Another Cub Legend Passes

Phil Cavarretta, the 1945 National League MVP who led the Chicago Cubs to their last World Series appearance, died Saturday in Georgia. He was 94.

Cavarretta died in Lilburn, Ga., of complications from a stroke, according to his grandson, Jeffrey Brown, of Lubbock, Texas.

A first baseman and outfielder, Cavarretta broke into the major leagues in 1934 and spent the first 20 of his 22 seasons with the Cubs before moving across town to play 77 games for the White Sox.

The three-time All-Star led the NL with a .355 batting average and a .449 on-base percentage in 1945, when the Cubs lost to the Detroit Tigers in the World Series. Cavarretta was one of the last living members of that team. The Cubs have not won a pennant since and their last World Series championship came in 1908.  Cavarretta was also one of the last living players who had taken to the field against Babe Ruth.  Cavarretta played against him when Ruth was a Boston Brave in 1935.

Cavarretta finished with a .293 batting average, 95 home runs and 920 RBIs in more than 2,000 big league games.

Philip Joseph Cavarretta was born on July 19, 1916 in Chicago. While attending Lane Tech High School on the North Side, he was a local sensation as both a pitcher and hitter. Among his feats at Lane, were a no-hitter and 8 one-hitters; he also pitched his American Legion team to a national championship in 1933.

Prior to graduation at age 17, Phil signed with the Cubs; upon graduation he was assigned to the Cubs' minor league team at Peoria, making a splash in his very first professional game on May 17, 1934 -- homering in his first at-bat and hitting for the cycle. In September, the Cubs called him up and on September 16th, he made his major league debut against the Dodgers in Brooklyn, only 18 years old.

Cavarretta is survived by his wife, Loraine, four daughters and one son, among others.