer, played his final major league season in 1945 at age 38.
- The World Series loss to Detroit is often cited as one of the most heartbreaking endings in Cubs history due to holding a 3-2 series lead.