To be sure, it’s a good year to be an Illini baseball fan AND a Chicago Cubs fan. Both teams have exceeded expectations in 2015.
On the night of the Chicago Cubs’ first 2015 playoff victory (with hopefully many more to come), here is a list of all University of Illinois baseball alums (such as reliever Donn Pall, right) who have spent time on the Chicago Cubs roster at some point.
|
Player |
Years in MLB |
Years with Cubs |
|
1933-1945 |
1943 |
|
|
1906-1916 |
1906 |
|
|
1903 |
1903 |
|
|
1954-1957 |
1954-1957 |
|
|
1968-1973 |
1968 |
|
|
1965-1979 |
1965-1971 |
|
|
1902-1909 |
1902-1909 |
|
|
1949 |
1949 |
|
|
1916 |
1916 |
|
|
1911 |
1911 |
|
|
1988-1998 |
1994 |
|
|
1905-1911 |
1905,1910 |
|
|
1923-1924 |
1923-1924 |
|
|
1954 |
1954 |
Ken Holtzman was hands down the most successful, winning 174 games in his career. He spent his first seven years with the Cubs and tagged on two more to end his career.
Reliever Donn Pall is more known for his work with the White Sox. He did take a turn on the Northside and pitched for the Cubs in 1994.
Big Jeff Pfeffer not only pitched for the University of Illinois and the Cubs but is a native of Champaign. He is buried at St. Mary Cemetery a few blocks away from Illinois Field.
Go Cubs!